Testimonials

If you have studied with us here at the Academy, we would love your feedback! Contact us on info@cotswoldacademy.co.uk with your comments. Below are a selection of our students' experiences of studying at the Academy.

The practical week was fascinating and I learn so much in a relatively short space of time. The tutor input/communication throughout my Aromatherapy massage journey has been invaluable too. Annette’s dedication to detail, her extensive knowledge and her willingness to share her expertise has been of immense support. My heartfelt thanks goes to everyone. The warm and welcoming atmosphere of The Cotswold Academy makes it really a very special place.

Anna - Level 3 Diploma in Aromatherapy | October 2024

Annette is the most wonderful tutor and therapist. She has a deep understanding of her therapies and conveys information in a way that is engaging and accessable. She has a personal warmth that encourages students to learn and gain confidence and provides support enabling students to succeed. All of the staff that I have engaged with during this and previous courses are warm, professional and supportive. I have a great deal of gratitude and appreciation for the academy and it's community of practice.

 Jackie - ITEC Level 3 Diploma in Reflexology | October 2024

The course structure with the pre-reading and videos are great prior to the course days, leaving them for hands on work. Having access to the videos on the ‘dashboard' is a great facility. Chris’ immense knowledge, experience and passion for sports massage is fantastic and his teaching style is kind, thoughtful and down to earth. The whole team at Cotswold Academy make you feel supported on a new journey in Sports Massage.

Bev - ITEC Level 4 Sports Massage | September 2024

A huge amount of information to digest! I have found all the METs very interesting & useful and I am very excited to use them in practice. I found it very interesting locating the individual muscles of the neck & rotator cuff rather than working on them as a group of muscles. Chris has been brilliant and is EXTREMELY knowledgeable!

Elizabeth - ITEC Level 4 Sports Massage | September 2024

After doing a cupping course with Chris a few years ago I knew that when I was ready to do my L4 that it had to be with him at the academy even though there are courses I could have taken closer to home. I wanted to be trained to a high standard, to gain a qualification that I would be proud of, and I knew I would get that from Chris. He’s passionate, highly skilled and so generous with both his knowledge and also with the time that he dedicates to his students. The organisation of the course and the customer service from the team at the academy is outstanding, not to mention the stunning building and the friendly, joyful energy that resonates within it from the tutors, staff and fellow students. Everyone is happy!

Nicola - ITEC Level 4 Sports Massage | July 2024

I was amazed at how in depth the course was and how much we could fit into the day! Yvonne was so lovely and welcoming and as always the standard of training was impeccable! This course exceeded all expectations!!

Amelia - Holistic Facial Massage | May 2022

I’d just like to say how much I enjoyed the course yesterday. It was a lovely relaxed setting and Yvonne is a fantastic teacher, very patient with a lovely manner. I would definitely recommend your academy to anyone wanting to train in Reflexology or massage. 

Faye - Advanced Hand Reflexology | May 2022

I just thought I’d send a quick testimonial through. I attended the Cotswold Academy Sep ’20 completing the Level 3 Sports Massage with Chris. Since then, last year I relocated and started a new role within a Chiropractic clinic, in Devon. It’s been a whole new life change and I have the team and Cotswold Academy to thank for that. Setting me up with more than enough knowledge, tools and confidence to become a soft tissue specialist. Since joining the team, I’m the newest Massage Therapist to the trade but have been promoted to Senior Therapist and I couldn’t be happier. I’m fully booked, months at a time. I’m excited to see where journey is heading from here.So thank you. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. 

I completed the Myofascial Dry Cupping course yesterday and absolutely loved it. Chris has a great teaching method and the day flew by. I'd highly recommend the Cotswold Academy to anyone looking for a course in the massage industry. 

I just want to say a huge thank you to all of you. Training with you was the best decision. I have felt so supported and encouraged from the very beginning. Everything; from professional, quick and friendly communication, brilliant online stuff and my own dashboard, the brilliant and generous Thursday evenings, to the phone calls and swanky tea - have been amazing. Above and beyond what I got training in London. So generous to share knowledge and not just find opportunities to charge more! I look forward to continuing to train with you in the future. Or just to hang around on Thursday evenings to worship and imbibe knowledge…

I attended the Level 3 Sports Massage course at the Academy in July 2021. I really enjoyed my time learning with Chris and I hope to keep in contact and attend the Thursday evening sessions to further my learning. The classroom learning was very intimate and perfect for both people with no experience in sports massage and for those who have been in the industry for years. After working through the course I feel confident with my understanding and skills to deliver a professional and competent treatment, this is reflective of the high standard of teaching at the Academy. I would like to thank the staff for all their help both in the class room and through the online learning support platform

Cotswold Academy has a wonderful family feel, everyone is polite and very helpful. I loved every part of my course. Annette is a lovely tutor, happy and helpful and a brilliant teacher

Just a quick email to say a very big thank you for another great course! I really enjoyed the Advanced Massage with Chris and meeting other new people during the two days. It was brilliant to be back at the Academy and see all the smiling faces again after far too long. You all make it so welcoming and the courses are always delivered in such a fun way too – no dry and dull lessons with you lot! I learnt SO MUCH and it has boosted my confidence and given me new skills and consolidated stuff I knew so HUGE thanks to everyone!

I have been meaning to get in touch all week to say how much I enjoyed the Trigger Point Course last week. Well done Cotswold Academy for making it all feel so welcoming and "normal" as possible in these mad times we are living in. I learnt so much and really enjoyed it too, and it was great to meet some lovely people and learn from them as well. As always at CA it was great teaching but lots of laughs along the way - very important! Please can you tell Chris that I have just had someone who came in saying they had been diagnosed (over Zoom) by doc with Achilles tendonitis and I was not convinced it was the problem.  I did trigger pointing on his gastrocnemius and soleus and on up into the hamstrings and he went out like a new man! So HUGE THANKS to T and Chris for their expert tuition - it felt so good sending out a happy customer!

Just wanted to say what a superb course I attended, the entire experience was so rewarding. Annette was such a great tutor, even though I was forgetting some of the massage movements and struggling with Latin names I was getting so well drilled by the end I was dreaming about Piper Negrum,Ladders, kneading etc..Such a great group and lovely staff, cannot wait to get stuck into my coursework and A and P.

I wanted to write and thank you for the Advanced massage course that you ran last Monday and Tuesday (10th&11th February), it was 'just what I was looking for' even though I wasn't sure completely what to expect. However, I learnt new techniques and extra knowledge, to go with the flow and trust my instincts, as is always with the courses you run it was all delivered in a fun and relaxing learning environment.Since attending I have used lots of my new skills with my MS (Multiple Sclerosis) clients, necks, shoulders and lower backs are always the areas I am asked to work on, I have had some amazing feedback 'that's different to what you usually do', 'my back has never felt this good', 'you provide such relief, thank you'. Thank you once again and I look forward to joining you again at some point.

Excellent course and Annette, the trainer, was knowledgeable, friendly and supportive - all in all, very well run and I was impressed throughout. I was disappointed when it came to an end and plan to do more courses with them in the future.

I would like to say I thoroughly enjoyed the Indian Head course and the atmosphere and set up you have is fantastic. I came away feeling I had really learned a lot. Everyone I came into contact with was extremely friendly and made you feel at ease so thank you x

Please pass on my thanks to all the staff and tutors, especially yourself (Olivia), Annette, Yvonne, Yvette and Chris. It’s your combined effort that got me there so quickly. The Thursday nights really helped build my confidence. You all also ignited my passion for reflexology and making a difference in people’s lives through my treatments. It’s been life-changing for me to find something that I enjoy so much and it isn’t in the least bit stressful.

I found the Cotswold Academy team incredibly supportive and very knowledgeable and continue to provide support after the course is completed to help develop knowledge and understanding further in my chosen subject and provide a point of contact to help with an future issues or questions, I would highly recommend them as a provider for anyone looking for a change of career after leaving the army. I feel the course tutors went above and beyond what was required of them.

Firstly , what an honour and privilege to have trained with you. I can say without doubt I have attended NO course like it before. From the welcome through the door to the end of the day; both instructors showed a love , enthusiasm and real willingness to discuss , share , debate and educate. Being in a room with so many other practioners and the willingness to share thoughts and ideas cannot be emphasised enough. So often the instructor is the boss; what they say goes; you follow THE TECHNIQUE and ONLY this. Instead I found myself watching specific applications for relevant therapists clients ; not just as a Q&A session but as real practical application , demonstration and discussion. I really could go on and on about how incredible the day was! I find myself already trying to find and excuse to travel the near 200 miles from Leeds to spend more time within the walls of the academy. So here’s to YOU! Thank you for being incredible hosts , teachers , students , information providers and biscuit providers Thank you for giving me a skills I will be using massively in my practice Thanks for BEING YOU!KEEP RISING!

The course has been great! I have really enjoyed my days attending the course, which has been very well put together and designed. The lessons flow smoothly and are really enjoyable. I didn’t attend the theory mornings and actually felt as though I’d missed out as everyone was always so chirpy at lunchtime when I turned up! The venue is absolutely lovely and very well equipped. We always had everything we needed and it was easy to ‘feel at home’ and comfortable in the environment. You have really created a special place there and I’ll certainly come back for CPD if all goes well in December! I’ve saved the best to last - Yvonne! Yvonne is an amazing teacher. She is kind, lovely and professional throughout. She has the wonderful ability to provide feedback, both positive and negative in a sensitive and friendly manner which makes it very easy to learn! She is clearly very passionate about the subject which combined with her evident experience and in-depth knowledge of Massage theory (practice and theory) she is a joy to learn from. Yvonne really has made the whole experience truly fantastic and I would highly recommend the Cotswold Academy and Yvonne as a tutor to anyone! Thank you so much for providing this course and keep doing what you do!

Just wanted to say a massive thank you again for the two weeks on my course. I absolutely loved every minute and despite being convinced not a word of the science had stuck in my head except scaphoid and levitar, I sound like I know what I’m talking about ha!

Many thanks for all your help, advice and support today and throughout the course. I have loved learning and feel very lucky to have found a craft that gives me as much pleasure as the client. I will see you again, just want to keep on learning, and the academy is such a wonderful environment with caring, happy, kind and lovely people. Thank you again and all the very best.

Thank you Annette for all the brilliant teaching and support over the last few months! Was it only November when we started?! Really happy to have passed today - couldn’t have done it without you lovely lot making me laugh, answering my (constant) questions and generally being so totally organised!! Phew, now to start massaging and learning lots more...Really glad to have done the course, achieved a pass and really really glad that I studied at the Cotswold Academy.

Earlier this year I attended a one day course on Deep Tissue massage at Cotswold Academy. This has been, by far the most useful post qualification training I have attended to-date. Our trainer for the day, Annette said “Deep Tissue massage would be popular with our clients” and she was absolutely correct, my clients at www.mindfultouchmassage.co.uk really appreciate the deep healing pressure and it’s been great for business. The course was easy to book, with clear instructions. The academy has easy (local) parking and the building is smart yet welcoming. The course itself was well organised and predominantly practical. Annette was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, even letting us take photos for future reference.

So sorry this is a little late in coming, but thank you so much for the fabulous refresher course last week. I had a wonderful time and feel full of renewed enthusiasm for the most fantastic therapy I loved before having my children. I am already practicing on family and friends.

Course was absolutely excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and teaching was to a very high standard. Chris clearly knows the profession extremely well and is able to communicate and explain things effectively and clearly. Chris is very patient, outgoing and approachable, I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in Sports Massage