NumberWorks'nWords

What NumberWorks'nWords does

NumberWorks'nWords is a New Zealand-based educational tutoring company founded in 1984, operating under a franchise model to deliver in-centre mathematics and English tutoring to students aged 5-16. The service combines one-to-one human tutoring with proprietary, curriculum-linked software, with one-hour lessons offered after school on weekdays and some Saturdays at NZ$69 including GST per lesson. Curriculum coverage spans the NZ NCEA framework as well as Cambridge International, UK GCSE, 11+, NAPLAN, and SATs exam preparation, and is delivered through approximately 100-square-metre centres in exclusive territorial franchises.

The company's technology stack centres on a proprietary tutoring platform maintained by in-house product development and IT teams, supplemented by a purpose-built student database that tracks weekly rolls, absences, make-up sessions, individual progress, and performance benchmarks across licensees. An adaptive learning layer tailors lesson difficulty and focus in real time, and the NumberWorks'nWords Arcade sub-brand extends the offering into a digital games portfolio (e.g., Steve Storm and the Tables of Doom, Interstellar Speller) that reinforces in-centre concepts. Free diagnostic assessments are used as the primary lead-generation tool, with marketing managed locally by franchisees and supported by headquarters design resources.

Commercially, the company operates a two-revenue-stream model: per-lesson tuition fees paid by parents and franchise-related economics comprising a NZ$20,000 initial franchise fee, ongoing franchise service fees charged as a percentage of monthly centre income, and fit-out costs of up to NZ$60,000 for new centres. The corporate entity is small (11-50 employees at the Auckland-headquartered HQ), with Sarah Simons serving as Chief Executive Officer. Operational presence is confirmed in multiple Auckland suburbs and the Northland region, with no international operations disclosed in the source data despite the brand's claim to be the world's longest-running tuition provider.

Name

NumberWorks'nWords

Legal name

NumberWorks'nWords

Website

https://numberworksnwords.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NumberWorks'nWords is a New Zealand tutoring franchise founded in 1984 that delivers in-centre maths and English tuition to students aged 5-16 using proprietary curriculum-linked software and one-to-one human tutoring, and sells franchise licences with exclusive territorial protection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supplementary Education Tutoring

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Literacy & Numeracy Intervention (Reading/Math Support) (EDAJALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Digital Curriculum & Interactive Lessons (EDAGAEAA), K–12 Remedial Math & Numeracy Intervention (EDANAJAB), Math Homework Support (Problem-Solving & Practice) (EDANADAE)

Keywords

• Maths tutoring services
• English tutoring services
• Primary school tutoring
• Exam preparation tutoring
• Education franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Per-lesson fees charged to parents for tutoring sessions. Lessons are one hour long, offered after school on weekdays with some centres also offering Saturday lessons.
2. Franchise Fees: Initial franchise fee of $20,000 plus ongoing Franchise Service Fee charged as a percentage of monthly income. For new centres, additional setup costs include up to $60,000 for fit-out.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NumberWorks'nWords delivers in-centre, after-school maths and English tutoring to students aged 5-16, combining one-to-one teaching from trained tutors with proprietary curriculum-linked software and computer-based exercises. Lessons follow national curricula (NCEA, Cambridge, GCSE/11+, NAPLAN, SATs) and are tailored to each student's level following a complimentary diagnostic assessment, with the entire network operated through a franchise model of individually owned centres.

Product overview

NumberWorks'nWords is a tutoring company offering in-centre maths and English tutoring for children aged 5-16 years. The core offering consists of Maths Tutoring, English Tutoring, and Exam Preparation services, all delivered through a hybrid model combining one-to-one human tutoring with computer-based exercises using their proprietary curriculum-linked software. Supporting products include the NumberWorks'nWords Arcade (online educational games reinforcing tutoring concepts), Free Assessment (diagnostic evaluation), School Holiday Programmes (intensive sessions), Primary School Tutoring, and High School Tutoring (age-segmented programmes). The company also operates a franchise business model, enabling entrepreneurs to own and operate NumberWorks'nWords tutoring centres using the company's proprietary software and support systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NumberWorks'nWords Arcade: A gallery of fun games for practising and consolidating Maths & English skills, reinforcing concepts taught in face-to-face tutoring programmes.

Products and services

• Maths Tutoring In-centre maths tutoring for primary and high school students aged 5-16, combining one-to-one teaching from trained tutors with computer-based exercises and curriculum-aligned content.
• English Tutoring In-centre English tutoring for primary and high school students aged 5-16, providing personalised learning programmes aligned with the school curriculum and covering reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary.
• Exam Preparation
• Free Assessment
• School Holiday Programmes
• Franchise Business Opportunity
• NumberWorks'nWords Arcade

Quantifiable outcome

• Personalised programmes designed to boost confidence and improve school results

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Explore Learning: UK-based in-centre tutoring franchise for primary and secondary maths, English, and 11+ preparation. Closest in-centre tutoring model in the UK market, a geography NumberWorks'nWords has curriculum content for.
• Crimson Education: New Zealand-founded education company providing tutoring, mentoring, and admissions support, with significant global expansion. Comparable as a NZ-origin K-12 education brand, though focused on higher-end university admissions support.

Emerging players

• Elevate Education: Australian provider of study skills, exam preparation, and tutoring programs for K-12 students. Adjacent overlap in exam preparation and academic support, though more focused on workshops and study skills than in-centre subject tutoring.
• Cluey Learning: ASX-listed Australian online tutoring platform for K-12 students covering maths and English. Comparable in subject and age focus, but delivery is fully online — a different channel competing for the same end customers.

Direct peers

• Kip McGrath Education Centres: ASX-listed tutoring franchise founded in New Zealand and Australia, providing in-centre maths and English tutoring for K-12 students. Most directly comparable peer given shared NZ origins, centre-based model, and overlapping subject focus and age range.
• Tutor Doctor: Global franchise network offering one-to-one in-home and online tutoring across subjects and ages. Comparable as a franchised tutoring brand serving K-12 students, though delivery is 1:1 in-home rather than in-centre.
• Sylvan Learning: Established global franchise providing in-centre tutoring across maths, reading, writing, and test prep for K-12 students. Comparable in centre-based delivery, franchise model, and multi-subject K-12 positioning.
• Mathnasium: Large global franchise of in-centre maths-only tutoring centres for K-12 students, with proprietary methods and assessments. Directly comparable on franchise distribution, maths specialism, and in-person learning model.
• Kumon: Global franchise operator of in-centre maths (and reading) tutoring for children, using a worksheet-based, self-learning methodology. Closest global analogue to NumberWorks'nWords' franchise-based, in-centre, K-12 maths and English tutoring model.

Broad incumbents

• Huntington Learning Center: Established US-based franchise operating tutoring centres for K-12 students covering maths, reading, and exam prep. Overlapping centre-based tutoring offering, but US-focused and broader in scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/numberworksnwords

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NumberWorks'nWords