Four Scottish cities in focus as tuition franchise ramps up Scottish presence

One of the UK’s largest tuition franchises has ramped up its Scottish presence during the pandemic, opening centres in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

First Class Learning (FCL), which specialises in maths and English programmes, said it had experienced its busiest January ever.

Bosses noted that parents are now determined to help their children catch up on the education they have missed over the last two years due to the impact of the pandemic.

FCL, which has more than 300 franchises throughout the UK, has now expanded throughout Scotland, with its Aberdeen and Edinburgh tuition centres opening during 2020. Further centres have just opened in both Dundee and Glasgow, as demand for out-of-school education continues to grow.

First Class Learning (FCL) chief executive Ed Hyslop.

Chief executive Ed Hyslop said: “We have seen real growth in Scotland recently, and this is just further evidence that out-of-school tuition is in very high demand.

“Our Aberdeen franchisee is doing fantastically well and has just expanded by opening a second centre in the city. Edinburgh is also doing very well and is pretty much full to capacity, so they are also looking to expand in the months ahead.

“We also have brand new franchisees in Dundee and in Glasgow, both of which have launched this month, so it is a very exciting time for us north of the Border.

“In general, this has been the busiest January we have ever experienced,” he added. “We have received a record number of enquiries from parents who know their children need extra support to make up for the disruption to their learning.”

Husband and wife team Grant and Gayle Jones are celebrating two years as owners of the FCL Edinburgh branch. They run four classes a week with upwards of 300 students, with a goal to grow this to 400 by May next year, with the help of a full-time receptionist and 20 part-time teaching assistants.

The business operates from a dedicated teaching centre in the outskirts of the capital.

Gayle said: “It has been a tough two years for children with the pandemic. We are finding that many of our students are behind in their studies through no fault of their own.”

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