After-School Learning Center in Columbia, SC
Homework done, skills built, and a calmer evening at home. Small groups led by certified teachers every weekday afternoon.
Our Programs
Every child starts with a free skills check, so we know which group fits.
Small Groups, Real Teachers
Larkspire started nine years ago in a single room on Kellerby Road, with one teacher and six families who wanted more than babysitting after school. Today we have four classrooms, but the idea hasn't changed: no group is bigger than four children, and every group is led by a certified teacher.
Small groups mean every child gets noticed. We see who's racing ahead, who's quietly stuck, and who just needs a snack before they can think about fractions.
- ✓No more than four children per group
- ✓Certified teachers lead every group
- ✓A note for parents at every pickup
A Typical Afternoon At Larkspire
2:30 · Arrival And Snack
Children arrive from school, wash up and have a healthy snack while they tell us about their day.
3:15 · Homework Hour
Quiet tables, a teacher close by, and every assignment checked before it goes home.
4:15 · Skill Groups
Thirty minutes of reading, math or writing in a group of four, matched to each child's level.
5:00 · Reading And Games
Free reading, board games and puzzles until parents arrive.
By 6:30 · Pickup
A short note for every parent: what was finished, what was tricky and what's next.
More Than Homework Help
Homework Finished Here
Evenings at home are for family, not arguing over worksheets.
Gaps Spotted Early
Small groups make it easy to see when a child is stuck, before it shows on a report card.
A Free Skills Check
A short reading and math check before your child starts, repeated each term.
Teachers Who Stay
Most of our teachers have been with us for years, so children see familiar faces.
Simple, Clear Pricing
No registration fee, and the skills check is free. Sibling discount of 10% on the second child.
Skill Groups
Reading, math or writing groups.
- 30-minute group of four or fewer
- Matched to your child's level
- Pick the days that suit you
- Skills check each term
Homework Club
Monday to Friday, 2:30 to 6:30.
- Snack and homework hour
- One skill group each day
- A pickup note every day
- Half-day Saturdays included
Summer Camp
June and July weekday mornings.
- Reading and math each day
- Science and art projects
- Groups by grade
- Book week by week
Inside Larkspire
What Columbia Parents Say
Homework used to be a fight every night. Now it's finished before I pick him up, and the note at pickup tells me exactly what he did and what he found tricky.
Our daughter was behind in reading at the start of first grade. Three afternoons a week in a phonics group of four, and by spring her teacher said she'd caught up.
The teachers know every child by name, and my son actually asks to go. The math group made fractions click in a way the worksheets never did.
What You Can Count On
Safe, checked staff
Every teacher and assistant passes a background check and is trained in first aid and CPR.
Pickup you can plan on
Open until 6:30 PM every weekday, with a call if anything comes up.
Honest progress notes
A note at every pickup and a short written report each term.
What Parents Ask
How much does the homework club cost?
$420 a month for Monday to Friday afternoons, including snack and one skill group each day. Skill groups on their own are $45 a session, and one-on-one tutoring is $65 an hour.
Do you pick children up from school?
We don't run our own transportation. Many families use their school's after-school bus or a carpool. Call us and we'll tell you what other parents from your school do.
How big are the groups?
Four children at most, grouped by level rather than strictly by grade, and always led by a certified teacher.
What is the free skills check?
About 30 minutes of reading and math activities, so we can place your child in the right groups. We repeat it every term and share the results with you.
Can my child come only some days?
Yes. Skill groups can be booked by the session. The homework club is a monthly weekday plan, and we can price two or three days a week on request.
Is my child too young or too old?
We teach kindergarten through eighth grade, in groups and one-on-one.
Visit Larkspire This Week
Tour the center, meet the teachers and book a free skills check for your child. Visits run weekdays from 2:30 PM and Saturday mornings.
Book A Visit
Tell us your child's grade and which days you need. We'll call within one business day.
- Visit us3340 Kellerby Rd, Columbia, SC 29206
- Call us(803) 555-0168
- Email ushello@larkspire.com
- Opening hoursMon – Fri: 2:30 PM – 6:30 PM, Sat: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Sun: Closed