VAKs
VAKs Tuition is a UK-founded (2008) private tutoring company delivering small-group and one-to-one online and in-person tuition in English, Maths, Science, 11 Plus, GCSE, and SATs for children aged 4-16, plus international students.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What VAKs does
VAKs (trading as VAKs Tuition) is a privately held UK-based tutoring company founded in 2008 by Martina Barrett, providing personalised small-group and one-to-one tuition for children aged 4-16. The company is headquartered across tutoring centres in Hertfordshire and Essex, with services delivered both in-person and via an interactive online classroom platform supporting live video sessions. Programmes cover English, Maths, Science, 11 Plus preparation, SATs, and GCSEs, all aligned to the UK National Curriculum, plus an international stream that targets overseas families (with a noted emphasis on the UAE) seeking EFL support and British curriculum access.
The business operates a small, handpicked team of UK-based teachers — many with 10+ years of tenure — and explicitly positions itself as "not a marketplace," relying instead on personally matched, DBS-checked tutors rather than an open supply network. Revenue is generated primarily through monthly subscription memberships priced at £99 for four one-hour lessons (approximately £24.75/hour), with international sessions from £18/hour, sibling discounts, and a low-cost supplementary book bundle offering. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, driven by a free 1-hour assessment session funnel, content marketing via the "Inspire" educational blog, and a strong reviews footprint (295+ reviews averaging 4.88/5 on reviews.co.uk).
At 1-10 employees with no disclosed external funding, no revenue figures, and no M&A history, VAKs presents as a stable, founder-operated small business. The company's defensibility rests on its long-standing tutor team, curriculum expertise (particularly in 11 Plus and GCSE preparation), and consumer brand trust rather than on technology differentiation or scale advantages.
VAKs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VAKs
- Legal name
- VAKS
- Website
- https://vaks.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VAKs Tuition is a UK-founded (2008) private tutoring company delivering small-group and one-to-one online and in-person tuition in English, Maths, Science, 11 Plus, GCSE, and SATs for children aged 4-16, plus international students.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VAKs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Tutoring Services
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual Tutoring & Academic Intervention (K–12) (EDAJADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA), Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12) (EDAJADAI)
Keywords
VAKs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition Sessions: Monthly membership subscriptions for ongoing tuition sessions. Sessions are charged at approximately £24.75/hour (£99 for 4 one-hour lessons). Free initial assessment session is offered.
- Supplementary Materials: Book bundles aligned with learning programmes and national curriculum sold at minimal cost to enhance learning.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Tuition Programme |
| Subscription | Monthly | International Online Tuition |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
VAKs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VAKs provides personalised online and in-person small-group tutoring for children aged 4-16 in English, Maths, Science, 11 Plus, SATs, and GCSE, delivered through weekly live interactive sessions aligned to the UK National Curriculum. Services are sold as monthly memberships (e.g., £99 for 4 one-hour lessons) with a free 1-hour assessment session offered as the conversion entry point.
Product overview
VAKs is a private tutoring company offering a portfolio of educational programmes for children ages 4-16. The core offering consists of Online Tuition as the primary delivery platform, supplemented by subject-specific programmes in English Tuition, Maths Tuition, and Science Tuition. Exam preparation products include 11 Plus Tuition (for grammar and independent school entry), GCSE Tutoring, and SATs Tuition. The company also provides International Tutoring for students abroad, including EFL support. All programmes are delivered through small-group, interactive sessions aligned to the UK National Curriculum, with personal matching of DBS-checked tutors to students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online Tuition Interactive online tutoring sessions covering English, Maths and Science for ages 4-16, supporting 7+, 11+, SATs and GCSE preparation through small-group, structured lessons aligned to the National Curriculum.
- English Tuition Personalised English tutoring for ages 4-16 covering spelling, grammar, essay structure, creative writing, comprehension, and SPaG, supporting 7+, 11+, SATs and GCSE levels.
- Maths Tuition Online maths tutoring to develop concrete mathematical knowledge with support for 7+, 11+, SATs and GCSE preparation, covering arithmetic, reasoning and problem-solving.
- Science Tuition Primary and Secondary Science tutoring as well as GCSE support in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, aligned to the National Curriculum.
- 11 Plus Tuition Specialist 11 Plus exam preparation tutoring for grammar and independent school entry, covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Maths and English, including GL and CEM exam specifications.
- GCSE Tutoring Comprehensive GCSE and Pre-GCSE tutoring for Secondary Years 7-11 covering English, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, including combined programmes and exam preparation.
- SATs Tuition Primary School SATs preparation tutoring supporting Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 students with Maths, Reading, SPaG and Writing assessments.
- International Tutoring Online tutoring for international students aged 6-18 covering English, Maths and Science, including EFL (English as a Foreign Language) support and programmes aligned to the UK National Curriculum for families abroad.
Quantifiable outcome
- 295+ verified reviews with 4.88 average score; 98% of reviewers recommend VAKS
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use VAKs
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
VAKs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
VAKs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
VAKs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MyTutor: UK-based online tutoring platform offering one-to-one sessions across core subjects and exam prep including 11+ and GCSE. Most direct competitor to VAKs in the UK online tutoring space, though it operates a marketplace model with a much larger tutor pool.
- Tutorful: UK online tutoring marketplace covering primary, secondary, 11+, GCSE and A-level subjects. Direct competitor to VAKs for UK parents seeking online tutoring, distinguished by a marketplace rather than curated-team model.
- Explore Learning: UK-based tutoring centre chain providing maths, English, 11+, SATs and entrance-exam preparation for ages 4-14. Closely comparable to VAKs in curriculum alignment and exam-prep focus, with a centre-based rather than primarily-online delivery model.
- Kip McGrath: Established UK and global tutoring-centre franchise offering English and maths tuition plus 11+ and SATs preparation for primary-aged children. Direct peer given overlapping UK curriculum, exam-prep and small-group format.
- The Profs: UK-based private tutoring agency covering GCSE, A-level and university-level subjects, including 11+ and school entrance preparation. Direct peer in the UK premium private-tutoring market with strong exam-prep positioning.
- Fleet Tutors: UK tutoring agency supplying vetted tutors to schools, councils and families across primary and secondary subjects including SEND and exam preparation. Comparable as a UK-focused, vetted-tutor delivery model serving similar parent and school customers.
Broad incumbents
- Tutor Doctor: Global in-home and online tutoring franchise offering personalised one-to-one tuition across all ages and subjects. Comparable to VAKs in the personalised-home-tuition category, but broader in scope and geography.
- Preply: Global online tutoring marketplace spanning languages, academic subjects and exam prep. Adjacent competitor for VAKs' international EFL cohort and broader online tutoring demand, though it operates a much larger marketplace model.
Regional players
- Oxford Home Schooling: UK-based online homeschool and tuition provider covering KS2, KS3, GCSE and IGCSE curricula, including EFL and international students. Comparable to VAKs' international/EFL and curriculum-aligned offering, though focused more on full-time home education than supplemental tutoring.
Emerging players
- Superprof: Global marketplace connecting students with tutors across academic subjects, including UK 11+ and GCSE. Comparable as an online alternative to VAKs' exam-prep offerings, with a much larger but lower-curation tutor pool.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VAKs social profiles
Digital presenceVAKs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VAKs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
VAKs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VAKs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VAKs
What does VAKs do?
VAKs provides personalised online and in-person small-group tutoring for children aged 4-16 in English, Maths, Science, 11 Plus, SATs, and GCSE, delivered through weekly live interactive sessions aligned to the UK National Curriculum. Services are sold as monthly memberships (e.g., £99 for 4 one-hour lessons) with a free 1-hour assessment session offered as the conversion entry point.
Is VAKs a public or private company?
VAKs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was VAKs founded?
VAKs was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does VAKs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tuition Sessions are the primary driver. The others are supplementary Materials.
Who are VAKs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MyTutor, Tutorful, Explore Learning, Kip McGrath, The Profs and Fleet Tutors. Broad incumbents are Tutor Doctor and Preply. Oxford Home Schooling is listed as a regional player. Superprof is listed as an emerging player.
Does VAKs have an API?
No public API is recorded for VAKs.
What industry is VAKs in?
VAKs's product category is Private Tutoring Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJADAH, Virtual Tutoring & Academic Intervention (K–12), with a secondary code of EDANAHAA, K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies). Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.