Explore Learning is the UK’s largest independent tuition provider, supporting ~50,000 school-aged children annually through 95 learning centers and online programs. Its 2,500 tutors work alongside Compass, the company’s proprietary AI platform, to provide personalized learning journeys that adapt to each child’s knowledge, pace, and learning needs. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Explore Learning CEO Lisa Haycox to learn more.
Lisa Haycox’s Background
When asked about her background, Haycox shared:
While I assumed the role of CEO at Explore Learning in April 2025, my experience in education spans more than two decades, having been drawn to the sector by the unique opportunity to make a real impact on children’s futures.
Before taking on the role of CEO from Explore Learning’s founder, Bill Mills, I held several senior roles in the business, most recently as Chief Operating Officer, for which I led our rapid digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, my focus has been to drive the business into its next phase of growth as it continues to advance its overarching mission of delivering personalized learning at scale that accelerates progress, builds future-ready skills and delivers lasting educational impact.
Favorite Memory
When asked about her favorite memory working for Explore Learning so far, Haycox said:
With my career at Explore Learning spanning over 20 years, I have been part of many moments that have shaped both my own journey and the direction of the business. The ones that stay with me most are where we have made a real difference for our members while evolving how we work and grow.
A defining moment was during the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a challenging time for our members and their families, and there was a real urgency to respond. I felt incredibly proud of how quickly our teams came together to design and deliver a new proposition in under a week, ensuring continuity of learning when it mattered most.
What stands out is the belief and collaboration across the business. There was a shared focus on doing the right thing for members, combined with a willingness to move fast and learn as we went.
The lessons from that time have stayed with us and continue to shape how we think about innovation, agility and long-term growth.
Core Products And Features
When asked about Explore Learning’s core products and features, Haycox explained:
As the UK’s largest independent tuition provider, we combine expert educators with AI technology to support 50,000 school-aged children across the UK annually, either at one of 95 learning centers or online.
Each student’s session is guided by one of our 2,500 tutors employed across the country, who work in tandem with our proprietary AI platform, Compass, for a personalized learning journey.
Unlike general-purpose AI systems such as large language models (LLMs), Compass 2.0 doesn’t just generate text or learning content. Instead, it leverages sophisticated machine learning models to forecast how long it will take a child to master a concept and then adapts the pace and pathway in real time to ensure genuine mastery.
Compass’s predictive intelligence also helps learners achieve maximum progress by identifying their individual ‘Zone of Proximal Development’ where the challenge is sufficient to engage but not so great as to discourage.
Responsible AI In Education
When asked about recent challenges in the education sector and how Explore Learning has addressed them, Haycox explained:
The most significant challenge we see being faced in our sector today is the rapid, sometimes unchecked integration of AI for educational purposes.
Despite the massive potential for AI in education, when adoption isn’t rooted in scientific research, we open children up to risks of overdependence that stunt the development of critical thinking and cognitive fixation, particularly in young children.
As a result, there is a growing trust gap among educators, parents and policymakers that must be bridged if we’re to unlock AI’s transformative potential.
We overcome this challenge by ensuring our use of AI is backed by clear evidence of improved learner outcomes and interrogated with the same rigor expected of any educational intervention.
Our technology is also grounded in established learning theories and informed by 25 years of longitudinal learner data.
How The Technology Has Evolved
When asked how Explore Learning’s technology has evolved since launching, Haycox noted:
Explore Learning has been digitally enabled since its inception in 2001, but our technology has grown significantly more sophisticated over time, particularly with the emergence of AI.
Recent updates to Compass announced last year have made it more powerful and personalized than ever. This includes a new algorithm that better adapts the experience not just to what each child knows, but to how they learn and at what pace.
Built on more than half a billion learning interactions, the platform can also now accurately assess a child’s learning level in as few as 15 questions.
Total Addressable Market
When asked about the total addressable market Explore Learning is pursuing, Haycox said:
The tuition market has experienced substantial growth, particularly in the past decade. It’s now worth an estimated £2 billion per annum, with demand rapidly accelerating post-pandemic as families seek high-quality, personalized support.
Competitive Differentiation
When asked what differentiates Explore Learning from its competition, Haycox explained:
Explore Learning is built on proprietary technology specifically designed for education, but beyond these capabilities, our combination of human expertise and technology is what truly sets us apart.
Our tutors act as personal coaches to help students develop key life skills, such as critical thinking and resilience, that foster a lasting love of learning.
This combination of human expertise and specialized tools also creates a stronger connection between parents and their child’s learning journey.
We provide parents with clear, individualized insights into their child’s progress, making it easier for them to stay involved, which is one of the most effective ways to boost results.
Future Goals
When discussing Explore Learning’s future goals, Haycox concluded:
Firstly, we will continue to expand our technology offering as a vital lever for growth, ensuring our digital platform evolves alongside the changing needs of the education sector.
However, we will also seek to play a greater role in policy discussions on safe AI use for children following the publication of our white paper, ‘The Evidence Imperative: Why Evidence Must Come First in AI and Children’s Education’.
This paper argues that the use of AI in education that lacks evidential and scientific rigor puts children’s learning development at risk and outlines our key recommendations for implementing these technologies safely.
We also remain dedicated advocates for a more effective SEND support system in the UK, continuing to champion technology as a vital tool to bridge critical gaps within the current framework.
