ENJOY EDUCATION

THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 2010

2.Staff

Started in 2005 and run by Kate Shand who is committed, passionate, energetic and hugely likeable. Clearly on a mission to deliver a top quality service to her clients – and her tutors – Kate is eloquent on the personal nature of the tutor-client-agency relationship and has a positively moral take on what she sees as her job. ‘Our name, “Enjoy Education” encapsulates what we do. Every child benefits from inspiring tuition and we know how to provide the very best service to make sure our pupils excel.’ she says, enthusiastically. Kate and her team strive to assess all new pupils under 13 so they can match the best tutor to each child. The company is run from their office in Chelsea and success has meant rapid expansion. The team clearly shares Kate’s genuine passion for education and there is an infectious commitment and dedication in the office.

3.What do they offer?

Carefully tailored, micro-managed individual tuition with scrupulous monitoring, feedback and attention to detail. The tutors get as careful handling as the clients and Kate places great value on training. ‘We invest a great deal of time in it – the tutors need to know what the targets are for each pupil.’ Tutees range from 4+ to degree level though the concentration, here, as elsewhere, is on school entrance and the public exams. Enjoy Education also offers popular Revision courses and, imaginatively, workshops in touch typing, drama and debating, courses in music and art – as well as one-to-one in these areas if required. There’s little they won’t help with – organisational skills, revision practice and programming, exam techniques etc., as well as general educational and schools’ advice. They will find you a resident tutor to travel with your family if needed or arrange for carefully planned home schooling programmes for those students. Plenty of opportunities to get ahead in this competitive world. A one-stop-shop to get you through the whole business which even includes tutoring via Skype and online. Core area is central London and most tutees live within a couple of miles of EE’s office but they cover the London tube area and send their residential tutors all round the country.

4.Background and basics

Currently over 600 tutors on the books they keep interviewing tutors to make sure they can “match the ideal tutor to each of our pupils” which is a clear testament to the level of service they provide. Average age around 27 – mostly young, bright and keen graduates. Kate is adamant about the ethos shared by all her tutors, ‘We are fully committed to the tutoring we provide. Children need to find every session productive and fun.’ 15 per cent of tutees are state school pupils, the rest go to schools in the independent sector. If you call EE, the response is immediate. No leaving a message and waiting a week before you get a dozy response here. Part of Enjoy Education’s unique approach to tutoring is the expert advice given over the phone or face to face. If your child is pre-CE, Enjoy Education will run over your needs and discuss exactly what is required to support him/her. Your child can also be assessed by Kate so she can advise first hand what is best. For senior school children, the assessment of needs is normally done efficiently by phone. Interesting and laudable venture is EE’s pro bono work. Some tutors volunteer as part of a unique partnership with local primary schools – helping in classrooms or offering one-to-one tutoring. The fact that they do it suggests that Kate’s missionary approach is shared by her tutors – a touching rarity in central London, in tough times, for those with careers to forge.

5.Money and small print

An average tutorial is £45 – but the price varies according to level.

6.They say

We help children improve their results and build confidence. We give our pupils the best shot at getting into the school of their choice. We focus on the quality of our tuition, so feedback, calibre of our tutors and interviews – as well as the actual teaching – must be very well-managed.

7.Remarks

Not a word of criticism to be heard. ‘Kate assessed all three of our children. All her tutors have been excellent – we never had a problem. She’ll find someone to help with whatever,’ was a typical comment. Tutors concur, ‘they are very professional,’ opined one we located. ‘By far the best I’ve come across’ confided another. Enjoy Education is a force for good in this crowded enclosure. In the several years we’ve been watching the form, we heard only roars of approval – very classy ones – from clients and tutors alike.