The Academy of Play
The UK’s only Blended Learning Community: Combining In-Person Residential Weekends with an Online Community
We Create Experiential Learning Experiences and Communities for Young People
Helping uncover and tap into desire so as to create the skills to act agentically in the world.
Working collaboratively to make change possible. Inspiring youth to be active forces for good in their communities.
Building Confidence, Group Decision Making and Conflict Resolution Skills
Creating Community Changemakers
Creating Community Changemakers is the UK’s first dedicated online self-directed learning community. Whilst more and more self-directed learning communities are founded every year the majority of self-directed teenagers do not live within access to a dedicated local space. That is where we come in. Blending in-person residential weekends with an online community we give access to self-directed education and community.
We focus on developing the skills to self-direct your goals through an individual project, turning those skills out into your community with a small-scale project for local good, and collaborating with other teenagers in the programme to create shared, creative outputs and collective impact.
One-on-one Self-Directed Mentoring
I have years of experience working with self-directed teens on a bespoke, holistic goal setting programme. I am bringing that to you wherever you are online.
Whether you are highly self-motivated and need an accountability partner who can mentor and guide you whilst pushing you towards your goals, or you haven’t got any goals just yet but have the desire to work with someone who can help you form them, this is for you.
We cater to anyone, of any age, on any part of their self-directed journey. Find out more about whether one-on-one mentoring would work for you
Online Maths Tuition
I am secondary school qualified mathematics teacher who has years of experience of teaching maths to young people in self-directed settings, and have considerable experience working with neurodivergent young people and am trauma-informed.
If you are looking for someone with experience of maths teaching, how self-directed learners approach learning maths, but also experience working with neurodivergent or recent school leavers then please feel free to reach out.
I give a discounted rate if you combine one-on-one self-directed mentoring with maths tutoring. Talk to us to find out more.
Recommendations
“Tim has an immense capacity for playfulness balanced by willingness and skill to deep dive on any topic, from systems for playfulness to football skills to - when requested to deliver in the style of a secondary school teacher - the history of the Mongolian Empire!”
Bess - Facilitator at The Garden
“A wellspring of ingenuity, self-determined thinking, innovative experimentation and wonderful humour, Tim facilitates joyful learning spaces where everyone is encouraged and stretched. Tim has a particularly wonderful knack for supporting excellent critical thinking capacities amongst young people while maintaining light-hearted hilarity as the cohesive community force.”
Caitlin - Co-founder and facilitator at Maverick Learning Community
“Tim has been supportive of T. since he first met him nearly 4 years ago. Tim's attention to his educational and emotional needs has always been first class and has made himself available whenever he has asked for help or needed a listening ear.”
Eli -parent of a young person at The Garden
“Tim makes you feel actually supported and listened to. He has brought joy into my education.”
T. - 15 year old student
“Tim is supportive, encouraging and kind. I always felt that he wanted to help me fulfill my potential”
L. - 14 year old student
“Tim always had his interests at heart through some tricky times. He understood his strengths and helped him focus on these.”
Susy - parent of a young person at The Garden
Get to know us
Contact Us
If you are interested in our Creating Community Changemakers project we are happy to talk you through what we offer and determine if it would be the right fit for your family.
However, we are also happy to work with young people on a one-to-one basis using our methodology.
If your young person is too young for our project, or would prefer one-to-one sessions rather than group collaboration and feedback on their goals we are happy to provide learning mentorship individually as well. Please feel free to reach out to us to discuss how we can help your learner work towards their goals.