THE ACADEMY
A small-group programme for home-educated children, designed and run by a qualified teacher with over twenty years' experience in secondary schools. Each weekday morning, before the shop opens, a small group gathers to learn, play and grow through a game they already love.
SEE MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMME
Hear a little more from Mike about what to expect from The Academy, and how the sessions can support your child's development, confidence and social skills. As the teacher behind the programme, he explains how it all works and what your child would gain.
A space to learn, play and grow
Every weekday morning from 9am to 10am, before the shop is
opened to the public, we welcome a small group of children to
learn, play and grow through the Pokemon Trading Card Game.
It's a space designed to be safe, supportive, and a little bit like
family — a place where children are challenged by a game they
already love, and supported by adults who understand how
children learn.
What your child will gain
Literacy & Vocabulary
Cards are dense with text, often above
reading age. Words like paralyzed,
resistance, evolution and retreat become
everyday vocabulary because the game
requires it.
Maths & Numeracy
Every turn is arithmetic — adding HP,
subtracting damage, doubling for weakness,
energy costs. Constant mental maths that
never feels like a lesson.
Oracy & Communication
Children explain their thinking aloud and
narrate their plays. The growth in how
confidently they speak is one of the
changes parents notice most.
Strategic & Critical Thinking
Planning turns ahead, weighing trade-offs,
holding a strategy under pressure and
adapting when things don't go to plan —
constant low-stakes practice.
Socialisation & Friendship
For home-educated children especially:
regular contact with peers who share a real
interest, in a structured, supervised space.
Friendships form fast.
Sportsmanship & Regulation
Every game starts and ends with a
handshake. Learning to lose well,
congratulate an opponent and try again
builds resilience one game at a time.
Focus & Patience
A full game takes time. Children learn to stay present, wait their turn, think before acting, and manage the long arc of a match rather than reacting
moment to moment.
How the sessions work
- Weekday mornings, 9am to 10am
- Small groups, so every child gets the time and support they need
- Beginners welcome - all equipment is provided
- Designed by a qualified teacher with 20+ years' experience across Surrey & South London
- All staff Enhanced DBS-checked, including the children's barred list
- Held at Thunderbolt Cards (New Malden), in the play store before it open