Lisa Haycox Appointed CEO of Explore Learning

Explore Learning, the UK’s largest independent tuition provider, has appointed Lisa Haycox as CEO as the business enters its next phase of growth. She succeeds founder Bill Mills, who remains on the Board as Founder Director. 

Lisa joined Explore Learning in 2002 as a tutor and has played a pivotal role in scaling the organisation while maintaining its core educational mission. She has held several senior roles, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer, where she led the company’s digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and shaped its commercial growth strategy.  

The UK education system is under unprecedented pressure, and despite the dedication of educators, many children are falling through the gaps. This is driving significant demand from families seeking to fill the gaps left by the mainstream education system, not just to improve academic performance, but also to develop the broader skills required to thrive beyond school. 

Combining expert educators with personalised technology, Explore Learning supported 50,000 school-aged children in 2024, either at one of 94 learning centres nationwide or online. Each child’s journey is personalised through its proprietary AI platform, Compass, which provides real-time adaptive learning and progress data. Purpose-built in-house and scalable, Compass builds on Explore Learning’s twenty-four years of experience and ensures maximum progress by identifying each learner’s zone of proximal development*. Explore Learning’s monthly membership model includes ongoing access to Compass outside of tutored sessions, compounding learning outcomes. 

This approach enables Explore Learning members to typically make 19 months of progress in 12 months, resulting in high customer satisfaction and market-leading customer retention. The business has significantly accelerated growth in the last 5 years, doubling EBITDA in 2024.   

Chairman of Explore Learning, David Kelly, said, “At a time of seismic change in education, Explore Learning stands at the forefront, redefining what learning could and should look like. Since its inception, Explore Learning has pioneered an innovative approach to education outside of the classroom, blending expert educators with technology. Together, this approach enables children to achieve not only academic goals but also equips them with essential life skills. Having overseen Explore Learning’s digital transformation, we are delighted Lisa will lead the business through its next phase, scaling impact and delivering results in a high growth market worth £2bn today.”

Commenting on her appointment, CEO Lisa Haycox said,  “Explore Learning is uniquely positioned within the ecosystem to transform the future of education. Teachers are doing a phenomenal job, but with significant pressure on the system, an increasing number of families are looking for additional support. Our vision is to ensure every child, regardless of background or location, has access to high-quality, personalised learning, using data to work with families and teachers to deliver better outcomes. By combining the best of our AI-powered technology with the expertise of our educators, we will continue to drive innovation, unlock potential, and empower the next generation to thrive.”