John Byrne Creative
Creative teaching for young people aged 7–16, combining drawing, cartooning, storytelling and visual thinking in sessions designed to be energetic, encouraging and genuinely fun. Whether your child is a complete beginner or already shows a flair for art and writing, John meets them exactly where they are and builds from there. Home-educated students and those with Special Educational Needs are very warmly welcome.
Jack Petchey Teacher of the Year — John has received this award in recognition of his work with young people with Special Educational Needs, one of the most respected teaching honours in the UK youth sector.
How sessions work
One-to-One Zoom Sessions
Individual sessions tailored entirely to your child — their interests, their pace and their goals. Each session includes follow-up notes and a homework task to keep the momentum going between meetings.
£30 per session
What we cover
Cartooning and character design, comic strips and manga, picture book illustration, creative writing and visual storytelling — or a mix of all of them, depending on where your child's imagination takes them.
Ages 7–16
Home Education
John works regularly with home-educated young people and understands the flexibility and individual focus that home education calls for. Sessions fit around your schedule and can form part of a structured creative curriculum.
£30 per session
Block Bookings
A series of sessions with agreed goals and a clear progression — ideal for sustained skill development or working toward a specific project. Block bookings are available at a discounted rate.
Enquire for details
John is an experienced SEN teacher and has received the Jack Petchey Teacher of the Year award specifically for his work in this area. He has spent years finding ways to make creativity genuinely accessible — and genuinely exciting — for young people whose needs require a different kind of approach.
Parents and support assistants are warmly invited to join sessions and learn to draw alongside the student. John finds this often enriches the experience considerably for everyone involved.
Sessions and follow-up notes are tailored to each student's preferred format, literacy level and any other accessibility requirements.
John is happy to discuss a young person's specific needs before the first session so that everything is in place from the start.
All sessions are delivered via Zoom, which gives young people the comfort and familiarity of their own environment — something that makes a real difference for many SEN students.
What people say
"Thoroughly enjoyable."
"Absolutely brilliant."
"A cheeky delight."
If you'd like to book a session or find out more — including how John can tailor sessions to a young person's specific needs — use the form below and he'll get back to you directly.
Practical tools for young artists and their families — available to download immediately.
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