Northern Enterprise Awards 2022 | 103 Nov22024 Best Teaching & Learning Tuition Centre - Merseyside Based in Formby, Liverpool, The Learning Pad Private Tuition (The Learning Pad) teaches children and adolescents from 4 to 18 years old. Its relaxed atmosphere and first-class tuition combine to help students feel comfortable and achieve their full potential. Company founder, Helen Dutton tells us about her journey and gives us an insight into how The Learning Pad has evolved. Following her graduation from university, Helen became a teacher. After working in mainstream primary education for three years she decided she needed a change. She told us, “I enjoyed teaching in the classroom. But large class sizes and the volume of paperwork left me feeling unable to prioritise my students’ individual needs. I started my tuition business from home in November 2012. With just four students.” Word of Helen’s fun, interactive learning style soon spread and the business grew through recommendations. Almost exactly seven years later, The Learning Pad opened its first tuition centre. Helen wanted the centre to have a homely feel. A variety of learning spaces and flexible seating options were needed to allow students to work where they feel most comfortable. Also, Ofsted registration enabled the company to accept childcare vouchers as payment, meaning students from a variety of backgrounds to access the service. Since then, The Learning Pad has continued to grow, now boasting eleven teachers. These include early years teachers, primary teachers, secondary teachers, and specialist SEN teachers providing 1:1, 2:1, and small group tuition. The Learning Pad offers tuition in maths, English, science, and languages, with each teacher specialising in a subject and age range. Helen says, “We pride ourselves in providing quality in-school tuition, consultancy services, parent information workshops, pre-school classes, home education sessions, and a variety of extra-curricular activities. We were delighted to be recognised as one of the top three tuition providers in Liverpool, in both 2021 and 2022!” The Learning Pad doesn’t use pre-designed teaching programmes. Instead, it offers bespoke lessons designed for each child. They take into account academic level, learning style, needs, and interests. Helen explains, “If children learn with pleasure, they’re more likely to understand and retain their learning experiences. There’s a lot of research highlighting the benefits of learning through play. Our aim is to ensure that our lessons are fun and engaging. We enjoy using many interactive, hands-on resources and carefully planned educational games. “We aspire to be approachable, kind, enthusiastic, and to build genuine friendships with the children and families that we work with. We’re fortunate to have a wonderful team of hand-picked teachers. They keep up-to-date with the latest curriculum and examination reforms. And they’re passionate about inspiring students to achieve and enjoy their learning.” We ask Helen to share her thoughts about current industry trends, to which she responds, “The pandemic gave parents greater insight into children’s learning. It highlighted the benefit of parents and carers becoming more wellinformed. The digital education sector took a huge leap forward too. It’s highlighted to everyone that knowledge-based curriculums alone are insufficient. A balance of both knowledge and skills-based activities is essential for developing life skills. There’s been a lot more focus on the mental health and well-being of students, too. All this information has prompted us to look at education from different perspectives. It’s given us the opportunity to implement positive changes to the services we offer.” Looking to the future, The Learning Pad is planning to increase the number of student scholarships it can offer by gaining sponsorship. It’s also looking to add more in-house services by collaborating with other educational professionals. Information sessions, parent consultations, and additional needs screenings are all on the cards for 2023. Additionally, Helen is looking to expand into other areas of the northwest. If you’d like to know more about the tuition offered by The Learning Pad or could help with sponsorship for its student scholarship programme, please visit the company website. Contact: Helen Dutton Company: The Learning Pad Private Tuition Web Address: www.thelearningpad.co.uk
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