Meet Our Founder

Kia ora, I'm Grace.

I'm a Science Educator and Special Education Lead with a BSc in Anatomy and Pathology and a Postgrad in Science (A+ average). But my real qualification? I know what it feels like to be the student who tries everything and has nothing to show for it.

I spent years studying for 11 hours a day, burning out, and retaining almost nothing. My report cards told me I was ‘distracted’ and ‘not enough.’

In Year 4: ‘She sometimes still needs reminding not to rush but to concentrate on the task at hand and complete her work to the best of her ability.’ By Year 6: ‘Grace is a sociable, friendly student who has had a productive year. While she is capable, with an inquiring mind, she can be easily distracted in class and needs to focus on her work.’

The feedback was always the same: I was capable, but I wasn't meeting my true potential. I thought something was wrong with me. I thought I was lazy and just plain stupid.

I carried that feeling through university and into my 14 months as a frontline EMT with Hata Hone St John Ambulance. Even in high-stakes emergencies, the mental load of trying to keep up was exhausting.

Then, at 22, while working as an EMT, I was diagnosed with ADHD Combined Type.

Suddenly, the puzzle pieces clicked. I wasn't lacking intelligence or willpower. I was missing the strategy that matched my brain. The breakthrough wasn't working harder; it was using a study buddy, a timer, and the right tools.

That is exactly what I bring to my mahi (work).

I started as a tutor at Brain Play, where I was promoted to Special Education Lead. I managed high-complexity referrals from the Ministry of Education, MSD, and Oranga Tamariki, and sat in on IWS meetings for students with significant learning barriers. I learned how to de-escalate, connect, and turn "I can't" into "I did."

I bring that same clinical precision to science tutoring. We don't just memorise facts; we use real-world medical logic to "unknot" complex concepts so it actually sticks.

My Promise to You: Your report card history is just a snapshot of a mismatch between your brain and the standard classroom method, not a definition of your potential. We move past the outdated labels to get you from confusion to clarity.

Whether you are an NCEA student drowning in biology and chem, a uni student struggling with anatomy, or an adult trying to relearn how to study, we will stop the rote memorisation, build the strategy that fits your brain, and make the mātauranga (knowledge) stick.

You have the mana. I have the huarahi (method).

Mauri ora.