Beyond standard tuition: How Scholars Hall rebuilds academic confidence

Beyond standard tuition: How Scholars Hall rebuilds academic confidence The home tuition provider combines academic support with mental health-informed mentoring, tailoring lessons to how each student learns. Does your child dread tuition? Are they reluctant to tackle practice papers? Is the pressure to perform stressing them out? Ms Rachel Feng can relate. Her primary school-going son Jayden had been attending weekly English group tuition, but the volume of homework left him overwhelmed. Things came to a head when he froze during a composition test and submitted a blank page. Seeking more personalised guidance, Ms Feng approached Scholars Hall for one-to-one lessons. Jayden was paired with mentor Isabelle Chum, who focused on building trust and creating a supportive learning environment structured around his interests. Instead of simply assigning worksheets, she used his love of video games and play-based activities as starting points for writing and discussion. “Isabelle took the time to know Jayden as a person, not just as a student,” said Ms Feng. “By connecting learning to his interests, English became something he could relate to and enjoy. Over time, he began looking forward to lessons and became more receptive to learning.” Ms Chum also adapted lessons to Jayden’s energy levels and attention span, finding ways to re-engage him when he became distracted. His mother has since noticed a change in his confidence. “Jayden is now more willing to express his thoughts and share his ideas without worrying so much about getting things wrong,” she said. “Recently, his teacher was surprised by how enthusiastic he was during an oral presentation.” NOT JUST TUTORING BUT MENTORING Jayden’s experience reflects Scholars Hall’s approach of combining academic support with mental health-informed mentoring, with lessons tailored to how each student learns. Founded in 2025, Scholars Hall grew out of local edtech startup Scholarly, a tutor marketplace app that connected tutors and students. It provides one-to-one home tuition for students taking the Primary School Leaving Examination, O-Levels, A-Levels and International Baccalaureate (IB). “In a fast-paced, high-achieving environment, it is easy for a child to begin equating their self-worth with a grade on a paper. When that pressure peaks, we see brilliant students lose confidence,” said co-founder Jerry Goh. “At Scholars Hall, we don’t just teach the syllabus; we mentor the individual. We want students to make academic progress without compromising their mental well-being.” Scholars Hall mentors are selected for their academic and teaching credentials and receive Ministry of Education (MOE)-aligned training from Stamford Classroom. This training equips them with evidence-based pedagogical practices and curriculum familiarity, alongside mental health literacy to recognise signs of student distress and support both student and educator well-being. The programme also supports diverse learning profiles, including neurodivergent students. It matches these learners with select mentors who apply inclusive educational approaches, ensuring teaching strategies are adapted to accommodate individualised needs. For a student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, that may mean breaking a task into smaller, more manageable steps. Rather than assigning an essay, for example, a mentor might first guide the student to develop an outline before writing and reviewing a single paragraph. For a student on the autism spectrum, lessons may incorporate visual aids alongside verbal instructions. The focus on well-being does not come at the expense of academic rigour. Lessons remain aligned with MOE and IB curricula, while mentors use psychology-informed teaching strategies to support learning. Lessons are also built around a student’s strengths and interests to help sustain motivation. The one-to-one format gives mentors room to respond to individual needs during a lesson. If a student is feeling particularly anxious, a mentor may first focus on confidence-building before returning to academic work. NURTURING CALM, CONFIDENT LEARNERS One year after its launch, Scholars Hall hopes to help more students like Jayden build confidence, develop stronger learning habits and work towards their academic goals. As part of that effort, it has launched the inaugural Scholars Hall Survey and Scholarship. Eligible families who complete a short survey on how their children navigate academic pressure will be entered into a draw to win a year of fully funded, one-to-one English mentorship. “Every child’s behaviour tells us something about how they experience learning,” said mentor Xuan Ruan, a new addition to the team. “Having worked closely with students with diverse learning needs, I’ve seen how personalised support, patience and understanding can transform a child’s confidence. I wish I had a mentor like that growing up, and I hope to be that person for my students.” The Scholars Hall Survey takes about five minutes to complete. Parents can also book a complimentary consultation with a mentor to better understand their child’s learning needs before lessons begin.