The Learning Hive Academy

A Registered Private School

Families choose The Learning Hive Academy because they want an education that is thoughtful, flexible, and truly meets their child where they are academically. Our private school offers a gentle, research backed alternative to traditional classrooms, with low student to educator ratios, individualized instruction, and a calm environment where children can learn with confidence.

Every parent wants the best for their child - we’re here to provide it.

A Different Way to Experience School

At The Learning Hive Academy, children learn best when they feel safe, supported, and genuinely known. Our approach blends strong academics with warmth and relationship based teaching. We use structured literacy and evidence based math to build deep understanding, and we pair this with hands on learning that keeps children curious and engaged.

We intentionally use mixed age classrooms. This allows students to learn based on readiness, not rigid grade labels, giving each child space to move at their own pace while benefiting from peer collaboration and small group instruction.

Here is what families notice most about learning at the Academy:

Small class sizes
Mixed age groups that honour individual pacing
Warm, relationship centred teaching
A calm, predictable environment
Hands on and multi-sensory lessons
Progress over pressure

A great fit for children who need more than traditional classrooms can offer

Many of our students are bright, curious, and capable, but they need more calm, more guidance, or more structure than they receive in large classrooms. Some become overwhelmed or overlooked. Some lose confidence. Some simply learn better in a slower, deeper, more intentional setting.

We follow a mixed age classroom model that allows children to learn at a pace that fits them. This structure lets students move fluidly through skills, receive individualized teaching, and benefit from peer collaboration without the pressure of rigid grade level boundaries. It gives us the flexibility to teach the child in front of us, not the box they are placed in.

Many families choose us because their child benefits from:

A smaller, more personal learning environment
An individualized pace
Predictable routines and gentle structure
Educators who understand how children learn

Strong, research backed academics

Our mornings are dedicated to explicit, systematic instruction for penmanship, reading, writing and math. This is the heart of our academic program. We use structured literacy to build confident readers and writers, and evidence based math instruction that helps students understand concepts rather than memorize steps.

Afternoons shift into hands on learning through science, social studies, music and art, life skills, leadership and outdoor education. This balance keeps students engaged while giving them time to think, explore, and create.

A Typical Day

We keep a predictable rhythm throughout the day, but we are also flexible when it truly matters. We do not use loud bells or abrupt transitions. If learning is flowing well, we allow it to continue. If a child needs a moment to reset, we honor that too.

Our schedule provides the calm structure children need, without the rigid time pressures that often disrupt meaningful learning.

A calm, predictable rhythm that helps children thrive

Our Gentle Approach

A calm school culture that protects confidence

Children at The Learning Hive Academy experience a school day guided by trust, connection, and gentle structure. Our educators build warm relationships with each student and use coaching based strategies to help them navigate challenges with confidence.

We prioritize steady routines, quiet transitions, and consistent guidance so that every child feels safe and able to learn at their own pace.

This gentle approach supports both academic success and emotional wellbeing.

Meet Our Educators

Ms. Alyssa

Ms. Alyssa holds an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, along with a diploma in Early Childhood Education. She lives in Woodstock with her husband and two children, ages 4 and 7. A creative spirit, Alyssa finds joy in artistic expression, designing sensory-rich activities, and witnessing children’s excitement as they learn through play.

Deeply passionate about early childhood education, Alyssa feels privileged to support young learners throughout their developmental journey. She is dedicated to nurturing growth across all domains and is especially committed to creating an inclusive, encouraging, and caring environment where every child feels seen, supported, and confident in their learning.

Thrilled to be part of The Learning Hive team, Alyssa brings warmth, thoughtfulness, and a genuine love for helping children build both skills and confidence. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, exploring nature trails, reading, tackling DIY projects, and designing wreaths for her hobby business.

Emerging and Primary Educator

Ms. Kim

Ms. Kim has been an early childhood educator since 1993, bringing decades of experience supporting young children and their families. From 2001 to 2020, she was the Owner and Director of Little Blessings Nursery School, where she led programming rooted in care, consistency, and a deep understanding of early development. More recently, she worked as a home care provider from 2020 to 2025, continuing to support children in nurturing, home-based learning environments.

Ms. Kim is deeply passionate about children and believes in the importance of nurturing, teaching, and supporting each child as an individual. She values creating calm, caring spaces where children feel safe, respected, and confident to explore, learn, and grow at their own pace. Her steady presence and thoughtful approach help children feel secure while building foundational skills and independence.

Married with two sons, Ms. Kim brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work with children. She feels privileged to be part of each child’s learning journey and is committed to supporting their growth with patience, warmth, and genuine care.

Substitute Educator

Ms. Lisa

Emerging and Primary Educator

Ms. Lisa is a wife, mother of three, and a lover of all things art. She brings her naturally nurturing spirit and deep curiosity into every learning environment, always passionate about seeing children grow and flourish. With more than 25 years of experience volunteering with children in a variety of roles, she has developed a gift for meeting young learners where they are and helping them feel both supported and inspired.

She is especially fascinated by the way children process new ideas and express themselves through art. She believes creativity is not only a form of self-expression but also a powerful tool for building confidence, problem-solving, and joy in learning. Lisa graduated with a diploma in Interior Design, turned her love of art into a small business, and now blends her creative expertise with her love for education. In The Learning Hive’s Homeschool Enrichment program, she delights in guiding students as they explore, create, and discover new ways to understand the world around them.

Head of School

Ms. Laura

Laura Bloxsidge is the Founder and Director of The Learning Hive and The Learning Hive Academy. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology with a specialization in Children and Education, and has spent her career working with children from early childhood through adolescence in a variety of educational and support roles. Laura brings a deep understanding of child development, learning systems, and the social factors that shape children’s experiences in school and beyond.

Laura is passionate about structured literacy, evidence-based math instruction, and gentle, relationship-centred teaching. Her work is grounded in the belief that children learn best when they feel safe, known, and supported, and when instruction is explicit, intentional, and responsive to individual needs. She is especially committed to meeting children exactly where they are and focusing on meaningful progress rather than arbitrary benchmarks.

As a parent of two young children, Laura understands firsthand the importance of creating learning environments that balance high academic standards with warmth, care, and flexibility. Through The Learning Hive, she is dedicated to building a space where children gain confidence, curiosity, and a strong foundation for lifelong learning, and where families feel supported as true partners in their child’s education.

Ms. Sarah

Junior and Specialty Educator

Ms. Sarah brings nearly three decades of teaching experience, beginning her career in 1996 in Auckland, New Zealand. From 2000 to 2023, she worked with the Thames Valley District School Board in Kintore, Woodstock, and London as a classroom teacher, Learning Support Teacher, and prep coverage specialist, teaching students from junior kindergarten through Grade 8.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Child Studies and a Bachelor of Education (Primary/Junior) from Brock University and holds Intermediate Qualifications in Dramatic Arts, Specialist Additional Qualifications in Primary/Junior Mathematics and Dramatic Arts, and Special Education Part One certification. Most recently, she completed her Principal’s Qualifications Part One at York University.

Beyond the classroom, she has served as Marketing and Communications Coordinator for Theatre Woodstock and has volunteered with local groups to support fundraising efforts for the Terry Fox Foundation, inclusive playgrounds, and children’s hospitals. She currently serves on the board for the Downtown Woodstock Business Improvement Association as a community partner and is a passionate advocate for monarch butterflies.

Her family also shares her love of education and community. Her husband, Craig, is the Learning Support Teacher at Southside Public School, and together they are proud parents of Matt, who is completing an M.Sc. in Kinesiology, and Ema, who is studying Sociology at the University of Victoria. At home, their Goldendoodle Mae (affectionately known as Mae-hem) keeps everyone entertained.

Ms. Lauren

Ms. Lauren holds an undergraduate degree in Child and Youth Studies and Education. She is passionate about supporting children and youth as they develop confidence in themselves as learners, and she brings a thoughtful, student-centred approach to her work. Building strong, trusting relationships is central to her practice, and she values taking the time to truly understand each child’s strengths, needs, and learning style. Lauren finds it especially meaningful to support students as they grow in confidence when they feel encouraged, understood, and supported, and she takes pride in helping them experience success in ways that feel authentic and achievable.

Math Support Educator

Hands on learning that enriches the school day

Alongside strong literacy and math instruction, students at The Learning Hive Academy experience meaningful learning opportunities that encourage curiosity, creativity, and deeper understanding. Our specialty subjects give children space to explore, create, investigate, and make connections across different areas of learning.

Each week, students participate in activities such as:

Art, drama and music
Outdoor education, nature exploration and STEM challenges
Movement and physical play
French language exposure
Life skills and leadership
Maker activities and hands on building

These subjects add variety and joy to the school day while supporting the development of problem solving, collaboration, confidence, and flexible thinking. They allow students to follow their interests, try new things, and experience learning beyond traditional academics.

Although our specialty subjects are hands on and exploratory, they are thoughtfully aligned with the expectations of the Ontario curriculum. This ensures students receive a well rounded education and are well prepared for high school and future learning pathways.

Specialty Subjects

A simple, personal process that supports your family

Choosing the right school is a meaningful decision, and we want the process to feel comfortable and clear. Our admissions steps are designed to help you learn about our philosophy, see the environment in action, and determine whether The Learning Hive Academy is the right fit for your child.

Here is what the process looks like:

Admissions and Enrollment

Book a Tour

FAQs

The Academy accepts children beginning the year they enter Junior Kindergarten (age 4 or turning 4 shortly) through to Grade 8. Students learn in mixed age classrooms that allow them to progress based on readiness rather than rigid grade labels. This structure keeps class sizes small, instruction individualized, and supports a wide range of developmental needs.
Mixed age learning creates a richer, more collaborative classroom. Older students develop leadership and confidence as they model routines, explain ideas, and support younger peers. Younger students benefit from seeing skills demonstrated by classmates in ways that feel natural, encouraging, and attainable.
This mirrors real life. Nowhere else in the world do we spend our days only with people who share our exact birth year. Mixed age groups reflect the way children learn in families, communities, and friendships, creating a healthier and more authentic learning environment.
It also removes much of the social pressure that can build in same age groups, especially the pressure to be “cool,” keep up, or fit in. Mixed age classrooms create a calmer, more inclusive dynamic where every child can simply be themselves and learn comfortably at their own pace.
This approach builds community, confidence, and connection, helping every child learn with and from one another.
We keep our class sizes intentionally small so every child can receive individualized support and build strong, trusting relationships with their educators. More importantly, we focus on maintaining a thoughtful ratio of students to educators. This allows us to meet our own high standards for personalized instruction and ensures that each child is truly seen, guided, and supported.
The Academy operates on a full school-day schedule. Students arrive at 9:00 AM and finish at 3:00 PM. This gives us ample time for focused literacy and math instruction in the morning, followed by hands on learning, specialty subjects, outdoor time, movement, and enrichment in the afternoon.
The day is steady, calm, and well paced. We build in natural breaks, outdoor play, and quiet transitions so children stay regulated, engaged, and ready to learn without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
Our instructional day is intentionally designed to give children a full, meaningful amount of focused learning time without rushing or pressure. Mornings are dedicated to high-quality literacy and math instruction in small groups, when students are most ready to take in new concepts. Afternoons include hands on learning, specialty subjects, project work, and enrichment.
Overall, students receive generous instructional hours across the day, balanced with movement, outdoor time, and quiet transitions that keep the school day steady, calm, and developmentally appropriate.
The Academy follows a traditional school year schedule, with breaks and holidays that align closely with local expectations. Families receive a full year calendar upon enrollment.
Yes. Our program is thoughtfully aligned with the expectations of the Ontario curriculum. Students build strong foundations in literacy, math, science, and social studies, and they develop study skills, problem solving abilities, and confidence that prepare them for future learning pathways.
Many neurodivergent children thrive with our calm routines, small groups, and structured teaching methods. We take time to understand each child’s needs to ensure that this environment is the right fit to support them well.
Yes. We offer optional before and after school care to support family schedules.
Before care is available from 8:00 to 9:00 AM, and after care runs from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.
This time is calm and supervised, with opportunities for quiet play, reading, drawing, or gentle activities. It’s designed to feel relaxed and welcoming rather than like an extension of the school day, giving children a comfortable space to ease in or wind down.
Students receive twice per year progress notes focused on skill development, readiness, and next steps. Our feedback is individualized, meaningful, and never stressful or comparative.
As an independent school, we are not required to follow the Ontario Curriculum, and we do not use it as our primary guide. Instead, we use structured literacy, the Science of Reading, and evidence-based math instruction to ensure children build strong foundational skills and deep understanding.
We also incorporate hands-on learning, project-based tasks, and specialty subjects such as art, life skills, science, drama, music and social studies.
Our goal is to help students develop the academic readiness, confidence, and independence they need to transition smoothly into future learning environments, including high school, if that is their path.
Our educators bring a strong blend of training, experience, and a deep understanding of how children learn best. Many have backgrounds in education, are certified teachers or early childhood educators, and everyone has received specialized training in structured literacy and evidence based math. More importantly, they are warm, relationship-focused professionals who are skilled at meeting children where they are and guiding them with both clarity and care.
Yes, some families choose to continue tutoring for targeted support in reading, writing, or math. This can complement the Academy’s full day program when needed.
Enrollment is ongoing as space allows. Because classes are intentionally small, we recommend contacting us early to learn about availability.

Come See What Learning Can Feel Like

A gentle, structured environment can change everything for a child

We would love to meet your family, show you our classrooms, and talk about how the Academy can support your child’s learning and wellbeing. A tour is the best way to experience the calm, intentional environment that makes our school feel different.