About Us

How Beyond the
Classroom began

In 1991 Cathy Thompson, the founder of Beyond the Classroom, had the opportunity to tutor two students as part of a high school program, after a successful semester she realized her passion for helping students. Cathy continued to tutor students referred to her in the community while pursuing another career in the mental health field. She found that through one on one tutoring, children were able to grow their confidence and excel at school. Seven years passed, many students achieved academic success, and in 1998 Beyond the Classroom was established as the organization it is today.

Learn More about Our Services

Contact us to see about pairing a tutor with your child

OUR PURPOSE & CORE VALUES​

Beyond the Classroom provides tutoring services that support and develop your whole child.

We Are
Always Centered on Your Child

Our tutors meet your child where they are at, cultivating a strong relationship, understanding their personal learning style, and actively working to build their confidence while they learn. Each experience is customized so your child gets the most out of each 1:1 tutoring session, whether online or in-home.

Flexible Tutoring for All Kids and Families

Schedule the tutoring sessions when it works for your family and choose the payment options that is convenient for you. There are no contracts or commitments because we want your child to have a tutor only for as long as they need one; our tutors will help them catch up with their classes, prepare for upcoming tests and assist with homework & assignments.

It's All About Connection

We choose to work with high quality, professional tutors who know the curriculum well and love working with kids. The positive connection between the tutor and your child is as important as the learning that happens during tutoring sessions; this connection is strongest when tutors work one-on-one.

About Cathy Thompson, Founder of Beyond The Classroom

“I believe in inspiring people to see their own brilliance in this world in order to achieve their own true potential.”

Cathy uses her ability to foster relationships in combination with her knowledge, experience and leadership to help franchisees successfully operate Beyond the Classroom locations, creating academic success for thousands of students.

She is a successful entrepreneur, having founded and co-founded 6 organizations, created and authored an international depression-prevention program for young women through CAMH and has been featured in two books about inspirational women. Cathy released her first self-published book, The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up in the fall of 2022.  Cathy is a mom to two young adults who are exploring their own passions in the fields of baseball and acting.

“I can definitely relate to parents when they tell me it’s a challenge to do homework with their own children!” says Cathy. “It’s my hope that through the one-on-one support students will gain the confidence they need to be resilient when approaching any academic challenge

Our Philosophy

Beyond the Classroom is a unique organization because of our philosophy. At the centre of our business model is the child. We are passionate about our students and helping them achieve success – how they define it.

From the moment we speak with families, we ask about your child’s needs, how they learn, what their interests are. Cathy Thompson, the founder, has a background in children’s mental health and understands the research behind why it’s important to focus on the whole child through service delivery. Learning issues do not happen in isolation, sometimes students may be having sleep issues, anxiety, not eating the “right” foods for them and may learn in a different way than parents. All of these impact academics and our tutors understand this. They are highly qualified tutors who are passionate about working with children and moving them towards their best selves.

Are you interested in business ownership with a Beyond the Classroom location of your own?
Contact Us Today

Message us and let’s start helping your child excel together. 

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