Background to Learning Academies

Learning Academies was founded in 2007 with the iAchieve Extra Tuition Programme becoming our flagship venture. Our ambition was always clear. To develop a programme that would sit amongst the UK’s most respected providers of Additional and Alternative Education, offering a safe and effective programme that would not only raise attainment but also build confidence and aspirations the children and young people we work with. We recognise that working supportively with parents and guardians is an important part of this.

The Learning Academies concept was developed in response to a simple need that we identified not as educators, but as parents. We were looking for a tuition provider to support one of our sons but, as we started to make enquiries, we very quickly found ourselves on the receiving end of a ‘hard sell’. Time and again, we found ourselves talking to people who escalated our concerns rather than reassured us. We found people who were quick to criticise the failure of our country’s education system, of our child’s school and his teacher. As teachers and head teachers ourselves we could see ‘the bigger picture’ the limitations (not failings). We weren’t looking to place ‘blame’ or criticise. We were looking to find a positive solution that would work in partnership with our son, ourselves and his school to ‘fill the gaps’ and secure progress – as well as to encourage a genuine love of learning. We set up Learning Academies to offer just that…a ‘positive, solution focused’ solution and that mindset remains at the heart of all we do.

The iAchieve Extra Tuition programme went from strength to strength, offering ‘private tuition’ for 4-16 year olds in small groups of no more than 6.  By working in partnership with our schools and families we were able to form a ‘triangle of success’ around each learner. By working in close collaboration and by listening carefully to even the youngest of students, an individual programme of study could be developed and delivered.

Our tutors are qualified, experienced and inspiring educators who, from day one, have been the backbone of our company. Our tutors are open to embracing new technologies, not to replace traditional tutoring, but to enhance and accelerate progress. As a team we recognise that there has to be space to enable children to think for themselves. A supportive environment that encourages children to be assertive learners, unafraid to make mistakes or challenge themselves.

Initial impact data showed significant progress, not just in academic ability, but also in the confidence of our students, their resilience and personal aspirations. As new centres opened and thrived across the county we found ourselves supporting a small number of students that had previously disengaged with school as well as those whose social and emotional health made it impossible to access mainstream education. Their feedback led us to establish the iAspire Programme.

Unlike iAchieve, the iAspire programme takes place predominantly during the school day, offering bespoke 1:1 support for some of our region’s most vulnerable children and young people. It has been incredibly satisfying to see those young people ‘reengage’ with their learning and genuinely thrive. We are now proud to be delivering the iAspire Alternative Provision Programme on a national basis – supporting schools and local authorities to provide a tuition programme of the highest standard.

In November 2020, Learning Academies was selected as one of founding 32 National Tuition Partners for England’s National Tutoring Programme. A genuine honour to have been selected from many hundreds of applicants. Through the National Tutoring Programme, participating schools were able to access subsided high-quality tutoring, providing additional support to schools to help disadvantaged pupils whose education has been most affected by school closures during Covid19.  Through the National Tuition Programme we forged new partnerships with a wide range of schools from across the UK and continue to support many of these organisations today.

We continue to stay true to our founding mission and we look forward to working with you as part of this journey together.