An out-of-school company based in Middlesbrough is quickly expanding through the country. Class Learning has celebrated opening its 50th centre in London and is ready to open more. Education reporter Joanna Desira visited the company’s flagship centre in Acklam to discover the secret of its success.

The time is 4pm and despite a busy day at school the children sitting in a room of St Mary’s Church Hall are still hard at work.

Student working with class assistant

They are eager to show tutor Chris Jones the progress they have made and even more keen to tell their parents waiting outside what they have learned.
Throughout the evening there is a steady stream of youngsters aged four to 18, all dressed in different school uniforms attending the First Class Learning Centre.
A total of 140 children attend the centre which was set up husband and wife Chris and Pat Jones in 2003 to provide extra tuition in English and maths for children who were falling behind.
Now First Class Learning has celebrated opening its 50th franchise in North Finchley in London, and plans are afoot to open another two.
Since 2005 First Class Learning has been offering franchises to people wanting to offer the tuition in their home towns.
Centres can be found in every region of England and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Chris Jones working with student

On Teesside there are centres in Billingham, Ingleby Barwick, Yarm, Middlesbrough, Redcar, Stockton, and Hartlepool.
The tutoring given in the centres is based around the national curriculum and they all use materials compiled by Chris and Pat.

First Class Learning also gives tuition during breakfast clubs at six primary schools in Middlesbrough
Ellie Brown, 10, from Acklam, who goes to St Edward’s Primary School, has been attending the centre for 15 months and her parents have been so impressed with her progress her younger sister Sophie, eight, has also started going.

Pat Jones works with a student

Their mum Anne said: “Ellie’s maths wasn’t up to scratch but she’s come on a lot and she will probably keep coming because she is progressing all the time.

“Her school has said she has made a big step up. Her sister Sophie is now coming for her maths as well.”

Ellie said: “It’s good and I’m more confident now.”

Carolyn Brown’s daughter Amy, ten, from Marton, also attends the centre.

“It’s helped her with her confidence and her school has said she is now working towards the top of her class, she loves maths now because of it,” said Carolyn.

Chris and Pat both worked as teachers before starting in private tuition in the mid 1990s. Fellow company director David Taylor runs the Redcar centre, and was previously a soldier.

Chris said: “All the work is designed to meet the national curriculum and that is very important because that’s what parents want.

“We help children at school through individualised programs of study.

“They can come once or twice a week and they do a piece of homework every day using work sheets which we’ve designed.

“The results have been outstanding and the progress they are making is significantly higher than the progress they would otherwise make.”

Visiting the centre were Sejal and Chirag Patel who are interested in a franchise for Hayes in Middlesex, where they are from.

Sejal said: “We think it’s really good, it’s a wonderful program, which is specialised and focuses on the National Curriculum and it’s wonderful to see the children come into the club and see how they get on with their work.”

Chirag said he felt there was a need for a centre in Hayes.

“A lot of parents are trying to get their children into grammar schools so they are looking for extra to supplement their children’s education.”

Chris said he was delighted with the success of First Class Learning.

“It is exciting to see materials designed here in Middlesbrough by us being used in schools and other places throughout the country.”