Parent Testimonials

"We have nothing but the highest praise for Hannah. She is an excellent teacher and Monny really likes her very much.

I have to say, I was a bit nervous signing up to have students for tutors. I just wasn't sure they would have the skills/ maturity to manage someone not much younger than them and our previous experience with tutors has been with ex-teachers. I couldn't have been more wrong!!!. We are delighted with both Hannah and John. Monny really likes the fact that they are close to her own age as she feels she can relate to them."

Monica’s mother Karen, October 2012
Year 12, Level 2 Chemistry & Mathematics

"Thanks Melanie. Hamish did a great job. Rosa got top of her class for maths and science, and Carlos has appreciated the help too. We will be in touch next year with Rosa."

Rosa’s and Carlos’ mother Jackie, November 2014
Year 10 & Year 13, Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

“Emma said her tutorial with Jackson was fantastic yesterday. Being dyslexic and a very visual learner his style of teaching really suited her. She came home feeling really positive.”

Emma’s mother Catriona, September 2015
Year 12, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

"We would just like to let you know that things went really well with Hannah’s first visit today. Lucy was really chuffed about how much she had learned and Hannah is a lovely girl and obviously very patient!

We are feeling very confident that this is the beginning of a huge improvement in Lucy’s understanding of maths and we are lucky to have someone like Hannah to help her."

Lucy’s mother Sarah, July 2012
Year 5, Mathematics

"Thanks for the report. Ayrton struggled with all subjects at primary & intermediate school, and he has never had any confidence in his ability. Now with the help of both Ezra & Alex he is starting to realise he can do well and he is enjoying it so much more particularly the maths. Ayrton is now in a pre Cambridge Maths class and CBHS are getting them all to do some of the NCEA1 maths exam at the end of the year."

Ayrton’s mother Anna, July 2011
Year 10, Level 1 Mathematics

"Holly got science endorsed with Merit in her NCEA external exams. She also got accounting and phys ed endorsed with Merit.

She passed maths with achieved in the externals which she is happy about. She is also happy she passed as she thought she had failed."

Holly’s mother Mary, January 2013
Year 11, Mathematics & Science

“Maths and English were two topics she greatly struggled with. By the end of Level 1 and Level 2 she was achieving in ways that not only shocked us but also her teachers. The improvement was mind blowing.

In Maths it was all new work to her and she did not understand it at all, her tutor was honestly the best tutor we had ever met, he not only taught her skills to understand Maths but he got her from basic maths to achieving mainly merits throughout the two years. For English her first internal she went from getting achieved to suddenly getting excellences for every internal she ever did. And passed all of her exams.”

Mikayla’s mother Leeann, January 2016
Year 12, English & Mathematics

“Just a note to let you know how thrilled Daisy is with her results for NCEA Level 1 … she attributes her success in no small part to Helena and her expert tuition, which gave her the confidence to believe in herself and  do so well. Thank you to you too for helping organise all this for us and for getting Helena to us. She not only achieved her 50 Excellence credits (which was her original goal for the year) but in fact exceeded 100 Excellence credits, which means she will be awarded with the top academic honour at St Margaret’s in the form of a red academic bar for surpassing 100 E’s. Only 12 girls achieved this last year in level 1 (there will be more this year as Daisy is in a very bright year group).  She achieved an Excellence endorsement for 4 subjects out of 6 … one of which was Physics which stunned and thrilled her. She was extremely close to getting Excellence endorsements in both Chemistry and Maths also … the algebra external which she failed in her mock exams at school she got an E for in the external.  When I reflect on how she was struggling with her confidence ..with confusion creeping in at around Easter last year when I first got in touch with you …to see her confidence and ability blossoming, the tutoring made all the difference and was worth every cent.”

Daisy’s mother Lorelei, January 2015
Year 11, Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

“I would recommend AHeadStart to anyone - the one-on-one approach really works well and has benefited my teenage children. It is money well spent.”

Lauren’s & Sam’s mother Erin, January 2014
Year 9 & Year 12, Mathematics

“Thank you for all your support & help for Mikayla throughout the past 2 years, James was the most amazing Maths tutor & did wonders with Mikayla, I couldn’t speak more highly of your tutoring company and of James. And feel very blessed to have had the chance to discover who you were as it helped so, so, so much. Thanks again for everything.”

Mikayla’s mother Leeann, November 2015
Year 12, English & Mathematics

"Thanks for all the time you have spent with Nikki over the past few months. Nikki has so much more confidence now. Thanks for making such a huge difference."

Nikki’s mother Sharon, November 2010
Year 11, Chemistry & Physics

"Somin is very happy with Joe and she says he is very good at teaching the way she needs to learn. This is much better for Somin than the other 2 tutors we had [elsewhere], who were too generally focused, but not on what she needed."

Somin’s guardian Vicki, August 2013
Year 11, Accounting, Mathematics & Science

“Jeremy is a great tutor for Lorna – it is a great match and she has done superbly this year, gaining full excellences in all standards. They relate very well, and I would like her to continue with him next year.”

Lorna’s mother Jane, September 2015
Year 11, Level 2 Mathematics

"Georgia really felt that Becky made a big difference. She feels sure that she has passed and hopefully even done better. I certainly appreciated the fact that you could quickly supply a tutor of Becky's calibre. I would recommend A Head Start to others in a similar position to Georgia."

Georgia’s mother Leanne, December 2012
Year 13, Level 3 Chemistry

“We were thrilled to see that Eva got straight excellences (all internals and externals) for science for level one NCEA.”

Eva’s mother Frances, January 2015
Year 11, Science

"Just wanted to say that Daniel has been excellent for Tom, and that Tom also appreciates his “style”! They seem to have an excellent rapport going, and while Daniel is certainly a bit introverted, they are communicating very well."

Tom’s father Steve, May 2013
Year 13, Calculus

"Sarah has been wonderful for Nicole and so patient.  She has come a long way and has had a good attitude and self-belief which is showing in her work."

Nicole’s mother Alison, October 2013
Year 11 English, Mathematics & Science

"A very quick note to thank you and Jason for the great experience Campbell had with his first tutoring lesson. He was absolutely delighted with what was covered and the ease in which he grasped concepts previously misunderstood. I have not heard him as animated and enthusiastic as he was when we spoke last night for several years."

Campbell's mother Jill, July 2010
Year 13, Level 3 Mathematics with Calculus

“Josh, like many young people, will absorb information in a one on one far more effectively than in a classroom so the tutoring focused and supported him as he started to realize that his results were important to his future. The Tutoring was effective in focusing him and helping him realize "he can do this!".”

Josh’s father Dave, January 2014
Year 13, Level 3 Calculus, Chemistry & Physics

“George is still really enjoying Sean's tutorials and he ended up doing super well in maths last year at school gaining an award for excellence in maths for year 7, again we are sure this is mainly thanks to Sean's help.”

George’s mother Justine, January 2016
Year 7, Mathematics

“She learned that physics is fun! She learned that it is really easy to understand when she knows the language and has more confidence in her own abilities. Her marks improved markedly and she ended up receiving the Cathedral College Physics Cup for Year 13. Her teacher had always had a lot of confidence in her ability to understand physics, but Edie was almost holding herself back by thinking she wasn't capable.”

Gretchen’s mother Edie, January 2016
Year 13, Physics

“Ben has been really pleased with his tutor, who he has made a connection with, which has made it easier for him to learn. Thank you very much. It is great to see his spirits lifted after a tough school year.”

Ben’s mother Kerry, November 2015
Year 11, English & Media Studies

“Josh moved from stats to calc, he had a lot of catching up to do.
The tutoring gave him a better chance at his exams, he seemed more confident about his ability.”

Josh’s father Russell, January 2016
Year 13, Calculus

"Nick has thoroughly enjoyed his tutor Daniel and learnt plenty. It was well worth the time and effort. Please pass onto Daniel our gratitude. Thanks for your services."

Nick’s mother Anthea, November 2014
Year 13, Physics