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 international franchise that Kip McGrath is today. From those humble beginnings, Kip McGrath has become a global family of passionate, qualified teachers in over 560 tutoring centres across 16 countries. All are driven by Kip’s guiding value – a child who needs help needs a teacher to motivate and guide them.
That first tuition centre was based in the family garage, from where Kip and Dug tutored local children who needed help with their literacy and numeracy. Kip developed a bespoke learning system, based on initially assessing each child to identify the gaps in their learning. From this assessment, a personalised programme was (and still is) created to meet the child’s learning needs. With a combination of computer, written and practical tasks, Kip’s methodology can bring a non-reader to functional literacy, and inspire them in the process.
How has the past influenced the current; 2023?
“Yes, that’s all very well, but WHY has Kip worked so well for young people for over 45 years?” We’ve done some research; incorporating that into our own experience from running Kip McGrath Derby South since 2011.
Sue & Dave conclude that Kip is a positive, nurturing, safe and supportive environment, where the right conditions exist for every child to learn effectively. Each child at Kip is welcomed as an individual and encouraged to strive for success. We recognise that every child is different and has different needs. The Kip ethos is to support every child’s emotional, social and cognitive development in a balanced way. The individuality of each student, working on their own program, allows their confidence and self-esteem to be built, alongside their academic improvement. A special and strong relationship with their Kip teacher results in students thriving. Having a qualified teacher alongside them in a small group setting proves to be the ideal environment for lasting and meaningful progress. Sue & Dave recognise that each child needs to be ready to engage with specific learning opportunities e.g. mastering addition & subtraction before they are able to learn multiplication. We use the techniques of repetition and using practice examples to achieve thorough, lasting learning. At Kip, we always consolidate learning before moving on. This builds better subject retention and a deeper understanding of topics. Sue & Dave respect all parents and earnestly seek to hear their views. We always acknowledge success in all its forms and share it with students and parents. These are clearly the reasons Kip has grown strongly since 1976.
The future; 2024 & beyond
Decades on, Kip McGrath Education Centres continue to develop in established countries, and branch out into new ones, as the demand to improve students’ English and maths skills grows. The pressure to succeed has never been greater for today’s young people. Children and school students are becoming more empowered to change their life stories through education. It is truly amazing to see those children go on to build brighter futures for themselves.
There’s no doubt that Kip learning is of a high quality. The conditions are purposefully and deliberately created to grow success. Every week, students and parents provide positive feedback to inform us of how their child has progressed in school.
Here’s just one (we have thousands) of the testimonials we’ve received:
“My daughter has attended the sessions at the Derby South Centre. The teachers were brilliant. She has received certificates at school for her maths and her Class Teacher noticed her confidence had improved. I would recommend their service. Thanks to the staff, Sue & Dave”.
Sue & Dave are immensely proud of the achievement of every Kip student. It doesn’t matter whether their success is learning to read new words or achieving that GCSE grade (and everything in between). It is this success, based on the past 47 years, that continues to inspire us that the future for the students of tomorrow is brighter than ever.
