£15,000 Start Up Loan helps Computer Science tuition service to grow
- Eòsaph Macbeth
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Computer Science Tutors, or CS Tutors for short, are a Birmingham-based private educator specialising in tutoring students in preparation for key exams and qualifications.
Founder, Evan Davis Selianitis, has been teaching since 1991 with many years of experience both teaching and acting as an examiner for Computer Science courses.
Having spent a long time working within the education system, Evan recognised that additional support was needed when it came to Computer Science education. He had witnessed many students struggling with the technical aspects of the work, and as interest in Computer Science and technology continued to grow, he foresaw a greater need for external support.
Evan wanted to create a business that could help concerned parents find specialist tutoring support that could properly prepare their children for key exams and qualifications. One built on considerable knowledge and experience of the requirements of UK courses and exams.
CS Tutors was founded.
The business has been a success, but in order to unlock further growth, additional funding was needed.
A £15,000 Start Up Loan enabled CS Tutors to invest in long-term business growth
Evan had a successful startup in CS Tutors and their core offering was proving popular. The tuition service offers help with:
GCSE and IGCSE preparation
A-Levels
OCR, AQA, Edexcel, and CIE/CAIE qualifications.
They provide 1-2-1 online lessons, targeted revision programmes, programming support, exam-board specific preparation, and structured NEA guidance.
Lessons are tailored to each student after an initial discussion of their goals, current level, and exam board. They also provide worksheets, code examples, revision plans, and between-session feedback so that students and parents can review progress clearly.
Students often need help not only with what to learn but how to think through programming problems, interpret exam questions, document projects, and evaluate their work properly. CS Tutors lessons are designed around those specific pain points.
To reach more students and expand the business, Evan and CS Tutors would need additional marketing, software, and staff. A Start Up Loan was needed.
Yet, Evan was conscious of the need to scale smartly. He didn’t want to lose quality as the business grew and therefore carefully approached his growth plans before deciding to pursue funding.
Read more: Why fast finance isn’t always smart finance
The £15,000 loan has helped CS Tutors to:
Recruit and onboard additional part-time tutors, as well as perform safeguarding checks and training
Generate new leads through marketing efforts, including improving the existing website, strengthening their SEO, and running targeted ad campaigns
Invest in internal infrastructure, such as scheduling software, customer relationship management (CRM), online teaching tools, legal compliance, and data management systems.
They’re now setup to support even more students and to continue to grow their business over the long term.
First Enterprise provided CS Tutors with practical guidance and support
Evan came to First Enterprise because he felt the business was at the right stage for structured growth. In his words: “CS Tutors UK already had a clear market, an established website, external platform presence, and evidence of demand but needed funding and guidance to scale in a controlled way rather than relying only on organic growth.
“First Enterprise stood out because it supports startups and growing businesses through the Start Up Loans route, combining funding with business-adviser support. That was important because the application process required more than a loan request: it required a clear business plan, cashflow forecast, and evidence that the growth strategy was realistic.
“The support was particularly relevant because education businesses must grow carefully. It is not enough to generate more leads; we also need capacity, safeguarding, consistent tutor quality, and reliable systems. First Enterprise helped frame the funding around those priorities.”
Evan was guided through his loan journey by his Business Advisor, James Minott. He said of working with James: “It was positive, practical, and thorough. The process encouraged me to look at the business from an assessor's perspective: how the service generates revenue, how costs are controlled, how growth will be phased and how repayments remain affordable if performance is below forecast.
“James’ support was valuable because it helped turn the plan into a more robust business document. The questions around cashflow, staffing, marketing, and risk made the strategy clearer and more disciplined.
“It gave me confidence that the funding is being used for the right reasons: to build capacity, market the business properly, improve systems, and create a stronger platform for long-term growth.”
James echoed Evan’s assessment of their working relationship, saying: “Working with Evan was very productive. Evan had a really measured and prepared approach to lending and that helped with ensuring his application was as thorough and thought-out as possible. CS Tutors is a great business that is directly benefiting students around the country and in the local Birmingham region. I’m glad to have helped them access the funding they needed to continue to grow.”
Need funding to grow your business? Our advisors are here to help
Evan saw that his business was ready to grow and understood that investment was needed to carefully navigate their expansion.
Taking a smart, measured approach to growth planning — and accessing funding — can reap benefits over the long term.
Our team of Investment Managers are ready and waiting to provide advice, guide you through your application, and ensure that when you make the decision to take on a loan, you do so with confidence.
To discuss options, reach out to our team today by completing our enquiry form below or by calling 03456 027 355.
A well-timed financial boost might be all you need to take your business to the next level.
