About us

I was born and raised in Hokitika and now live in Nelson with my supportive husband, Brian, and our three children: Hunter, Cooper, and Milah. Family is everything to us, and Brian has been a constant source of encouragement in both life and business.

Our son struggled with school from a young age, and as a teacher, I believed I could help. Despite spending hours working on reading and writing, his progress was slow, and he became increasingly anxious, losing confidence along the way. Although I suspected dyslexia, I was reassured by others that he was “fine.” At age 11, he was finally assessed and diagnosed with dyslexia — a moment that brought both relief and uncertainty about how best to support him.

Through this journey, I discovered that Structured Literacy is essential for dyslexic learners. We enrolled him in evidence-based tutoring, and the impact was significant — not only in his learning, but also in his confidence and sense of self.

Looking back, I recognise that I missed some of the early signs of dyslexia. This led me to deepen my knowledge through extensive professional learning. I have since completed numerous courses and continue to invest time into understanding how to best support learners through a Structured Literacy approach.

I am passionate about helping students build the skills and confidence they need to succeed. I remain committed to ongoing learning, both to support my own son and to provide the highest level of support for the families I work with.

Hi my name is Haley!   

I completed the Sounds Write training course a few years ago now. I have been working with children in-person and online to build their confidence in reading and writing and look forward to also tutoring in person.    

After struggling myself at school from a young age with Literacy, I could only wish that a Structured Literacy approach was available to help me instead of falling behind and feeling overwhelmed.   

I enjoy creating art and bringing this passion into my lessons.  My husband, Steven, daughter Mahli  & fluffy dog Poh live in beautiful Monaco.  We love being close to the water to go paddle boarding / swimming and enjoy all the wonderful outdoor opportunities Nelson has to offer.

I look forward to seeing expressions of interest from anyone who requires Dyslexia tutoring based on the Science of Reading research. I have some available lesson times now, so please make contact if you would like to secure a lesson!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Kia ora, I’m Julie, a primary school teacher based in Nelson. I live in Richmond with my husband, Brad, and our two teenage sons, Ben and Noah. We have two darling cats, Woody and Dog (yes, you read that right—never let your children name your pets!).

Originally from Ōtautahi, Christchurch, I relocated to Richmond in 2012. Having spent our holidays in this stunning region, we decided to make the move and enjoy it full time. 

I started teaching in 2019, after seeing my youngest son struggle with many aspects of school life. Despite being told literacy was clearly not my strength, I was labeled as having a ‘maths brain’ during my own school years. Yet, here I am, now teaching reading and writing through a structured literacy approach and it makes so much sense! I am trained in the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA) through the University of Canterbury and The Code by Liz Kane. My literacy program integrates this training with broader structured literacy techniques, all based on research.

My goal is to support your child in becoming a confident and successful reader and writer. I am available for tutoring after school, early evenings, or Saturday mornings.