Your Academic Coach

Rachel Stuart

Education
Rachel has a First Class Honours degree In Chemical Engineering and was herself a state-schooled straight-A student.  She is a qualified coach and mentor with over 14 years of coaching experience, and completed her Coaching Diploma at Cambridge University.

Approach
Rachel has coached more than 200 students in the latest evidenced-based learning techniques - based on research by cognitive psychologists including Professor John Dunlosky.  She combines these proven study methods with the psychology of growth mindset to empower young people to realise their full academic potential and get into their first choice of University.

How to work with Rachel 

  • Schools - support through in-house or virtual delivery to aid academic achievement and wider-curriculum objectives as part of either an enriched curriculum offer or through PSHE education.
  • Students - support through individual or group academic success programmes delivered virtually.  
  • Rachel is based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire so in-person delivery is restricted around that location.  

Background
Prior to founding Mindset Lab in 2019, Rachel spent the previous 13 years in various Senior Managerial roles at Lloyds Banking Group which gives her a perspective on goal setting, achievement planning and resilience that's been learned outside of education.  This enables her to give her work a very different feel to a standard school setting which really appeals to the young people she works with.  

Passionate about inclusion and supporting children with SEND
Rachel has two children who are both hearing impaired - her daughter is moderately deaf and her son is severely deaf - but they are both high achievers at mainstream schools with excellent speech.  Through parenting her own children Rachel has become passionate about inclusion.  She is keen that there are both high expectations and support (in equal measure) for children with additional needs, to ensure all children can reach their potential despite their differences.