Penrith · Glenmore Park · in person
Personalised, in-person tutoring across Penrith and the surrounding areas — primary through to the HSC — plus Study Compass, an AI-guided independent study program. Every plan is built around one student's real needs, never a one-size-fits-all approach.
97.40
ATAR
20+
Students taught
USYD
Engineering (Hons)
中文
Mandarin support
Core offering
Individualised sessions tailored to one student's exact needs — primary through HSC and IB. Held in Glenmore Park, or at your home.
$55 – $95 / hr
Subjects & rates →Year 7–12 · K–6 junior
A structured, day-by-day study plan for independent students who need consistency and accountability more than weekly teaching.
$180 – $480 / mo
How it works →Saturday mornings
Three to five students matched by year and subject, in a two-hour weekly block. Much of the attention of 1-on-1, at half the rate.
$35 / student / hr
Format →Roughly monthly
One-off enrichment for primary and junior high — rockets and circuits, first code, public speaking, debating. Not exam-focused; genuinely fun.
$70 / child
What we make →02 — AI-guided independent study
Most tutoring reaches a student for an hour a week. The other twenty hours of study happen with no structure and no feedback — and that's where marks are actually won or lost.
Study Compass fills those hours with a written, day-by-day plan: checklist tasks, measurable targets, embedded AI prompts, and reflection questions, all in a shared Notion workspace that parents can look in on any time. Every plan is built with AI and then reviewed line by line before it reaches the student.
Learning to use AI well — not lean on it
Students learn to treat AI as a study partner that explains, quizzes and gives feedback — and, just as importantly, to recognise when its answer is wrong and when it shouldn't be trusted at all.
It's a skill that outlasts any single subject, and it's built in deliberately rather than picked up by accident.
How it works
01
Diagnostic conversation
Up to an hour on goals, current level, existing resources, schedule and weak spots.
02
The plan is built
A day-by-day block using free, vetted resources — then checked by hand before delivery.
03
The student works
Independently, in a shared Notion workspace, at whatever time of day suits them.
04
Mistakes get logged
A running Mistake & Progress Log, reviewed before each new block is written.
05
Catch-up session
In person or online, at the frequency you choose — progress reviewed, next block planned.
Catch-up session plans
Same coaching in every plan — only the contact frequency changes.
A one-time $150 setup at enrolment covers the diagnostic conversation, the Notion workspace, the client agreement and the first study block. From the first catch-up onward, the monthly plan covers everything.
Compass Junior · K–6
The same program for younger students, with plain worksheet-style tasks instead of AI prompts — so no AI account is needed at all. Setup, sessions and plans work exactly the same.
Honest fit
Best for self-motivated students who can follow a written plan unsupervised. It's not the right call for a student who's significantly behind and needs real-time correction — we'll work that out at the diagnostic before recommending it.
Physics and Engineering Studies are offered as conceptual and problem-solving support, drawing on Shiyao's engineering degree — especially useful for students considering engineering at university. They aren't positioned as full NESA-syllabus exam coaching.
Travel & location
Sessions at Shiyao's home are at the standard rate. Your home or a public venue adds a flat surcharge per session — not per hour — by one-way drive time.
Bilingual — Mandarin
Shiyao is fluent in Mandarin and can support Chinese-background ESL students directly in their first language — explaining Australian curriculum concepts and bridging gaps in understanding, while still teaching fully to the NSW curriculum.
Three to five students, grouped by the same year and subject so the pace suits everyone. Two-hour weekly block, Saturday mornings, in Glenmore Park. Best suited to Years 7–9 Maths and NAPLAN / Selective preparation.
A typical two hours
Four to six students, one-off, 1.5–2 hours on a Sunday, roughly monthly. Hands-on and confidence-building rather than assessed — the sessions students actually look forward to.
On the list
Third-year Bachelor of Engineering Honours student at the University of Sydney — Mechatronic with Space, Dalyell Scholar, Distinction average.
An ATAR of 97.40, with Mathematics Extension 2 (E3), Mathematics Extension 1 (E4), Legal Studies (Band 6), English Advanced (Band 5) and Chemistry (Band 5).
Over eighteen months' tutoring through Tutor Doctor in Penrith and Conics Education in Mt Druitt, alongside private students — 20+ students in total, across calculus, algebra, vectors and much more. Based in Glenmore Park, serving Penrith and the surrounding areas.
The approach is the same for every student: work out what's actually going wrong, then build something specific around it. That's the whole reason Study Compass exists.
Credentials
Working With Children Check
WWC2887533E
Registered business
ABN 67 741 290 300
WAM 82.1
Distinction average, USYD
Fluent Mandarin
Direct first-language support
Start with a trial
1-on-1 and group enquiries begin with a trial session at the standard rate, with no ongoing commitment. Study Compass begins with the diagnostic conversation.
Payment
Bank transfer or PayID. Casual and trial sessions are due within 24 hours; term packages upfront or in instalments.
Rescheduling
At least 24 hours' notice to reschedule at no charge. Later cancellations and no-shows are charged in full — the time was held for your student.
Client agreement
Full booking, payment and cancellation terms are set out in the client agreement, provided at enrolment.
Getting started
A message with the year, subject and what's been hard lately is plenty to start. I'll come back with what I'd suggest — including if I think something other than tutoring would help more.
Based in Glenmore Park, NSW · replies usually the same day