FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who are Classical Foundations Ltd?
What ages do you teach?
What subjects do you teach?
Where are you based?
Who are the tutors?
Why can’t you teach my child at home?
What days do you tutor?
Do you tutor in the school holidays?
What if my child takes regular medication?
Do I need to buy a lot of new books if my child comes for a lesson?
What would I need to bring to a lesson?
Do you set homework?
Do you use computers to teach?
Are all lessons for one hour?
What if I am unable to pick my child up after their lesson?
What can I expect from the tutor?
How do I pay?
How much do you charge?
What is Classical Foundations Ltd?
Classical Foundations Ltd is a team of private tutors working in the East Midlands under the direction of educational expert and author Dr Alex Moseley. We tutor one to one and help prepare pupils of all abilities for their studies at all levels.
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We tutor from ages seven to eighteen. Although each pupil’s needs are different, we look at 7-10 year olds as needing Foundation Skills, 11-14 year olds Groundwork Skills, before moving on to GCSE or Baccalaureate Skills, and then for the 16+ we review their Advanced Study skills.
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English Literature, English Language, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Business Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy and Ethics, History, Geography and Modern Languages … ask and we shall endeavour to find a tutor for you! We also regularly tutor for school entrance exams and the 11+ and assist our pupils learn useful study skills and habits for higher learning. We have taught pupils to read, to count, to apply for a job, to write a cover letter for UCAS … and we have enjoyed good success over the years watching our clients succeed!
Currently, we have studios in Stathern (Vale of Belvoir), West Bridgford, Bingham, and Long Bennington (between Newark and Grantham) and Southwell. We are looking to move into Lincoln in the very near future.
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A good graduate degree is the minimum requirement for our tutors while the majority hold Masters Degrees and some are doing PhD research. All of our tutors have enhanced CRB checks and are chosen for their enthusiasm, life skills and of course their academic qualities. All of the tutors are constantly mentored: unlike tutors working alone, Classical Foundation tutors are part of a team – we share ideas on teaching and insights into particular problems. We also encourage our tutors to continue their learning and to take first aid courses. They must also attend our Induction Day on security and codes of practice and continued professional development as a team.
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Why can’t you teach my child at home?
Classical Foundations Ltd believes that a child’s home is a place for social and quality time with their family and friends. There are often too many distractions going on at home for a pupil to totally concentrate for one hour. Experience has shown us over the years that when pupils come to a studio to learn they are much more likely to get more from tuition than at home. Our satellite studios are equipped with CCTV cameras to ensure your child is safe at all time. We want to offer the best kind of education (one-to-one) in a mutually safe environment. We are a fully insured company and therefore can offer peace of mind to all pupils and tutors once on our premises.
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We tutor seven days a week! We appreciate that children have many extra curriculum activities and this is why our studios are at their busiest at the weekends. We are able to offer lessons after school, and for the older ones we can tutor up to nine pm in the evenings.
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Do you tutor in the school holidays?
Yes, we do. We are open 49 weeks of the year and go through the half -terms and the summer holidays if you require us. We are closed one week at Easter and two weeks at Christmas. Our educational programmes are always tailored to suit the individual pupil’s needs.
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What if my child takes regular medication?
We ask all parents/carers to fill out a student information questionnaire before their first lesson. If there are any medical conditions that we should be aware of, please make these known. If you child needs an inhaler for their asthma, please ensure they have it with them at all times. If your child is poorly please let us know as soon as possible, so we can reschedule their lesson.
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Do I need to buy a lot of new books if my child comes for a lesson?
For the older pupils, those studying GCSE and A Levels, the texts books they are using at school should be adequate. We may suggest further reading to enhance their understanding but we do have an extensive library and we are happy to lend reading material if needed.
For the younger students and those studying for their 11+, we highly recommend the Bond study skills books. These or their equivalent are essential and, even if the pupil is not taking the 11+ exams, are wonderful for a wide range of abilities and allow the student to see their progress at all times. They are available from the high street but Classical Foundations Ltd does stock them at a discounted rate.
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What would I need to bring to a lesson?
A brain! We provide all the paper, pens and pencils needed for a lesson. Our studios are equipped with dictionaries, general science, literature and history books.
We ask the students studying at GCSE and A Level to bring in the relevant texts they are studying. For the younger ones, a current reading book is always useful.
Once lessons are up and running, we expect pupils to bring in the relevant materials that have been identified by the tutor as well as any homework set to keep their minds ticking over during the week.
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Yes. Much homework set in the school system, especially for younger pupils, is rarely designed with the child’s educational requirements in mind. Homework that our tutors set is tailored for the pupil to ensure that they consolidate their learning in their own time. We aim to keep homework levels low and we naturally adjust to children’s other extracurricular requirements or ability to manage their time.
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Do you use computers to teach?
Our ethos is that learning is most effective when the student uses pen and paper. We do not encourage the use of calculators until we reach trigonometry (for instance) nor do we use computers to present lessons. While reviewing a short educational video has its place (e.g., reviewing an experiment or a speech in Hamlet), our lessons are based on using the intellect and applying skills on paper. We never leave our students alone to work on computers!
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We tailor to the individual. Some of the younger pupils find half an hour is sufficient but for those studying towards their exams an hour is more rewarding; we can cater for long sessions according to needs, but bear in mind, an hour’s lesson one-to-one can be intensive!
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What if I am unable to pick my child up after their lesson?
Classical Foundations Ltd are advised by one of the UKs top security companies for our code of practices: your child’s safety is paramount to us and we have a duty of care toward them. Before any lesson takes place we ask for a list of those authorised by yourself to collect your child if you are unable. We understand that sometimes you are unable to collect your child and you may ask a friend or neighbour at short notice. If this happens we must have written permission from yourself and the person collecting must have photo ID before we let the pupil go with a person who is not on your authorised list.
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What can I expect from the tutor?
Respect and sensitivity towards the pupil. Our ethos is to work with the individual and his or her ambitions and needs by working with the pupil’s strengths and supporting their weaknesses. Each pupils carries with them their fears, hopes, and dreams, and our tutors are mentored in working with them to ensure that their confidence increases and good study habits are cultivated.
If you need to discuss any issues with the tutor please let them know at the beginning of the lesson, so that they can factor in time at the end of your lesson, as not to overrun into the next pupil’s lesson time.
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All payments are made through the accounts department at Classical Foundations Ltd at 14 City Road, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4HE. Our tutors do not accept cash or cheques from the parents/carers. This is to avoid any embarrassment and for the safety of our tutors so they are not carrying cash around with them. We invoice you in advance and offer payment packages of five or ten lessons. We email you the invoice but if you would like your invoice posting, then please just ask.
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Our current charge is £35 per hour or £20 for half an hour. That hour is solely devoted to your child in a secure tutorial environment removed from distractions: in that hour the pupil can relax to learn very effectively. We appreciate that we are not the cheapest but we believe with our enthusiastic highly skilled tutors, great company ethos and the safeguarding of your child, that we are indeed the best.
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If you need any further information, please contact us on 07946 229 242
Or email enquiries@classicalfoundations.co.uk
