As the founder of Open Doors Learning, Matthew Hirst has over 4 decades of teaching experience within the NSW school system, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to fostering young minds. 

Beyond the classroom, he has held various pastoral leadership roles, including Year Coordinator and Housemaster. For Matthew, education has always been about more than academics - building strong relationships and supporting the personal growth of his students has been central to his approach.

With a front-row view of the growing mental health challenges faced by young people, Matthew remains deeply motivated to make a difference, mainly by crafting programs that combine effective learning strategies, structured activities and meaningful social interaction. His vision is to empower young people to thrive - both mentally and physically - by creating environments where they feel connected, challenged and supported.

That’s why Open Doors Learning’s tutoring service places students within a much smaller cohort of motivated peers, enabling deeper and more personalised students to excel by deepening their understanding of complex concepts and mastery of the curriculum outside the classroom.