Part of the Greenhouse Huskisson small business spotlight series celebrating local operators building meaningful services across the Bay & Basin.
Julie Schipp is the founder of Lighthouse Tuition & Consultancy, a Vincentia-based tutoring practice providing personalised literacy, numeracy and learning support for Primary and Secondary students across the Bay & Basin.
A qualified teacher, Julie brings more than two decades of experience supporting students with additional learning needs, creating strategies that work for each individual child. Working one-on-one from a calm, home-based classroom in Vincentia, she offers structured, confidence-building support for students who may feel overwhelmed, overlooked or misunderstood in traditional classroom settings.
At its core, Lighthouse Tuition & Consultancy provides a safe and supportive learning environment where foundational gaps are identified, skills are rebuilt and confidence is restored.
After more than two decades leading learning support in a local high school, Julie made a deliberate shift. Her role had grown from a two-day-a-week position into a fully developed department. She had completed a degree in Special Education, built programs from the ground up and mentored teacher aides across the school.
But over time, her days became increasingly administrative.
“As my job became more focused on paperwork and coordination, I realised how much I missed the direct contact with students,” she says. “What lights me up is working with kids and seeing the moment when something finally clicks.”
So she stepped out.
With no formal marketing strategy, she posted a simple message on the local Bayswood Facebook page introducing herself and offering tutoring.
Seven students started that August.
Today, she works with a cohort of thirteen students ranging from Year 1 to Year 12, and every one of her original students returned the following year. Growth has come entirely through word of mouth and referrals from families who have seen measurable shifts in both academic capability and confidence.
“I offer a safe, calm learning environment where we identify exactly where a student is stuck, then build their skills and confidence from there.”
More Than Subject Tutoring
While Lighthouse Tuition supports literacy and numeracy, its core value proposition goes deeper than subject content.
Julie specialises in:
– Identifying foundational gaps in learning
– Re-teaching missed concepts in practical, hands-on ways
– Supporting executive functioning skills such as time management and assignment planning
– Providing structured homework support
– Preparing students for assessments, including the HSC
– Rebuilding academic confidence
Many of her students are navigating ADHD, autism or other learning differences. Others simply struggle within large, busy classrooms and need individual attention to consolidate understanding.
In a typical classroom, children are often expected to sit still, minimise movement and filter out distractions. For many learners, that environment can be exhausting.
Here, the expectations are different.
Students are allowed to move, fidget and use tactile tools if that helps them concentrate. Weighted blankets, manipulatives and visual supports are part of the learning space. The approach is adaptive rather than rigid.
“Some children feel ground down by the school system,” Julie explains. “They’ve experienced failure and believe they’re not smart. Actually, they just learn differently.”
Her role is not to replace school, but to complement it. Often the breakthrough comes from pinpointing something missed years earlier and addressing it properly.
“I had several Year 7 boys last year who were struggling with maths. When we went back and physically worked through fractions using hands-on materials, it suddenly made sense. Once that gap was filled, they moved forward quickly.”
A Calm Space That Changes Behaviour
Lighthouse Tuition operates from a dedicated classroom at the front of Julie’s home in Vincentia. The setting is intentionally warm and welcoming rather than clinical.
Her gentle rescue dog Daisy, has become a quiet but powerful presence in the room.
“Sometimes students arrive anxious after a long day at school. They might be overwhelmed or frustrated. They have a cuddle with Daisy, they settle, and then they’re ready to learn.”
Parents often remark that their children, initially reluctant to attend, begin arriving willingly and even enthusiastically.
One parent recently told Julie she was “worth every dollar.” A teenage boy, after his first session, reported back to his mother, “It was better than I thought.” His mother was thrilled, as he had been a reluctant learner.
Clarity About What Lighthouse Is, and Isn’t
Julie is candid about her niche.
“I’m not the tutor who is pushing someone towards a top ATAR in advanced mathematics. If that is the goal, there are specialists who focus purely on that. My strength is finding where a student is stuck and helping them regain confidence and capability.”
That clarity is part of the Lighthouse value proposition. It is not a high-pressure academic acceleration service. It is a structured, supportive environment focused on sustainable learning and emotional wellbeing alongside academic progress.
Her values underpin that approach: kindness, honesty and integrity.
Having spent years leading teams and managing programs, Julie has deliberately chosen to keep Lighthouse small. She has no immediate plans to expand or hire additional tutors.
“I’ve run departments. I’ve been responsible for large programs. Right now, I want this to remain personal. I want to know every student.”
Meeting a Growing Local Need
Across the Bay & Basin, families are increasingly seeking supplementary learning support. Classrooms are complex environments with diverse needs and limited time. Even in strong schools, some students require additional consolidation or individual guidance.
Lighthouse Tuition fills that gap through individualised attention, neurodiversity-informed strategies, executive functioning coaching and a calm, low-distraction learning environment backed by decades of professional experience.
A Lifestyle Choice That Supports the Mission
Originally from Sydney, Julie and her husband moved to regional New South Wales for nine years before settling on the South Coast in 2000. They have lived in Vincentia for nearly a decade. Their daughters work locally as a teacher and a nurse.
Her husband works as a registered nurse at Shoalhaven Hospital. Their Friday morning ritual of breakfast in Huskisson followed by a walk along the water reflects the balance Julie sought when stepping away from full-time leadership.
“I wanted a quieter life. Less time in front of a screen. More meaningful connection.”
That intention flows directly into Lighthouse Tuition. The business is designed around depth rather than scale and presence rather than pressure.
“I want students to walk out feeling capable, not defeated.”
For families seeking personalised tutoring in Vincentia and the wider Bay & Basin region, particularly for children who need a calm, structured and supportive environment, Lighthouse Tuition & Consultancy offers a steady, experienced hand.
To learn more or to get in touch with Julie, visit her website