FAQs

Questions which parents frequently ask (as well as questions from Standards Australia which parents should ask about tutors or tutoring programmes):

1. What are your qualifications?

ACE Learning Centre is a Member of Australian Tutoring Association (ATA) and
adheres to its Code of Conduct. Qualifications of staff range from university
undergraduate to graduate to post-graduate degree. The Managing Director holds B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. degrees from the University of London as well as
professional qualifications. All staff are trained and have experience in supporting students, and receive on-going training and advice, in line with the Ace Learning Philosophy.

2. Are your tutors screened for child protection?

The Centre complies with ‘Working with Children’ legislation and requirements.

3. Do you follow the school curriculum or have your own?

The programmes comprise both internally developed materials and reformatted materials from carefully selected Australian and British academic textbooks. The programme materials are aligned to the Australian School curriculum, and segmented into stages with each stage corresponding to a school year.

4. Is there a set programme of study and can I view it?

Yes, there is a set programme of study, although some flexibility is allowed with a modular approach to enable students to study the same topic at the Centre as in the school. All students and parents can view the programme.

5. What educational materials do you provide?

Students are provided with worksheets (or a booklet of worksheets) with questions. Students attempt at least one worksheet a day. They are also provided with ‘Learning Books’ or Supplementary worksheets to assist them to understand specific topics or concepts.

6. How much homework is required?

Each student is expected to complete 15 to 30 minutes homework everyday. Depending on other commitments of the student, this may be reduced to 4 worksheets per week. Answer books are provided so that the student’s work may be marked by a responsible person at home and mistakes corrected by the student. Daily study in short time spans and learning from mistakes are the central features of the ACE programme.

7. What assessment and reporting do you provide?

The performance of the student is monitored through a detailed learning record of work at the Centre and at home. Parents are advised on a semester basis at the Centre or through an e-mail. This provides an assessment of student’s effort, progress and achievement. At the completion of each stage, each student is expected to take test(s). The student must attain a score of 80% to progress to the next stage. Due to Individualised Study and Homework Plans, most students achieve the required score. A certificate is issued upon successful completion of the test(s). Where required, every semester a parent/student consultation is held to review student’s progress and to agree on short to medium term goals. Parent/student consultations also provide an opportunity for the parents, students and the Centre staff to address any issues related to students’ progress and performance.

8. How will my child benefit?

Your child will commence the programme after an initial assessment which identifies his/her appropriate starting point. This may not necessarily reflect his or her school grade or age. The starting point enables easy learning and bridges gaps which may exist due to lack of individual focus in a group teaching environment in a school. The student soon begins to feel the benefits of the programme because of the appropriate starting point and the alignment with the school curriculum. An individualized study plan which is regularly monitored provides an excellent complement to the group teaching in the school environment. This approach also enables a student to progress beyond his/her school grade level.

9. How are your advertised success rates (if relevant) determined?

Success rates can be highly subjective unless verified by an independent organisation. Also, success of a student cannot be solely attributed to attendance for a limited time at an after school education centre. Ace Learning Centre adheres to the Code of Conduct of the Australian Tutoring Association and therefore does not advertise success rates because the success of a student may be attributed to several factors such as the school, this Centre, the parent and most importantly to the commitment of the student. However, there is a positive feedback from parents and students of Ace Learning Centre. New parents and students may seek opinion of the current students and parents. Ace Learning Centre prefers to receive results of external tests and School Reports, as these provide an independent verification of student’s progress.

10. What is your fee payment schedule, and are there any additional charges?

The initial assessment of the student to determine the commencement point on the programme(s) is free without any obligation to enroll. Should the parent and/or the student decide to enroll, the following fees are payable. ADMINISTRATION FEE: This fee for registration and administration is payable per subject on 1st January. This fee would normally be about 50% of the monthly Tuition Fee per subject. This fee is pro-rated in the year of enrolment depending on the term in which the student is enrolled. TUITION FEE: This fee is payable per subject per calendar month. Tuitions fees for mid month enrolments are pro-rated according to the date of joining. The monthly tuition fee is one-twelfth of the Annual Fee and therefore payable for each month. It is collected on 15th of the prior month i.e. April Fee is collected on 15th March. Current scale of the above fees are shown on the ‘Tutoring Options’ webpage for all options of tutoring. There are no additional charges. Fees are subject to a review once a year. However, parents are advised of the changes in fees at least 5 weeks in advance of the change. Fees are collected through a direct debit from Mastercard or Visa credit cards without any additional charge for the use of credit cards. A Direct Debit Authorisation form should be filled in at the time of enrolment for one-off fees and recurring monthly tuition fees. The Direct Debit may be cancelled at any time, provided Discontinuation Policy has been adhered to. Discontinuation Policy requires the student to discontinue at the end of any month provided a written notice is submitted in the prior month. For example a student may discontinue at the end of August provided a written notice has been submitted during the prior month of July.

11. Do you have a refund policy?

Tuition fees are payable monthly in advance and are not refundable. Tuition fees paid for any period beyond the notice period are refundable.

12. What is the maximum number of students in a class?

Students attend the Centre once a week for 50 minutes per subject. As a general rule, there is one staff member for not more than four students at the Centre and no more than 3 students per staff for Zoom Video Sessions. At the Centre, students exchange their homework, seek support for challenging questions, complete a workbook or a test and correct mistakes, if any, in their work. Please see the Process Charts for Centre Tutoring, Zoom Video Sessions and Home Tutoring.

13. If I am unhappy with the service, what is the appropriate procedure?

Parents and students are requested to raise any concerns or issues with the Managing Director informally at the Centre or in writing by e-mail to: AceLearningCentre@bigpond.com

All concerns and issues will be addressed in writing or through a discussion meeting at a mutually convenient time. Concerns may also be raised during the parent/student consultations.

Get a FREE Assessment

CALL US

Ashwin Shah (B Sc Hons., M Sc – London) 0414 434 770

Email Us:

AceLearningCentre@bigpond.com