Birchwood Tutors and Birchwood Tuition

Personal Description:
Super-tutor with a 1st Class Masters from Cambridge University and over 14 years of experience.

I have tutored internationally for high-profile and UHNW families, but also work online with students on a weekly basis. My style is fun and engaging, with a focus on confidence-building as well as achieving academic results.

Teaching Experience:
- 1st Class B.A. (Hons) in Education Studies with English and Drama from the University of Cambridge, 4 As at A-level (English, Biology, Geography and Theatre Studies) and 11 A*s at GCSE.
- Over 14 years (4000+ hours) experience as a Private Tutor.
- Have tutored around the world, travelling with families and living with them domestically.
- Extensive experience with students suffering from dyslexia, petit mal, ADHD and anxiety.
- 100% success rate in improving GCSE and A-level students' performance by a minimum of 2 grades or to the top possible grade.
- Successfully helped students get into schools including Eton College, Harrow, Westminster, Kings (Wimbledon), Sevenoaks, Winchester, St Paul's Girls, City of London, Godolphin & Latimer, Francis Holland School, Harrodian, Sussex House and Putney High School, and universities including Cambridge, Bristol, Edinburgh and Georgetown, US.

Tutoring Approach:
I am the tutor who is also the friend, always working to ensure the child learns to love the subject and want improvement for themselves, not because I demand it of them. As a result of my time, I want the child to develop positively as a person as well as within the subject we are working on.

Firstly, I will always aim to find the areas the child is having the most difficulty with and break it down to its simplest form to help them understand. Once a child has understood the basic principle of what we are learning, I aim to push them as far as I can with their learning - my memory of the best teacher's I had at school were the teacher's who pushed me even further than I needed to go, and who gave me more knowledge and information than I needed to know. I then found that I entered my exams relaxed and confident, knowing that I had excess knowledge. Rather than learning just to answer set questions in an exam, I felt I truly understood those subjects.




TESTIMONIALS:
"Thank you for working so hard with Annabel. She has improved so much and genuinely enjoys all her sessions with you, which is a huge achievement for time spent doing maths and english in my view!"
Mother of Annabel (11+ Preparation)

"Lucy has been the best teacher ever and has taught me so much. If I pass any exams, it will be because of her awesome advice!"
Hana (11+ Preparation)

"I would like to thank Lucy for giving Julian such a thorough preparation so that he had confidence to deal with the tasks. His brilliant results are largely thanks to her help."
Mother of Julian (English Lit GCSE)

"Cecilia is deeply dyslexic and Lucy was able to take her from a modest level of writing to an A in English Literature. She was absolutely amazing, the best tutor my daughter ever had. Her ability to organise and simplify the work were crucial in achieving this result. But more importantly she was able to give Cecilia the self confidence she was lacking."
Mother of Cecilia (English Lit A-level)

"It was fantastic having Lucy here with us and she slotted into everything with such ease. She was a delight to have around."
Father of Etta and Artie (Year 2 homeschooling, domestic)

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Personal Description:
I am an experienced language teacher and native speaker of Arabic and German and teach at school as well as giving private lessons. Teaching at all levels and using a large variety of materials, tailored to students' ages and needs, the emphasis is on enjoying the process of learning the language at the students own pace as well as working towards specific goals where appropriate.

Teaching Experience:
I teach German in school to children aged 6-10 and have given private lessons at all levels and to all ages, children, adolescents and adults, in both German and Arabic, for many years. My background is in interpreting and translation and I moved on to teaching from there. One of my long term Arabic students is now studying Arabic at university level, many of my other students have successfully completed GCSEs and A levels in both languages and/or gone on to use both languages for work or leisure purposes.

Tutoring Approach:
The emphasis is on the enjoyment of the learning process, I adapt the materials used to the individual needs of my students and everything is tailored to those needs. For children the emphasis is on learning through games, play and song, for adolescents and adults games and play may still form a part of the process. Cultural instruction and understanding goes hand in hand with the learning of the language, especially with Arabic as the culture and script are so different and present special challenges. I love my work and I try to convey a love of language to my students too.

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Personal Description:
I am a very calm and disciplined person who has so much passion for teaching and helping people grow to discover their intellectual capabilities.

I found it very easy working with people regardless of their age, race and gender.

Teaching Experience:
During my undergraduate days, I always give tutorial classes to students who need assistance in mathematics, Computer/IT courses, and business-related courses.

I lectured for a year in a higher Institution after graduating from the university, where I taught mathematics and Computer studies.

I have also taught students in various levels of Mathematics, ICT and Business Administration.

I'm currently teaching business-related courses at Further and Higher education levels.

Tutoring Approach:
My Approach to tutoring depends on the student level of understanding. I always try to understand my students' academic ability, help them improve from there, and make it both effective and enjoyable. This method has helped both my students and myself in the past because they are doing well in their various fields of study.

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Personal Description:
I am a professional actor and workshop facilitator.

Teaching Experience:
I work full time at Globe Education, Shakespeare's Globe, where I teach regularly in house and on outreach projects, from KS2 to A Level students, including international and SEN. I am also one of the leaders of the Southwark Youth Theatre at the Globe.

I have worked freelance for Iris Theatre, Hoopla, Pzazz and for The Company Sussex and Sasbah. I also teach LAMDA exam preparation at a school in Sussex.

Tutoring Approach:
First and foremost I take care to adapt what I'm doing for the needs of the student.

I am very passionate about how we use words, about storytelling and about performance. I think it's important to find a route in that interests the student, making the work so much enjoyable and easier as a result.

I am always happy to work with dyslexics as I too have dyslexia and think it's very important to understand that this is a gift in creativity and not a hindrance.

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Personal Description:
I am a highly experienced and dedicated teacher with a genuine passion for helping students achieve their full potential. As a Director of Learning for Year 13 and an examiner, I bring a deep understanding of what exam boards are looking for and how to help students succeed.

I currently mark for the following exam boards:

AQA: A Level and GCSE Economics (Paper 1 and Paper 2)

Edexcel / Pearson: A Level and GCSE Economics and Business Studies

My approach focuses on building confidence and clarity in both Business and Economics. I support students by strengthening their exam technique, using past paper practice, model answers, and practical tips to help them understand how to structure their responses and reach top grades.

Every student learns differently, and my aim is to make learning engaging, focused, and rewarding.

Teaching Experience:
With many years of experience teaching in both inner and outer London schools, I have taught Business Studies and Economics across GCSE, A Level, and BTEC courses. I'm passionate about helping students understand key concepts and apply them effectively in exams.

I have also taught International A Level Business as well as International GCSE Business and Economics, giving me a broad understanding of different exam specifications and global approaches to business education.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching approach combines clear subject knowledge with a strong focus on exam success. As an experienced teacher and examiner, I understand exactly what exam boards look for in high-scoring answers.

I tailor each lesson to meet the individual needs of my students, ensuring they not only understand key concepts in Business and Economics, but can also apply them confidently in exam contexts. Lessons include a mix of explanation, discussion, and practice using past papers, model answers, and examiner feedback.

My goal is to build students' confidence, improve their exam technique, and help them reach or exceed their target grades through structured, supportive, and engaging teaching.

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Personal Description:
I hold Associateship from the Royal College of Organists (ARCO) and a performance degree with honours from Trinity College of Music. I am currently Director of Music and organist at a church in Enfield, Freezywater and I enjoy conducting, performing, accompanying, rehearsing and sight-reading. I conducted the Festival Chorus singing the Handel's Messiah in Paris and last year organised three choirs to sing Faure's Requiem Mass. I am a very versatile musician and able to play the piano, harpsichord, voice, violin, viola, guitar and percussion. In recent years I have toured with the Hitchen Concert Band (Spain, Belgium) leading the percussion section. Musical engagements this year include accompanying the Enfield Choral Society at St Luke's Church and a solo piano performance including works by Chopin and Rachmaninoff.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught piano for 18 years and the organ for the last 10 years. As a music teacher within secondary school, for the last 7 years, I am always looking for opportunities to inspire the students and get them involved in making music. As a result of this, I have learnt how to motivate students and inspire them to practice music with great results. I have a 100 percent pass rate for GCSE and ABRSM exams and I have a wide range of skills including, knowledge of audio equipment, PA systems and a firm grasp on subject knowledge to degree level including the history and theory of music. In addition I have a firm understanding of music technology in particular Cubase, Garageband, Audacity and Sibelius.

Tutoring Approach:
Hello, I'm a friendly, experienced piano and theory teacher that will guide all ages to reach their musical ambitions, from beginner to professional. I can take students through all levels of classical study and jazz/pop.

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Personal Description:
I am an experienced teacher with a strong interest in all things scientific.
I am recently retired from full-time teaching and live in the Durham area with my family including two teenage daughters along with our faithful dog, Charlie.
My specialism is Physics. After many years teaching I think I understand why some students find it so tough and I always try to use real life examples and analogies to help students with their learning and understanding.

Teaching Experience:
I taught for most of my career, more than 30 years in a large comprehensive school in Newcastle.
I have held a number of posts including an extended period as Head of Physics.
Specifications and schemes of work change far more than they used to but the fundamentals of Physics remain the same and a good grasp of key concepts is the essential foundation for success at all levels.

Tutoring Approach:
I love the buzz and performance element of classroom teaching particularly with A level and GCSE students, but I think I am equally at home teaching in small groups and with one to one individual teaching. In these situations it is essential that students take ownership of their learning and I enjoy helping students identify their strengths and weaknesses and devise some careful planning to understand and improve.
One to one teaching is fairly rare in the modern school environment and I look forward to developing my own skills as time goes on.

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Personal Description:
I understand the importance of the relationship between student and teacher in determining a student's enjoyment of the subject and developing confidence in their ability to succeed. I see it as a privilege to be entrusted with that role of tutor.

I have had an extensive career as a Biologist before becoming a teacher, working in the field of cancer research, and in the pharmaceutical industry, which gives me an insight into the possible careers associated with the subject.

I teach online using Zoom which has been very successful throughout the pandemic

Teaching Experience:
I am an accredited AQA A-Level Biology examiner.

I have 25 years experience teaching GCSE and A-Level Biology, mostly at selective state schools, where I have an excellent record of raising the attainment of my students, enabling them to achieve top grades.

I have a strong track-record in tutoring and have successfully worked with students to develop their exam strategies, build confidence and secure their desired grades.

I have worked with students resitting Biology A-Level and helped them improve their grades.

I prepare students for Biology in the Common Entrance 11+ and 13+

Tutoring Approach:
I work hard with my students to build trust quickly, so that they overcome their fear of `getting it wrong` and `sounding stupid`. This helps the students feel relaxed and more willing to verbalise their thinking. This in turn gives me the opportunity to understand their reasoning, identify gaps in their knowledge and correct any misunderstandings.

I support students to develop revision resources and exam strategies as they go through the specification. The sooner they start, the easier the revision before the exams and the more time for question practice they have.

It is important that the students I tutor enjoy their sessions and grow in confidence throughout their time with me, and I employ my coaching skills to achieve this.

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Personal Description:
I am currently an academic tutor, a therapeutic tutor for special needs and an artist. I previously worked in software engineering after studying my integrated masters in computer science and mathematics at the University of Sheffield in which I achieved a 2:1. I have achieved excellent (A, A*) grades in my academic subjects at GCSE and A levels.

I have been tutoring for 8 years now since the age of 17. Having taught in many different environments to many students of a range of ages and abilities, I have great experience in adapting my teaching style to most benefit my students` learning. I am an approachable teacher who loves to teach and inspire students to learn and achieve their goals. For exam preparation I have particular techniques that have worked excellently for all my students. They have improved their skills, grade and also their confidence in the subject!

For examinations I am able to assist with 7+, 11+, 13+, SATs, GCSE, iGCSE, A Levels and I will follow the exam board specification that the student is taking (ie. OCR, AQA, Edexcel).

Teaching Experience:
- I have worked as a private tutor in Leicester, Sheffield, Nottingham, London and Taiwan over the last 8 years. I have had over 80+ students who have all achieved their desired grades. I have taught maths, english and computer science.
- I`ve worked at English Camps across Taiwan for 3 months, where I organised activities and taught english to groups of 15-20 students. I also lived with homestay families and and experienced taiwanese culture.
- During my time at University I led a volunteering learning activities project for a year. I arranged and led monthly activities for children aged between 8-12.
- I have worked as a teaching assistance at King Ecgbert School in Sheffield where I lead year 7, 9 and 11 maths classes. I also taught Cryptography lessons and taught lessons in small groups around class time.
- For two years I was a tutor at a First Class Learning tutoring company in Leicester where I taught english and maths from primary to secondary level including GCSEs in groups of 5.


A recent review:
"Annie was a fantastic tutor. She made sure I felt confident with the topic she was teaching me, which was so efficient and helped me a lot. In the sessions Annie helped me to understand the basics in more detail, which made things so much easier for me. Running over the easier stuff definitely made a difference as I saw my test results increase by time. Annie is a very supportive tutor who makes her students feel assured enough to say if they don't understand something or have a go answering a question. I would definitely recommend Annie to someone who is struggling with maths, as she helped me with my optimism towards the subject along with my knowledge on how to work things out." - Charlie

NOTE: I have a DBS check which I can show you.

Tutoring Approach:
- I make sure my students understand the foundations of the subject well such that they can transition into learning the advance content with confidence. Along side this my teaching approaches come from a well thought out psychological perspective; such that the students feel motivated, not let down by mistakes, enjoys learning, learns how to use their strengths, and how to identify their weaknesses.

- I will also prepare my students for sitting exams and applying exam techniques so that they feel mentally ready to sit their exam(s) and in turn are able to achieve the best grade.

- I will be available to the student outside the tutoring session time for any subject related questions they may have.

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Personal Description:
Hi, my name is Michelle.

With 25 years of teaching experience, at local FE and Independent Colleges, I have a passion for film, media and photography and a wealth of experience to share my knowledge with my students and to achieve the best results possible.
I am educated to Masters level, in Design & Media Arts from the University of Westminster and hold a PGCE in teaching certificate, from the University of Greenwich.

Teaching Experience:
I first taught Art and Photography to adult SEN students, as well as teaching City & Guilds Photography evening classes for adults. I progressed to BTEC course co-ordinator and lecturer for two years at Richmond-upon-Thames College, also teaching A level film studies and media.

I became BTEC Media Team Leader at Harrow College teaching Level 2 and 3 in 2004, focusing on vocational aspects such as creating music videos, documentaries, adverts, final major projects, from practical to theoretical. I also co-ordinated and taught the A Level Film Studies course using WJEC specification, teaching a range of film theoretical and practical, from French New Wave, British Film, US film comparisons and World Cinema, with an emphasis on exam practice.

I have taught A level Film and Media at private institutions such as Chelsea Independent college, Duff Miller, and more recently at Harrow College on vocational courses such as the UAL Creative Media course, as well as adult photography courses . I have also worked as a media and literary specialist with SEN learners part time whilst still teaching film/media, improving their literacy, comprehension and grammar.

I have also taught English to adult learners from abroad, correcting their pronunciation and grammar, with general conversations about daily life, culture and news.

Student comments:
"I am a past pupil of Michelle, and consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have had someone of her calibre as a tutor. Her expertise and teaching methods bring out the very best in every individual. Her understanding, patience and personable approach to teaching equates for a student to achieve their very best.'
Cuisle - ex UAL Media student

Tutoring Approach:
I believe all students need the additional support from an individual perspective, tailoring the lessons according to each students' needs throughout each stage of their course and help prepare them for exams and coursework requirements.

This enables my students to reach the highest grades and to progress successfully.

I will prepare you and guide you through your course, to help you understand the units you are being taught, check through any coursework before submitting, advise you on using subject terminology to enhance your grades and to check for any mistakes through proof reading. Any assignments set by your school/college/university can be discussed and worked on to develop your skills.

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Personal Description:
I am a 21-year-old musician who is dedicated to giving the best tutoring experience possible. I have studied music at Leeds Conservatoire for a year specialising in Classical Trumpet. I tutor mainly in music theory, preparing students for music grades upto grade 5 and any beginners, no matter the age, who want a basic understanding and knowledge of music notation. I do all fo this at the student's pace and in a way that is tailored to the student.

Teaching Experience:
I have informally tutored many fellow students throughout my own education in secondary and higher education.

Tutoring Approach:
I tutor mainly in music theory, preparing students for music grades upto grade 5 and any beginners, no matter the age, who want a basic understanding and knowledge of music notation. I do all fo this at the student's pace and in a way that is tailored to the student.

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Personal Description:
University Lecturer in Computer Science. Married with one child, and a dog (a schnoodle). I have seen my own son recently progress through schooling to university, learning Computer Science at different ages. In my own time I volunteer at a local rowing club.

Teaching Experience:
I have 15 years of experience teaching Computer Science at degree level, and for younger learners. I also run a national programming contest (called UKIEPC) to encourage young people to learn programming.

Tutoring Approach:
My tutoring can range from fun-focused exercises for young people, to curriculum-focused tutoring in preparation for exams. I encourage learners to engage with free programming challenge websites and professional platforms like github, that help to create a private online profile that can be made public and used in a CV for university and job applications.

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