Lyons Learning lyonslearning.org.uk

This company (formerly called Ace Academy) is a shame in the name of education. Their staff and the company itself are totally incompetent and they play on innocent Parents psychology to provide a Good education to their children. To start with once you contact them (I did via a web search) they put immense pressure in you to take their course. I asked them if my child could attend a sample session so him and myself could see if we liked it and then I could pay in full. But I was refused that and told they do not allow that. I should have taken that as an alarm, but in my desperation I agreed and paid £470 and signed up my son for 10 classes. The classes were organised in their walthamstow centre which is conducted in Forest Academy. First day we went there and there was no classes at all and the centre was closed. I contacted the centre manager who was provided in their letter, but guess what the person has resigned from their centre and was no longer working there. Anyway waited for Monday to come and called them and was told there was a miscommunication and the centre was closed that weekend. Anyway I took my son next weekend for his classes. The centre was open (thank god!!) and I spoke to their centre manager. I was appalled by his knowledge of English as he had no command over the language, but still thought something has to be good here as per their website. The lessons started for my son that weekend. He was given books clearly marked as KS3 and not at his level but much higher. My son is 8 years old and was starting Year 3. I went to their manager and asked about that and his answer was there must have been some mistake and that he will sort it out. I waited for another week and took my son for his next class. This time it was same story and he was given some random worksheets. Nothing was taught to him and he wasted his 3 hours. They claim to give individual attention to each student, but nothing of that sort happened. The have teachers who are totally inexperienced. They claim their teachers are Cambridge level educated, but as far as I could see they do not even have the understanding to pass a basic test themselves. The 2 weeks my son spent there started affecting his confidence to do Maths and Literacy subjects because he was given something out of his level. I complained to them via e-mail about this and was told they will look into this and haven't had a reply form them yet on this. After all this, I decided not to send my Son there anymore. I instead opted to get their coursework for the next 10 lessons which is what I paid for by post. I still have the materials which I am not even sure I will ever use. This institution claims to be ofsted registered but I am not sure if that's true because Ofsted can in no way approve something that is so pathetic in their performance. Avoid this tution service like plague !!!