Education is widely regarded as the foundation of opportunity. For many, schools provide the structure to acquire knowledge, build skills, and prepare for adulthood. Yet not every student thrives in a conventional classroom. For young people with complex needs, behavioral challenges, or neurodiverse profiles, mainstream education can feel more like a battleground than a springboard. Meeting these challenges requires resilience, imagination, and determination. These are qualities that define Ruth Minhall, founder and CEO of The Tuition Extra Group.
Founded in 2013, The Tuition Extra Group has grown from a modest part-time tutoring venture into a multifaceted organization that delivers innovative and highly personalized educational services. From Tuition Extra Tutoring Service to the Ofsted-registered Haven Nook Independent School and the therapeutic learning opportunities at Maypole Farm, the group has become a leading provider of tailored education in the United Kingdom.
What makes Tuition Extra remarkable is its refusal to treat education as one-size-fits-all. Instead, Ruth and her team, now numbering more than 160 staff members, focus on removing barriers, encouraging resilience, and creating pathways for success. The company’s ethos, Stronger Together, reflects both its community-driven approach and Ruth’s personal conviction that every child deserves the opportunity to flourish.
Ruth Minhall: A Journey Forged Through Adversity
Ruth’s pathway into education was unconventional. Her early years were shaped by the challenges of ADHD and dyslexia, conditions that often made her feel misunderstood and underestimated. Teachers criticized her unusual way of thinking, and her confidence as a student faltered. Yet resilience became her defining strength. With support from peers and determination of her own, Ruth developed strategies to succeed. One simple but powerful approach, reading her work aloud to improve syntax and flow, led to exam success and even a school prize for English.
These experiences convinced her that failure is not final. Instead, setbacks can become stepping stones to growth. That belief continues to guide her leadership today and inspires the philosophy behind Tuition Extra: learning should be adaptable, solution-focused, and centered on individual strengths.
As an adult, Ruth’s career was just as diverse as her early challenges. She worked internationally as a singer and recording artist, pursued journalism, and eventually became a teacher at Borden Grammar School in Sittingbourne. It was in the classroom that she discovered her greatest strength: the ability to connect with students at risk of exclusion or disengagement.
Although Ruth enjoyed teaching, she realized that traditional routes within education were not financially sustainable for her as a single mother. Instead of giving up, she took a bold step, creating a part-time tutoring venture that would later grow into Tuition Extra Group.
From Small Venture to Educational Ecosystem
What began as part-time tutoring quickly grew in demand. Parents and schools recognized Ruth’s unique solution-focused approach, which prioritized addressing unmet needs rather than punishing disruptive behavior. The impact was not limited to academic achievement. Students also gained confidence, resilience, and a renewed sense of belonging.
By 2013, Ruth made the decision to dedicate herself fully to the business. Today, Tuition Extra is a dynamic organization that blends education with therapy and vocational opportunities. It supports children and young adults aged 4 to 25 who might otherwise struggle to succeed in mainstream education.
The Tuition Extra Group now operates four core services:
- Tuition Extra Tutoring Service: Flexible, scalable tuition offered both on-site and off-site across Kent and South-East England. Facilities include IT labs, art studios, kitchens, construction workshops, and even hair and beauty training salons. Students also receive therapeutic interventions that address wellbeing and engagement.
- Haven Nook Independent Special School: An Ofsted-registered school for young people with autism spectrum conditions, anxiety, or long absences from education. The school integrates therapeutic support with academic progress and has already achieved outstanding ratings.
- Maypole Farm: A 52-acre site in Kent where students take part in vocational training and outdoor learning. Rescued animals are rehabilitated here and later become part of animal-assisted therapy programs. The calm, rural environment provides a safe space for students with ADHD, sensory challenges, or emotional needs.
- The Maypole Foundation: A charitable arm that funds opportunities for at-risk young people and supports both community education and animal rescue. It ensures that children who might otherwise miss out on support can still access resources.
Together, these services create a unique ecosystem that bridges education, therapy, and personal development.
A Leadership Philosophy Grounded in Resilience
Ruth’s leadership philosophy is a reflection of her life experiences. She does not view gender as a limitation, although she acknowledges the realities women face in the workplace such as pay gaps and lack of recognition. Her approach is rooted in accountability, meritocracy, and transparency.
For Ruth, leadership is about taking responsibility, encouraging resilience, and continuously learning. She believes women in particular must have more open conversations about money, value, and expectations, treating work as a two-way street where contribution must be matched by fair reward.
Failure is central to her outlook. She describes it not as weakness but as growth. Students, staff, and leaders alike are encouraged to see mistakes as opportunities for learning and renewal.
Her team mirrors her values. Many staff members are women returning to work after raising families or people from diverse backgrounds who bring empathy and life experience. While technical training is provided, it is their ability to connect with students that makes them invaluable.
The Role of Women in Education
Asked about the unique strengths that women bring to the field of education, Ruth highlights empathy, nurturing qualities, and relational skills. These qualities often make it easier to establish trust with vulnerable students. However, she is quick to point out that effective education requires balance: empathy must be accompanied by structure and clear boundaries.
At Tuition Extra, many staff members embody these traits, making learning accessible and creative for students who have often experienced failure in the past. This ability to scaffold learning, break down complex ideas, and build confidence is one of the reasons the organization has achieved such remarkable results.
Authentic Inclusivity
One of the defining aspects of Tuition Extra is its approach to inclusivity. For Ruth, inclusivity is not an agenda item, but a natural part of organizational culture. The team includes staff with disabilities, mental health challenges, and neurodiverse profiles. Flexible accommodations such as adjusted schedules or specific support systems are readily provided.
This inclusivity benefits both staff and students. Employees feel valued and supported, leading to loyalty and strong retention rates. Students witness inclusivity in practice and are inspired to embrace their own unique strengths.
Innovation Without Following Trends
While many educational organizations chase the latest trends, Tuition Extra sets itself apart by focusing on creative problem-solving. Staff are encouraged to propose solutions whenever challenges arise. This safe-to-fail culture means that experimentation and innovation are celebrated rather than discouraged.
Examples include the creation of vocational workshops within tutoring services, the integration of animal-assisted therapy at Maypole Farm, and the therapeutic-academic blend at Haven Nook School. Each initiative responds directly to student needs rather than external expectations, ensuring relevance and lasting impact.
Growth and Rebrand
The Tuition Extra Group is preparing for significant expansion. The growth strategy includes:
- Extending tutoring services to more regions across the United Kingdom.
- Developing online learning programs to reach students nationally and internationally.
- Scaling Haven Nook School by opening additional sites.
- Expanding the work of The Maypole Foundation.
- Launching a rebrand to reflect the organization’s evolving vision.
Ruth is careful about expansion models. She is not drawn to traditional franchising but is exploring innovative methods that allow growth while protecting the organization’s core values.
A Personal Touch
Outside her role as CEO, Ruth continues to pursue her passions. She remains active in music, nurtures her love of travel, and dedicates herself to animal welfare. Her rescue horses, now therapy animals for students, are an embodiment of her philosophy that trust and respect must be the foundation of all relationships.
Ruth also credits her family, particularly her mother Marion, for encouraging her entrepreneurial journey. Marion instilled in her the values of preparation, collaboration, and ambition. Today, Ruth leads her team with those same principles, often joking that she is driving everyone on a “crazy adventure bus.” Despite the humor, the trust between Ruth and her staff is a cornerstone of the company’s success.
Shaping the Future of Education
The Tuition Extra Group is far more than a tutoring service. It is a movement that redefines how education can work for students with complex needs. Under Ruth Minhall’s leadership, it has shown that education can be therapeutic, creative, and transformative.
From its beginnings as a one-woman venture to a staff of over 160 professionals, Tuition Extra has become a powerful force for change. For students who once saw school as hostile or hopeless, it now represents hope, resilience, and opportunity.
Ruth’s journey, from struggling student with ADHD and dyslexia to successful CEO, is a testament to resilience and visionary leadership. Her organization stands as proof that every child, regardless of their challenges, has the potential to succeed when education is tailored with compassion and creativity.
As Tuition Extra prepares for its next chapter of growth, one thing remains constant: its unwavering belief that education is not about fitting in but about bringing out the best in every individual.
