Our Story
Takapuna Learning Club was born from a simple but powerful idea: every child deserves to be truly known as a learner.
Founder Sonja Painter, a mother of two with over 20 years of life on the North Shore, saw firsthand the gap between what busy classrooms can provide and what children actually need. Drawing on experience across New Zealand schools, international schools, and tutoring environments, and shaped by a cross-cultural perspective rooted in her German upbringing, Sonja built TLC from the ground up — with a parent's heart and an educator's eye.
From the beginning, the vision was clear: a place that is more than a tutoring centre. A real club. Somewhere children feel known, supported, and genuinely encouraged — academically and as people.
A big part of that vision is our commitment to being 100% paper-based. In a digital age where children are already spending significant time on screens, we made a deliberate choice to put pen to paper — literally. Handwriting is a skill that is quietly disappearing, and the research is clear: writing by hand deepens focus, supports memory, and strengthens the cognitive connections that make learning stick. Our colourful, themed worksheets are carefully designed to be genuinely engaging, using real-life local examples that make concepts click — without a screen in sight.
Every child who joins TLC begins with a free assessment: a friendly, low-pressure session that gives our tutors a clear picture of exactly where they are. From there, we build a fully personalised learning plan tailored specifically to them. No assumptions, no generic programmes. Each plan is designed to strengthen the core foundations that underpin long-term success, while simultaneously supporting what the child is working through in their classroom right now. It is this dual focus — building deep roots while staying relevant — that helps children not just keep up, but genuinely move forward with confidence.
To bring that vision to life, Sonja brought together a team that shares it. Robert Pether leads our English programme, with eight years of teaching experience across New Zealand and internationally and a deep understanding of multilingual learners. Shenal Iranga leads Mathematics, bringing over 15 years of international expertise and a PhD in Education — turning math anxiety into real confidence, one student at a time. And behind every smooth session, every well-prepared classroom, and every seamless family interaction is Max, whose operational care keeps TLC running like clockwork.
Together, this team has built something the North Shore genuinely needed: small classes, expert tutors, and a community where children find their footing, make friends, and grow in ways that don't always show up on a report card.
We started here. We're built for here. And we're here for every child on the North Shore.