Kirkbride Tutors and Kirkbride Tuition

Personal Description:
I hold a Physics Degree from Oxford University and am now a commercial airline pilot. I have extensive experience tutoring over the past fifteen years and also spent three years teaching future airline pilots for their ground school exams.

I tutor Maths (including Further Maths) and Physics at A-Level and below. I feel that Maths and Science should be fun and enjoyable to learn - and feel that if they are taught in the right way this can be easy to achieve.

Teaching Experience:
I started tutoring when I left Oxford University and have a very successful record with my past students. My last student enjoyed her GCSE tutoring so much that she went on to choose both maths and physics at A-level.

I also spent three years teaching young adults to prepare them for the examinations required for Airline pilots. My subjects were Meteorology and General Navigation - science and maths based subjects.

Whilst at University I completed a "teaching physics in schools" module and spent time as a science teaching assistant in a local Oxfordshire school.

Tutoring Approach:
I feel it is very important for learning to be interesting and enjoyable. I use my passion for Science and Maths to pass this enjoyment on to my students. Every student is an individual and therefore has a teaching method to suit them. However for all students my approach is firm but kind - all students need encouragement and praise when they complete a task which challenges them - and need that extra motivation at times when things are difficult.

Subjects

Personal Description:
B.Sc.(Hons) Geography with Geology and Economics at Swansea University
Ph.D in Geomatic Science at University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Married with 2 daughters

Teaching Experience:
Tutoring of friends' children to GCSE during past 10 years
Private tutoring for 20 years

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is to reinforce teaching of topics that are simultaneously being covered at school, and to overcome difficulties hghlighted by the students themselves in a more relaxed but studious environment; this may be in their own home or mine.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified Maths Teacher with over 10 years experience. I am full of enthusiasm and passion to ensure pupils do the best they can in Maths. I have been fortunate to enjoy teaching and tutoring many pupils to success, particular at GCSE level.

Teaching Experience:
Alongside teaching multiple Maths GCSE groups I have vast experience in tuition. I have marked many past exam papers and worked with a lot of GCSE groups. I have a very high understanding of the level that is needed to achieve each grade.

Tutoring Approach:
I look to establish their strengths and weaknesses quickly, build their confidence in the subject and push them to their maximum.
I have a very large collection of resources across all topics including many exam questions for all topics. These are used in lessons however I am also happy to offer extra work that will benefit the tutee if they wish to study further in their own time.

Subjects

Personal Description:
⭐ In a nutshell:

· Tutoring for more than 10 years, up to and including GCSE Maths & the Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
· MSc in Positive Psychology; tutored and mentored students from all backgrounds including shy/anxious/introverted/neurodiverse (feel free to ask me about this)
· Outside of tutoring I enjoy writing (I'm an author)

I believe in a well-rounded holistic education; I previously piloted an alternative to University called Thriva Programme.

Below you can find more information about my tutoring experience, approach, and what parents have said about my tutoring.

Teaching Experience:
Since 2010, I have been tutoring in the academic subjects Maths and the individual Sciences; Biology, Chemistry & Physics.

I have taught at both primary- and secondary-school levels, with my students ranging between the ages of 6 and 16.

I can also help with entrance examinations for secondary school (including verbal and non-verbal reasoning), and I have provided mentorship and coaching when it comes to UCAS application forms, personal statements and CV writing.

Whilst I enjoyed some of the subjects at school, certain subjects and topics (including Maths!) didn't come naturally to me. I achieved 7A*s and 5A*s at GCSE, and went on to study Biology, Chemistry & Maths at A-Level.

Tutoring Approach:
As I have already mentioned, I have a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and my tutoring approach is a student-centred one. My experiences covers tutoring, mentoring and coaching and I use a combination of the three in my work.

I am yet to come across a student who doesn't possess the potential to improve. More often than not, it is the large class sizes at school, or a teacher whose approach isn't the right fit, which explains why a student doesn't understand a particular subject, or particular topics within that subject.

Through the 1-to-1 work I do with students, not only have I witnessed some remarkable grade improvements but also some amazing transformations in confidence. I strongly feel that the work I do is more than merely improving grades for exams.

⭐ My philosophy is that if you are struggling with a particular subject or topic, it's not your fault and there's nothing wrong with you. It simply means you've not been taught in a way that makes sense to you (or you've not been given the time and attention to be taught properly - in a big class and with the pressures of working through an extensive curriculum).

I'm based near Kingston and offer tutoring in-person and online (though I try to meet in-person first where possible, as this tends to work best for the tutoring relationship).

⭐ Please note: I currently tutor part-time and currently have limited spaces available, so you're encouraged to apply early before spaces fill up before the next academic year

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Here are some of the references and messages I have received from parents thus far.

REFERENCES:

"Hi Jas - Alfie got 3 B's for each of his sciences! He only just missed an A for Chemistry. He is absolutely delighted despite school's wish for A's. Thank you for all your help - there is no doubt it made a huge difference to him. You were a total star to him - and the summer has been good to him - his confidence is finally starting to improve & I think it's a lot down to your encouragement and believing in him. We went away just after getting the results - my biggest apologies for being so slow to get news to you. Very best wishes, Kris"
- Kris (Head of Art Therapies, East London Foundation NHS Trust)

"Jas has tutored our daughter for the last few months in Chemistry, Biology and Physics at GCSE level. Jas was very reliable, committed and enthusiastic in his role and we feel our daughter greatly benefitted from his tutoring. He was always encouraging and recognising her needs were beyond the academic, spent time developing her confidence in the academic subjects he was teaching her as well as also encouraging her self-belief. He appeared sensitive to her needs and adapted the work accordingly. Jas also demonstrated great insight in what motivated our daughter and went out of his way to make every session engaging and enjoyable. Jas also developed a positive, professional relationship with both my husband and I, keeping us well informed about our daughter's progress and what support we could give her. I feel that this wider, more holistic approach, really helped our daughter feel better about herself, as well as develop a positive approach towards her exams which she has now entered with considerably more knowledge and confidence than had she not worked with him. I also recommended Jas to a friend who's son was also doing his GCSE's and she told me how pleased they were with the help he had been able to give to him. I would have no hesitation in recommending Jas to others who are looking for GCSE tutoring."
- Emma & Paul (Emma - Drama Therapist (HCPC Registered), Paul - Head of Maths Department, secondary school)

"Jas has helped Daniel enormously with his maths and science over the past few months in preparation for the upcoming GCSE's. He is a charming and good humored person who Daniel relates to quite well which made the two hours tuition every Saturday morning not such a chore! Both Daniel and I, as a parent, would certainly recommend Jas to any future students."
- Denise

"Jas tutored my son Nathan for his Chemistry and German GCSEs in 2013. I found him to be a reliable and conscientious young man and I was very happy with his services."
- Dame Sally Coates (Director of Academies South for United Learning)

Subjects

Personal Description:
I graduated from the University of Leeds in 2009 and work as a manager tutoring maths part time. I work shifts so I'm generally available at any time throughout the week and weekend. I'm friendly, enthusiastic and make my students feel at ease so they feel comfortable to ask for help with questions which they may not have the confidence to ask during classes at school.

Teaching Experience:
Sixteen years tutor experience with pupils from year 7 up to adult learners. The majority of my students have been studying for their GCSE's.

There are many teachers on here which may be perfect for some children as a tutor. I am not a qualified teacher however all of my previous students have selected me for that sole reason - so their child has a tutor and not a teacher to help them with their maths. They have all felt instantly relaxed with me, more inclined to ask questions and extremely driven to prove themselves.

Reference available upon request

Tutoring Approach:
Every child is different so it's explaining a topic in a way that makes sense to them rather then the way the teacher wants them to learn. If the child feels relaxed with the tutor they are more likely to understand something rather then just feel under pressure to say they understand.

Subjects

Personal Description:
My Name is Bo I am from Sweden but I have lived here for about 20 years. I have a business degree and an engineering degree both a few years back. All the job I have had in the UK are in the It Sector. All the job has also been team leading and teambuilding. I always prefer to have a graduate and turning them into a useful coworker.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught math and other subjects at a university in Sweden for a year. I have no paper qualification valid in the UK. All the mentoring experience in this country has been in IT industry.

Tutoring Approach:
1) The student will be taught how to set up a problem and solution methods. It includes reducing the problem before numeric approach.
2) will show have almost every problem can be turned into an equation
3) Methods to sole those equation
4) Whatever the student wants help with

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a 25 year old musician living in Brighton who is a friendly, approachable people person who loves Languages, Music and Politics.

Teaching Experience:
As a Music Graduate, I am experienced in teaching both one to one lessons and in larger classes.

Tutoring Approach:
My main approach is one that aims to teach my students to be a, real life English speaker, not a Shakespearean school book! This is based on my own experience of learning a new language to communicate in every day, real person life. Last year, i decided to live in Brussels to learn french by living with local people, where I developed a healthy respect for slang and idiomatic language (not to blow my own trumpet). From this experience I have created my method of English learning.

Subjects

Personal Description:
PLEASE SEE 'TUTORING EXPERIENCE' BELOW FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS PAGE, THE RESULTS AND FEEDBACK

I am an Oxford graduate (English language and literature, first class), as well as a qualified English teacher, and have been tutoring since 2013. My specialism is A-level English literature.

Please get in touch for online English tuition, particularly if you are or your child is

• Preparing to take A-levels in 2026/27
• Doing coursework
• Working on the basis of continuous assessment, mocks, etc.
• Or planning to do / doing an English degree

I graduated from the University of Oxford with a double first in English language and literature, winning the prize for the best performance in English finals at Mansfield College, and the college essay prize. At school, I was awarded eleven GCSEs at A-star and three A-levels at A.

As well as tutoring, I have worked as a researcher, a copywriter, and a proofreader. I have also completed a PGCE in secondary English at the UCL Institute of Education, the highest-ranking college of education in the world ('QS World University Rankings'), during which I taught all age groups at two west London secondary schools, and received A's for my master's-level assignments. I am currently pursuing a PhD in English literature at the University of Buckingham.

As well as English tuition at any level, I can help you or your child with the following:

• Oxbridge entrance (the admissions process, practice interviews, the ELAT, etc.)
• Essay surgery - how to structure and write an essay
• How to revise - note-taking, organisation, making connections, committing to memory
• Grammar, punctuation, and style (a.k.a. 'usage and abusage')
• Speech-writing and public speaking
• Proofreading and redrafting essays
• Suggested reading and resources, including access to my library of 'TES' resources
• Creative writing
• How to annotate, analyse (and enjoy) English literature - sometimes known as 'close reading' or 'practical criticism'
• If you'd specifically like written feedback on your writing - more like a correspondence course - then I can also provide that.

In my spare time I enjoy cycling, writing, and photography.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring since 2013, teaching English at all levels (including degree level), as well as A-level religious studies and classical civilisation. I have taught AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC/Eduqas, and CAIE (Cambridge International), and am constantly familiarising myself with the new texts that my students are studying. I have experience helping students who have autism and ADHD. And I am interested in the role of generative AI and large language models in education, not to write students' essays for them, but as research assistants for students and teachers alike. It is of course important that students do not get the likes of ChatGPT to write their essays for them, among other reasons because they will not be able to do so in the exams. Tutoring is well placed to discourage this, since it has always been my practice to ask my students many questions about every essay they write.

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A student, June 2025: 'thank you very much for all the sessions! It has not only boosted my confidence in English literature but they really reminded me of how much I love the subject. It's always a pleasure to discuss nuance readings of the texts, and it has been a great help leading up to my exams.'

Charlotte, a parent, June 2025: 'Thank you so much for all your help and support for [L.]. We are so grateful for everything you have done with him and wish you all the best.'

Ann, a parent, June 2025: '[Z.] has thoroughly enjoyed her lessons with you and has gained so much from your guidance. We're very grateful for all the support you've given her.'

A parent, May 2025: 'Thank you so much again for everything you've done to help [G.] prepare for these exams - he has really enjoyed his sessions with you and he and we really appreciate your support'.

A parent, May 2025: '[N.] just received the below. It's an A* if the grade boundaries is same as last year. She couldn't have done it without your help. We really appreciate it.'

A parent, February 2025: '[S.] is really enjoying studying with you and has gained a lot of confidence in English. I truly appreciate the effort and dedication you put into teaching.'

A student, January 2025: 'thank you ever so much for your kindness and creative encouragement the past months. What is very special about you as a tutor is that you have never told me "what to write". Instead, you have asked me questions about my work that have led me to discover what I truly wish to write'.

Kate, a parent, December 2024: 'We're so pleased [G.] is enjoying his sessions and seems to be really motivated to read widely in between sessions, is making useful structured notes (which he didn't do before) and his confidence and awareness of what he needs to do when essay writing is really building. Thank you!!!'

Eleni, a parent, December 2024: 'I just wanted to let you know that [D.] received an offer […] today! She is super happy! […] I wanted to thank you again as [D.] found your sessions incredibly helpful and inceased her confidence during the exams process.'

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A-level results, August 2024:

'I wanted to write to say a huge thank you to you for all the help, support and inspiration you have given [E.] over the past year. You have not only given her the technical advice and support to help her make the most of her essays and exams, but more importantly you have helped her keep the love of the subject alive. I know a big part of the reason she is so excited to study English at university is because of how much she has enjoyed your conversations, and how you have helped her to consider texts in a way that the rather narrower scope of teaching at school does not allow. I am so very grateful to you and I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into her sessions - thank you so very much. […] You've been so great, and any other student/parent would be lucky to have access to your teaching.'

'I have just opened my results and am happy to confirm that I am off to Bristol this September with an A* in English! I just want to thank you again for making this possible.'

'I got an A in English, and will be going to Exeter, so mission accomplished. I wanted to thank you for all your help, not only for helping me to get what I needed, but for giving me back my confidence and enjoyment of the subject in the process.'

'Just to let you know [I.] got her results this morning and achieved an 'A' in English. We are over the moon […] Thank you again for all your help with the English, it's much appreciated.'

'thanks for your help this past academic year! Got two A*s in English and Philosophy'.

'I got a B and I was accepted into my firm university (Durham) which I am very happy! Thank you for all your help and support.'

'I was really happy to receive […] A in English Literature […] I secured a placed at my firm university. I will be studying English Literature at Durham University this September and I am very excited! Thank you so much for all of your support, I really appreciate it!'

'i got into Warwick with […] an A* in English!!!!! I am very happy :) Thank you for all your hard work, wisdom and wit over the last year or two'.

'Thank you so much for all your coaching and advice that you shared with [L.], it made such a difference to his confidence leading up to his exams. He is (as are we) delighted with his English result.'

'an A awarded in English […] so she is off to her first choice of Edinburgh University to study History of Art and English Literature.'

'Results day went well and I'm going to the university of Kent. Thank you so much again for all the time spent helping me to prepare for my exams it means a lot I'm very excited to continue my English literature journey.'

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A student, June 2024: 'Thank you so much for being the most amazing English teacher! It has been an immensely rewarding and interesting journey exploring so many books […] I have learnt so much from GCSEs to continuing with more amazing literatures in A-levels'

A student, June 2024: 'I […] wanted to say thank you for the tremendous help you have provided with the English content throughout the A level period. The resources that you provided for me were quite helpful in refining my knowledge in many areas of the syllabus so thank you very much.'

A student, May 2024: 'I've just received the results for my english coursework and wanted to thank you for all the help and feedback!!'

A parent, February 2024: 'your help has kept her love of the subject and her enthusiasm alive and I can't thank you enough for that.'

A parent, February 2024: 'You were such a huge help to [S.], we will always be very grateful to you.'

Kath, a parent, February 2024: 'We would both like to thank you for all your invaluable help, especially all the helpful feedback on the coursework essay. [S.] has definitely learnt a lot and grown in confidence, especially in her knowledge of Twelfth Night.'

A student, January 2024: 'I just wanted to let you know that I got an offer from Oxford! Thank you so much for checking over my personal statement and all the help that you have given me since GCSEs. I really enjoy our sessions every week, the discussions keep me constantly creative and thinking.'

A parent, January 2024: 'Thank you as always for all your continued help and support for [E.]. I know she gets a tremendous amount from your sessions and I'm very grateful.'

A student, January 2024: 'Just emailing to let you know I did get an offer from […] Cambridge yesterday so thank you so much for all your help! It is really appreciated and I'm really looking forward to starting my degree in October!'

A student, December 2023: 'So thank you so much again for all your help; your insights have been very useful and I have really enjoyed talking about literature with you.'

Tara, a parent, November 2023: 'you are really helping [R.], he is becoming much more confident. Thank you so much'.

Paula, a parent, November 2023: '[M.] is always delighted with your teaching. You are asking questions no one else does. My husband and I see her grow academically after every session with you.'

Liz, a parent, October 2023: 'Thank you so much for all the work you have done with, and the kindness you have shown, [E.] to date. She really enjoys her sessions with you, and you've helped keep her enthusiasm for English very much alive. I'm so grateful.'

Kim, a parent, August 2023: 'I cannot tell you how happy we all were and your help was clearly instrumental in that. Not sure if he told you but he got 12 points above an A* and it was his best A level result!'

A student, August 2023: 'I really enjoyed our lessons and think it has really helped prepare me for the Oxford style tutorials.'

A student, August 2023: 'wanted to let you know I ended up getting an A* in English, thanks so much for all the help!'

Mark, a parent, June 2023: 'Many thanks josh for your help this year. [E.] has said to me it has really helped, you started assisting her at a time when she felt behind her class mates for the whole of the first year, having switched to English half way through term one.'

Melanie, a parent, June 2023: 'Thank you so much for all your time and effort with [T.]'s English literature. She really enjoyed your sessions together and it really boosted her confidence and inspired her to think more deeply and critically about the texts. It also confirmed that she is happy and excited to study a literature based course at degree level.'

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

'[L.] came home from university yesterday to attend her school prize giving ceremony, and this morning as she was leaving she asked me to let you know that she won a special prize in English […] Until last night, she wasn't aware of any of her awards, apart from her scholarship, so it was all a lovely surprise. Furthermore, the essays she wrote in her A level English exams have somehow found their way into her teachers' hands; they told her, with beams of pride , that the three marks dropped overall were actually in her *non exam* assessment, so 30/30 in all questions across all papers under exam conditions, something she had never achieved before. She had admitted to me in the aftermath of the exams that when she was writing her English papers she had really enjoyed the process, her thoughts flowing pretty effortlessly on to the paper. But she had also worried this stream of ideas might not be fit with the mark schemes. […] she […] wanted you to know about her prize, as she thought you'd be pleased, and she also wanted to say thanks one last time for your inspirational teaching that led to it.'

'I got AAA* for my results much higher than my predicted! particularly for english'.

'[G.] got an A star in English. And is off to Oxford. […] Thanks so much for everything - you were honestly amazing and really helped her get there'.

'[L.] got 3 a stars and an A star as well in her EPQ. Her highest marks were in English Literature ( 197/200)'.

'I achieved 4A*s in my Alevels - one being in English Literature. My teachers also let me know that I got full marks in both the exam papers'.

'[T.] smashed English Literature, A* […] she is absolutely over the moon . Thank you so much for all the work you put in with her !'

'I got a D[distinction]2!!! […] I got full marks on my PI!'

'I got an A* in English!!! Thank you so much for all of your help I wouldn't have been able to do it without you!'

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A student, January 2023: 'Just wanted to let you know I got an offer from Cambridge, thank you so so much for all your help.' And Kathryn: 'You were such a great help to [E.] in her preparation for the Cambridge application and interview and we were all delighted when she was offered a place this week. Thank you for all the support you gave her.'

Shaun, a parent, January 2023: '[E.] has found the sessions really very helpful (and has enjoyed them!)'

Guifang, a parent, December 2022: 'From what I hear from [S.], she really enjoys her discussions with you, it's really one of the highlights of her week.'

A student, November 2022: 'I'm extremely happy to tell you that I received an 8.3 for the literary review […] Thank you for explaining to me what a literary review is […] I remember whilst working on it I was so worried about my grade, but it appears I've survived.'

Deborah, a parent, September 2022: 'a huge thanks again to you for all your work with [S.]. I know he has been in touch to let you know that he got 9s in both English Language and Literature. He was over the moon - well beyond his best hopes, so thank you again for being instrumental in helping him attain those grades.'

Karen, a parent, August 2022: 'Both my girls really like your way of teaching and talking to them, they feel really listened to and respected for their opinions (as well as respecting yours obviously), so thank you :)'

Helen, a parent, July 2022: 'Thanks so much for all the help you gave [J.], he really benefitted from the sessions he had with you.'

Tara, a parent, June 2022: 'Thank you so much for all your help and patience - I think you have been brilliant for her confidence. She found English exams really very difficult before she started talking to you and it's amazing to see how much calmer (relatively speaking!) she has been going in to her A level English papers. Whatever the result, her sessions with you have definitely helped her to enjoy English again and I'm really grateful.'

A student, June 2022: 'This is incredibly insightful and thought provoking feedback. Thank you so much.'

Mei, a parent, June 2022: 'She found your lessons very helpful and always remarked to me how much you went the extra mile for her ; looking up and sending on links to whatever you'd been discussing. Much appreciated!'

Marguerite, a parent, June 2022: 'Thank you so much for all you've done for [T.] in the past year . […] you are a very talented teacher.'

Monica, a parent, June 2022: 'You have been an absolutely wonderful tutor to [L.], and how time has flown since she first met you! […] Many a time she has needed someone to talk to, not so much about AO1-5, but rather about the beauty and burden of literature and life. You have always been willing to do that, and she is richer for it.'

A student, June 2022: 'Thank you for teaching me for the last year; I have enjoyed our lessons and I feel I have grown as an English student, with thanks to your teaching.'

A student, April 2022: 'I received an 8 for my essay!! I want to thank you for your tutoring on Keats and Wordsworth- I wouldn't have gotten such a grade without it!! […] I learned tons because of you.'

Ngozi, a parent, March 2022: 'Thanks for everything that you're doing for [G.] - it has been very helpful.'

A student, February 2022: 'Really, thanks so much. Was such a good and efficient service. Your feedback looks really good and I'm going to implement it today. […] Thanks again for doing this on such short notice'.

Deborah, a parent, October 2021: '[S.] said you make it really fun - he said at school his energy goes down in English lessons and with you it goes up! So that is praise indeed from a teenage boy!'

A student, August 2021: 'I got the A grade ! I'm so pleased, thank you for all the help and the essays really paid off :).'

Monica, a parent, July 2021: 'As would be expected from his first class qualifications, Josh is extremely intelligent. However, in my opinion, he has a a very particular advantage over others of a similar academic background, namely his ability to exhibit an authentic interest in the ideas his students express. He is always kind and encouraging, but without sacrificing rigour; this approach has had a hugely positive impact on my daughter when speaking, writing and reading. Furthermore, Josh has introduced her to a range of authors, poets , films and philosophical thought, thus enriching her far beyond the school curriculum. In the future, my daughter will undoubtedly look back on her time with Josh with both fondness and gratitude. I have no hesitation in recommending Josh as a tutor'.

Guifang, a parent, July 2021: 'I have know Joshua for 2 months and He has been supporting my daughter excellently through her GCSE courses, helping her to achieve a 9 in predicted grades. From this, Joshua has always been very serious with the work, needless to say, always punctual and gives detailed homework feedback. I know him to be a wonderful tutor to my daughter.'

Susan, a parent, May 2021: '[T]hank you so much for all your help with [N.] […] [N.] found your lessons extremely helpful which enabled her to enjoy and understand English in a greater depth […] it was excellent tuition . Thank you'.

Jamal, a parent, May 2021: 'Thank you Josh for all your efforts, you have greatly assisted [S.] in better understanding English Literature as whole.'

Zahed, a parent, May 2021: 'We are grateful for all your help and support. We are in no doubt that [A.] has improved a lot in English Literature under your guidance.'

A student, May 2021: 'I just got my coursework back and got an A in it. Just thought i should let you know thanks you!'

Margaret, a parent, March 2021: 'Thanks for helping [M.] to improve her English understanding. She really enjoys her lessons and chats!'

Chris, a parent, March 2021: '[R.] is benefiting immensely from your lessons and is definitely getting more confident in expressing his thoughts in writing! Thank you.'

Amanda, a parent, December 2020: 'Josh has really helped join the dots, encouraged a depth of questioning and ways to interpret and compare ideas, extracting and bringing fresh meaning to narrative styles and creative use of language. Josh has been a great support and steered [R.]'s confidence to look more thoroughly and develop a greater understanding all round. Josh has a kind, approachable style and encouraged [R.] with debating aloud and suggestions for further reading which all continue to be an invaluable help and inspire greater confidence in approaching exams and further reading in future!'

A student, December 2020: 'He helps focus my understanding and makes sure i understand the topic we are learning before moving on. Josh will make sure to ask you questions throughout the process and is always ready for your ideas even if you think it's wrong. He will set homework but makes sure to switch it up each week to make it more interesting and gives his feedback to help me understand what i need to do to improve.'

Diana, a parent, September 2020: 'Josh worked with my daughter for her A Level in English Literature. He was outstanding with his ideas and expanding her critical thinking. He went above and beyond to develop her analytical skills and as a result helped her obtain an A*. He is an absolutely lovely, gentle but dynamic and reliable tutor who has a rare ability combine his academic achievement with a natural talent for teaching. A real gem and we cannot thank him enough.'

A parent, September 2020: 'Joshua is an excellent tutor with great communication skills . He is very patient , helpful , approachable and takes time to explain everything clearly to my daughter . Joshua has been able to breakdown and explain in full detail all aspects of the A Level content.'

A student, June 2020: 'it's been great being taught by you, I've learned so many critical thinking skills in such a short space of time.'

A parent, March 2020: 'I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done for her - you've been the best English teacher she's ever had and she has loved her time with you.'

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During my teacher training, I taught all age groups at two west London secondary schools.

While at Oxford, I was part of an 'e-mentoring' scheme to help candidates from schools without a history of Oxbridge applications.

At Christ College, Brecon, I ran two series of seminars, for sixth-formers studying RS and English literature. In English we covered 'The Tempest', Gothic literature, Pat Barker's 'Regeneration', 'Jane Eyre', Wilfred Owen, and 'The Canterbury Tales'.

Tutoring Approach:
I try to combine three things that I want my students to do, which are three forms of thinking: speak about complex ideas, read high-quality material, and write essays for which they will receive detailed feedback. For obvious reasons, lessons are weighted to speaking, and homework to reading and writing.

Speaking

Pedagogy's holy grail is measuring progress, which is difficult in a classroom and impossible in a lecture. Happily, the tutorial system allows this to occur continuously and efficiently via dialogue. Can a student re-express an idea they have heard or read in their own words? If the answer is yes, they have probably understood the idea. Hence the constant questions!

As well as understanding the ideas of others, speaking is essential for students to develop their own. I love the quotation from the novelist E. M. Forster, 'How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?' We improve the quality of our ideas through the process of articulating them.

For my part, quite a lot of what I say is explaining what texts mean. This might sound obvious, but great works of literature are complex, so, to understand their meaning, one's own interpretation probably needs the support of others' prior interpretations.

I sometimes like to break the question of a text's meaning into two: What's it about? And what's it really about? Answering the first question is comprehension, a necessary first step. To answer the second question is to understand. In 'A Streetcar Named Desire', for example, Blanche goes to live with her sister in New Orleans. She expresses a strong dislike of her surroundings and is frequently associated with images of water. She declines mentally and is eventually taken away. So what's the play really about? Blanche is a Romantic idealist who is disappointed with her life but still tends to imagine things in their perfect form. The play is about the human soul conceiving of things being as good as they could be (as if cleansed by water), reaching for the conception, and failing to grasp it - shuttling back and forth, in other words, on the streetcar named desire.

One thing I frequently encourage is making the link between those oft-cited elements of a good essay, themes and quotations. These are not unrelated ingredients, they are the text itself viewed from different distances. A theme (the desire to be cleansed) is a wide shot, and a quotation ('the land of the sky blue water') is a close-up. So the student of English has to practise their ability to zoom in and out.

Another way I try to support my students' studies is by making connections between the texts they are reading, which in my experience doesn't happen that much at school. Particularly at A-level, there are often many fruitful connections between the half-dozen or so texts being studied: the Romantics were devoted to Shakespeare and Milton, the Gothic is an aspect of the Romantic, the Aesthetic Movement drew on particular strains of Romanticism, etc. When these connections get made with reference to particular writers, they are no longer just isms. They make the material deeper and easier to understand at the same time. Towards the end of their school careers, students of the humanities should be able to get the sense of taking part in 'the Great Conversation that began in the dawn of history and that continues to the present day' (Robert M. Hutchins).

Reading

I regularly give my students PDFs of high-quality secondary material pitched at their level or just above it. Explanatory notes, commentaries, and essays can help with understanding, particularly when it comes to context. (And all exam boards have assessment objectives relating to historical context.) To know that a text was written during a particular period and what characterised that period is to have a mental scaffold that does not limit movement but frees it. In studying the humanities we are studying human culture, and no one can do that without a bit of structure. It also helps when thinking about texts in relation to each other - when writing a comparative essay, for example. I like to think of honing in from context to text, e.g. Romanticism (late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries) > William Blake (1757-1827) > 'Songs of Innocence and of Experience' (1794) > 'The Tyger'. (What's 'The Tyger' about? There's a question!)

In my experience, knowledge acquisition operates according to the Matthew principle, named after a verse in the Gospel of Matthew: 'unto every one that hath shall be given'. In other words, the more you've got, the more you'll get. Every time you learn something about Romanticism, the greater will be your understanding of the poetry of William Blake. Your internal bookshelves expand - more connections, greater understanding. Reading secondary material is obviously 'extra', but it works to enhance students' understanding of set texts rather than crowd them out. Homer Simpson said, 'every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain', and we laugh because it's not true. You can't fill up a brain, so the cliché about people's (particularly young people's) limitless potential is true. Every time you learn something new, you enrich your contextual understanding of everything else you have ever learnt. '[E]very moment is a new and shocking / Valuation of all we have been', as T. S. Eliot put it in 'East Coker'.

Writing

Speaking and reading are in a concrete way preparation for writing. If you think and make notes while speaking and reading, by the time it comes to writing an essay, the question should not be about what to say, but how to arrange the things you want to say. So annotation is an important skill. It's a bit like getting 'in the zone' for a sportsperson - students must practise getting there and staying there. I model the annotation process something like this:

Read with a pencil in your hand. What makes you underline? Something fires in your brain, so that you have a response - you spot a developing theme, you're reminded of another book, you agree or disagree, there's a word you don't know and need to look up, you like the way a sentence sounds. It could be anything. Read until you've underlined twenty words or sentences. Work out the three or four connections between the things you have to say, and you've got a paragraph plan. Work out the main thing you have to say, and you have a thesis for your essay, which, as you aim your paragraphs at it, will accumulate force.

A lot of learning (and life) is about noticing connections, so getting into the habit of doing so is something like learning how to learn. If a student has developed this habit, they shouldn't really have to think 'What shall I write?' in front of a blank sheet of paper or screen. The content of the essay will be a sort of emanation of prior thinking.

When it comes to giving students feedback, I keep in mind one of the best incites I heard early in my PGCE: attend to your students' writing as you would a piece of literature. This way, the marking progress becomes analogous to the writing process. What are all the things that could make this essay better? And is there a connection between them, i.e. what's the main thing this student needs to focus on? (I usually give feedback using comments and 'track changes' in Microsoft Word.)

Why study English?

It has been said that 'If you can think, and speak, and write, you are absolutely deadly', and I think that's right. Learning how to construct and articulate good arguments is learning how to impose ideas on the world. To the extent that English is about feelings, it is about their articulation, and there is a great deal to learn about how feelings have been and can be articulated. Moreover, because English is the medium of instruction in all other subjects, command of it confers a freedom to range through the history of ideas and discriminate between reliable and unreliable, including online. Language is a prerequisite for thought - doing English properly is learning how to think better.

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Personal Description:
I provide online tuition for Geography (Human and Physical) at numerous levels of academic development, alongside being a teacher and examiner for both GCSE and A-Level. Having been awarded a Ph.D. (2017), and successfully completing both an M.A. (2012) and BSc (2011), I have knowledge and experience of teaching and tutoring across the discipline. Furthermore, I teach research methods and exam preparation/revision skills. My specialist area is hazard and risk management (seismic and tectonic hazards), but I also have the ability to teach social, regional and cultural geography, as well as physical landscapes, systems and processes. Lessons are provided face to face on camera, using slides and case study resources, as well as past papers. Tuition covers EDEXCEL, AQA, OCR, EDUQAS, Cambridge International. Refunds provided if lessons are cancelled with more than 24 hours notice.

I mark assessments and homework free of charge. As an examiner, I fully understand mark schemes and expectations. My academic commitments and responsibilities have enabled me to gain experience of teaching both large and small class sizes. Lessons critically provide an overview of case studies, encourage interactive discussion, incorporate transferable skills, and identify synoptic links between geographical topics.

Teaching Experience:
Royal Geographical Club Award 2014
Doctoral Career Development Scholarship 2012
Entrance Scholarship (Aberystwyth University) 2008

I have taken on numerous teaching responsibilities at Aberystwyth University, as a tutor and lecturer of both Human and Physical Geography. Modules have included `Geohazards`, `Volcanic Activity`, and `Global Security`. The students enrolled on my modules have exceeded their academic expectations, with consistently high grades and the acquisition of transferable skills.

Furthermore, I have taught college students on the Aberystwyth Summer University. The scheme is part of the `Widening Participation in Higher Education` initiative, and has allowed me to successfully prepare students for university.

I have also been an assistant lecturer, prepared module materials, and introduced students to field training and research methods.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching style is interactive, encouraging discussion, and critically providing overviews of case studies and subject knowledge.

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Personal Description:
I am a mum of two grown up children and a Labrador and have been living with my family in Surrey for 30 years. After 24 years of teaching maths in the classroom, I am now working as a freelance tutor.
I am friendly and patient, and able to help children at all levels of understanding to improve their confidence and attainment in maths.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching maths for 28 years in local independent schools, a top Surrey grammar school, and an alternative provision. In that time I have also tutored more than 150 pupils towards SATs, school entrance exams, scholarships, GCSEs and A levels, as well as helping improve their general confidence and attainment.
I am now a freelance tutor and currently have very limited evening availability on weekdays. Please feel free to contact me to secure a place for the new academic year, or for holiday sessions. I look forward to hearing from you.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tuition depends very much on what is required: this could be reinforcing topics already covered at school, preparing for an examination, or generally working to improve confidence and attainment.

On meeting a pupil for the first time I would work on assessing current understanding against expected standards for their age, and their confidence levels.
In future lessons I would use a variety of resources and methods to consolidate and extend pupil understanding. Past/ practice papers would be provided for pupils approaching examinations.

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Personal Description:
Hello everyone!

I am Nicolas, a full-time professional and successful native French tutor/Cambridge Celta teacher delivering online French tuition. I have lived in different countries such as Ireland,Scotland,Jersey Channel Islands,Greece,Italy and in different parts of England.

Are you a French learner searching for ways to build your knowledge in French by speaking? I have proven experience working one to one with students to help them grow their confidence, increase their fluency and vocabulary , and implement powerful strategies that result in significant progress and long-term success.

Focused, flexible and effective.

Would like to achieve great results and be more confident in speaking French?

Contact me today!

I cannot wait to work with you and achieve your goals!

Merci!

A bientôt!!

Teaching Experience:
I have years of professional French tutoring experience behind me with exceptional success rates alongside fantastic references.

That being said, I have been tutoring for a long time in London and also abroad.

With me, you will make the progress needed to achieve your potential.

I send resources to prepare before the meeting then feedback, areas to work on alongside homework after the online tuition.

You will be speaking with an experienced native French tutor used to international clients.

Here what some students/parents have recently said about me:

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I passed! B2!
Thanks for your help!
"I recently passed the TEF at a B2 level. With the help of Nicolas I was able to get some extra practice just before the test that gave me a ton of confidence going into the test!"

Van,Sales executive
Primrose Hill,London
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To whom it may concern,

I am currently studying my French degree and needed some help for my 2nd year core language and oral exams in which I struggled very much. I did very badly (20%) in my core language and similarly in the oral exam. I had around 1-2 weeks of sessions with Nicolas and I could not have asked for more. We did a few past papers. And even though we did not know what was likely to come up in the exam, he was very good at helping me pinpoint the important information in a passage and how to respond to the questions. Similarly with the oral part, he kept me on my toes by always speaking to me in French at the beginning of the sessions and throughout which was very helpful and providing me with core info of which I needed to speak about in the oral. As a result I received 30-40% more in my retakes. He is a very friendly man with lots of energy and wants to make sure you can be the best you can be. Thank you Nicolas.

Sasha,University student,Kensington

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French (GCSE)

Nicolas,

Just to let you know that we will not need you now until September.

Zany got an A star for his speaking controlled assessment.

We are very pleased with your excellent teaching and Zany is looking forward to seeing you in September.

Have a great summer.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

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Nicolas is an excellent tutor. He helped my son with preparation to the Westminster challenge exam for 5 months. My son really enjoyed the lessons. Nicolas is a very responsible tutor who does his best to organize interesting lessons. My son got A at Westminster challenge exam.

Anna, London Hampstead

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Nicolas has been our son`s French tutor for the last 9 months.We were looking for a tutor who could focus on Common Entrance 13+ exam preparation, working on speaking, grammar and writing .
I strongly recommend him as a teacher.
He prepares his lessons, and teaches with great enthusiam.
My son, who attended Wetherby School in London,did not like and was not good at French at school and from the moment Nicolas started to teach him his view and understanding of French changed.
He is now on top of his class and loves french and this is all thanks to Nicolas.

Regards

Marta

London Mayfair
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"I highly recommend Nicolas as a tutor.He has tutored me now for around a year and I am very pleased with my progress.He is very organised and is always willing to provide extra help if needed.Furthermore,Nicolas has a variety of different resources which can be very helpful.I addition,he is very punctual and reliable.Throughout the year,Nicolas has helped me improve my speaking skills and grammar.One of his best qualities is that he is always willing to adapt to the needs of his students and that he is very flexible in his teaching style."


Vladimir (A level Student) ,London Victoria
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I would like to recommend Nicolas as a French tutor for your organisation or family.
Nicolas worked with us in London three days per week, as a French tutor. (We moved to the U.S. when the employment ended.) Nicolas took full responsibility for our two boys for three days per week.
His main focus was on tutoring and educating the boys in French. He spoke only French to them, allowing the boys to be fully immersed in the language. The activities allowed them to develop their French (both boys fully comprehend French conversation now and can speak), . Nicolas's energizing and interactive techniques were fun for the boys, and they engaged in the language quickly.
The boys loved their time with Nicolas . His tutoring techniques are excellent for young children..
Nicolas is dependable, caring, and trustworthy. I would fully recommend him as a French tutor for your children.
Marsha
London Kensington
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I have been fortunate enough to have Nicolas as my French tutor. Having only 2 months to learn French before moving to Paris, Nicolas planned the course really well and I came out of it feeling ready to face the real French people. Nicolas is organized and very pleasant to be around. He is so helpful even if it is something, which is not related to the lesson. Nicolas adapted the lesson to my needs and plans the lessons every time beforehand. The material he uses to teach is quality and his approach in teaching is very easy to understand. I would highly recommend Nicolas to tutor French at any level.

Kind regards,

Thom , University student, London Gloucester Road

Tutoring Approach:
I use the Direct Method or Communicative Method. It depends obviously on your level. I still provide explanations in English.

Very often ,many people's only previous experience of learning a language has been at school ,where a great deal of emphasis was placed with the purpose of passing an examination .However, teaching approaches to modern language training have changed enormously in recent years ,and as a result ,learning a language is now a lot more fun and a far more rewarding experience!

Languages are now widely taught using a method known as the Communicative Approach or Direct Method, whereby the teacher conducts the session almost entirely in the target language regardless of the student's level. I reckon it is the best way to immerse yourself into a new culture.

Of course, depending on your level, I will still give explanations and instructions in English for those wishing to do so.

While it may take getting used to initially, the method has proven to be highly effective and is adopted by language training organisation around the world.

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Personal Description:
My goal is to help you to reach your goals. As a graduate of a world top 100 university myself, I understand the importance of getting the test score that you need. My postgraduate qualification in accountancy and real -life business experience give me the edge when tutoring for accountancy, economics and business studies. I passed my A.C.A. examinations to gain membership of the I.C.A.E.W. in 1996. After more than 30 years of finance experience, I retired in order to tutor full time. My students give me 5 stars, and find that I help them with motivation and tackling tricky subjects.



Make today the first day of your life! Book a lesson!

Teaching Experience:
I have three years experience of tutoring and marking. Prior to that I have 30 years of real-life experience in accounting and finance. This gives me the edge when making accounting, economics and business studies understandable to students.

My first degree in International History and Politics included Economics as a subsidiary. My professional accountancy qualifications are postgraduate level qualifications in accountancy. An additional bonus is that I hold a second degree level qualification in teaching English, which is an Ofqual regulated teaching qualification. My accountancy, business and economics students will receive coaching about how to ensure their answers are well-written and logical. This can lead to higher scores.

Tutoring Approach:
My students describe me as professional, approachable and driven. I coach adults over 18 online and resit students are welcome. I have great material including past papers. When we first meet we will discuss your learning needs so that I can develop a personalised learning plan for you. During each class, I initially explain the concept, then we work on a task together. As the next step the student tries an independent activity (often a past test question), then receives feedback from myself.

As a way to consolidate knowledge, I offer to set and mark an appropriate homework task for every booked lesson. This is optional, some students prefer to book more lessons!

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