Appleton Thorn Tutors & Appleton Thorn Tuition

Personal Description:
I graduated from Cambridge University with a BA in English Literature, and then from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, graduating with a BA in acting, where I was the recipient of the Noel Coward Scholarship from 2008-2011. In July 2011 I won the Michael Bryant Award at the National Theatre, for verse speaking and Shakespeare.

When I'm not acting or tutoring I can be found in the plumbing, plastering, kitchen or grappling with a cryptic crossword.

CURRENT AVAILABLE SLOTS: 9-10am + 10-11am Sundays, weekly.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a private tutor since 2008.

Currently tutoring students in: 8+, 10+ & 11+ preparation (all four subjects); GCSE Maths. Adult English and pronunciation skills.

Previously: English - KS1, KS2, 7+ (Successful entry to Highgate), 11+ (Successful entry to, Haberdashers' Askes Boys, Trinity, City of London School for Boys, Alleyn's, St Alban's), A Level (A at A Level English and Extended English). Maths - KS1, KS2, 7+, 11+, 13+ (successful entry to Oundle, Haberdashers' Askes Boys), GCSE (grade improved from D to A*). University application assistance (Successful entry to Durham and Oxford). English as a foreign language - including public speaking and native pronunciation and grammar for business professionals.

During my gap year I spent some time as a special needs classroom assistant, working closely with a child with Asperger's Syndrome. This involved facilitating the social and academic change between primary and secondary education on a one-to-one basis.

Also at this time I ran Welsh language games sessions for primary children in non-first-language schools to improve and encourage their use of the language outside of the classroom environment.

Whilst at secondary school I taught reading skills to children who had low reading-ages.

I wrote a thesis on the connections between Maths and acting whilst at Guildhall.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is tailored to the individual's needs; firstly finding ways of fully explaining a concept, then cementing them with useful and memorable material to build students' confidence. My main objective would be to aid the student in understanding not only the specifics of the work but also the broader aspects of it, which I believe provides a truer grounding in - and enjoyment of - a subject. By making the work useful and enjoyable, and by finding alternative and effective approaches to study, I hope that my tuition will shed new light on subjects for students.

My passion is building confidence and fostering resilient approaches to problem solving.

I specialise in tutoring Maths and particularly enjoy helping those students whose confidence in the subject has become a barrier to their learning and enjoyment of the subject.

Previous Students' Comments:

'Before I met Alex, as a dyslexic, I was academically unconfident and dreaded having tutors who had never really helped me before. Alex tutored me from Year 8 to 11 and she completely changed my attitude to studying, helped me develop my organisational skills and gave me a huge amount of confidence in my abilities. As I approached GCSEs she tutored me particularly in Maths where I was struggling with a D grade. Without her expert tuition I doubt I would have been able to achieve my A* in Maths.

I think Alex is an amazing tutor because she has an extraordinary talent for making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience to the extent I would genuinely look forward to our lessons. Alex was far more than a tutor to me, helping me through such formative teenage years. I consider her a friend.'

- Tally

'Alex is a truly outstanding and gifted tutor as well as a fantastic person. I have very much enjoyed being her student for over six months, and have not only learnt a lot due to her expertise and impressive knowledge but also grew to love English Literature because of the inspirational nature of her tutoring. Previously, I used to constantly struggle with my assignments since English is not my first language, however, after a few weeks of sessions with Alex my grades and confidence significantly improved. She has an ability to keep the lessons varied and interesting; always well prepared for lessons - she was kind enough to provide me with extremely useful books and personal notes. Her incredible dedication and hard working nature also deserves mentioning as she was willing to help me even in the evenings when I was panicking about coursework and the approaching exams. With Alex's assistance and firm confidence in my ability I have achieved a high A in my A-level English Literature and even a merit award in Extended English. I would enthusiastically recommend Alex to anyone who wants to succeed in their exams and learn heaps of interesting information.

- Natasza (Graduated with an MA from Oxford University)

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Personal Description:
I have:
a BSc in Math,
Masters of Business Administration (MBA).
I am also a respiratory physiologist. I
I am a foot health practitioner (Diploma)
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I have good communication skills. I am very flexible--available as needed. I work hard. I am a dependable person.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring Maths and Science for over 20 years both in America and in UK I have the ability of explaining mathematical concepts in a very simple way that even those who hate Math start to enjoy doing Maths. I also tutor Nursing, respiratory therapy, handwriting and cake decorating and sewing.

Tutoring Approach:
I try to find out where the problem is first for the person I am tutoring. Each person is different and I tutor according to the person's needs, so my approach varies, depending on the person I am tutoring.
I can say I am a very good tutor (if not excellent). Just give me a try.

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Personal Description:
I am a university graduate of Drama and Education with a level 5 teaching qualification in teaching English to speakers of other languages. My Cert. is validated by Trinity College, London.
Also, I am about to embark upon a post graduate certificate of Education in Adult Literacy.
If you can provide written proof (within one month) of entitlement to income support or disability benefits discount to £20 p/h available.

Teaching Experience:
I recently qualified in September 2011 and during my course I taught a variety of students, from lower intermediate to upper intermediate. My students came from a variety of countries including: German, Czech, Spainish, Italian and Brazilian.
My next contract is for a group of Italian children aged 11-17.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a highly communicative approach. I recognise the need for skills relating to the 4 areas of learning, namely, speaking, listening, writing and reading.

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Personal Description:
My name is Jerome and I am currently a Lead Practitioner at a school in Surrey. I live in Old Coulsdon with my wife and twin boys. I tutor from home with online via Zoom and I am willing to travel up to two miles from my home. I enjoy reading (both fiction and non-fiction) and enjoy playing chess in my spare time. I have been learning French and currently speak at intermediate level (B1).

Teaching Experience:
I am a qualified English Teacher with QTS from Goldsmith's University. I have a BA in English Language & Literature from the University of Westminster. I have been a secondary school English teacher for 12 years and I have been private tutoring for 10 years. I have also taught key stage 2 and A-Level English, as well as prepare students for the 11 Plus and verbal reasoning. I have taught children with SEN and EAL requirements.

Tutoring Approach:
The first lesson is free is you choose not to continue. Lessons are calm, focussed and engaging. Each child is unique and therefore requires unique approaches tailored to their needs. I therefore tailor my sessions to your child's needs. I provide several resources for each session and identify where the shortfalls are in the child's education. All lessons are emailed as a PDF, as well as homework after each lesson. Lessons are designed to support the tutee's topics at school. I set work for the child to complete before the next session and check on the progress when I return. During exam season, I create bespoke lessons centered around time management, revision and mock papers.

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Personal Description:
My name is Irineu, and I am The Portuguese/Spanish Teacher! I offer face to face Portuguese/Spanish Language tuition throughout the UK and I also offer worldwide tuition online via Skype.

I have a Diploma of Higher Education in English and a BA Honours in Modern Languages. I have also undertaken language studies at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and the University of Caen Normandy in France.
I am the author of a series of bestselling language books currently on sale in the UK, USA and Italy through the Amazon platform. Passionate about languages, I have extensive and in-depth knowledge of Latin-root language composition, and has developed the ability to communicate in 6 different languages including Mandarin Chinese.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked providing language services throughout the UK, and have taught in educational establishments including the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde.

Tutoring Approach:
My method is unique; it will enable you to speak Portuguese & or Spanish fluently in a very short period of time.
Students have been able to pass Spanish/Portuguese proficiency exams in as little as six months!
You will learn more Spanish/Portuguese in 1 lesson with me, than you would attending 4 months of a standard course anywhere else.

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Personal Description:
I have an academic background in law and criminology, and more than ten years' experience working in the legal profession. I also have a full command of French, Spanish and Russian. I hold the Chartered Institute of Linguists' Level 7 Diploma in Translation, Russian to English (equivalent to a master's degree) and the Level 6 Certificate in Translation, Spanish to English ( equivalent to a bachelor's degree).

Teaching Experience:
I have taught English to Russian and Turkish speakers over Skype for seven years. I also have considerable experience of teaching French and Spanish one-to-one, both children and adults.

Tutoring Approach:
I greatly enjoy tutoring and find seeing my students improve hugely rewarding. My approach is gentle and encouraging, with an emphasis on setting a thorough basic structure in place.

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Personal Description:
I like to be friendly around people who are eager to learn. I'm very patient even if anyone has struggles, I'm confident and I'm willing to put too much effort into the subjects that I'm teaching.

Teaching Experience:
Fellow students achieved grades that are similar to mine, straight A's in their GCSE's

Tutoring Approach:
I'm a student and I need money but by helping people around with what I collected of knowledge.

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Personal Description:
Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my profile. My name is Dr. Alisdair and I am a part time tutor with with eighteen years experience teaching psychology and research methods & statistics. I am currently the Head of Psychology at one of the top online schools. Developing and enhancing a student's learning experience is something I am passionate about. To achieve this, I employ a patient approach to tutoring, ensuring that students have an enjoyable, challenging and interesting experience. My teaching style relies on honesty, dedication and transparency. I aim to offer you a bespoke tutoring service that meets your requirements, be it face to face, or via online technology.

Studying and tutoring for many years has given me experience in realising the pressures that students face, and I'm able to use my awareness and knowledge to motivate learners. I have a real appreciation for how people learn and are able to adapt my teaching to different learning styles. I try to make lessons informative and fun, ensuring that the student takes an active part in the lesson. I feel my academic experience has given me the necessary skills to help students reach their full academic ability.

Teaching Experience:
One of my subjects of expertise is psychology. Having studied, researched and taught/tutored psychology to numerous students, I am well placed to help you with assignments, exams and general course content in all areas of the subject, including; cognitive, social, developmental, research methods and more. Whether you are studying for a degree or beginning your journey into psychology at GCSE or A-Level, I can help you to get to grips with this fascinating subject.

My other main area of expertise is in research methods/statistics. Since 2006 I have provided support to individuals from a range of backgrounds, including students studying social sciences, life sciences and humanities. My experience extends to helping employees with their data analysis. If you are struggling to interpret your analysis, or need help using SPSS, or if you want to understand more about statistics then please do get in touch.

If you would like support with learning English as a second language (ESL) then I can help you. Please do contact me if you would like to practise speaking or are having difficulty reading and writing in English. I can support you with vocabulary comprehension and word meanings for example.

I have experience in tutoring students with assisted learning needs, including; Asperger syndrome, dyslexia and dyspraxia. My one to one teaching experience extends to the supervision of final year undergraduates and Masters students, therefore I have coherently supported and guided students through empirical projects, improving skills such as literature search & review, analysis and scientific writing.

Qualifications:
My first degree was in psychology (BSc Hons). I then went on to complete a Masters (MRes) in psychological methods, followed by a PhD in psychology/cognitive neuroscience. I also obtained a 'Teach English as a foreign language' (TEFL) certificate.

Awards:
Excellence in Teaching - Awarded by Bournemouth University in 2013.

Feedback:
Below are some examples of student and parent feedback that I have received across various sites:

Lisa (Lily) 5/5
Alisdair was an amazing Tutor for my daughter. Her A Level tutor went on sick leave the term before her A Level exam, and after an initial couple of one to one meetings, we settled upon a series of Skype tutorials which were brilliant. Alisdair would send key exam questions for my daughter to do prior to the Skype tutorial, and she would send them back to him to mark before their tutorial. The system was so engaging and efficient that she went from a grade D in her mock A-Level to a grade A in her actual A-Level exam. Alisdair is flexible, personable and very effective. I would totally recommend his services.

Michelle (Sammy) 5/5
An excellent tutor - patient, kind, encouraging, and well organised with great resources. We used Alisdair`s services both for one to one sessions and online in the run-up to my daughter`s A-levels when she experienced a pre-exam confidence crisis. She found him to be an effective and empathetic tutor, with an obvious enthusiasm for his subject. We really appreciated Alisdair`s experience, which enabled him to work out how best to support my daughter and get her back on track. Alisdair was incredibly helpful, and very flexible in his scheduling of sessions. A`levels are now over, and I am sure that Alisdair`s help made a huge difference. Highly recommended!

Jeremy 5/5
Alisdair helped me with my final major project, both with the statistics, and academic writing. I was very happy to achieve a first for the project and I can`t thank him enough for his help. I learned a lot with his tutoring and improved my understanding of statistics and my academic writing. I now feel more confident going into my Msc next September. He was very fast at responding to my questions and emails and was always very positive and helpful.

Nicki 5/5
I've had the pleasure of knowing Alisdair for over a year, during which time he tutored me with my undergraduate psychology degree. Above all, he has excellent subject knowledge along with the ability to convey complex information in a simple and easy to understand manner. He made light work of SPSS and report writing as well as guiding me to a deeper understanding of psychological concepts. Alisdair's friendly personality immediately put me at ease and he knew the correct level of challenge to ensure that I gained a good grade for my dissertation. I cannot thank him enough! He is a truly talented tutor - smart, efficient, professional, and comes with my heartfelt recommendation.

Mark 5/5
Alisdair is an exceedingly knowledgeable, friendly and patient tutor who responds promptly and with amazing clarity on even the most complicated of SPSS issues. He has a great understanding of the planning and organisational problems associated with dyspraxia, and was of enormous help to my son during his MSc project, keeping him calm and giving advice where needed. I only wish we had discovered him earlier! My son has achieved a Distinction at Masters level, and without Alisdair's reassuring and friendly discussions I don't think he would have managed to even finish his project. I would recommend Alisdair highly as a tutor.

Maha 5/5
The best tutor ever, he makes everything so clear and he trying his best to make sure I understood what we had in the session and clearly he is so kind as person and tutor!

Tutoring Approach:
Other services:
If you require help with developing your study skills, including; revision techniques, essay planning, critical thinking and more, then I can help you to hone your study skills set. In addition, feel free to contact me if you would like your work to be proofread. I will check your document to ensure the spelling and grammar is watertight. If you need me to, I can provide you with comments using track changes with suggestions/edits to improve the quality of the document, for example, the structure, scientific standard and whether you have answered the assignment question. Having published numerous scientific articles, I appreciate and understand the need for precision in the preparation of your work, therefore I'd be happy to help you with things such as APA formatting and preparing a manuscript for publication. Please take a look at the tasks I can help you with below.

Examples of tasks I can help you with:
Understanding concepts/theories/studies
GCSE/A-Level exam technique
GCSE/A-Level homework
Revision techniques
Critical thinking/reading/writing
Essay planning / editing
Report planning / editing / suggestions for improvement
Presentation planning
Dissertation/thesis planning/editing/suggestions for improvement
Preparing manuscripts for publication
Literature search/review
Help with systematic reviews/Meta analysis
Experimental design
Data analysis/selecting appropriate tests/interpretation/reporting analysis
Using SPSS/JASP
Figures and tables
Addressing Reviewer's and Editor's comments
Proofreading
APA formatting / referencing
ESL

Other details:
I also offer tuition via Skype, Zoom and e-mail for those students who do not want to meet in person, or live far away. Therefore I can fully explain any concepts, ideas or subject content that you need help with, and give verbal and written help with assignments and exam prep online.
A-Level exam boards I have tutored students on include; AQA, OCR and CIE. I have many resources, including; mind-maps, evaluation sheets, research study summaries, past exam papers, quizzes and more.
Please enquire directly to me about availability, do not go by tutoring website calendars.
Lessons cancelled less than 12 hours before the scheduled start time will incur a 50% charge, as will no-shows.
Student/parents will be asked to cover travel expenses/time for travel costs if lessons are to take place at the student's home or public place. It is £5 if you need me to travel up to 8 miles away, then 50p for any additional mile over that.
Group sessions (up to 3 students) can be arranged also, please enquire.

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Personal Description:
I am Abdalrhman from Cambridgeshire. I have a BSc in mathematics with Education. Also I hold a Msc in mathematics from University of Sussex. I worked as an instructor at University level from 2012 to 2019. I have taught Calculus, Algebra and ODEs. I have also one year expereince teaching primery school.

I teach mathematis for all level.
My way of teaching online: discusing students needs first and then I prepare the lesson to be more effictive.

I also help student to understand thier assignments.

I teach online only using Zoom.

Teaching Experience:
I worked as an instructor at University level from 2012 to 2019. I have taught Calculus, Algebra and ODEs. I have also one year expereince teaching primery school.

Tutoring Approach:
I teach mathematis for all level.
My way of teaching online: discusing students needs first and then I prepare the lesson to be more effictive.

I also help student to understand thier assignments.

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Personal Description:
I am a passionate, kind and caring educator with a wide range of experience teaching and tutoring both in the UK and abroad. I have worked as a primary school teacher for 9 years, a part-time private tutor as well as spending time working as a Governess/nanny in Russia. My most recent teaching observation feedback (November 2020) states that 'You have a positive, purposeful and engaging learning environment fostered and your team work is seamless. Superb high quality modelling of roleplay and you extended all learning while planning in the moment. Provision is high quality and strong, positive relationships were displayed by all.' Following this observation, my headteacher wrote 'Thank you for all you do for the children - you really are amazing and we are lucky to have you!' Carly has a friendly and approachable manner with all members of staff, parents and children.' My induction report states that 'Carly has conducted herself in a professional manner at all times, forming very good relationships with the school community. She has modelled very good behaviour toward the children. She has had an excellent record with regard to following safeguarding procedures. Carly is a very good model of ethical and moral behaviour for the children. She enjoyed excellent relationships with her class. Carly had exceptional standards of punctuality and attendance. Carly followed pastoral policies well and contributed to the wider school. Carly was never unprofessional in dress or in behaviour. Carly fulfilled all aspects of the role as a class teacher including parent's evenings, hosting school events and writing reports. She worked collaboratively with colleagues and followed the lead from other professionals where appropriate.'

Teaching Experience:
I am a highly enthusiastic, caring and driven teacher with a wide range of experience teaching within the Early Years and Key Stage 1, following the English National Curriculum and Development Matters EYFS framework. I am deeply passionate about early childhood development and the relevant pedagogy; I enjoy in actively engaging with the latest research and training in this area. I am dedicated to meet the holistic needs of every child within my care as well as furthering my own personal and professional development. This is shown in my recent promotion to Wellbeing Coordinator of my school. I have worked in a wide range of schools, predominantly within the younger years, giving me broad experience across areas such as successful differentiation, progression, behaviour management techniques, and aspects such as working with children with SEN and learning EAL. Working within the international/independent sector has further ignited my passion for learning and teaching to the best of my ability. I enjoy working on a more one-to-one basis as I feel able to give every child the time that they need to make accelerated progress. I am highly thoughtful with my planning, and how I cater for individual children's needs. Feedback from parents is consistently positive and I try to make every learning experience interesting for the children I teach.

Tutoring Approach:
I am happy to tutor in-person within Bristol or online. My Specialism is Primary Education, particularly phonics, English, Language development and social skills but am willing to tutor other Primary subjects also. I try to make all teaching experiences memorable and fun for the children so that they are excited to continue furthering their skillset and knowledge.

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Personal Description:
Heya ! I'm going to start off strong by saying I grew up with failing primary school grades, but the problem all along wasn't because I'm not a 'gifted kid' but instead - I couldn't discover a suitable studying/learning method most efficient for myself !

If that sounds like you, I'm here to guide you by devising personalized notes and techniques on key to mastering the concept of "Study smart, not hard!"

September 2024 - Present 2025
University of Edinburgh
Degree - Master of Arts (MA) with Honors International Business

August-June 2024
Creative Secondary School (CSS), 3 Pung Loi Road, Tseung Kwan O
Diploma - International Baccalaureate (IB)
Subject Details and Grades (out of 7 or A) :

[5] MAY 2024 - CHINESE A: Literature SL in CHINESE
[6] MAY 2024 - ENGLISH B HL in ENGLISH
[6] MAY 2024 - BUSINESS MANAGEMENT HL in ENGLISH
[6] MAY 2024 - BIOLOGY SL in ENGLISH
[5] MAY 2024 - MATHEMATICS APPLICATIONS AND I SL in ENGLISH
[C] MAY 2024 - THEATRE EE in ENGLISH
[7] MAY 2024 - THEATRE HL in ENGLISH
[C] MAY 2024 - THEORY KNOWL. TK in ENGLISH

EE/TOK points: 1
Total Points: 36
Result : Bilingual Diploma awarded

Teaching Experience:
Since I'm a University student, I prefer conducting online classes the most where it can suit my lecture/tutorial schedule the best ! I'm a very bubbly and cheerful person, so studying won't all just be books and papers, chit chats will be coming in the full package as well ! I've tutored kids between the age of 5-10 before for English so I believe my patience level is well equipped as one the top qualities I have as a teacher ! You definitely won't be studying alone on your learning journey with me !


Just remember, being 'gifted' or not doesn't matter ! Studies all honestly revolve around your effort and originality to it ! If 'gifted' people can memorize/learn content easily on their second try, I'll just do it on my fifth try then. Resilience and uniqueness are the key of honing yourself from an academic victim to an academic weapon, no matter the age, place, subject or even difficulty of it !

Tutoring Approach:
What are my lessons like ?
- Patient and accommodating to students
- Targeting weaker areas but also boosting strengths
- Encouraging critical thinking
- Hybrid styles of learning (passive + active)
- Maximizing learning efficiency without burning out
- Personalized advice according to student's level/pacing
- Mistakes are the best teachers
- Find balance between studies and your personal life
- Grades don't define your future
- "Study smart, not hard"

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Personal Description:
I'm a dedicated Maths tutor with a First-Class degree and postgraduate qualifications up to PhD level in Engineering. Alongside my work as a Group Finance Manager/Finance Director, I teach Maths with the same rigour, clarity, and commitment I bring to my leadership roles. Tutoring isn't a side hustle for me - it's a meaningful part of my professional life, and I'm passionate about helping students build confidence and truly understand the subject.

Teaching Experience:
With over 20 years of Maths teaching experience, I have supported learners from year 7 through to year 13, and a couple of university students - from those building foundational skills to students aiming for top grades. My approach is structured, clear, and focused on developing genuine understanding rather than memorisation. I provide tailored guidance on home study and revision techniques, and students who follow my recommendations have consistently achieved outstanding results, often acing their exams. I take pride in creating a supportive yet disciplined learning environment where every student can thrive and reach their full potential.

Tutoring Approach:
My tutoring approach is structured, thorough, and focused on genuine understanding. I break down concepts clearly and build knowledge step by step, ensuring students develop strong foundations rather than relying on memorisation. With over 20 years of experience and academic qualifications up to PhD level in Engineering, I'm able to explain even complex ideas in a simple, practical way.

I set high but achievable expectations. We do not move on from a topic until the student has demonstrated clear understanding - through practice, explanation, or problem‑solving. This ensures there are no gaps, no guesswork, and no false confidence.

Home study is an essential part of my method. I provide targeted practice and revision guidance, and students who follow my recommendations consistently achieve excellent results, often acing their exams. My goal is to build confidence, competence, and long‑term mastery of Maths.

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