Top students rewarded with employment offers

A group of students from St Andrew’s College in Christchurch has launched a business offering low cost tutoring as a means to reward top students with paid employment.

The business, Student Direct, is the brainchild of four senior students led by Nick Marriot. Mr Marriot says the group’s research found that peer tutoring could make a big difference to students’ progress while also providing paid employment to high achieving students.

“We found that kids just needed things explained to them in a one on one environment where they were not embarrassed to ask an adult what may seem a dumb question,” he says. “We also found students sometimes struggle with group settings, therefore we made sure all our tutoring is done one on one.”

The group has started by employing high achieving St Andrew’s students and is keen to expand to include other schools and areas of Christchurch, and then around New Zealand.

Parents log onto the group’s website and for a one-off fee can contact and book students on the books. Current expertise on offer includes chemistry, physics, economics and digital technology. 

“With NCEA exams coming up in the next few months, we feel the extra help could make the difference between achieving a merit or an excellence for many pupils,” says Mr Marriott.