One of the most regular discussions Sue & Dave have with Parents considering tuition for their child is about whether their child would be better off with a home tutor, or by attending the small group sessions at Kip. These are our considered responses: Will my...

As thoughts start to turn to Summer and further ahead to the new School year in September, now is the very best time to think about setting your child up for success in their next academic year. At Kip McGrath Derby South, Sue & Dave recommend booking an English...

With the new academic year (2024/25) well underway, many parents are thinking ahead to the academic challenges their children will face in the coming months. Whether they’re preparing for GCSE Exams in June, or SATs in May. Now is the perfect time to consider the...

For a second, imagine that you were sitting in a classroom in an unspecified lesson. You hear your teacher’s voice for a moment and then suddenly something outside catches your eye. Maybe it was a squirrel running up a tree, maybe it was a leaf blowing in the wind or...

Six weeks is such a long time. Some schools have an even longer Summer break. Schools in Scotland return during August. Differing Local Authorities in England return at different times. When to start? When to finish?  How do you, as a parent, keep track of it...

This past week has seen a General Election, held in the UK for the first time since 12th December, 2019. The Conservative Party had been in Government since May 2010; in excess of 14 years. The Political commentators stated that, “14 years is a long time in politics.”...

Since starting Kip McGrath Derby South in 2011, Sue & Dave, have always welcomed a number of young people who are electively homeschooled. i.e. Parents have taken an informed decision and chosen to take their child out of full-time mainstream school and...

Even taking into account the fact that Sue & Dave have been running Kip McGrath Derby South for almost 13 years, we wouldn’t succeed without students wanting to push themselves and do better in school. We frequently speak about what Kip offers, but it’s the...

Every week at Kip, Dave & Sue see evidence that the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on young people’s education are alive and kicking. Students present for Kip educational assessments missing key skills that would have been taken for granted prior to 2020. We...

It’s approaching the important time of the 2023/24 academic year when UK-wide school examinations take place at both Primary & Secondary levels. Sue & Dave know that students and parents are focused on this period, as it can have such an important bearing on...

The holiday season has ended; the last remnants of tinsel are packed away and students across the region have returned to school after the Christmas break. While the idea of trading cosy pyjamas for school uniforms might not be met with overwhelming enthusiasm, the...

There’s general acceptance in education that Maths teachers are a breed apart. School-based maths departments are filled with a plethora of larger-than-life characters who are all exceptionally good at maths. For some, that love of numbers (and lots of more modern...

In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a significant achievement. For a small outpost of Kip McGrath Education Centres in Allenton, Derby and for hundreds of local children of all ages and abilities it’s of worthy importance. Sue & Dave have been all about...

What are the ideal conditions for my child to learn best? The past; 1976. The first Kip McGrath Education Centre opened in Maitland, New South Wales in Australia in 1976. Founded by schoolteachers Kip and Dug McGrath, that first tutoring centre has grown into the...

In the Kip classroom, there’s no need for students to fear maths. Interactive learning, face-to-face or online, friendly and patient teacher support, puzzles and activities; these are all set out to help students make the maths journey fun and successful. Whether...

GCSE exams have now finished for students in England, with results due to be published on Thursday 24 August. A nervous time awaits for 2023’s cohort. In England, GCSEs are now graded using a numerical system from 9 to 1, rather than from A to E, as was previously the...

Given our combined 50-plus years of working in education; we are consistently presented with this question by parents. We feel compelled to share our response via this blog. Tutoring Tutoring is a modern (21st Century) invention. In recent years, as schools have moved...

Sue & Dave feel it would be irresponsible not to make reference to the biggest single event to take place in their lifetimes. We wanted to draw your attention to the event (The Coronation of King Charles III) planned to take place on a special day in May 2023. The...

Introduction Year 7 school admissions were announced by Derby Secondary School at the beginning of March. Your child’s real journey starts now. Based on recent discussions, the majority of Year 6 students have achieved their preferred (1st) choice of Secondary school....

Since Sue & Dave opened Kip McGrath Derby South in October 2011 they have recognised the power harnessed by every child who is able to read fluently. In educational terms, the ability to read proficiently cannot be underestimated. Encouraging a reluctant and...

Kip McGrath - the beginning. When Sue & Dave began with Kip McGrath in 2011, they didn’t set out with grand plans to help 1,000 or more students to do better in school. Being able to help some local children realise their true potential was a sufficiently worthy...

Sitting on the tube, excitement filled me as I got closer! For the first time ever, I would get to see the Lionesses play in real life, against Germany in the Euro Finals! Arriving at Wembley Way it was the best atmosphere I had ever experienced. It was incredible;...

When Sue & Dave started Kip McGrath Derby South in October 2011, they had already researched a number of local education businesses, to find the one they considered to be the best fit. The most important criteria for tuition at Kip was always to “give the best for...

At Kip McGrath Derby South we’ve just reached the end of our Summer Term for the academic year 2021/22. It’s been a busy year for us, where we’ve continued to help hundreds of local students improve academically in their English and Maths, building their confidence...

The transition from primary school to secondary school for children can be one of their most exciting times, but also can be quite daunting too.  The best way to ensure your child has the best experience during this time is to work together with both primary and...

One of the most important times of the academic year for Kip students is the period April-May-June. This is usually when their diligent efforts throughout the year are examined in school. Students in Years 2 and 6 sit UK statutory SATs tests, whilst students in Years...

There has been a lot of dialogue over recent months regarding the effect the COVID pandemic has had on the educational outcomes of school-age children. Almost all students have missed some learning during the last 2 years. For some, this will have little lasting...

At Kip McGrath Derby South, we’re proud to be part of an International Education business, helping children do better in school; not only in the UK, but in 15 English speaking countries around the world. We’ve had a pen-pal scheme running with the Kip McGrath Centre...

During the Summer of 2021, a devastating accident took the life of Thando Ndlovu. We shared this grief with his family both at the time and subsequently. Thando was a young man, full of the best things in life and looking ahead excitedly to what his future held for...

The winter months of each academic year are important for Kip students as they consolidate topics already learned, continue to learn new ones and prepare for forthcoming Spring and Early Summer School Exams and Tests. Mock Exams (GCSE and SATS) are a feature of this...

We are so excited to announce our Summer School lessons, to take place during August at Kip McGrath Derby South in Allenton! Summer is a time of fun but can also be an opportunity to continue to make academic progress. If your child has any difficulty with their reading, writing, English…

Over the last 10 years, Dave and Sue at Kip McGrath Derby South have thoroughly enjoyed helping students realise their full potential. Never in that time did we think that some students would enjoy the experience so much that they wouldn't want to leave. We have been...

Over the Easter period we ran 2 competitions for all of our students; one open to everyone; the other restricted to age 8 and under. We are really pleased that everyone had a go and engaged fully with the fun. The Under 8's competition was to count the number of...

Based on the UK Government’s Roadmap out of lockdown and in conjunction with UK wide school re-opening to all pupils we decided to re-open the Centre yesterday. The response we received from Parents when asked if they’d like to return to face-to-face lessons was...

We have introduced new COVID secure measures in our Centre to ensure that risk is minimised. Watch our video for further information on the measures we have put in place.

In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, the outcomes of a young persons’ education can have a bigger impact than ever before. Even a single grade in an exam can make a difference to their life choices. At Kip, we recognise there is pressure on...

The past 12 months have been an uncertain time for lots of reasons. It feels like nothing is what it used to be and a new normal is being re-invented. With the recently announced roadmap out of lockdown there’s lots of optimism for the...

At Kip McGrath Derby South we receive many calls from parents whose children lack confidence and self-esteem in school. We know through our own experience that  we can help these children!  Low levels of confidence...

During yesterday’s visit to Derby Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed Derby as the “home of innovation”.  Mr Johnson was in Derby to visit SureScreen Diagnostics after the company landed a contract with the Government to supply 20 million rapid...