CoreSenses Arrowsmith Program

08/11/2025

We're already halfway through Term 4! We've been shifting our focus to 2026 classes this term, and we're looking for more enrolments! So if you've been thinking about:

- Tackling executive functioning difficulties
- Developing better organisational skills
- Strengthening your working memory
- Addressing learning difficulties
- Improving logical and critical thinking

Or generally training your brain in its weak areas, book a discovery call with us through the link below and we can discuss whether our classes are right for you! Our classes are for children aged 9+ and adults of any age, so if you want to prioritise your learning goals for 2026, we look forward to hearing from you soon!
https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/dcbookappointment

27/09/2025

Is this you? Maybe it’s your child? We understand, learning difficulties are pervasive and frustrating to work through. Our brains are all wired differently and that makes us unique, but it can also sometimes present us with some challenges when it comes to learning and working in our world.

The Arrowsmith Program is a program developed by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young, a woman who, like many of us, struggled with severe learning difficulties from a young age. She decided to apply principles of neuroplasticity to create a program of exercises to specifically target different areas of the brain in order to create stronger neural pathways in those areas. Stronger neural pathways means better access to those skills!

We have been so lucky and privileged to support so many young people and adults with this program at CoreSenses, and we’ve loved seeing their progress and celebrating their achievement milestones with encouragement, certificates, and even pizza parties! You can learn more about the Arrowsmith Program at https://www.arrowsmith.ca/ and see if it’s a right fit for you. CoreSenses is based in Crows Nest Sydney, however we offer classes over zoom that allow students all over Australia (and even internationally) to work towards their learning goals.

Visit our website at https://www.coresenses.com.au/ for details about enrolment. We look forward to hearing from you!

20/09/2025

Here’s a review from 2017! Maria does a great job making the Arrowsmith Program engaging for all types of learners.

Chris has changed considerably in the past 6 months. His personality has changed and he is a much happier boy. He ‘loves’ Arrowsmith, which is truly astounding (and not what I expected). I think the slow transition into Arrowsmith over the first few weeks helped greatly with this. While he enjoys his school and likes his teachers a lot, Arrowsmith is different and Chris feels special in what appears to be a very safe and rewarding environment for him. I think it is also building his confidence.
Chris’ home behaviour has improved. He has always been a very ‘good’ student and behaving well in the classroom but at home it has been a different story. This has changed considerably – he appears to be coping better with life and more able to cope with the end of the day and getting through his bath, reading, dinner, etc.
He is more organized. He is packing his bag for school and actually remembering which days he needs to take his sports gear, his homework and his Arrowsmith folder and being able to pack and prepare for this without any assistance.
Chris’ reading has jumped up by a full year in one term: His reading age jumped from early Yr. 2 level to early Yr. 3 level between mid-term 1 and mid-term 2. We still have a gap of over 12 months to catch up, but it has been a major relief to me that we are now closing the gap (and that it is not getting any wider nor staying the same).
Chris is talking more at home. While his re-telling of a story is still a bit confused, he is at least trying to tell the story now. He appears to be able to take in more of what is going on around him while he is focusing on something else than he could before. For example, previously if he were engaged in a game he would not hear his name being called, or hear me talking to him. Now he can.
My feeling is that Arrowsmith is contributing to this greatly. His health has improved considerably in the first few months of this year so this too is helping him.

13/09/2025

As a mother, you want to give your child the best start to life. Our founder Maria, as a mother, knows this all too well. Here’s another throwback testimonial from one mum to another, really highlighting the special care that Maria gives to her students and their families.

Again Maria, I am very thankful to who you are as a person, I am sure that this would not have been possible with someone not as caring and genuinely concerned by the wellbeing of her students than you. Having the chance to work with you around Sarah’s not so easy way of dealing with things, has been a pleasure and a gift. And I felt a connection from mother to mother in this quest to do it the “right” way for her, which was heartwarming. I reminded Sarah ( if she will read it haha!) that it’s important she doesn’t use her compensating mechanisms, which are so strong and efficient for her. To not go with gut feeling or guessing but really try to do the work, because if not, her brain will not learn what she is here for to learn. This is probably something to remind her from time to time and see if she understand what it means when doing the exercises? I can only now hope that her trust in what I believe will be rewarded for her with a really relief of her difficulties through this program.
I wish you a good week dear
All the best
Sophia

06/09/2025

Another testimonial throwback! This one really highlights the longevity of the new neural pathways created after working through the Arrowsmith Program and is definitely worth the read! (Names have been changed for privacy).

Dear Maria,
It has now been three years since Steven left your Arrowsmith program at the prep school and we wanted to share the profound difference it has made to him and his development as he nears the end of year 10.

Susan identified Steven’s learning difficulties early whilst he was exploring his reading skills in early primary school. She tried a plethora of programs over the following years, but there was no significant and lasting change. Steven was formally diagnosed with developmental dyslexia (reading) identified by low reading fluency in the 15th percentile and low processing speed in the 10th percentile, whilst at the same time observing he had good aptitude and intelligence to understand ideas and grasp new concepts. He would come home from school tired and had little interest in extra curricular activities or extensive social interactions.

Steven began the Arrowsmith program at the start of Year 6 whilst also covering the English and Maths curricular, and by about mid year we witnessed an observable change in his behavior and expression. He became more engaged, got involved in sporting activities and began enjoying school. During the second year of your program Steven completed the Year 7 curricular by home schooling with an English and Maths tutor. He returned to his normal school where he was prior to Arrowsmith in Year 8 as a very different student to that he was previously.

Steven has performed exceptionally well since returning to normal schooling and has been in the top English and top Math class for the past 2 years, recently achieving a rank of 2nd amongst his year in a Math exam, and also 2nd in a Science exam. He is a fully engaged teenager who in addition to performing well educationally also sails, plays team hockey, is a Corporal in the Air Force Cadets, is learning to fly, and has his sights set on attending University to study Aeronautical Engineering.

Without a doubt this level of development and achievement has been a direct result of our persistence to find a solution to his learning block and your involvement with intervention by the Arrowsmith program – and for that we will be forever truly grateful.

The two years we took Steven out of the standard schooling system and invested time under your tutelage in the Arrowsmith program was, as parents, the best decision we have made, and set him up for a much better future.

Kind Regards,
Matthew & Susan

30/08/2025

Thank you to everyone who leaves reviews on Google! We thought we’d share some of these to our social media pages!

“Maria and her Team @ Core Senses are highly experienced Arrowsmith Educators, in addition having broad based skills in formal Education. They deliver the online Program with professionalism, compassion and individualised to each student. The online Core Senses Arrowsmith program is conducted with a very high standard, under the same protocol and supervision as the Canadian Arrowsmith program. We were recommended to enrol our now 15 year old son who has Dyslexia and ADD, by our Developmental Paediatrician. The Core Senses online Program works for us rather than in person, as we live in Melbourne and my Son can commit to his tuition after school. Over the past 3 years our Son has had significant improvements in his learning, concentration and confidence. He enjoys the Core Senses Arrowsmith program and never complains to work online from 4-6pm two to three times per week. The exercises do strengthen brain learning centres and he has a strong sense of accomplishment with mastery of each component. Highly recommend Maria and her Team, if you are considering the online Arrowsmith program.”

Our team has grown since then and we have fantastic, experienced tutors and aides here to help motivate you to succeed! Check out our website at https://www.coresenses.com.au/ to find more information about enrolments!

23/08/2025

Our fabulous CoreSenses founder and AP teacher Maria Commisso has been running the Arrowsmith Program for 14 years and we thought it might be fun to share old testimonials from her students. (Names have been changed for privacy).

Here’s one from December 2014!

“Previously, we’ve ended each school year with little convincing evidence of any improvement in Mark’s learning. Despite all the hard efforts the marvellous teachers, I’ve always felt that they had only scratched the surface of his learning problems and I was sceptical in seeing any improvement. This year, we have better defined what Mark’s learning problems are and have specifically targeted them. I think he has made some real gains in learning. Lou and I are immensely grateful for your help and care this year. Look forward to more next year.

BTW, Mark wrote your Xmas card himself. We didn’t help him.”

If you’ve got testimonials or feedback to share about CoreSenses or Maria, please send them through to us - we love hearing from you!

16/08/2025

We love seeing the long term impacts of the Arrowsmith Program for our students! Thank you to Fiona for telling us about your son, Declan.

"Declan had his 21st at his MasterChef idol's Reece Hignell's cafe in Newcastle. His speech was off the cuff and absolutely fabulous. Friends that had been on the journey with us were in tears too. He has applied to do Interior Architecture next year at UTS. We are so proud of him. Arrowsmith certainly changes the trajectory of children's lives."

Congratulations Declan, we're so excited for you! All the best from the CoreSenses team! If you're also looking to give your child (or yourself) a learning boost for the next school year, you'll find our details at coresenses.com.au.

06/05/2025

Never too late to invest in yourself and your family.

17/01/2025

21/12/2024

Cognitive Intensive Program: Brain Change Jump Start

Give yourself or your child an advantage in 2025 with the Cognitive Intensive Program

We are excited to introduce the CoreSenses Arrowsmith Cognitive Intensive Program (Combined CIP), a unique opportunity for students to give them the edge in 2025.

Designed for significant progress in a short period, the Summer Intensive Jump Start will commence 30th December for 4 weeks, with the remainder completed during the first half of 2025. This offers students a focused period for cognitive development without the distractions of regular schoolwork.

Classes are 3 hours a day (2 X 15 minute breaks), 5 days a week.

Research shows significant cognitive improvements in students who participate in this program, underscoring its effectiveness.

Enrol now for the Summer Intensive Jump Start. Visit www.coresenses.com.au, book an Information Session or contact us directly at CoreSenses (02) 72522527.