Explore Learning is a UK-based educational organization that provides personalized tuition services for children aged 4 to 16. The company specializes in subjects such as maths and English, as well as preparation for key examinations like SATs, 11 Plus, and GCSEs. Tuition is offered both online and in physical centers across the country, allowing flexibility for families seeking educational support.
The company employs expert tutors who utilize adaptive learning techniques tailored to each child's individual needs. With a focus on building foundational skills and confidence, Explore Learning aims to assist students in achieving academic success throughout their educational journey. Parents looking for reliable tutoring solutions for their children will find a variety of options that cater to different learning styles and requirements.
Explore Learning has a positive customer experience.
Explore Learning receives high praise from customers, with many highlighting the positive impact on their children's confidence and enjoyment of learning. Reviewers appreciate the tailored approach to education, noting that sessions are customized to meet individual learning needs, which has led to significant improvements in their children's performance.
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The supportive and professional staff, including specific mentions of tutors like Jenna and Molly, contribute to a welcoming environment that encourages students to engage with their studies. However, some parents express concerns about the online interface, suggesting it may not foster continuous guidance effectively. Additionally, a few reviews mention the lack of Sunday sessions and the turnover of tutors as areas for improvement.
1,001 customer reviewsLatest review over a year ago
Where the score comes from
Each source counts by its number of reviews. Only reviews written by people are scored.
Rating, volume, share of the score, six-month trend and fake-review risk for each source
Source
Rating
Reviews
Weight
6-mo
Fake risk
★
Trustpilot
Imported Trustpilot reviews
4.7
1,001
100%
-0.1
● Low
4.7 / 5 overall
=
1,001 reviews across 1 scored source
How fake risk works ⓘ
Reputation trend
Monthly average rating from reviews written by people · latest review Jul 2025.
Last 3 months
4.6▼ 0.1
12-month avg
4.6
All-time
4.7
Category avg
4.5
Monthly averageCategory average
Monthly average rating and review count
Month
Average
Reviews
Aug 24
4.0
10
Sep 24
4.5
35
Oct 24
4.7
18
Nov 24
4.6
25
Dec 24
4.7
25
Jan 25
4.5
33
Feb 25
4.8
21
Mar 25
4.7
41
Apr 25
4.4
27
May 25
4.6
46
Jun 25
4.5
25
Jul 25
5.0
2
What people praise & complain about
Share of positive (4–5★) and negative (1–2★) reviews mentioning each topic · based on the 500 most recent reviews.
Top praiseof 457 positive reviews
Customer service22%
100 mentions
Helpful support17%
76 mentions
Friendly staff14%
62 mentions
Professionalism7%
34 mentions
“Great facility, fantastic support, flexible, learning is tailored to the individuals need and ability”
On “Customer service” · Jun 23, 2025
Top complaintsof 33 negative reviews
Customer service42%
14 mentions
Refund18%
6 mentions
Cancellation15%
5 mentions
Charges12%
4 mentions
“Terrible customer service and also some terrible tutors you need to be very selective with who you are given”
On “Customer service” · May 16, 2025
How it compares
Same method for every company: overall rating, legitimacy checks, the average rating of reviews mentioning each area and the 6-month trend · Educational Services.
Overall rating and review count for this company and similar companies
Having started with them recently, their aim is not to encourage kids to learn and to make it fun with any incentives. It's basically just an extension of school but with the added disappointment of being forced to attend. There is no urge to provide a fun learning environment for the kids, plus some of the staff can be quite condescending and put off the kids with their attitude. Learning is top priority of course but they even lack in that area and it definitely feels like it's just business for them.
Islington- terrible changes recently with new management
Islington EL changed negatively a lot since management was replaced in 2024. Most important to management is how OFSTED inspection, they say it openly. The policies seem to be the justification for any changes affecting parents badly: chairs removed from waiting area, children can not go in 5 minutes earlier even if places are available to comply with strict adult ratios (common sense: children are 9-10 yo, visible to staff and parents at the front), when finished- kids are escorted out even if parents aren’t present (transport 2 minutes delay).
Old management was open to brief discussions when children are brought in, siblings could use the toilet if desperate. New management cancelled it all!
There is nothing nearby for parents to wait for kids to complete an hour session, many commute from far, or go to the toilet. Zone 1- no parking is available either. Center became inhumane.
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I will not recommend for anyone to join explore learning. I paid for the tuition fees and they said they will rearrange the schedules for my daughter but she didn't get it in the proper ways. I am so dissapointed with explore learning service.
Not ideal for 11+ prep, support is standardised and not well equipped to deal with areas of challenge
This may be for some, but the below is based on our experience as parents who wanted to get our child some specific tuition support for the 11+ grammar school entry exam, we can't speak for anyone who needs other exam support or a "revision club."
Based on 11+ prep over most of Year 4 and Year 5, our experience was that the tuition was not at all individualised or differentiated for our child's abilities. It was insufficient for addressing gaps, challenges, or producing any advantage that could not have been received by simply practising at home and using a generalised online tool. The service lacked an understanding of our specific school entry (despite claiming this early on), continuously said good progress was being made and failed to raise the issue that our child had fallen severely behind the required standard. We provided our child with a practice paper, and the ~40% grade highlighted that despite enrolling our child early enough to avoid pressure over the summer before exams, that is what we would need to subject them to in order to pass. We have since found that much of the issue is the topics and teaching style due to standardisation (both in-person and online), which were completely mismatched with the required school paper. An example of this is our child spending weeks writing articles when this is not a requirement of our specific school entry paper. The saddest part is our child was given a false impression of their progress and chances, we believe in highlighting the positive but being honest about development areas. This service failed at this.
The facts...
Centre-based, good for childcare, poor for addressing challenges:
- The centre manager seemed to know what they were doing but left the organisation
- The remaining staff were junior, non-professional and appeared to be "between jobs" (though bright and dedicated)
- Plan was based on a fixed calendar; if you missed a lesson, you missed the topic
- Online support is based on answering questions with a helpful description, but this is limited to a text explanation and is not highly effective at teaching (lacking video or interactivity)
- Our child dedicated large amounts of time to online practice but was getting stuck
- Class setting is less than ideal, and our child received minimal direct support/attention; the best sessions tended to be when the other kids were on holiday
- We flagged gaps, and the response was to practice online
- Due to several alarming gaps, we switched to online only so that our child would receive 1:1 differentiated support
Online:
- Very nice and engaging tutors
- Plan for our child was presented at the beginning, and areas of concern were shared by us
- Weekly reports from tutors were positive and flagged no gaps
- For a large period of time we were unable to access progress in the online tool
- After ~5 months of work, a number of gaps remained (in the online tool) but weren't being shared by the tutor
- Following flagging the gaps, the response was "Here's the areas she can practice online" (rather than that this would be resolved by the tutor)
- After flagging our child's need for differentiated support (as we were promised when we switched), we were simply told they were working through a schedule and would "get to practice areas"
- Our decision was to immediately remove our child
On balance, what they did do well:
- Safe, clean, bright open centres
- Surrounded by children who mean well
- A good way to spend time after school in a productive way
- A low pressure-entertaining way to engage with education
Edit: I'm aware of the response below; I highlighted my concerns at a number of points, spent more money, was reassured that things were on track and steps were being taken. I was wrong. For parents, If you're considering a course (ANY course), be clear on your target school needs, ask direct, specific questions, then validate with external evidence rather than relying purely on tutor feedback (but this goes with any solution).
Pretty disappointed with the experience so far. I had my kid enrolled for online classes.There is lots of connection issues and sometimes the teacher joins late. There is a customer care number but there is no one you can get hold of. These are costly classes and therefore the experience should be better and more accountability expected.
The staff are generally helpful and the study materials are good. However, when it comes to some staff start and finish times there is a particular member of staff who likes to start early so that she can finish early despite my child having only a short break. My progress sessions have been re-scheduled 6 times and when I attended the staff wasn't aware of it. Very poor. The progress review was not constructive and geared the member of staff's opinion which is poor.
JURY OUT? recommended to me by a parent so far i have had a very bad experience with this company and we have not even got to the learning yet. Firstly i signed up for a in-person tuition trial at their new cross centre. Then i thought rather than drive i would try it online first so i changed the appointment to online. I thought they would contact me about the new online appoinment they have my number i changed it but they didnt so at the time i was there with my child who i rushed home from school but no one called or emailed to give any info or even to check if i was waiting and had problems joining which i did, why didint they call?
I tried to call explore learning but for all centres and online they just they have one number who after 5 calls over next few days just states no one is available... i really thought the company had gone bust as so little effort and what about a receptionist for all centres and online rather than waiting until teachers are out of a lesson?
I thought i would try again and this time was given online appointment from start - but as i was unsure if they would show up i called and emailed. they called me back the next day where i asked the lady what happened, she said she didnt know and i said fine. I asked if the appointemnet later was taking place as again taking 2 children home quicklyh in traffic but she said she didnt know, and online was separate departent. I said ok but surely you have on computer or can call then as its same company and she said not really and i was like you are the same company why cant you find out as i need to know.... she said i have had enough of this have a nice day and put the phone down? i was streesed and needed to know and she was no help at all.
i called back another person answered who to be honest was much better at dealing with people and asked me to email him screenshots of appoinments so he could investigate. I did but the very small pictures did not get through as issue with their email mailbox and i have to tell him his mailbox was full - does this company not know this?
so still not sure if online would happen i was waiting and this time i had a link to use. The appoinment was fantastic so my hope was renewed ... that night i tried to sign up but the website wouldnt take the payment kept going to a page saying whoops this page does not exist? tried again same thing and another hour wasted - have i paid i dont know tried again same thing.
jury is out as we have not been given a tutor yet , and the free trial was great but emails dont work website payments dont work, cant log in, no one ever answers the phone no one calls so lets see but i dont have high hopes.
Staff member standing behind learners and asking a few times if they need help, Then another member asking if they need help. Learner felt uncomfortable and didn’t enjoy being watched constantly.
Explore Learning is a UK-based educational organization that provides personalized tuition services for children aged 4 to 16. The company specializes in subjects such as maths and English, as well as preparation for key examinations like SATs, 11 Plus, and GCSEs. Tuition is offered both online and in physical centers across the country, allowing flexibility for families seeking educational support.
The company employs expert tutors who utilize adaptive learning techniques tailored to each child's individual needs. With a focus on building foundational skills and confidence, Explore Learning aims to assist students in achieving academic success throughout their educational journey. Parents looking for reliable tutoring solutions for their children will find a variety of options that cater to different learning styles and requirements.
