Castletown Tutors & Castletown Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a fully-qualified professional teacher with more than 30 years of teaching and tutoring experience, both in the UK and abroad. I regard myself as a friendly and approachable tutor, as well as honest and conscientious, and I pride myself on being able to communicate with students of all ages, from pre-teen to pensioner.

I am the father of two boys, and we live in the Sutton area. My wife and I successfully tutored our sons for Sutton's grammar schools (WCGS), and they have since both graduated from top Russell Group universities. My hobbies are limited to reading these days, and I am particularly fond of English Literature. Dickens and Hardy are two of my favourites, but I am also keen on modern and less serious writers, such as Tom Sharpe and the two Rankins - Robert and Ian.

Teaching Experience:
After obtaining my first degree in Spanish with Politics and Economics, I started teaching abroad; first in Spain, then in Turkey, and later in Central Asia and the Middle East. Since retraining as a teacher of English, I have taught for more than 15 years in the UK and almost 15 years abroad, where I was Head of Department at an Institute of Higher Education for three years.

Most recently I have taught English at an independent school in Sutton, and previous to that I taught Academic Writing for East Anglia University for several years. Nowadays my tutoring is split between English for the 11+ and Common Entrance (13+) exams, English for KS2 and KS3 SATs, and English, Spanish, Economics and Politics & Government for the GCSE and A-level exams (all boards).

11+ and 13+ (Common Entrance)
I am very happy to report that all but one of my twelve Eleven Plus tutees passed the SET (Selective Eligibility Test) for Sutton's grammar schools last September. Of these, 100% of them passed the second stage exam and obtained their first choice of grammar or independent school. I use a selection of published materials and those of my own creation, and insist on a high standard of weekly homework in reading, writing and language knowledge. For 11+ pupils I start tutoring in Year 4 or 5, whereas 13+ pupils begin in Year 7 or 8.

KS2 and KS3 SATs
I usually start tutoring for the KS2 SATS in Year 5, and in Year 8 for the KS3 SATs. I tend to use a mixture of focused texts and past papers.

GCSE and A-level
I am equally happy to report that all of my most recent GCSE and A-level students have passed well, with top grades from B to A* (A-level) and 6-9 (GCSE). The majority of those have gone on to their first choice of further and higher education institutes, and in most cases this has been achieved by my insisting on regular homework done to a high standard. For GCSE pupils I prefer to start tutoring at some time in Year 10, whereas A-level students typically begin around Year 12.

I also provide individual tutoring in ESSAY WRITING and STUDY SKILLS, as my experience has taught me that many students at GCSE, A-level and undergraduate level face real problems in these areas. By working together on your essays, substantial improvements can be made in style, organisation, argument, presentation, and much more. This way, I can teach you how produce more effective and mature essays, and thus help you to obtain better grades and increase your confidence in producing written work.

Tutoring Approach:
With every tutee I carry out an initial assessment of his/her needs and abilities, and my teaching begins from there. Typically I work on improving their weaknesses and consolidating their strengths, and this essentially involves them producing high-quality homework on a regular basis. I use both established published materials and those that I have created myself over the years. This approach appears to be successful, and I can provide references.

Over the past twelve years I have successfully tutored students for the following schools and universities:

Schools: Sutton Grammar, Wilsons, Wallington County, Wallington High, Nonsuch, Whitgift, Trinity, Wimbledon High, Kings School, City of London, Reigate Grammar, Caterham School, St John's, Westminster, Epsom College, Ewell Castle, and many others.

Universities: Manchester, Warwick, City, East Anglia, St Martins, Lincoln, Kings, LSE, UCL, Nottingham, Reading, Birmingham, Bournemouth, and several others.

Please note that my fees are very affordable, bearing in mind that I travel to your house and offer a personalised tutoring programme.

I currently charge between £45 and £50 per hour, depending on subject and level.

NB: Any tutoring that involves more than 6 miles travel (round trip) usually incurs a small extra charge.

If you are looking for a fully-qualified, highly-experienced and versatile tutor, you need look no further. Here are a few messages from some of my most recent successful tutees:

Hello Jeff, I just got my IELTS results and I FINALLY passed it! Listening 8, Reading 7.5, Writing 7, Speaking 7.5 and it's 7.5 overall. I would like to THANK you sooooo MUCH for your help and all advice you have given me! It would not be possible otherwise. (Vanja)

Sam got into Wilsons and we are pretty sure that his English performance carried him through. Sam said we ought to say 'thanks' to you as you made a massive difference to his standard of English in a very short period of time. Not sure how, but you made something click in his brain where his school teachers had failed! (Cathy)

Hi Jeff, hope you are well. I am extremely delighted to tell you that Rick has a place at Westminster, and we are going ahead with that. He has also had offers from HABS, KCS and RGS Guildford. Thank you so much for all your support. (Animesh)

Hi Jeff, just to let you know that Dillon got a place at Sutton Grammar on Monday. He also received places at Whitgift, Trinity and Epsom. We have decided to accept Sutton Grammar, and thank you for all your help and time.
Thanks - Paulomi and Dillon.

Dear Jeff! Thanks you so much for tutoring me last year. You have helped my English greatly and without your advice and guidance I would have had a nervous breakdown when I was given the task of an essay. You taught me about causal connectives, signpost words, paragraph structure and much more vital strategies of writing an amazing essay.
Finally, I am happy that I got a place at Wilsons and know I would have failed the English language test without what you taught me. I am very grateful that you gave up your time to help me pass.
Yours Sincerely, Makar

Hi Jeff, I hope you're well. I just wanted to let you know that Andriy got offered a place at Whitgift and we have accepted it. Thank you very much for helping and recommending this great school to us. Andriy is really excited about it and cannot wait to start.
(Oksana)

Dear Jeff, sorry for the delayed reply as we are in India. Rishi has done well, has received English Language 9 and English Literature 7, and scored 8 in six other subjects. He could achieve good results only because of your support. Thanking you.
(Chandra)

Hi Jeff, I am pleased to inform you that Mahati cleared the 2nd round. Her cut-off score is 354. We hope she gets into either of the two schools. Thanks a lot for your support throughout.
(Sassi)

Hi Jeff, Tamana's results have come in for the Sutton Stage 2 test. She has passed with a relatively good score of 315, and based on last year's stats, she should get in comfortably to Nonsuch or Wallington. Thanks for all your lessons that significantly helped her in the preparations.
(Vedant)

Hi Jeff, hope you're doing good. We have got the exam outcome, and Samrudha is able to apply for Nonsuch. Her score is 309, and the highest total score is 389. Secondly she has cleared Tiffin's Stage 1 test and has been invited for Stage 2 on November 11, and we would like to take your help whenever possible.
(Kirthi)

Hi Jeff, I just wanted to let you know that Ed passed the entrance exams for all three schools. Thank you so much for all your support! (Emma)

Hello Jeff, I hope you are well. Vivaan passed the exams for Wilson's, Wallington and Sutton. He also got through Tiffins Stage 1. Thanks very much for your help and support! His English improved massively under your guidance.
Kind regards
Jyothi

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Personal Description:
My name is Andreas and I am 42 years old. I have degrees in Engineering, Computing, Psychology and Psychotherapy. I currently work as a tutor and psychotherapist with children and adults.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring since 2011. I teach Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Key Stage 3, GCSE and IGCSE level.

Tutoring Approach:
I adapt my teaching methods for each of my students, using real-life examples where possible to create a better appreciation of the subject.

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Personal Description:
Oxford graduate with more than fifteen years' experience as a private tutor and consistently excellent results in Latin, Greek, Classics and English.

Studied Classics at Oxford University and awarded an academic scholarship.

Earned a Master's Degree with Distinction in Latin literature at UCL. Awarded the Dean's Prize.

Since then, I have been working as an award-winning arts journalist alongside my work as a private tutor.

Teaching Experience:
Private tutor for fifteen years, with significant experience in private tuition of Latin, Greek and English at all levels, and excellent exam results achieved by my students.

*LATIN/GREEK*

Classroom experience as teacher of Latin at a prep school and teaching assistant for primary school Latin classes.

In-depth, up-to-date knowledge of the current syllabuses for Common Entrance, GCSE and A-level, as well as all major textbooks, including Oxford and Cambridge Latin Courses, Athenaze, Greek to GCSE, Shelmerdine, ISEB Common Entrance publications and other frequently used courses. I also have a wide range of my own resources.

*ENGLISH*

English tutor for ten years, complemented by working as an award-winning arts journalist. Through this work
I've personally interviewed several of the authors on the English syllabuses, including Margaret Atwood and Arundhati Roy. I have a particular love of bringing Shakespeare alive, and I have also extensively interviewed many actors and practitioners about Shakespeare's work, including Sir Ian McKellen; I love to feed this real-world experience into lessons, to show that learning English is not just about words on a page.

Tutoring Approach:
CONFIDENCE: I love seeing students gain confidence as they study with me, and passing on my knowledge and enthusiasm until they are as excited about a subject as I am. My main focus is finding something for them to enjoy within a given subject and building our learning around that.

TARGETED APPROACH: I find out the areas where the student will need the most help, then I plan my lessons carefully to address those areas of difficulty. I always try to build on the way the student has been taught at school, so that my tuition complements their school learning rather than clashing with it.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: I also ensure that we are always working on exam and revision techniques while learning. This includes helpful mnemonics, studying past papers and mark schemes, and ensuring we are engaging closely with the relevant syllabus to pick up as many marks as possible when it comes to exams.

TIPS AND TRICKS: I like to build routine into tuition sessions, so that the student knows what to expect in each session, which helps boost their confidence, and so that grammar which can seem strange and unfamiliar at first becomes second nature. I've got plenty of tips and tricks to help with the most difficult parts of grammar and syntax. It's useful to break things down into smaller chunks - for example, the large set texts can be daunting, but they become manageable when taken piece by piece.

Above all, my approach is to be friendly, patient and knowledgeable.

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Personal Description:
In person or online tutoring (on the Zoom App). 14 Years of full time tutoring experience. A Master of Mathematics graduate from UEA in Norwich (2011). Half my students tend to be preparing for exams, using techniques I've perfected to help guide them through their exam periods. Most students will tend to require confidence boosting and I've had the most satisfaction being able to change opinions/beliefs about the subject, helping to show the student that they're capable of anything they set their mind to.

Since university I have enjoyed tutoring part time and full time and was also contracted for a few years by Honiton Community College to provide individual and group tutoring sessions to underachieving students, during and after school.

Teaching Experience:
I started tutoring GCSE maths part time in Year 13 (S6), providing a very structured tutoring by my school. The students engaged well and it helped to have people of a similar age that the students could relate to, enabling a more relaxed learning atmosphere. I also informally helped peers of various levels whilst at university, maths students but also engineering and foundation levels. When my services were required in a particular area, then they asked for help on short notice.

I've been tutoring full time over the past 14 years, working 7 days a week from the new academic year onward. Peak hours ranged in excess of 40hrs. I've therefore assessed the likely weaknesses of a student and have already provided and perfected the best methods of explanation.

Tutoring Approach:
Casual tutoring of areas of difficulty, or can do more structured learning of a curriculum, either intense learning (several school years of maths into months) or weekly troubleshooting. I've established good quality material for any level. Plenty of students just require good material and direction for their efforts, with positive reinforcement to really shine. Many long term students will tend to then appreciate and enjoy study, visibly moving towards their goals.

The first meeting will be free with the aim of getting to know one another, and establishing the strengths and weaknesses of the tutee, and at the pace the student requires. At which point a structured plan of action can be drawn up. In some cases the tutee may lack the confidence in certain areas, but can in fact do what's required. Even a casual troubleshooting session every now and then can set their worries at rest.

Should extracurricular material be required or wanted then I'll be happy to provide. This material might not be hard for the tutee, but will help link in various areas of mathematics and will require a little thought about the patterns seen. It's never compulsory, but with a little encouragement a little extra goes a long way.

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Personal Description:
I am a UK Law Graduate and TEFL certified tutor with more than 6 years experience teaching English to individuals of all language level proficiencies. I am also a freelance English-Swahili interpreter & translator as well as a proofreader of academic materials like dissertations, coursework, essays etc. Furthermore, I have higher basic level knowledge of French and Korean.

Teaching Experience:
I started teaching on and off since 2004 then seriously took up part time teaching in 2007 and full time teaching after 2009. I have taught individuals of all proficiency levels and with different needs ranging from improving conversation skills or grammar skills to full on learning for absolute beginners.

Tutoring Approach:
First of all I like to determine the level of my students' proficiency by having a simple conversation with them and also having them read a short article/written piece so as to create my lessons to suit their individual needs and their particular level of proficiency. Consequently my approach and material changes to suit each individual student.

I usually create lesson plans according to the students' needs and their level of proficiency. I use different text books as well as online materials and come up with effective lessons. I also use lots of flash cards as they are a very effective way to remember new things. News articles, simple song lyrics etc are also ways I use to make lessons fun but very easy to remember at the same time. I use these especially for conversational purposes to get my students to learn new vocabulary and expressions as well as be more confident speaking/reading English.

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Personal Description:
Hi, my name is Christiane and I am German. I have been living in the UK for many years. I am a very reliable and approachable, but professional and trustworthy at the same time. I am always honest and work very hard to achieve my targets. I am sure I can help you to achieve the results that you were looking for and with my support, learning German or English will be just a positive and enjoyable experience.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Teaching Experience:
I have been giving German lessons to students of any age for 7 years. My students are normally preparing university exams, GSCE, business people or simply people who enjoy to learn the language in order to be independent and confident when traveling to Germany.

Teaching English is something I also very enjoy. My students are normally people who want to live here for a few years or even for the rest of their life.

Tutoring Approach:
After initial assessment we will decide together how and how often I will teach you or your children. I make learning fun with games etc.
Motivation is probably the most important factor that educators can target in order to
improve learning. Student motivation is an essential element that is necessary for quality education and as far as I can, I try to adapt the lessons approach according students needs and target to be reached.

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Personal Description:
Experienced teacher and musician, who studied and performed in Vienna and London.

Teaching Experience:
Vocal lessons, guitar lessons, piano lessons and music theory lessons are the services I provide.
For all age groups/levels.
Styles taught: Pop, Rock, Blues, RnB, Soul, Jazz.
Languages: English, German, Turkish.

Tutoring Approach:
In all my lessons except for music theory, I firstly work on my students' technique with various exercises. These exercises are accustomed according to the student's level and needs. Afterwards, we move on to practising different styles of music. These styles are chosen according to the student's wishes and strengths. Lastly, we work on songs that the student wishes to learn or songs that I believe would be helpful for the student's development.

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Personal Description:
I am keen on training others and believe my fifties is a great time to give back on what I have received and empower others. My career has been mainly civil engineering project management with a stint in education when I attempted to change profession to further education lecturing

Teaching Experience:
I did private maths tuition from 2011 to 2015 before going back into full employment. I organised tuition at a Church in South Norwood which is still going

Tutoring Approach:
I have an individualistic teaching approach with strong elements of indirect guided approach

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Personal Description:
I am a long-time teacher, lecturer, examiner and professional tutor with a patient and supportive approach.

I passed my PhD in English at the University of Leicester. I also hold a Masters with Distinction from Oxford Brookes University and a First Class undergraduate degree from Loughborough University.

Teaching Experience:
I have successfully taught at over ten schools, four major universities and tutored several hundred private students.

In addition to weekly supplementary tutoring, I also offer a homeschool tutoring programme and am happy to take full responsibility for the independent delivery of the curriculum.

I hold qualifications in educational psychology and in supporting adult dyslexia.

At home, I live in Oxfordshire with my wife Kate and two stepsons. I enjoy music festivals, running and long walks with our dog Maple.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is friendly, gentle and supportive but extremely professional. I aim to combine creative and emotionally engaging teaching with expert subject knowledge.

At the heart of my tutoring is how important it is that a student believes in their own ability to learn and to progress. If there is one word I hear my students kindly use to describe my qualities it would be 'patience'. Yet I never feel like my patience is tested - I love the challenge of finding new, innovative ways to help them understand their subject.

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified maths teacher with experience of classroom teaching in schools. I live in Crewe, Cheshire.
I am very passionate about teaching Maths and I specialise in secondary teaching and can offer tutoring service to KS3 and GCSEs. This also includes work with children with special educational needs.

Teaching Experience:
I am in fourth year of my teaching.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that a strong mathematical foundation is very important for every child. I am passionate about helping students exceed their ability and build their confidence. I tailor my approach to each individual's needs and devise a personal plan based on their level of understanding and knowledge. Students learn differently and I always patiently work with them to determine what is best for them.

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Personal Description:
About me-

Based in Manchester, Gauri is a dedicated music educator and composer. She loves meeting new people from around the world-the UK, US, Asia-whom she would have never met without online lessons.Gauri earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Huddersfield, studying piano performance under concert pianist Jonathan Fisher, applied music research under Dr. Daniel White, and music composition under Dr. Geoff Cox.

She also participated in masterclasses with Karl Lutchmayer, Gabriele Baldocci, Douglas Finch, and Sally Ann MacLeod. Gauri completed her music diploma with distinction from KM Music Conservatory, A. R. Rahman's music school in Chennai, India, where she was the lead pianist of the KM Piano Ensemble and performed at Alliance Française of Madras.

To excel as a music educator, Gauri studied music education and community under Dr. Adam Grieg and attended teaching seminars by Trinity Laban Conservatoire with Tim Palmer. She has performed at prestigious venues in the UK and India, including St. Paul's Hall, The Stein Auditorium, Sai Auditorium, and Siri Fort Auditorium.

Grateful for her opportunities and committed to giving back to society, Gauri has actively engaged with community-focused music projects. She has worked with the Sunshine Orchestra in Chennai, an initiative founded by A. R. Rahman to provide free music education to underprivileged children. In this role, she mentored young musicians, helping them develop their skills and fostering their love for music.

Additionally, Gauri has been involved with Music and the Deaf in the UK, an organization dedicated to providing musical opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Through workshops and performances, she has contributed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can experience the joy of music.

Teaching Experience:
Teaching for over 6 years, I'm currently working at several music schools in Manchester!

Tutoring Approach:
About the lesson-

The internet is full of many many talented piano teachers, who are doing amazing work with their students. However, I feel that there are some musical topics that remain untalked about because of how challenging it might be to talk about them, topics such as ear training, improvisation and music theory.

Through this class, I help students in developing these essential skills of ear training, improvisation and music theory. I also help them discover their own unique voice through composition.

Yes, we'll learn how to play your favourite songs/ pieces on the piano. We'll prepare for Trinity grades, if you like. But this class is especially for you, if you'd like to get truly educated in music. These are the topics that I typically cover in my lessons-

1)Play songs that you love

2)Build skills such as improvisation and ear training (that will last you a lifetime)

3)Understand the theory behind music

4)Appear for Trinity/ ABRSM exams

I have a unique approach of teaching piano through Music Theory. This not only results in a good practical understanding but also helps the student understand the in's and out's of how music works.

So, whether you'd like to learn to play your favourite songs or compose your own songs, this is the right class for you!

*Please only apply if you're serious about learning piano*

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Personal Description:
I am 48 years old, young at heart and a professional English Teacher

I enjoy writing spoken word, poetry and songs. I have recently found out that I can write songs and can sing! I am going to release a commercial record about a health condition with Basil Gabbidon from Steel Pulse very soon! Basil Gabbidon created one of the most popular reggae bands in 1975 in Birmingham, England. The song is in a rap, poetic style with some singing.

I enjoy teaching English and meeting new people.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching student's in England and around the world for five years. I have taught face to face in Schools, Academies, Adult Education Centres Businesses and on line for five years.

Tutoring Approach:
My name is Heather and I have been teaching English on line and face to face in England and in Spain. I work with children and Adults. I can teach English and Business English.

I like to be interactive with the student and can focus in on any particular area that is needed. You may choose to have a conversational type lesson with error correction and pronunciation or a more prescriptive approach, for example grammar or for a specific English Exam.

Please feel free to discuss your needs with me.

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