Niki Saunders-Fearns Saunders-Fearns

My sessions are practical, supportive and shaped around the individual student. I don’t believe in giving young people another lecture or telling them simply to “try harder”. We work together to understand what is getting in the way, identify what they want to change and create realistic steps they can put into practice straight away.

A typical session starts with a relaxed check-in and a conversation about what is currently feeling difficult. This might include academic pressure, low motivation, procrastination, poor organisation, difficulty concentrating, a lack of confidence or feeling overwhelmed by everything they need to do.

We then agree on one clear focus for the session. I use questions, discussion and practical exercises to help the student understand their habits, recognise unhelpful thought patterns and identify approaches that suit the way they work. Depending on their needs, we may cover goal-setting, study routines, time management, prioritising tasks, preparing for important conversations, building confidence or breaking a large challenge into manageable actions.

Every session ends with a simple, achievable plan. The aim is not to create a long list of extra tasks, but to agree on one or two changes the student feels confident trying before we meet again. In future sessions, we review what worked, what didn’t and what needs adjusting—without judgement.

I have more than 20 years’ experience coaching and developing people, alongside almost 30 years in senior leadership roles. Throughout my career, I have helped individuals build confidence, manage pressure, solve problems, set priorities and turn ambitious goals into practical action. I am also a qualified coach.

My style is warm, direct and encouraging. I create a space where students can speak honestly, feel listened to and work things out without fear of getting the answer “wrong”. Sessions are interactive and conversational, rather than classroom-style lessons.

This is coaching rather than subject-specific tuition or therapy. It is particularly suitable for students who know they are capable but need help developing the confidence, structure, motivation and habits to move forward.