Last updated 28 June 2025.
What subjects do you tutor?
We only tutor English for years 7-10, and VCE English year 11 and 12 (units 1-4).
What do I get for joining?
Years 7-11
Year 12
Where are the classes held?
All classes are exclusively online. We do not have an in-person office. We are based in Melbourne, though!
How much does it cost?
Group tutoring is priced as follows (incl GST):
Marking is $60 per 1000 word essay. See below for details.
NOTE: There is a one-time enrolment fee ($75) for new students who have not worked with us before ($150 for year 12). This covers establishing you into our system and setting you up with all the key materials.
Do you offer one-on-one tutoring?
No, all our classes are run as group sessions.
How does payment / billing work?
All payments are made in advance, per billing term.
For years 7-11, the 2025 term billing schedule is as follows:
School holidays for years 7-11 are billed separately.
For year 12, terms are billed every 8-10 weeks and lessons continue through school holidays. Each block entitles you to access to all our classes and resources for the time specified on the invoice.
The year 12 blocks in 2025 will be:
I loved my trial! How can I enrol?
After your trial session, we’ll get in touch to see how you found it. If you haven’t heard from us, send us an email at admin@hellosmart.com.au.
We’ll then get a few more details from you to finalise enrolment and send through the first invoice.
Once that's finalised, you'll have access to all the class zoom links, notes, and other resources.
What content will be covered?
Year 12 students are grouped by topic. They will study the same books as they do in school, and all content is focused on the year 12 curriculum.
The year 12 curriculum we teach may be timed slightly differently to what you do at school and will usually be accelerated rather than behind. The actual material will be the same.
Years 7-11 are grouped by year level and ability and are taught an extension curriculum. The texts they cover in class will be different to what they do in school. However, the types of tasks will be the same, and will enable them to develop and extend the same skills.
Who is the tutor?
All classes are taught by a previous high-achieving VCE graduate. While we will endeavour to keep students with the same tutor across the term (and hopefully the year), sometimes scheduling difficulties may necessitate a change.
Students have access to all tutors in case they want a particular expert opinion. Tutors are trained in both one-on-one and group teaching. All tutors follow the same curriculum and are trained to teach in the same style.
We have experience teaching hundreds of students over 5+ years.
Do you offer free trials?
No. Our classes are highly specialised intensive programs, not traditional tutoring. Because of the individualisation that goes into each student's start, trials are not free.
Students in years 10-12 can trial by attending one of our intensive programs. Students in years 7-9 can sign up for a minimum of 3 weeks.
How many students are in a class?
We endeavour to cap ongoing classes at 8 students, though they usually are around 2-5. Intensive programs may be more. Due to seasonal variability, no guarantees can be made as We retain all rights to determine the final number of students in a class.
What are your students’ past results?
In 2023, 2/3 of our students scored 40+ (top 9% of the state), and 1/3 scored 45+ (top 2% of the state). Our 2024 results were similar, with 90% of students identified as high achievers scoring 40+.
On average, a year 11 or 12 student who starts with us scoring 70s will be able to achieve 90s within 3 months if they attend all classes and complete all set work.
Will I get personalised attention?
Yes! Even though we run group classes, the tutor gets to know every student over the course of the term. Your tutor will keep in contact with you via email, set homework relevant to your level, and give you additional resources just for you where necessary.
1. Costs and charges
1.1 How is cost of marking calculated?
Marking is $6 per 100 words or part thereof.
E.g. 1000 words --> $60. 1001 --> $66. 1100 words --> $66.
For typed work, word count is calculated by using 'Select All' (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A) and includes all text in the document.
For handwritten work, we calculate word count as 150 words per standard lined A4 half-page or part thereof. Plans are excluded unless specifically requested.
E.g. 3 handwritten pages + a one-page plan --> deemed 3 pages --> 900 words.
1.2 How are the costs of one-on-one calls calculated?
One-on-one help is $30 per 10 minutes or part thereof. ($180/hr incl GST).
E.g. 10 minutes --> $30. 11-20 minutes --> $60. 45 minutes --> $150.
2. Missed classes and makeup classes
If you are going to miss a class, you must let us know as early in advance as possible so we can organise for you to attend another class, or a make up session.
Missed classes can not be deducted from future invoices.
We offer up to 2 make up classes per term for years 7-11 at no additional cost. Additional missed classes should be made up by arranging to attend other sessions within the same term as the missed classes.
Make up classes will be held during the school holidays after the term in question.
If you are unable to attend make up classes in the holidays, you must let us know in advance to give us the best possible chance at finding alternative arrangements within 2 weeks of the end of term.
Once two weeks have elapsed since the end of the term, make up classes are void. They can not be rolled over into subsequent terms. Refunds are not possible.
Due to the fast-faced and discursive nature of year 12, there are no make up classes. We will endeavour to record classes which are primarily about content rather than discussion, but no guarantees can be made.
For any additional classes missed, or for year 12 students, we recommend attending the weekly workshop to catch up content and ask questions.
3. Refunds
Out of fairness to enrolled students, we have a firm no-refund policy. Regardless of any other statements made generally, unless explicitly provided in writing to a particular private customer at the time of sale, this applies to all programs, intensives, ongoing classes, physical or digital products, or other services we offer. Refunds are strictly not available for any service or programs involving individual or one-on-one help, including consultations. We are firmly committed to providing exceptional service, and we can not do this without committment from our customers.
3.1 Exceptions
3.1.1. Management reserves the right to revoke service at any time for any reason, and is not required to disclose this reason. In this case:
a) Where services have not yet been rendered, we will issue an automatic refund of the amount paid, or cancellation of any amount owing.
b) Where services have already been rendered, refunds are at the sole and exclusive discretion of the proprietor. Absolutely no refunds are available for one-on-one consultations, help, marking or other work. Cost of marking and 1-1 consultations are calculated as described above in (1) and will be deducted from any refundable amount.
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