Student Testimonials

"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

"I wanted 2 say thank you because all of my results were good and I’m extremely grateful for all the help the tutors gave me XD."

Soliana, January 2012
Year 12, Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

“Thank you so much for teaching me this year. I have especially really appreciated you giving up your time in the last week to fit in the extra lessons. It has really helped to have someone guide me through NCEA 2. I’m looking forward to Calculus and Chemistry next year. Thank you again.”

Emma, November 2012
Year 12, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

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

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

"As a result of having tutoring I feel I understand every topic a lot better. Before I started tutoring I thought I understood the topic but test results said a different story. After having tuition I found I had a better understanding of the topics in general and most of the time I understood what the question was asking.

I thought that Melanie was very helpful in explaining easy ways to understand what the question meant. In Solving Probability problems during the year my report was not achieving at the end of the year it changed to Achieving well my results changed from a not achieved to a merit. Understanding the language they used in Probability was my biggest problem I feel tutoring really helped this subject improve as I grasped what they were really trying to ask.

In the subject Applying Probability Distributions my results changed from not achieving to a merit. This is because I learnt when to apply binomial or Poisson or normal distributions. I learned the difference between these three distributions and it helped improve my test results.

In the topic Using Confidence intervals my results changed from not achieved to an achieved but I feel that the practice and revision I did between the last school results and the final NCEA exam that hopefully my results are higher than that. I feel more confident with this topic now.

Finally with the topic solving equation I could only ever do the simultaneous equations and not the graph part. I use to avoid this paper and did not do it in the school practice exam. So I do not have any results to show how I have improved but I feel with the lessons I have received that I can now answer all questions in this topic and I find it the most enjoyable and the easiest topic to do out of all of them."

Kate McDonald, December 2008
Year 13, Level 3 Statistics

"My exams went surprisingly well. I passed everything and got a merit in waves and algebra. Thanks so much for your help."

Rachael Peri, December 2008
Year 12, Level 2 Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

"I would really like to thank AHeadStart tutoring as i had been to other tuition over other years and had felt that it didn't feel I had gained anything from this but form the tutoring and help you gave to me I felt I had grasped the subject better and it gave me more confidence in my ability which prepared me better for my exams."

Emily, December 2009
Year 13, Level 3 Physics

“I used to go to NumberWorks, I found that they weren't age appropriate- so many games, and the tutors didn't always know the answer or explain well. AHeadStart is much better; is age appropriate, and Anna could always explain the answer. Also I liked how AHeadStart came to my house because other people like at number works are loud and distracting.”

Emma, January 2016
Year 13, Physics

“I had my Chemistry exam yesterday and my Statistics exam today. I was surprised that I wasn't worried about the chem one, but I was a bit for the stats one. They both went better than expected. I was especially proud of my knowledge of aqueous solutions, and even helped some people out before the exam. I wanted to thank you because I have improved not only in my knowledge but in my study habits!”

Alex, November 2013
Year 13, Chemistry & Statistics

“I learnt techniques on how to approach complex calculus questions, exam tips but mostly I learnt the methods required for answering questions. Calculus went from being the subject I struggled the most in compared to others and only getting achieved in the internal to me receiving the award for the top Calculus student in my class, getting all prelim exams at merit and passing all of my external papers.”

Alex, January 2016
Year 13, Calculus

“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

"There are many things I understand better due to tuition. Firstly and most importantly, I found the most improvement in my electronics and magnetism test compared to the section of electronics and magnetism in the end of year exam (I got full marks in that section compared to the 65% I got in the unit test). I believe I struggled with it when I did the unit test but I found it far easier in the exam due to the tuition lessons I had been taking. Secondly I remember the huge improvement in geology. Geology was probably one of my weakest science subjects but due to tuition I actually started to enjoy it. I think that is because I actually didn't understand it properly before I started tuition. I learnt that you can really dislike a subject because you simply don't understand it but on the contrary, once you understand the principles, it could be very enjoyable. I also got good marks for that in the end of year exam."

Shalini, December 2008
Year 10, Mathematics & Science

"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

“Hi Melanie. Thank you for your amazing tutoring. I appreciated hugely.”

Laura, November 2014
Year 13, Statistics

"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

“Just a note to thank you very much for all your help with supporting Daisy via Helena again this year. Daisy’s confidence and love of science due to Helena’s expert and engaging tuition has blossomed. From the Year 10 girl I called you about two years ago, starting to lose her understanding of concepts and needing support, to the confident Excellence level student we have now, has been a transformation. Daisy has always loved science and that love has grown ten-fold in the past two years. She managed to gain 100% Excellences in all her internals this year… not just for her 3 sciences but in all 6 subjects and is already way past the 50 Excellence credits needed for her Level 2 Excellence endorsement, and only 6 credits shy of gaining her second Gold Bar at St Margaret’s (70 E credits).

Many thanks once more. Please tell Helena that Daisy will be in touch with her when she gets her results in January!”

Daisy’s mother Lorelei, December 2015
Year 12, Level 2 Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics

“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

"I received my results for maths and have achieved all and also got two merits (in arithmetic and geometric sequences and non-linear graphs) :)  I would like to take lessons again this year. "

Donia Hend, January 2008
Year 12, Level 2 Mathematics

"Having the tuition mainly in physics allowed me to gain a much deeper and clearer understanding of the subject. Having Mel helping me through papers and questions enabled me to gain more confidence and feel prepared going into the exam."

Emily Farquhar, December 2009
Year 13, Level 3 Physics

“I don't know HOW but I got Excellence on my bio internal. They haven't officially given us the results back yet but they put the mark up on moodle (school website) and I just saw it. I don't know how that happened but thank you so much for the help!”

Izzy, July 2015
Year 12, Level 2 Biology

"[My son] found going over the specific areas that he didn't understand [helpful]...again the ability to personalise teaching to his specific learning needs."

Mother of student December 2009
Year 12, Level 2 Chemistry

"[Tuition] also helped me have a better understanding of the maths subjects I wasn't doing too well in and also helped me set realistic goals for the subjects. Once I got what I wasn't getting it made my confidence go up as I knew that I could actually do it."

Alice Cameron, December 2008
Year 12, Level 2 Mathematics

“We are very happy with Claudia’s lessons and that her test results in class have improved considerably, with her end of year report and conversations with her science teacher supporting her growth in this subject.  Claudia’s confidence has grown heaps! 

Claudia is a quiet student who struggles to ask for help when she needs it, so the one on one lessons have been amazing for her.  Marwah is fantastic and Claudia just loves her, which makes her lessons a delight rather than a chore. 

Thank you for our short time with you last year and we really look forward to 2014 with AHeadStart.”

Claudia’s mother Trish, January 2014
Year 11, Mathematics & Science

“My aim was to better my external scores and pass all of the papers in physics. Tutoring meant that I did a lot better in my externals than I thought I would- I thought I wouldn't pass any of them, but I passed all of them and got a merit in mechanics (the one I found hardest). It helped me recall information quicker and better in my exam and by having a tutor who knew the system I was able to learn little tricks to make questions easier to answer.”

Emma, January 2016
Year 13, Physics