Harrogate tuition firm bounces back to donate to hospital

Independent business Chatterton Tuition, which was launched by Sara Chatterton and husband Phil more than a decade ago, has had to bounce back after its business - and home life - was thrown into turmoil by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.

Sara said: "Spring is usually the time when we begin to enter into our busy time.

"But Covid 19 effected us on so many levels - both business and personal.

"We both scrambled to try and convert our face to face lessons into Skype or Zoom but there was still a huge drop-off at first in home students."

The onset of lockdown came just as the business was flourishing.

Managing director and founder Sara Chatterton, a Birmingham University maths graduate, started working from home in 2008 while her children were at school.

Students consistently did well with her, and in no time she was in high demand.

Normally based in offices in Copgrove near Knaresborough, wt-h Sara working alongside husband and co-director Phil and her sister Jane, Chatterton Tuition grew to 150 qualified and friendly tutors, mostly from the Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough areas, many of them examiners on examining Boards.

Just before the Government put social distancing measures in place, the family operation reached a record number of students since since launching 12 years ago when it chalked up its 2,000th student.

The co-owners knew they had to do something quick.

Sara said: "Myself and Phil put their heads together and spent ages trying to plan a new way of tutoring with online group lessons. "

"I was anxious to bring her two university daughters home. Since they've been back at home, Louisa we think has had the coronavirus, though, of course, we don't have a test to say for sure. She certainly had many of the symptoms.

"Katharine was in lodgings in Birmingham and the landlord was insisting most of the rent was paid."

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Going online has allowed Chatterton Tuition to continue educating, supporting and building confidence in children and youngsters from ages five to 18 years, some of them from other parts of the world.

Sister Jane is currently tutoring, 10-year-old who lives in Nigeria via Skype.

Among the subjects offered by Chatterton Tuition include Maths, English, Science, 11+ (11+ only Year 5), Spanish and French.

The age groups covered include: Year 3 (when Key stage 2 starts), year 4, year 5, year 6 (last year of primary, during which children would normally sit SATS), year 7 (first year of secondary school), year 8, year 9, year 10 (GCSES usually taken), year 11 (A levels start), year 12 (A levels usually taken).

Group sizes range from one to five youngsters/young adults per session with material that isn’t just regurgitated but progresses.

Chatterton Tutition will donate ten per cent of all its profits from online courses during the Covid-19 lockdown.

For more information, visit www.chattertontuition.co.uk

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