Tutoring Franchise Wales

Wales is in the middle of the biggest change to its schools in a generation. A new curriculum has replaced the old National Curriculum, and new GCSEs designed only for Wales started in classrooms in September 2025. For families, that means unfamiliar reports, new courses and a lot of questions. For anyone considering a tutoring franchise in Wales, it means a market where clear, steady help in English and Maths is easy to explain and easy to value.

The UK is one of Success Tutoring's announced markets, but its Welsh map is still empty. The company is looking for partners to open the first centres in Wales.

How Welsh schooling now works

Education in Wales is devolved to the Welsh Government. Schools are inspected by Estyn, not Ofsted, and qualifications are regulated by Qualifications Wales. The main exam board is WJEC.

The Curriculum for Wales was introduced from September 2022 and has been rolled out year group by year group. It replaces subjects with six broad Areas of Learning and Experience, gives schools more freedom over what they teach, and puts literacy, numeracy and digital competence across every area. Teachers report progress rather than levels, which some parents find harder to read.

Key points in a Welsh child's school life:

• Personalised assessments in reading and numeracy, taken online from Year 2 to Year 9. They give schools and parents a picture of progress but are not pass or fail.
• Made-for-Wales GCSEs from WJEC. The first wave began teaching in September 2025, with more subjects following in September 2026. They will be sat at the end of Year 11.
• A-levels in Years 12 and 13, also mainly through WJEC.

Wales has no grammar schools. Almost all children attend comprehensive schools, either English-medium or Welsh-medium. Welsh-medium education is growing, supported by the Welsh Government's goal of a million Welsh speakers by 2050, and some English-speaking parents of Welsh-medium pupils look for extra help with English and Maths at home.

Why families in Wales use tuition

The Sutton Trust's polling found that around a quarter of secondary pupils in Wales have had private tuition, a little below the English average but a substantial market. GCSE English and Maths remain the gateway to sixth form, college and apprenticeships, and the shift to new specifications has made many parents want an outside view of how their child is doing.

Primary families are a second group. With fewer national tests than England, parents often first notice a gap when their child starts secondary. A weekly membership in English and Maths gives them a regular check and a plan.

Where the opportunity is

Most Welsh families live in the south, along the M4 and in the valleys. Likely first territories include:

• Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, including north Cardiff, Penarth and Barry. See the Cardiff page.
• Newport and Monmouthshire, where house building has grown since the Severn bridge tolls were removed in 2018 and more families commute towards Bristol.
• Swansea Bay, including Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot.
• Bridgend and the Rhondda, with larger towns such as Tonypandy.
• North East Wales, around Wrexham and Buckley, close to Chester.

Welsh territories would be drawn with their partners and kept exclusive.

Owning a Success Tutoring centre in Wales

Support for Welsh partners can cover site selection, leasing and fit-out for a retail-style centre, tutor recruitment and training, learning resources, and launch and marketing support for a new centre, alongside ongoing support from the Success Tutoring team. The franchise agreement and disclosure documents explain the support in detail. No teaching background is needed, but you will need tutors who understand the Welsh system, DBS checks and strong safeguarding.

Frequently asked questions

Are there franchise laws specific to Wales?

No. Wales follows the same position as the rest of the UK: no franchise-specific legislation, with agreements governed by contract law and voluntary standards set by the British Franchise Association. Seek independent legal advice before signing.

Does tutoring cover the new Welsh GCSEs?

Success Tutoring focuses on English and Mathematics. Tutors work from each student's year group, school course and current level, including the new WJEC specifications.

Can Welsh-medium pupils join a centre?

Yes. Sessions are delivered in English, and many families with children in Welsh-medium schools want support with English and Maths alongside school.

Is Success Tutoring open in Wales yet?

No. Wales is an opportunity market, and partners here would open the first centres.

Read the UK tutoring franchise guide, learn why tutoring is a strong sector and see the process.