Student Testimonials

"[Tuition] helped with motivation and preparation for exams and exam study. Learned better study techniques. Got a lot more done throughout the year and coming up to exams than if I hadn't done tutoring."

Year 13 Student, December 2009
Level 3 Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Statistics

“I wanted to ensure that I would pass the MCAT with at least a Merit, and I passed with excellence! Max explained things better than my teacher at school- in a different way, which helped me, and having 1-1 help was great for me.

Without the tutoring from Max, I don't think I would have achieved as well as I did.”

Lauren, January 2014
Year 11, Level 1 Mathematics

"Hey Melanie thanks for a great year I passed with merit overall! And I got two merits and one achieved in bio. Thanks heaps!"

Matt, January 2012
Year 12, Biology

“Hi Melanie! Just wanted to let you know I got merit in both Stats and Chem exams! Really happy and you helped me heaps so just wanted to say thanks. Now I’m off to Otago! Thanks again!”

Kim, January 2015
Year 13, Chemistry & Statistics

"I think my tuition helped me understand the basics of the topics [and] then learn how to put that understanding to use when given a question. Over all it helped me to understand what questions I was going to get asked and how to solve them the fastest way without making lots of silly mistakes."

Kate McDonald, December 2008
Year 13, Level 3 Statistics

“Hi Mel I just got my result for the Homeostasis internal and I got Excellence! Thank you for all the help, hope you have great holidays!
Izzy.”

Isabel, April 2016
Year 13, Biology
 

"I did OK in my exams. I only got one of the three science papers, but I did do better than I expected and I've passed with 106 credits and I'm very proud of myself. Thanks for all your help. Without it I wouldn't have achieved as much as I did."

Lexie McKellar, 2007
Year 11, Level 1 Mathematics and Science

"Daniel was great yesterday, I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. He went out of his way to make sure I understood things and I thought his style of tutoring was really suited to me and my learning style. Thank you for all your help."

Kitty, March 2012
Year 13, Chemistry & Physics

"Mel is a very knowledgeable tutor and has a gentle approach to passing this knowledge on to the student. A lot of thought goes into the lesson plans taking into account the students individual ways of learning. I have always verbalised what I would like to see achieved and feel able to discuss Callum's needs as far as I see. Mel is always happy to tweak her lessons plans and try new ways to help achieve results. The tutoring has been very worthwhile."

Callum’s parents Sandra & Ian Young, December 2008
Year 11, Level 1 Science

“I would highly recommend AHeadStart to anyone because the tutors have experienced the NCEA system and know it better than other tutoring places I have been to.”

Emma, January 2016
Year 13, Physics

“I contacted AHeadStart to get some extra support for my son about a month prior to NCEA exams. He is a capable student but finds some aspects of English difficult. In 4 or 5 sessions he worked alongside Paula and gained valuable knowledge about completing English exam papers. He was very pleased to get English endorsed with excellence and so were his parents!!.”

Isaac’s mother Jenny, January 2014
Year 11, English

"I thought I would just flick you a short one to tell you that the lessons are great and going really well & Gemma is a fantastic tutor! Very patient and thorough, making sure I understand every step we go through. Thanks Briar (:"

Briar, May 2011
Year 12, Level 2 Mathematics & Physics

"To Mel, Thank you so much for all your wonderful help. Best tutor ever! :D"

Jessie, November 2011
Year 12, Level 2 Mathematics & Physics

“Through tuition, I learned study techniques that worked for me. Before tuition, I was struggling with my studies (maths in particular) but after I started receiving tuition, merit and excellence grades became regular occurrences!”

Ellen, January 2014
Year 13, Level 3 Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, Statistics

“We have been very happy with how it all went. Sarah was very patient and related really well with Nicole. She went into NCEA exams quite confident which is something I didn't think I would see. Previous to the meeting Sarah she would stress out at thoughts of any test.

She has managed over 80 credits already without even relying on credits from her external exams and is really proud of herself. I know Sarah thought there was always so much to get through in a session and felt rushed but she did a great job and we really appreciated her help.

I have recommended your business to a couple of friends with students heading into exams next year and will be in contact."

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

“Great tutoring service! Very easy to organise lessons with your tutor! I couldn't recommend more!
Thanks for all your help this year Anna!”

Ellie, January 2016
Year 12, Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

"My tutor was very helpful and went the extra mile by giving [me] lots of exam papers. I passed all my unit standards and internals - the ones I failed before I started tutoring. It was nice how everything was taught step by step. I had more understanding and wasn't rushed. Thanks."

Nastassja Schoeman, December 2008

Year 13, Level 3 Calculus

“Hey we just got our statistics results back and I got excellence!!!!! Yahhhhhh!!! Thank you so much for helping me with it :)”

Nila, July 2014
Year 13, Statistics

"Hi Melanie. You will be pleased to know that I passed all of my maths papers and even managed two merits for graphs and sequences. There is no doubt that these results stemmed from the tutoring you gave me so thanks again for your help."

Briar, January 2009
Year 12, Level 2 Mathematics

"Thanks for the tutoring, it was much appreciated and most helpful."

Tom Busler, November 2007
Year 13, Level 3 Calculus

"I passed all my maths and science papers with achieveds and merits."

Kieran, January 2009
Year 11, Level 1 Mathematics & Science