FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are private one-on-one tutorials provided, as well as group lessons?

Yes! AHeadStart provides private one-on-one tutorials where the student feels relaxed and can ask any questions. Tuition in pairs is also available and this can be particularly effective for students who like to learn by discussion as the students study the same material so they can bounce ideas off each other.

What subjects does AHeadStart offer tuition in?

For primary school students, AHeadStart focuses on literacy and numeracy, especially the core curriculum content subjects of Reading, Writing, Mathematics and Science.

For secondary school students, AHeadStart can assist with most subjects in all three of the secondary school qualifications offered in New Zealand: NCEA, Cambridge and International Baccalaureate® (IB) .

For adult students, AHeadStart can assist with a range of English, Mathematics, Commerce and Science subjects, including: University 100 and some 200 Level courses, Pre-Health related courses, MBA precourse Mathematics, NZ POlice Entrance Exam, NZ Defence Force Aptitude Test, SAT, ACT, GMAT and GRE.

Can AHeadStart assist with more than one subject in each tutorial?

Yes!  Most AHeadStart tutors have strengths in multiple NCEA, Cambridge and International Baccalaureate® (IB) subjects, even including subjects as diverse as English, Mathematics & Science!

Flexibility of tutorial structure means students can choose which subjects the cover in a lesson. This means tutors can prepare students as best as possible before each school assessment.

Students benefit by having one tutor to cover several subjects and make the most out of every tutorial.

Most of AHeadStart's tutors are university students. Do they know the curriculum and how to tutor?

Every tutor has personal experience of the New Zealand education system, including NCEA, Cambridge and International Baccalaureate® (IB) ​ at secondary school. As they all performed very well in the secondary school assessments, as well as university, they all know what it takes to achieve success. Many of our tutors were Dux or Proxime Accessit of their secondary school, or involved in leadership positions such as Head Boy or Head Girl.

Our tutors are selected via a thorough interview process. Tutors are chosen based on their tutoring experience, their record of achievement in NCEA and their tertiary studies, as well as their ability and passion for sharing their knowledge with students.

All of our tutors are screened by the NZ Police prior to being placed with students.

Can a tutor come to our home?

Yes! AHeadStart tutors are also more than happy to travel to the student's home, school or another convenient location for  private tutorials, at an additional travel fee. 

AHeadStart also offers tutorials at the University of Canterbury Libraries and a range of Canterbury Public Libraries at no extra cost.

Is it possible to have tutorials outside of the Christchurch area?

Locations outside of Christchurch are possible, such as Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Tai Tapu, Lincoln and Rolleston, depending on availability. Please ask us!

We also offer online tuition, which can suit students in Christhurch who can't travel, or students outside of Christchurch or even overseas.

What is the difference between the Gold and Platinum Plans?

Both plans involve one-on-one tutorials where students have the full attention of their tutor. 

The Platinum Plan is aimed at students who lack motivation and need guidance with their studies.. The tutors guides the student through the tutorial and then sets homework, so they can gauge the student's understanding at the next tutorial. This helps with determining a student's strengths and weaknesses to make tutorials efficient and of the most benefit. Comprehensive progress reports are provided to parents every 10 tutorials.

The Gold Plan is aimed at self-motivated students who take charge of their own learning, want to improve their understanding and have questions about their school work. It is expected that students on the Gold Plan are organised and doing their own study and homework in their own time. The student guides the tutorial by asking their tutor specific content questions, asking for assistance with internals or particular past exam questions they've been working on.

What is the usual length of a tutorial?

Tutorials are usually one hour long, as this allows sufficient time to cover a reasonable amount of material while the student remains focused.

However, sometimes one hour is not enough time to answer all the student's questions and a 90 minute or 2 hour lesson may be required. This will be especially true if more than one subject is being tutored at a time.

At NCEA Levels 1-3 AHeadStart highly recommends that a student has a one hour lesson for each subject, each week. For those students wanting the Platinum Plan, a minimum of 30 minutes per subject is necessary.

What times are tutorials available?

Tutorials are available on any day and at any time, but are usually 3pm-8pm on weekdays and 9am - 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. The days and times will depend on what will work for both the tutor and student, as well as the tutorail location. Other times may be available on request, particularly around NCEA exam time so please contact us to find out what is available.

How often are tutorials? 

The choice is up to you! Usually students choose to have regular weekly lessons. AHeadStart recommends this as it helps the student to stay on top of their particular curriculum and not get behind.

If a student requires tuition in more than one subject we recommend that a one hour lesson a week is dedicated to each subject, especially at NCEA Levels 1-3, but this depends on the amount of tuition a student requires. Closer to exam time in Term 3 & 4 more than one lesson a week is often desirable to provide guidance in the revision process.

It is also possible to have lessons on a casual basis. This may be convenient if the student has specific questions, but otherwise has a good understanding of their studies. Please note that tutorials on a casual basis have an additional charge.

Does AHeadStart offer fortnightly tutorials? 

No. Unfortunately, fortnightly tutorials are inconvenient for our tutors, as it's difficult to find students who would like the same time and location to fill the in-between weeks.

If a student is lacking in spare time and unable commit to a regular weekly lesson, or only needs a small amount of assistance at various times, we recommend casual tutorials. Students schedule tutorials as required, with no ongoing commitment.

Are practice exams and revision notes provided?

Yes! For students taking NCEA subjects previous NZQA exam papers are used frequently for revision and exam preparation. NCEA Exam Booklets are available for $9 per External Achievement Standard. Internal Acievement Standards are available at cheaper rates.