If you feel your child isn’t reaching their full potential at school, tutoring can be an excellent option in Hong Kong. For one thing, tutors provide the kind of personalised attention that kids sometimes miss out on in a school setting. And, aside from helping with academic performance, tutoring can also foster confidence and good study habits. We chat with some of Hong Kong’s best private tutors to find out more about what they offer, including online tutoring and courses.
Barty Education and Development (BartyED) – Jerome Barty-Taylor
When did you launch and what services do you provide?
We launched BartyED in 2016 and have grown from myself and two employees crammed into the office of an industrial building to a large centre in Wan Chai, where my team of tutors support students of all ages.
Our focus is on subject mastery and fostering a love of learning, and we believe that the best way to achieve this is through a holistic approach. We provide a full range of services to our students, as our goal is always comprehensive support for all our students. We believe that this is necessary to ensure that they meet their potential. This can include mentoring, subject-specific tutoring and general academic interventions.
Who are your typical students?
Our students range massively in age. We’ve taught students as young as five, and even continue to support students through their university education. What’s more, we focus on aiding students who struggle with learning differences. We’re proud of our bespoke approach that has proved effective in helping students from a variety of backgrounds and academic abilities.
Tell us about the team.
Our tutoring team is suitably international for a city such as Hong Kong. We have tutors from Hong Kong, some from the UK and Ireland, and we work with consultants from around the world. More importantly, our tutors themselves have been educated in top international institutions, from Oxford to France, to London universities and HKU.
What are some achievements or milestones of the centre and its students?
A big milestone came in 2021 when we moved to our large centre at the heart of Wan Chai. It’s allowed us to expand and meet ever-growing demands, as well as hire more members of our team. As for our students, we have a 100% success rate in placing students in the UK boarding schools of their choice.
It’s also pleasing to see the improvement in our students of all ages, and how they grow as learners. Our students have achieved so highly of late, too. In December 2022, we had 11 students applying for Oxford and Cambridge universities; nine of those were offered places! It’s always great to watch students succeed.
What’s new for 2023?
We’re excited to be supporting international schools with their classroom lessons at IBDP-level. It’s a great opportunity to dive into a new area of supporting students. We hope to grow our staff to meet the demand on our services. This is also the first time since the start of the pandemic that our IB candidates will be examined on their whole syllabus, rather than on a modified schedule. As such, our focus until June will be on preparing our students to meet this challenge.
What’s your own background in teaching/education?
I began my teaching career working with undergraduates at the Australian National University and later at Oxford. When I arrived in Hong Kong in 2013, I realised that teenagers often respond well to a similar approach where they are required to take ownership of their own learning. This inspired me to start my own firm that would focus on providing comprehensive support, particularly for students who struggle with learning differences.
Renewed Learning Asia Limited – Edward Newall
When was the business launched, and what services do you provide?
Renewed Learning was founded in the UK in 2019. In November 2022 we expanded our business to Asia and launched Renewed Learning Asia, based in Hong Kong. We provide high-quality tutoring in all subjects to children aged four to 18, delivered in person in Hong Kong and online across the rest of Asia.
As well as academic tuition for the IB, A-Level, GCSE and more, we provide a broad range of support and guidance – from admissions to UK schools and global universities, to a wide variety of courses, webinars and workshops. Whether it’s a seminar on How to Revise, an intensive Maths Revision Course or a Public Speaking Workshop, we deliver high-quality support with our incredible team of tutors and mentors. We also work directly with schools to provide workshops and talks to students, parents, and teachers alike.
Renewed Learning also offers residential tutoring. This is where a tutor spends an extended period of time with a family to provide more intensive tutoring. It’s a wonderful option for students preparing for important exams, or families taking time out of school. We provide a full syllabus education and create a bespoke programme to ensure the student progresses and discovers their passion. Whether it’s for a long weekend or six months, we have experience providing this around the world. In 2022 alone we had tutors staying and working with families in England, Scotland, Greece, Italy, Germany, Latvia, Sweden, France, Canada, Singapore and Thailand.
Who are your typical students?
We teach all ages and subjects. We match each student to the perfect tutor for them, making sure the tutor is a specialist in that area. We have tutors in every subject, from English, Maths, Science and History through to Psychology, Ancient Greek, Computer Science and Arabic. Alongside this, we have tutors who specialise in teaching primary school students, and a growing team of qualified Special Educational Needs tutors.
Tell us about the team.
This is what makes Renewed Learning stand out. All of our tutors are exclusively from either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. We’re delighted to have taken some of our very best Oxbridge-educated tutors from the UK and brought them to Hong Kong to serve our Asian clients. Every tutor is personally interviewed to ensure that not only are they intelligent, but that they are engaging, personal and able to provide high-quality lessons to our students.
What’s new for 2023?
Our primary focus is to properly establish ourselves in Hong Kong and Asia following our expansion in November 2022. We’re still growing our team of tutors in Hong Kong, with more arriving throughout the year, and we’re expanding our programme of working directly with schools to offer brilliant talks, workshops and courses – everything from Oxbridge entrance workshops to talks about how to stand out as a student.
In January 2023, we launched our Renewed Learning Scholarship, where we take on students from underprivileged backgrounds who display extraordinary levels of determination and motivation, and give them access to our expertise in education.
What’s your own background in teaching/education?
I grew up in the UK and have always been fascinated by education and inspired by various teachers at school. I started Renewed Learning whilst at the University of Oxford after being disillusioned with the tutoring services available. Too many companies didn’t place enough focus on the level of service to clients, and didn’t look after their tutors properly. Our core ethos is to ensure every client and tutor is happy. The combination of happy tutors, each of whom is from either Oxford or Cambridge, and dedicated service to clients, ensures that every student receives engaging lessons that allows them to progress.
5969 3009 | renewedlearningasia.co.uk
We hope you enjoyed this article on private tutors in Hong Kong. See more in our Kids section.
