A Sneak Peek into New Tutoring Services & Product Plans for 2024

Over the Christmas period last year, I packed up my little flat in Bournemouth and moved in with my mum in Wimborne. Adjusting to bi-generational living involving two very independent women with very different routines (and our two dogs) has had its challenges! But over time, we’re finding a rhythm. 

One of the biggest challenges with this new living arrangement was working from home. There wasn’t a place where I could concentrate on work that wasn’t distracting or in the way, which led to the change that’s had the most impact on my business…

In August, work began on building a garden cabin to work from. As with all of these big projects, it was more complicated and took a lot longer than anticipated. In fact, the paving was only finished a few days ago!

Now the build is complete and it’s fantastic. I have a quiet space to work in with electricity and hard-wired internet AND I’m able to offer in-person tutoring again! I didn’t realise how much I had missed working face-to-face with kids until they started coming to the cabin. It’s spacious, cosy, warm and welcoming and all the kids who come for lessons love it 🙂

Check out this fab photo of my first student at the cabin cutting the ribbon to declare it open!

I’ve always enjoyed writing and creating content, but I tend to bite off far more than I can chew! I overcomplicate ideas that start off simple, which makes me overwhelmed and then those ideas get abandoned. Instead of continuing to publish posts, I decided to take a break and reflect on the purpose of the content I wanted to create and the value that I wanted to bring readers. 

I’ve now got a clear, simplified plan to work from and plenty of ideas. Here is a glimpse of what to expect:

• I’m freshening up the website to make it easier to use – this is nearly done!
• Clearer topic categories – I’d rather create helpful, thorough content about a few topics than spread myself thin and publish wishy-washy content. The new main categories are: understanding primary education; learning ideas and inspiration; improving wellbeing and news/updates
• Posts will be published more frequently, but they will be shorter and more accessible. This is easier for me to manage and easier for readers to consume
• Subscriber emails will be sent more consistently and contain more subscriber-only content
• I’m revamping the resource library for subscribers and filling it with free, value-packed downloadable and printable resources to help you support learning at home with more confidence

Now that I have my lovely cabin ‘classroom’ I can offer a wider range of services in addition to my existing online tutoring. These services are:

In-person 1-to-1 tutoring in the cabin

These sessions are already proving popular with kids and their parents. Individual tutoring is very effective for building confidence and boosting learning in a comfortable environment where kids feel safe to make mistakes and work at their own pace.

At the time of writing this, I have some weekly slots remaining. Get in touch with me through the button below if you’re interested.

Group tutoring in the cabin

This year I’m launching my first group sessions for up to 6 children at a time. The first groups will be for children preparing for local 11 Plus exams and will start when enough children are registered. If your child will be sitting exams for Poole Grammar, Parkstone Grammar, Bournemouth School or Bournemouth School for Girls, these groups are for you.

After the 11 Plus groups are up and running, I plan to offer small groups for vocabulary and spelling, reading comprehension, reading for pleasure and maths core skills. If you want to learn more, click the button below to stay informed.

Groups are fantastic for children who learn best when they can share ideas with their peers and are a more affordable option than 1-to-1 tutoring.

Workshops in the cabin

During the summer holiday, I will be running workshops on specific skills and topic areas (mainly relevant to 11 Plus exams). You will be able to book and pay for individual workshops rather than committing to a course. You can register your interest to learn more about workshops below.

I’ve written about developing products to help parents support learning at home in the past, but as I mentioned in my introduction, I often overcomplicate ideas, get overwhelmed and abandon them. Well, those products are a great example of this! I felt like I was trying to reinvent the wheel, so I’m stripping back those ideas to keep things simple, useful and value for money.

Here are a few resources that are in the pipeline for 2024:

• 11 Plus vocabulary booster subscription
• Vocabulary activity kit
• DIY verbal reasoning home learning kit
• Spelling activity kit

More details about those coming soon!

Finally, some personal plans. I often tell the kids I work with that the best learning happens when we are brave enough to set foot just outside our comfort zones. It’s only right that I set an example and practice what I preach!

I find the idea of creating videos with me in them and going live on social media completely petrifying. This year, my goal is to get over this fear. It might sound silly, but it’s something that I want to be able to do, although the thought of it makes me super nervous! I’ve lost confidence in recent years and hope that overcoming this fear will help me regain a slice of it.

To wrap up this post I thought I’d share the purpose of it with you, dear reader. 

In a word, I’m writing this for accountability. If my plans are out there, I’m sticking to them! 

I’ve been known to experience ‘shiny object syndrome’ and get easily distracted by the next big idea. Publishing my goals will help me stay on track, reach my goals and work within my limits.