You Have Questions And I Have Answers!

Study Strategy Lab FAQ

The last few days I’ve been compiling questions from people that they have about The Study Strategy Lab. Rather than replying to all the individual questions manually, I thought it was a better idea to compile them all and answer them here for everyone!

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m not here to claim that the SSL is the answer to your problems or that it's the only, or best solution out there for students. I know it's not! But for some people it may be the right option. My job is to give you enough information to make the correct, informed decision for you, your teen and your situation.

Because I know that neither you as the parent nor the teen can afford to waste their time (and money!) on a programme that isn’t a PERFECT FIT.

Let’s start with one of the most popular questions

(And I understand this is a long one! Skim the questions to see if yours is here and if not, make sure to just hit ‘reply’ and send it on!)

Q1. Is this applicable or beneficial to students in 1st year/14 year old age group

Q2. What would be the benefit of joining now rather than waiting until September or another time?

Q3. Do they have to join live? What if they miss a session?

Q4. Is this going to be an added weight to my teens shoulders? Is there a lot to do?

Q5. Will this actually improve their grades? How long until we see changes?

Q5. My teen already has tutors and uses other resources — how is this different, and why would it help them more?

Q7. Is this suitable for students who are already high achievers or have a good system going?

Q8. How interactive is it? Will they get REAL support, or is it just videos?

Q9. What if my teen has ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other learning differences? Will this still help them?

Q10.This seems like a big investment, how will I know if its worth it?

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Q1. Is this applicable or beneficial to students in 1st year/14 year old age group

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Absolutely. In fact, I'd argue this is one of the best times for students to learn these skills.

The earlier they build strong study habits, the less time they'll spend feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or stuck later on. Instead of spending years trying to figure out how to study through trial and error, they can start developing effective habits, routines, and systems from the very beginning.

I actually had a 14-year-old student, James, join the programme last year. He was the year below his main exam year, and he really enjoyed it. His only feedback was that the workload management subunit wasn't quite as relevant yet because he wasn't receiving large amounts of homework at that stage. Aside from that, he found the programme incredibly useful and said it gave him a much clearer understanding of how to approach studying.

The earlier students learn how to learn, the longer they'll benefit from those skills…and not just throughout secondary school, but into university and beyond.

I’ll admit, the programme is often ‘marketed’ towards exam level students because if they haven’t developed the skills, they're the ones struggling the most and looking for help the most. But that is not to say this programme isn’t relevant for younger students, it absolutely is 🙂

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Q2. What would be the benefit of joining now rather than waiting until September or another time?

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You absolutely can wait. In fact, I only run the Study Strategy Lab twice each year, so there will be another opportunity closer to the end of the year.

But if we’re honest, there's no ‘perfect’ time to learn study skills and dedicate towards a 5 module programme like this. Summer is holidays, September is when kids are getting into the swing of things, December/Jan is prelim and mocks season and then after Christmas, I don’t have time to run the course again! In the lead up to exams I need to support my students. If I did (which I’m not sure I would) run the programme after Christmas, it would 100% need to be an intensive crash course version which would be more stressful and students would be even more stuck for time and mental capacity.

One of the biggest reasons I run the programme over the summer is because students finally have something they rarely get during term time: space to think.

Without the pressure of school's weekly homework, assessments, and looming exams, they can focus on building the skills that make studying easier before they actually need to rely on them. They have time to experiment with revision methods, build routines, understand how they learn best, and create systems that they'll take with them into the new school year.

By September, they're not trying to learn how to study whilst juggling homework, tests, and extracurricular activities. They've already built the foundations.

Of course, like I said, summer isn't perfect either. Families go on holiday and students deserve a break. That's exactly why every session is recorded, and why I spread the programme over the summer with additional workshops throughout the academic year. The aim isn't for students to spend their entire summer studying, it's to invest a small amount of time now that can make the rest of the school year feel much more manageable.

So to recap, could your teen wait until the next intake?

Absolutely.

But waiting also means another term of relying on the same study habits they've always had. If those habits are already leading to overwhelm, procrastination, inconsistent revision, or working hard without seeing the results they want, that's another few months before anything changes.

My goal is simple: I'd much rather students walk into September with a study strategy already in place than spend the first half of the school year trying to figure it out as they go.

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Q3. Do they have to join live? What if they miss a session?

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They don’t have to join live at all. If they really wanted to, they can just catch up and complete the whole programme self paced using the recordings. I would recommend they come live, because then they can ask questions, get feedback and are more likely to engage with the material and benefit. However, its up to the student!

And if your teen misses a session because of holidays or other commitments, no stress -  genuinely.

Every session is recorded and uploaded inside the online classroom where your teen can:

• rewatch

• pause

• take notes

• go back over the tools

• catch up on anything they missed

This means they can stay on track even if life gets busy with sport, clubs, illness, or family plans. Your teen missing out on this opportunity because they might miss one session would just be a big shame.

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Q4. Is this going to be an added weight to my teens shoulders? Is there a lot to do?

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Let’s address this head on.

I fully understand that parents do not want to overwhelm their teen with extra work, pressure, or another “thing” on their plate.

But no, it's not a huge commitment. Each session is just 1 hour, and any tasks in between take less than 1 hour. And here’s the key:

➡️ These tasks save hours of wasted, low-quality revision time.

➡️ They improve how your teen thinks about studying, rather than piling on more content.

The whole point is to lighten the load, not add to it.

And I actually asked my alumni this question during his video testimonial -you can find his video testimonial on the webpage! Spoiler alert: he said that the time he put into implementing what he learnt in the programme gave him back his time ten-fold….

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Q5. Will this actually improve their grades? How long until we see changes?

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Yes, I get it! You want results, and you want them soon.

The Study Strategy Lab works because it doesn’t add more on your teen’s plate — it improves how they study (which they should be doing anyways) so they get more done in less time. In the very first week, we identify their learning style and swap ineffective habits (like rereading, highlighting, or rewriting notes) for evidence-based revision methods that actually improve consolidation and retention of information (as it fits into the psychology of memory).

And because of that, changes happen fast:

• study sessions become shorter and more focused

• procrastination and decision fatigue drops

• confidence increases

• they stop “fake revising”

• and their effort starts turning into real progress

Most parents start noticing a difference by week 2 of implementing these new techniques, with teens showing:

• better retention of information

• more independence

• better use of revision time

• less avoidance of hard subjects

• better attitude towards studying

By the end of the 5-module programme, families often describe their teen as calmer, less anxious,, more organised, and far more confident heading into prelims or final exams. 

They will also start noticing a change in their grades and their experience leading up to and during class tests. 

You’ll hear less: “Yeah.. Well I think it went okay… I guess.. I don’t really know.” 

And more: “It felt good, it went definitely better than my tests before!”

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Q6. My teen already has tutors and uses other resources — how is this different, and why would it help them more?

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Although nobody outrightly asks this, I know this is a concern disguised by some other questions. 

Firstly, I want to say that I'm a huge believer in tutoring. I've been tutoring Biology for years and I've seen first-hand the difference a great tutor can make.

But tutoring and study skills solve two completely different problems.

A tutor's job is to teach the subject content, explain difficult concepts, answer questions, and help students understand the syllabus. I go the extra mile and infuse study skills into my tutoring, but I know not all other tutors do this.

The Study Strategy Lab is about what happens during the other 167 hours of the week outside of a students 1 hour per week tutoring session.

It's about giving students the skills to know how to study once the tutor has finished the lesson.

So they don’t feel left alone to figure it out themselves, or decide what to do for the next week until their next class. By the way, this can lead to decision fatigue, then avoidance and procrastination. 

In fact, I recently wrote a blog post called "Why Tutoring Alone Doesn’t Guarantee Better Grades" because I think it's such an important topic. If you'd like to read more about this idea, heres the link to read it!

I often explain it like this:

A tutor can absolutely help fill in the gaps in a student's knowledge. But if the student doesn't know how to organise their time, revise effectively, or apply what they've learned between lessons, they're unlikely to get the full value from that investment. Parents end up spending a lot of money on tutors or resources and not seeing much improvement.

The Study Strategy Lab doesn't replace tutoring, it complements it.

It helps students get more out of every lesson, every revision session, and every hour they already spend studying by giving them the study skills that tie everything together.

I completely understand this concern. You want to make sure you’re investing in something that actually makes a difference and not just repeating what they already get elsewhere.

Here’s the key: tutors and other resources are usually subject-focused, which is great for content, but they often don’t teach the skills of studying itself.

The Study Strategy Lab is different because it focuses on how your teen studies, not the what they study. It gives them a framework for:

• organising their time efficiently

• learning in a way that sticks (not just rereading or memorising)

• reducing procrastination and overwhelm

• building habits and systems they can use for every subject and exam

Even high-achieving students or those with tutors see huge gains because the programme optimises their approach, making all their other study efforts far more effective.

Put simply: tutors can give knowledge and support on the syllabus. The Study Strategy Lab gives the tools to turn that knowledge into results, with less stress, more confidence, and real improvements in performance.

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Q7. Is this suitable for students who are already high achievers or have a good system going?

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Yes, I would say so, and actually, some of my highest-performing students benefit the most because they already want to improve efficiency and reduce stress.

One of my SSL students, James, is a perfect example.

James already had a strong revision routine. But inside the Lab he learned:

• distraction-reducing apps that helped him to put down the video-games and get to work

• how to make his study sessions more efficient (instead of longer)

• strategies to stop procrastinating altogether

• a scheduling system that keeps him organised

Now?

➡️ He always has assignments and homework done on time (compared to doing it during lunch before it was due)

➡️ He builds a weekly schedule in Notion (every single week).

➡️ He’s confident and fully prepared for his prelims this December.

High achievers love this programme because it removes wasted time and sharpens the systems they already use.

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Q8. How interactive is it? Will they get REAL support, or is it just videos?

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This is not a passive, “watch when you can” type of programme.

Here’s what your teen actually gets:

• Live sessions where they can ask questions

• Breakdown demonstrations (I show them exactly what to do, step-by-step)

• Templates, planners, checklists, and prompts they can apply immediately

• Weekly accountability tasks and feedback from me when they upload their homework

• Access to me inside the classroom for extra support and guidance even outside of the sessions

It’s designed for engagement — not passive watching.

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Q9. What if my teen has ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other learning differences? Will this still help them?

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Absolutely. In fact, many of the skills we focus on are often the very skills that students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning differences find most valuable.

Whilst every student is different, many struggle with things like organising their workload, managing time, getting started with revision, maintaining focus, or breaking large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.

The Study Strategy Lab is built around helping students develop these kinds of skills.

Throughout the programme, we look at how to build realistic routines, create structure, reduce overwhelm, plan ahead, and develop a study strategy that works for the individual rather than expecting every student to learn in exactly the same way.

One of the biggest themes throughout the programme is self-awareness. Rather than telling students there's only one "right" way to study, I encourage them to understand how they learn best and adapt the strategies to suit them.

I'm also really excited to share that over Summer 2026, I plan to begin adding additional resources specifically for students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning differences. These will explore ways to adapt the strategies taught inside the programme so they work even better for different learning profiles.

My goal isn't to create a completely separate programme. It's to give students practical ways to personalise what they learn, so they leave with a study strategy that genuinely works for them.

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Q10. It seems like a big investment, how do I know it will be worth it?

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You’re right,  it is an investment.

And as a parent, you need to feel confident that the time, money, and effort you put in will genuinely benefit your teen.

Here’s the thing most parents don’t realise: You’re not paying for “more work” or another nice idea. You’re paying for your teen to learn a skillset they’ll use for every exam, in every subject, for the rest of their academic life — including university.

And just so you feel fully supported in making this decision…

You’re protected by my 90-day money-back guarantee.

For whatever reason, if you or your teen are not happy with the programme and are not seeing any benefit, I’ll refund you. No hoops, tricks or conditions to meet because I’d rather avoid that. If someone isn’t happy that is fine. I’ll ask for some constructive feedback - but that’s all I’ll ask.

So you can get 100% of your money back.

I offer this because I fully believe in what this programme can do  and I want you to feel safe and supported in making this decision.

Aaaaaand…… let’s be honest.

You could easily spend this same amount or much more on extra tutoring over the next few months. And while tutoring is incredibly valuable, it doesn’t replace the need for a strong study system.

And if your teen continues struggling without these skills, the cost becomes far greater than money.

They’ll start to pay with:

• their time (sometimes needing to resit a year or repeat assessments),

• their confidence,

• their motivation,

• their peace of mind

• and the stress that comes from feeling like they’re “always behind,” no matter how long they study.

The Study Strategy Lab gives them the tools to break that cycle, not just for one exam season, but for everything that comes next.

And that just about covers the main questions I’ve been getting!

So if you mind is more at peace now… let’s do this!

Enroll your teen into The Study Strategy Lab before the doors close!

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