5 Best English Tuition Centres in Singapore [2023 Guide]

Education | September 04, 2023

Image: Cognitus Academy

Quick links (scrolling down):

1. Lil’ but Mighty
2. illum.e
3. The Thought Tailor Learning Centre
4. Learning Journey Education Centre
5. Cognitus Academy

English is the No. 1 language used in the world and it is the primary language used in business and education settings in Singapore. Therefore, learning this skill is not only an academic requirement but would also be beneficial when your child goes out into the world.

If you have a child struggling in English or who wants to score better in English at school, enrolling him in an English tuition centre can be a great help.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A TUITION CENTRE

When choosing a tuition centre, it is essential to consider the following factors:

Track record: This can be checked online as most tuition centres post their achievements on their websites.
Class size: Smaller studying groups promote better student-teacher engagement.
Teacher experience: Expertise comes with experience.

TYPES OF ENGLISH TUITION IN SINGAPORE

English tuition centres in Singapore may offer one or all of these three types of English tuition:

Group tuition: Small group in a classroom setting.
1-to-1 private tuition: Personal tutoring is conducted at the student’s home or any convenient location.
Online tuition: Home-based or off-site learning taught online.

There are many English tuition centres in Singapore to choose from, and it is vital that you pick the right one. To help parents like you, we prepared this shortlist of the 5 best English tuition centres in Singapore [updated 2023], based on track record, teaching experience, and student feedback.

1. Lil’ but Mighty

Image: Lil’ but Mighty

Operation

>8 years

Level

• Primary
• Secondary

Class size

Small

Trial lesson

Available

Tutors

Teaching modes

• Online
• Onsite

Number of Centre

Address

Block 431 Clementi Avenue 3, #01-326, S120431

Phone

+65 8311 6157

Website

Lil’ but Mighty

Lil’ but Mighty is an English tuition centre well-loved for its own unique strategies and step-by-step approach to teaching.

Their programmes are thoughtfully-designed to prepare Primary and Secondary school children for English assessments in school and for English usage in the real world.

The centre’s founder, Mrs Chew, is an experienced and passionate English teacher who believes in the power of a positive learning environment where children can gain knowledge and have fun at the same time.

Highlights

The centre’s in-house curriculum is regularly updated to align with MOE’s assessment formats
All tutors are experienced in delivering the centre’s unique LSR methodology
The learning programs are designed to equip students with strategies and techniques to tackle every paper
Lil’ but Mighty is the only English tuition centre in Singapore that empowers students to teach what they have learnt using the “Learn, Share, Replay” Methodology
A small size class of 6 allows students to get the most out of each lesson

2. illum.e

Image: illum.e

Operation

2 years

Level

Primary
Secondary
Junior College (GP)

Trial lesson

Available

Tutors

Teaching mode

On-site
Online

Number of centres

Address

See all locations below

Phone

+65 8889 8705

Website

illum.e

queries@illum.education

illum.e is a MOE-registered tuition centre in Singapore that offers English and IP Language Arts Tuition and Humanities Tuition for Primary and Secondary levels as well as GP Tuition for Junior College.

The centre was founded by Timothy Joshua Chia-Lee, an award-winning educator who once served as the Subject Head of English at the Singapore Ministry of Education. He is a published author of various literature and assessment books and a panelist at the Singapore Writers' Festival.

The curriculum at illum.e tuition centre is thoughtfully crafted to align with the latest English language standards and examination requirements. As a result, illum.e constantly achieves a high percentage of grade improvement among their students.

Highlights

Unique curriculum design: Lessons are crafted with clear scaffolded strategies and applications for instant impact and close teacher feedback. Free consultations in different learning modes are provided and part of the curriculum, with personalised learning to diagnose students’ individual work. Overall, Illume is known for how it creates a safe space that enables students to score well by leveraging on their personal preferences and strengths.
Integrated tech-assisted learning: The centre uses cutting-edge technology, with an in-house learning portal for self-directed learning and applications of artificial intelligence assisted workflow for students to improve their language skills and thinking capabilities.
Exceptional team of tutors: illum.e’s tutors are handpicked, ensuring that they are either former MOE teachers or tutors with extensive experience who possess the passion, energy, and strong drive to serve as inspirational mentors for their students.
Constant high-rating examination results: illum.e boasts of their constantly high annual national examination results which are always higher than the national average.

TRACK RECORDS:

98% achieved B3 and above in English for O levels in 2022
98% of all S4 O Level Students scored B3 and above in 2021
97% of A Level Students scored A and B in 2021 and 2022
90% of students achieve an A or a 3-4 grade improvement after enrolling

FEES:
Primary School English

P1-P3: S$45 per 1.5-hour lesson
P4-P6: S$60 per 2-hour lesson

Secondary School English and IP English/ Language Arts

Lower Secondary: S$70 per 2-hour lesson
Upper Secondary: S$80 per 2-hour lesson

General Paper

JC1: S$85 per 2-hour lesson
JC2: S$90 per 2-hour lesson

LOCATIONS:

Jurong: 134 Jurong Gateway Road, #01-311, Singapore 600134
Novena: Novena Square 2, #04-52/54, 10 Sinaran Dr, Singapore 307506
Bukit Timah: 170 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #B2-09, Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, Singapore 588179
Parkway: 1 Marine Parade Central, #04-08 Parkway Centre, Singapore 449408

3. The Thought Tailor Learning Centre

Image: The Thought Tailor Learning Centre

Operation

4 years

Level

Primary
Secondary
Junior College

Trial lesson

Available

Tutors

Teaching modes

On-site
Online

Number of centres

Address

- Jurong East: #02-07 Vision Exchange Singapore 608526
- Novena: 187A Goldhill Centre Singapore 307630
- Bukit Timah: #03-01 Coronation Plaza Singapore 269707
- Bugis: #05-09 North Bridge Centre Singapore 188727

Phone

+65 8755 5837

Website

The Thought Tailor Learning Centre

The Thought Tailor Learning Centre has been making waves as one of the best English tuition centres in Singapore since its establishment in 2019.

The teaching team is composed of award-winning MOE-trained professionals who are very passionate about bringing out the best in every student.

Mr Russell, a former MOE Teacher, serves as the Chief Educational Strategist at The Thought Tailor Learning Centre. He is a top honour student who graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA at the undergraduate level. He also earned distinctions for his postgraduate studies at the University of Cambridge.

Highlights

The Thought Tailor Learning Centre uses structured and skills-based learning solutions that help students develop the right strategies, higher-order thinking skills, techniques, and analysis that result in better grades.
The centre has a dedicated curriculum research team led by Masters and PhD degree holders from Cambridge and Oxford universities. Their network of teachers keeps the centre updated with the annual syllabus.
Hired teachers undergo a strict recruitment process. The majority of the tutors are former MOE teachers who are honour graduates from top universities.
Step-by-step guidance and constant feedback are provided to closely monitor the progress of each student.
The centre offers 24/7 learning support to make sure that all the learning needs of the students are met.
Tuition fees are affordable and free trial lessons are also available.
A financial assistance scheme is offered for disadvantaged students. Students who meet the requirements can enjoy up to 50% of waived fees.

TRACK RECORD:

Since 2019, The Thought Tailor Learning Centre has helped over 1,850 students achieve an A/B grade in their exams.
94.2% achieved B3-A1 in English (improved by 3 grades)
96.3% achieved A & B in GP (improved by 3 grades)
98.7% earned a 5-Star satisfaction rate in AY2022

FEES:

Primary 3-4: S$60/Lesson (Early Bird: S$55/Lesson)
Primary 5-6: S$65/Lesson (Early Bird: S$60/Lesson)
Secondary 1-2: S$70/Lesson (Early Bird: S$65/Lesson)
Secondary 3-4: S$75/Lesson (Early Bird: S$70/Lesson)
JC1: S$85/Lesson (Early Bird: S$80/Lesson)
JC2: S$90/Lesson (Early Bird: S$85/Lesson)

4. Learning Journey Education Centre

Image: Learning Journey Education Centre

Operation

>11 years

Level

Preschool
Primary
Secondary
JC

Class size

4 to 8 students

Trial lesson

Available

Teaching mode

On-site
Online

Number of centres

Address

Serangoon: Block 540 Serangoon North Ave 4 #B1-109 S550540
Punggol: Blk 658 Punggol East #01-09 Singapore 820658

Phone

+65 9720 8802

Website

Learning Journey Education Centre

admin@learningjourney.edu.sg

Learning Journey Education Centre is a top-notch English tuition centre with an exemplary track record of improving students' grades from all levels. For more than 11 years of the centre's operation, many students have benefited from its effective English programmes, earning praises from parents and students.

The centre’s founder and principal, Ms Grace Tan, is a celebrated author who has written six books to help with reading and writing assessments. She also wrote books to help with oral exams and essays for different levels of students. Various schools in Singapore have been using her books to teach English.

Learning Journey offers many different programmes, starting from Primary all the way up to Junior College. The centre also offers special classes and workshops during the holidays.

Highlights

The centre has developed its proprietary learning programmes such as the Super Readers™, Super Writers™, and Super Learners™ programmes.
The centre maintains small class sizes of 4 to 8 students. This allows teachers to make personalized lesson plans and adjust their teaching methods to match each child’s specific requirements.
Every Primary School student can access the exclusive Super Learners™ A.I. Learning Platform without any additional charges. This platform offers students extra practice resources for their in-class subjects and other extra benefits.
Learning Journey’s interactive online classes have been recognized as the 2022/23 Best in English Online Tuition Classes by Parent’s World. The centre has also received the SME500 award, solidifying its role as a leading English tuition centre in Singapore.
Learning Journey’s successful techniques and creative programmes have been acknowledged by prominent media sources including The Straits Times, Lian He Zao Bao, CNA 93.8, and Talking Point on Channel 5.

TRACK RECORD:

75% of their PSLE students secured AL1-AL4 for the last 8 years
95% of IP4 students graduated with Distinction for their year-end examinations
70% of GP students achieved an A for their General Paper
87% of students obtained English grades between AL1 and AL4

FEES:

The centre charges a one-time registration fee for new students.
Fees are payable a month before the new term begins.
A S$20 fine is levied for late payments.
Rates are subject to change. Please contact the centre for the latest fees.

LOCATIONS:

Serangoon: Blk 540 Serangoon North Ave 4 #B1-109 Singapore 550540
Punngol: Blk 658 Punggol East, #01-09 Singapore 820658

5. Cognitus Academy

Image: Cognitus Academy

Experience

>8 years

Level

Primary
Secondary
Junior College

Class size

Maximum of 8

Trial lesson

Available

Teaching modes

On-site
Online

Number of centres

Address

1 Goldhill Plaza
#03-05 Podium Block
Singapore 308899

Phone

+65 8321 8252

Opening hours

Tue-Fri: 13:00 – 21:00
Sat & Sun: 09:00 – 17:00

Website

Cognitus Academy

admin@cognitus.edu.sg

Cognitus is a Latin word that means “to know, learn, or recognize”. It is by these guiding words that Cognitus Academy aims to fulfil its mission of helping students achieve their full potential.

The academy believes in the value of critical thinking and how it helps a child succeed, not only academically but in all aspects of human life. Based on this philosophy, Cognitus Academy focuses on developing a child’s critical thinking skills through critical reading and writing.

The academy’s founder, Dr Daniel Chua, is an innovative educator who currently serves as an adjunct fellow at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and a consultant of the Ministry of Education’s Curriculum Planning and Development Division.

Highlights

The centre’s lead tutor, Dr Chua is a multi-awarded teacher who counts a Fulbright Research Award from the US Embassy among his numerous achievements.
The centre’s teachers had to go through a meticulous screening process and 3 months of training before they started handling classes.
Critical Reading & Writing (CRW) Strategy is refined and applied at the centre.
The centre uses innovative tools such as a student’s online portal and a digital library to further support a child’s learning.
All students have access to the centre’s library (200 titles) and various online periodicals such as The Straits Times, Time, National Geographic kids, and BBC Earth.