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Meet the team

The people who make it happen.

Experienced, compassionate, and genuinely invested in every child we work with. Our team is what makes Tuition Extra different.

A word from our CEO

"Over the past decade, Tuition Extra Group has grown as a centre of excellence, consistently achieving outstanding academic outcomes for the many wonderful students in our care.

Our unique approach combines emotional development and therapeutic intervention to harness incredible academic outcomes. We understand that behaviour is communication and value the individual, meeting their needs and understanding their interests and aspirations.

Our great team of professionals is committed to providing caring and structured learning opportunities in which all children and young people can develop academically, socially, emotionally and morally to their full potential.

At Tuition Extra, we think of ourselves as a dedicated family, supportive and nurturing towards our cohort and united in our holistic view of education. This means that every member of staff cares and protects each child and young person as they progress on their unique journey."

Ruth Minhall

Group CEO, Tuition Extra

Ruth Minhall, Group CEO

Leadership

Ruth Minhall, Group CEO

Ruth Minhall

Group CEO

Ruth founded Tuition Extra and leads the organisation with a clear vision: learning built around every individual child. Her leadership has shaped a team culture of warmth, high standards, and genuine care.

Education

Lydia Blench, Group Education Partner

Lydia Blench

Group Education Partner

Lydia oversees educational strategy and programme quality across all Tuition Extra provision. She brings deep expertise in alternative education and a commitment to outcomes that matter.

Angela Hughes, Group Head of Education

Angela Hughes

Group Head of Education

Angela leads our educational delivery teams, ensuring that curriculum quality and teacher development are consistent across all sites and provision types.

SEN

Holly Wilkie, Group SENCo

Holly Wilkie

Group SENCo

Holly leads our SEN provision and is the first point of contact for EHCP-related queries. She brings specialist expertise across a wide range of needs and a genuine passion for inclusion.

Emma Sedgwick, Deputy SENCo · Designated Safeguarding Lead

Emma Sedgwick

Deputy SENCo · Designated Safeguarding Lead

Emma supports Holly across all SEN provision and holds the Designated Safeguarding Lead role, ensuring that every child in our care is safe, seen, and supported.

Therapeutic

Amanda Thompson, Group Thrive Leader

Amanda Thompson

Group Thrive Leader

Amanda oversees Thrive practice across the whole organisation, ensuring every team member is trained, supported, and embedding emotionally-informed approaches in their daily work.

Wendy Stirling, Counsellor

Wendy Stirling

Counsellor

Wendy provides counselling support for our students, offering a confidential, compassionate space for young people to explore their thoughts and feelings.

Maypole Farm

Jamie Pickles, Head of Maypole Farm

Jamie Pickles

Head of Maypole Farm

Jamie leads provision at Maypole Farm, managing the site, the animals, and the vocational learning programmes. His warmth and expertise make Maypole the remarkable place it is.

Sacha Phelps, Deputy Head of Maypole Farm · Deputy DSL

Sacha Phelps

Deputy Head of Maypole Farm · Deputy DSL

Sacha supports Jamie in all aspects of Maypole Farm provision and holds the Deputy DSL role, keeping the farm environment safe, structured, and nurturing.

Operations & Administration

Busi Moyo, Finance Manager

Busi Moyo

Finance Manager

Busi manages the financial operations of the Tuition Extra Group, ensuring the organisation runs with clarity and integrity.

Mel Taylor, PA to CEO

Mel Taylor

PA to CEO

Mel supports Ruth and the leadership team, keeping communications, scheduling, and operations running smoothly across the organisation.

Scott Banks, Group Data Manager

Scott Banks

Group Data Manager

Scott oversees data management across the group, supporting compliance, reporting, and the systems that underpin our provision.

Letitia Etherington, Exam Officer

Letitia Etherington

Exam Officer

Letitia manages all exam administration at Tuition Extra, including private entries, access arrangements, and exam timetabling. Contact Letitia at exams@tuition-extra.co.uk.

Our wider team

Beyond our named team, Tuition Extra is staffed by a dedicated group of tutors, mentors, and specialist practitioners. All are Thrive-trained. All are DBS-checked. All share our values.

Qualified tutors

Subject-specialist and generalist tutors with relevant academic qualifications and teaching experience.

Learning mentors

Mentors who support students' emotional, social and motivational development alongside their learning.

Specialist practitioners

Practitioners with expertise in areas including art therapy, forest school, animal-assisted learning, and more.

Come and talk to us.

Call 01227 935773 or email info@tuition-extra.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.