Enjoy Education

A top name in the industry – and one of the oldest too, founded back in 2006 when Kate Shand went on a mission ‘to support every child to be the best version of themselves’. A tutor herself, she took the plunge to set up the business after completing her MA in English (Oxon) – and she’s as much a force of nature as she was back then. Caring too – telling us tale after tale of individual children, often achieving against all odds (eg school refusers nailing their exams via homeschooling). ‘It’s more than a job to Kate – it’s like a vocation, and that’s what makes you want to work for her,’ said a tutor.

There are now four in the management team – Kate (owner and CEO), along with Dominic Oxnam (director of education), Sarah Peters-Harrison (director of operations) and Damian Griffiths (director of finance). Plus another 11 employees including a head of homeschooling, head of private tuition, tutor partnerships executive and various assistants and consultants. A reasonably large team, then – all based in the company’s Knightsbridge mews offices, although some top and tail the week working from home.

Parents who have tried other agencies say there’s ‘no comparison with this one’, telling us that staff are ‘extremely professional and efficient’ and ‘always nice and positive’. They like that they’re ‘not passed around different people’ and that Enjoy is ‘never pushy’. Homeschooling clients told us of the staff’s ‘compassion’ and over half the parents we surveyed had used Enjoy for more than one child. ‘They remembered us, even with an eight-year gap,’ approved one.

‘They operate much like a school and have the highest possible standards for education outcomes for their students,’ said a tutor, with others praising the ‘comms and support from the office’. ‘Hugely positive’, ‘very professional’ and ‘a great reputation’, we kept hearing. ‘They’re a lovely team to work with.’

Over 300 tutors cover hourly and residential tutoring and homeschooling for just about every age, stage and subject – plus a whole host of other offerings including group courses and workshops.

Biggest demand is for English, maths and sciences from Key Stages 2-5 – both for public exams (GCSEs and A levels) and entrance exams (mainly 11-plus, 13-plus and Common Entrance). University admissions (including Oxbridge and USA) increasingly popular, and they can tutor throughout university (including master’s degrees, eg for support with essays and dissertations). At the youngest end, students are just 4 years old (mainly for SEN and EAL – we’d suggest anything else is probably unnecessary), with numbers starting to pick up at age 6 in preparation for 7-plus and 8-plus.

Rarer subjects include philosophy, history of art, computer science, Latin and Greek. They can also support the IB and BTECs, as well as ‘passion projects’ such as photography or improving graphic design skills.

‘Our tutors have all been professional and knowledgeable, flexible, enthusiastic and encouraging – I couldn’t be more grateful,’ was a typical parent comment. Meanwhile, a student told us, ‘I was struggling to keep up and felt completely overwhelmed, but the tutor broke things down in a way that actually made sense. They were patient, clear and focused on the areas where I needed the most help.’

Around 50 per cent of hourly tuition is delivered in person – mostly London (particularly Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham, Camden and Islington) but also the Cotswolds, Surrey and other parts of the UK. The rest is done online, supporting families globally, particularly across the Caribbean, USA, Middle East, India and Europe.

Homeschooling is huge, and these families told us they’re delighted with Enjoy’s bespoke programmes, whether for a full- or part-time curriculum. While some seek a short-term intervention (eg following relocation or a physical school not working out), others use them for ongoing support particularly in cases involving mental or physical health challenges, safeguarding concerns or significant learning needs. ‘They could not have been more flexible with their timetabling, and the subject specialists were so carefully matched to her learning needs,’ said one. Others commended Enjoy’s ability to cover international curricula, pastoral support, exam arrangements (which can now take place at a student’s home, even overseas) and enrichment activities (eg film club). We like that they start with what makes a child tick, eg one girl adored dressmaking so they started out improving those skills, then incorporated it into more academic learning. ‘They are very caring and totally tuned into the individual child,’ said a mother.

Over a quarter of families have children with SEN (both diagnosed and undiagnosed), mainly dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, autism, sensory processing, speech and language difficulties and anxiety. Enjoy has a pool of experts for this, many with specialist qualifications such as SpLD (dyslexia) accreditations and level 5 or 7 SEN diplomas; others with backgrounds in educational psychology, teaching and therapy. One such tutor told us, ‘They approach every role with a level of care and precision that I don’t always see in other agencies.’ Parents told us these tutors work closely with not just the family but therapists and school to ensure a joined-up approach – particularly important in cases of school transitions, EHCP implementation or full-time homeschooling.

Residentials are popular – both in the UK and internationally for short- and long-term placements. Recently, a tutor supported an American family with boys aged 6 and 8 as they travelled the world; another tutor supported a family in Germany to support with a (successful) application to Harrow.

For 11-plus and 13-plus, there are interview workshops (max 12 children) and group courses (max six children). They also run webinars for families on everything from UK and US university admissions to internet safety.

While many fledgling agencies fill their books with a merry-go-round of fresh graduates seeking an extra buck, Enjoy’s tutors need at least two years’ experience and most have a lot more. We spoke to those in their 20s right up to late 70s – and over half had worked for Enjoy for over three years. Thirty per cent are qualified teachers (most with experience in top schools); the rest are a mix of full-time tutors, postgrad students or people working in the arts, economics and finance, coaching and writing.

Parents told us of their children’s approach to learning being ‘completely transformed’ and of ‘predictive grades going through the roof’. ‘Our tutor was involved in setting exams in that subject – you can’t get better than that!’ said one. Every parent we surveyed said they’d recommend them to other families and 63 per cent said a personal referral was how they came across Enjoy in the first place.

The multi-stage recruitment process sorts the wheat from the chaff, including a face-to-face interview to assess subject knowledge, communication skills and ability to build rapport with students. Sample lesson and two written tasks also required. Two references are followed up, plus DBS and other identity/qualifications checks. Successful candidates get accredited safeguarding training and termly training webinars on issues like how to help students cope with exam anxiety, how to best support neurodiverse students, changes to Oxbridge and UCAS applications etc. Tutors told us they also receive regular feedback, mentoring and support – and they really value ‘feeling part of something’ via tutor coffee mornings at the office and annual summer and Christmas tutor parties.

When a client calls in, the team gets a detailed brief including academic goals, learning style, personality fit, logistical needs and any pastoral or SEN considerations. Then they ping out the job spec to all relevant tutors (some like this; others feel it’s ‘a bit scattergun’) before creating a shortlist of best matches. Usually happens within 24 hours for online tutoring; up to three days for in-person placements. ‘They swung into action immediately,’ said one parent; another telling us that, ‘out of the larger tutor companies, Enjoy is easily the most client-focused.’

Parents told us of both written and verbal feedback and that Enjoy is ‘very good at following up on how the lessons are going, as well as being very open to suggestions and feedback’. Homeschooling families appreciate the end-of-term review meetings.

Lots of charitable works, mainly via their partner, Tutoring to Thrive, which supports high-potential students in state schools in SE London. We spoke to one tutor who told us about the ‘immensely rewarding work’ getting youngsters from low socio-economic backgrounds ‘onto top courses at leading universities including Oxbridge’.

Enjoy Education is a founding member of The Tutors’ Association.

Clients are mainly high-net-worth families based all over the world – so you can expect some hefty fees. ‘We could definitely have found properly qualified teaches a lot cheaper but Enjoy works so hard to find the best match and they completely look after you,’ said one. ‘Value for money is unquestionable,’ conclude most.

Following an introductory fee of £98 (which includes a personal consultation and tutor recommendations), hourly rates range from £98 to £159, depending on the tutor’s qualifications, subject expertise and level of support required. The tutor gets between £50 and £120 of this – the rest goes on VAT (20 per cent) and to Enjoy. Beyond zones 1 and 2, travel can cost extra.

Both clients and tutors sign a contract which includes a 48-hour cancellation policy (note that’s double the time of most agencies but, as with most reputable agencies, there is leeway under certain circumstances such as one-off illness). A ‘first session policy’ means families do not pay for their first session if they don’t feel it was up to scratch. Courses and workshops from £250.

‘What sets us apart is our deeply personalised approach, our ability to adapt to complex family needs and our commitment to academic excellence paired with emotional sensitivity. We are trusted by schools, advisors and families alike to step in during moments of transition, crisis or high ambition and deliver meaningful outcomes for students of all ages.’

A top-end London tutor agency, which parent after parent told us ‘goes the extra mile’ and ‘really cares’. Never a case of teach and run, these tutors mentor and build confidence in addition to the first-rate academics. Now a market leader in homeschooling – and Enjoy is also the go-to recommendation among many educational professionals who tell us Enjoy ‘puts the student front and centre every time’.