First Education Archives

Maroubra Entrepreneur Honoured for Transforming Local Education

Photo Credit: Australian Small Business Champion Awards/Facebook

An educational business founded in Maroubra has been recognised nationally after winning ‘Business of the Decade’ at the 2025 Australian Small Business Awards.

Background: A Local Start in Maroubra

Fifteen years ago, Harry Mavrolefteros and his brother launched First Education in a small storeroom above their parents’ optometry practice in Maroubra. The business began with a vision to change how students experienced learning—prioritising enjoyment, confidence, and empowerment. The optometry practice still operates in the community today, reflecting the family’s long-standing local ties.

Expansion and Educational Impact

From its Maroubra roots, First Education has grown into a leading tutoring provider with over 200 tutors and more than 1,000 students. Centres now operate across Sydney, including Bondi, Earlwood, Mascot, and Randwick, with daily availability. The organisation offers one-on-one tutoring for students from Kindergarten through to Year 12, supporting all subjects with a focus on individual needs.

First Education’s method prioritises in-centre, personalised tutoring over group or home-based sessions. According to the business, this structure provides focused attention while avoiding distractions that often hinder learning at home. Sessions are designed to build student confidence and foster a lasting interest in learning.

Maroubra education business — *Photo Credit: Harry Mavrolefteros/Facebook*

Educational Philosophy and Student Outcomes

The founder’s early passion for mathematics shaped the organisation’s philosophy: education should uplift and empower. Tutors at First Education work to instil lifelong learning skills, aiming to build students’ self-esteem alongside academic performance. This approach has supported improved results, particularly in the senior years.

Community Engagement in Maroubra and Beyond

First Education’s original Maroubra centre remains active, contributing to local educational outcomes and community development. The business’s expansion into neighbouring suburbs has strengthened its presence across the Randwick area, helping students gain skills and confidence in a structured learning environment.

Maroubra education — *Photo Credit: First Education/Facebook*

While the recent national recognition highlights First Education’s business success, its founder described the achievement as a shared victory involving students, families, tutors, and local support. The acknowledgement also reflects the lasting educational impact the organisation continues to deliver across the region.

Conclusion: Ongoing Commitment to Learning

With its foundation in Maroubra, First Education remains focused on its mission to support students through personalised education. The award marks a significant milestone in the business’s development and its ongoing contribution to learning in local communities.

Published 10-Apr-2025

Maroubra-Founded First Education Celebrates Mascot’s Award Win

The Mascot branch of First Education, a tutoring network originally founded in Maroubra, has been awarded the 2025 Bayside Local Business Award for Outstanding Educational Services, celebrating its commitment to student success and community support across Sydney’s inner south.

From Maroubra Roots to a Network of Learning Centres

First Education was established in 2010 by Maroubra local Harry Mavrolefteros, who started the business in a small space above his family’s optometry practice on Anzac Parade.

The Maroubra centre initially catered to just 10 students, with Mr Mavrolefteros and his brother providing one-on-one tutoring in maths and English. Over the years, the centre gained popularity within the community, prompting expansion into new subjects and attracting more students. The success of the original Maroubra location led to the creation of a tutoring network, now including centres in Earlwood, Bondi, Randwick, and Mascot.

Mascot Centre Wins Bayside Award

The Mascot centre, which opened in July 2021 during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, was awarded the Outstanding Educational Services Award in 2025, marking a first-time recognition for this location.

This honour acknowledges the hard work of the Mascot team, led by Centre Manager Roza Papas, and follows in the footsteps of Maroubra’s foundation of excellence in tutoring. Harry Mavrolefteros attributed the award to his dedicated staff and the families who have trusted *First Education* with their children’s education.

Expanding Services to Meet Community Needs

First Education now serves over 1,000 students across its five centres, offering personalised one-on-one and group tutoring for students from Kindergarten through Year 12. The centres focus on various subjects, with dedicated sessions for Year 12 Higher School Certificate (HSC) preparation. Mavrolefteros, who left a career in financial planning to pursue his passion for education, aims to foster confidence and a love of learning in students, values that he initially instilled at the Maroubra centre and continues to uphold at each location.

As First Education expanded, so did its impact on the local communities it serves. The Maroubra centre’s early reputation led to partnerships with schools such as All Saints Grammar, where after-school tutoring sessions were provided to students. This commitment to educational support and community connection has become the hallmark of First Education, which remains committed to fostering academic growth and personal development in students.

Published 15-Nov-2024

Maroubra Tutor Installs Street Libraries Across Sydney’s East

Did you know that you can find FREE books, magazines, and even games at a street library in Maroubra? It’s one of a handful of street libraries installed by Maroubra tutor and business owner, Harry Mavrolefteros, to help make learning materials more accessible to those who need them.

Mr Mavrolefteros is the owner of First Education, a tutoring facility for K to Year 12 students, and he decided to put up these street libraries at various sites in Eastern Sydney because of the pandemic lockdowns.

The passionate tutor stocks up the street libraries with free textbooks on Maths, English, and Science, which he has either bought out of pocket or received through donations. Mr Mavrolefteros said this is his way of letting the students and their parents know that support is available, as they cope with a unique learning experience amidst a public health crisis.

Some of the donations have also included “hardcore” Greek books that still appealed to readers. Mr Mavrolefteros, who is of Greek heritage, realised that no matter what books he adds to the library, it would be grabbed by a bookwork in a matter of days.

The locations of his street libraries are:

SUBURB	STREET
Maroubra	below the First Education tutoring site at the corner of Anzac Parade and Boyce Road
Earlwood	next to the Earlwood Post Office on Homer Street
Bondi	on the corner of Bondi Road and Penkivil Street
Mascot	on Botany Road near the corner with King Street

Mr Mavrolefteros established First Education in October 2010, above the Maroubra optometry shop of his parents. Aside from Maths, English, and Science, there are also debating classes and study sessions to prepare Year 12 kids for their final year in high school. The tutor believes that learning is a privilege, especially if the students find the right mentor.

Meanwhile, Street Library is a worldwide movement to encourage literacy and foster positive community engagement. In Australia, the Street Library movement aims to establish 5,000 street libraries by December 2021. As of November, the group has over 3,000 sites across the country.

Learn How to Build or Support Street Libraries