Help Your Child Get the Most Out of This School Year with Number Works N Words

As a teacher with a background in special education, Stella Walls has helped thousands of students unlock their potential. But when she moved to Auckland 15 years ago and one of her children was struggling with the way a new school delivered its maths program, she found herself looking for outside help.

“There were some challenges teaching my eldest daughter at home because she believed that I didn't know anything about teaching,” the educator says with a laugh. “So I decided to outsource the tuition and I found Number Works n Words.” When her daughter walked out of the first session with a smile, Stella immediately knew that she was onto a winner. “That really caught my eye as a parent and I loved their fun and engaging approach,” she recalls. So when she moved to Adelaide a few years later she decided to bring Number Works n Words to Norwood where they are located at 5, 53-59 The Parade.

As the name suggests, the program offers tuition in maths and English, both of which are aligned with the Australian curriculum. And because every student receives an individualised program tailored to their level, it’s suitable for remedial, average and advanced students.

A multi-sensory approach to learning combines computers, workbooks and individual teacher instruction, and a one to three student-to-teacher ratio ensures plenty of face time with the tutors. That allows them to spend plenty of time engaging with the students and to develop a strong rapport. “It means that when the kids come in, they look at their tutors and it just gives them that sense of safety and makes them happy… the biggest compliment I can receive is the fact that the kids want to come back, they don’t need a push from the parents.”

Number Works n Words is open for three hours each night after school and two hours on Saturdays, “so we have lots of happy faces and little feet running in and out of the centre every afternoon.” The centre caters to students aged 5-16 and while the majority fall between years three and eight, the older cohort has grown over time. “Both parents and kids see the benefits so they continue to come in and grow up with us,” Stella explains. “That means the number of ‘seniors’ in years nine and ten has increased significantly over the years.”

Twelve years after launching the centre, Stella is still as excited as she was after that initial experience. “It’s phenomenal watching the way these kids develop,” she says proudly. “As a classroom teacher, I only really saw kids I taught for one year. Now I see them come in as seven or eight year olds and I watch some kids walk out full of confidence with a set of car keys in their hand.”

Number Works n Words Norwood offers a free assessment and lesson for all new students. And if you mention the Parade Blog, you can also get 10% off any bookings for term one.