Duckhole Tutors & Duckhole Tuition

Personal Description:
About Me. I'm now taking on a small number of private students, as my university commitments have settled. I currently lecture at the University of Salford and have over 28 years of teaching experience. I'm a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Visiting Lecturer at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and also teach in São Paulo, Brazil. I've worked extensively in higher education, including as an assessor for university teaching qualifications and an external examiner for several universities. Over the years, I've been nominated by my students for "Best Teacher" and "Best Postgraduate Supervisor" on multiple occasions - something I'm incredibly proud of. I completed my PhD in Rheumatology in 2009 and began private tutoring in 2008. I offer individual tuition in Biology, Science, PE, Study Skills, and other health and medical-related topics. I also love teaching science to children and helping students build confidence in their learning. Before moving into education, I worked as a Chartered Physiotherapist in the NHS for 13 years, including three years as Physiotherapist for the England Women's Football Team. It was a privilege to represent my country and work with such talented athletes both at home and overseas. I'm also an internationally published author, having written and edited nine textbooks, now translated into eleven languages, covering subjects such as anatomy and academic writing.
Please note:
I cannot tutor current University of Salford students due to a conflict of interest.
While I'll do my utmost to help every learner succeed, I cannot write assignments or guarantee grades.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring privately for over a decade. I began teaching in a professional capacity whilst working in a hospital environment where I became a Clinical Educator for undergraduate Physiotherapy students from Universities in the region. This role involved teaching and training undergraduate students within hospitals. Eventually my enthusiasm for teaching overtook that of my day job and I began teaching at Salford University on a part time basis, becoming a full time member of staff within the School of Health Sciences in 1996. I am the longest serving member of staff in the department and enjoy my job, and the interaction with students, as much now as when I first began teaching. Please note that if you are a student at the University of Salford I will be unable to offer private tuition due to a conflict of interest. Also please note that if we commence tutoring that whilst I will do my absolute best to help students, I cannot write assignments for students or guarantee a specific score or grade.

Teaching at a university entails a range of teaching methods including lecturing to hundreds of students, small and large group seminar-based sessions and a mix of theory and practical skills. Since 1998 I have been the Year One tutor which involves a pastoral element as many students are having their first experience of independence away from friends and family.

As a private tutor both in my own home, I mainly focus on one-to-one tuition, which I find hugely rewarding as I am able to dedicate unwavering attention to the tutee and their chosen subjects. I have experience teaching students from diverse backgrounds and ranging in age from 14 years to 50 years.

In 2009 I won the first ever Teaching Excellence Award at Salford University, and the following year was nominated for the Times Educational Innovative Teacher Award - both nominated by my students, a fact of which I am extremely proud.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a friendly and informal approach to teaching, as I believe a relaxed environment is most conducive to learning, regardless of the subject or age. However, I am aware that private tuition is a serious commitment, and there must be a clear structure to the sessions. I am familiar with the syllabi for OCR, AQA, and Edexcel for GCSE, A-level, and degree courses. The first session will include an informal discussion with parents/tutee to gain an understanding of the tutee's requirements and to explain my role and how I can aid learning. The tutee largely dictates the structure of the sessions, including the subjects they wish to focus on and their preferred learning style, which can be discussed during the first session. As the student develops, the structure can be adapted accordingly.

Additional Information

I prefer to teach in my own home
Thanks very much for viewing my profile.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Professional Maths Tutor with BSc Mathematics (1st class) from the University of Aberdeen and MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems from University of Edinburgh.

I am friendly, easy going and take great pride in helping people reach their academic potential.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 8 years of tutoring experience and have tutored 100+ pupils of varying mathematical ability, which has given me a great insight into the common problems pupils have. The majority of my lessons happen face to face but over the last few years, especially in 2020, I have had a lot of requests for online lessons.

I cover the main syllabuses taught in Scotland and England. I also have experience tutoring international curriculum such as American K-12 and South African Matriculation. Here is a list of the levels I have most experience with:

National 5
Higher
Advanced Higher
GCSE
AS and A Level Maths and Further Maths (AQA, Edexcel etc)
IB SL and HL, Applications and Interpretation or Analysis and Approaches

A large number of my tutees were found through word-of-mouth from former tutees pleased with their results.

Tutoring Approach:
Every student is an individual and deserves to be treated as such. There is no one size fits all approach that works for everyone so I make sure to really understand how all my students think in order to optimise their learning.

During lessons I go as fast or as slow as needed. I can start from the basics and build up or get straight into more advanced concepts. Practice questions are extremely important and lessons usually consist of us working careful through a question set on a particular topic. It is very important to me that my tutees feel comfortable and their confidence continues to rise with each lesson.

I believe that everyone deserves the best chance at school. It does not matter to me if you are a straight A student looking for some insurance, or if you are a bottom set student who has always struggled with maths. All I ask from my tutees is a willingness to learn.

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Personal Description:
My name is Nadia, I am a Spanish, Portuguese and English teacher from Argentina. I have been teaching languages for more than 24 years now. I love my profession, I really enjoy teaching and sharing my experiences with the students. I moved to London in December 2011 (I hold a spouse VISA, this means I am eligible to work in the UK) I am hard working, responsible and I believe in fun, communicative and interactive lessons. I love new challenges. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you, so we can start having fun and learning together!

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching languages for more than 24 years. I studied English Language Teaching Training at Mar del Plata University, Buenos Aires, Argentina. I also hold the CELTA. I taught English and Portuguese in Argentina in schools and language institutes to all age groups and levels (for more than 10 years). I also taught English and Spanish in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to all levels and age groups, from children to adolescents and adults (for 5 years). I really love and enjoy teaching and sharing my experiences with the students.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in fun, communicative and interactive lessons. I assess students needs and motivation for learning the target language. Always recycling the language learnt and putting into practice what is learnt in each lesson. I use a wide variety of materials (course books, grammar reference books, newspaper articles, songs, internet articles,short stories and whatever the students are interested in learning). The four skills are practiced from the very first class. You will feel that you are actually learning while having fun!

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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.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Teacher of Maths (Science and Physics, Russian tutor).

Teaching Experience:
Russian - 10 years
Biology - 20 years
Maths - 5 years
Physics - 1 year

Tutoring Approach:
Enthusiastic and primed for success

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a successful local tutor and teacher with an MA in Education from Oxford Brookes University (2016), a Postgraduate Diploma in English and Language in Education from the University of Reading (2012). I also have a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Secondary - English) from Oxford Brookes University (2007) and a BA Hons in English Literature (2006) as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Children's Literature (2024). I am passionate about my subject and enthusiastic about improving both my pedagogical and subject knowledge. With A Level clients, I often re-read the key exam texts and exam specifications in order to deliver a successful tutorial. For GCSE, I am confident with multiple exam boards but, again, I take a sincere interest in changes to qualifications and specifications. I have recently led a team of ten teachers in our delivery of the GCSE English qualification through WJEC. Part of my role included observing good teaching practice and documenting this for staff appraisals.

Teaching Experience:
I have recent experience as a Senior Leader in Reading (2024) and I have also been employed as a Specialist English Teacher based in the Learning Support Department of an independent senior boys school in Maidenhead. I have also taught a range of vocational students for both Activate Learning (2013-2016) and The Windsor Forest Colleges Group (2018-2019). I was employed as a Head of English for a small multi academy trust partnered with Upton Court Grammar School (2019-2021) and I have also taught in a range of comprehensive co-educational secondary schools across Reading Borough Council (2007-2009), Wokingham Borough Council (2009-2012) and Bracknell Forest Council (2016-2018). In addition, I have previously worked as a Learning Support Assistant, at a Catholic primary school in Reading. I have also taught American children how to use movie editing packages, such as iMovie, in Maine, USA.

Tutoring Approach:
The rapport with the parent is as just as important as the tutee. In order to make a success of the tuition, it's paramount to have a good professional relationship with both. I use feedback from the tutee's parent (via a school report) and informal feedback from the tutee to create an Individual Tuition Plan which includes setting three clear targets. Depending on the key stage and ability of the tutee, this can range anything from parenthetic comma use to translating Chaucerian poetry!

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Personal Description:
My name is Ellie and I'm a History graduate. I have been teaching English as a second language in Suzhou, China for the last year. I am experienced in teaching particularly Chinese students, using IPA with a focus on oral speaking. I have a TEFL in China certificate and an International Child Protection Certificate. I also have HSK3 Mandarin Chinese

Teaching Experience:
I taught ESL at a school in Ghana for one month. For the past year I have been teaching a wide range of ages and levels in Suzhou, China. I completed 2 weeks on intensive teacher training in Beijing where I sat classroom-based and paper-based exams and received a TEFL in China certificate. Since then I have taught grade-8 students at two middle schools in Suzhou. I also tutored one-to-one and small groups of adults, teenagers and children. I performed demonstration lessons in classrooms with children I had never taught before and had numerous classroom assessments. In September I will be going to teach at Suzhou International Foreign Language School.

Tutoring Approach:
In my lessons I focus on oral speaking and fluency, using images, games and conversation activities. This can be adapted to each student depending on the level and needs. I am experienced in presentations and public speaking. I can also teach writing skills.

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Personal Description:
¡Hola! I am a qualified and experienced native tutor offering quality teaching to adults.
I offer:
One-to-one lessons and Small groups (2-4 students).
ONLINE lessons: study from the comfort of your own house or office!
Intensive lessons during half-term.
All levels. Conversation. Exam Preparation (GCSE, iGCSE, A-Level, IB, Common Entrance (Spanish), DELE).

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching Spanish as a foreign language over the last twenty years in different countries. I worked at schools, language institutes and as a private tutor. In the UK, I worked at Tonbridge School, Tonbridge, Kent. I am also fluent in French and Portuguese.

Tutoring Approach:
Lessons are dynamic and based on a communicative approach. All four skills are taught - speaking, listening, reading and writing - though emphasis is on oral communication and Spanish culture.
My Students benefit from:
-Extra online support via email
-Motivating and effective tuition
-Variety of learning resources

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an enthusiastic qualified teacher with extensive classroom and private tutoring experience. I am currently not working in school full time as I am undertaking my Masters in Education at Reading University as well as caring for live my little boy, I am willing to teach online, travel to your home or a nearby suitable study space.

Teaching Experience:
I love teaching and believe that all children can excel. I have been teaching for over 15 years with a large proportion of my experience in years 5 and 6. I have been a SATs marker for over 10 years now so definitely know how to get the best out of children in preparation for success not only in their SATs but also secondary school. I work regularly with children who want to participate in the 11+ entrance exams and have experience in most Berkshire schools' entrance requirements.

Tutoring Approach:
My pupils often describe me as 'firm but fair' with lessons that are fun. I believe children are most productive when they are enjoying themselves whilst being challenged. Any child can learn if they are taught in a way that is engaging to them and ensures that their strengths and weaknesses are identified. With this in mind, I aim to make learning relevant to them and break everything down into manageable chunks. I believe that children should be in charge of their own learning and will therefore always ensure that their views are taken into consideration when teaching. I love helping children to learn and relish the challenge of helping them to meet their potential.

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Personal Description:
Robert is a Film/TV Composer, Music Producer and Songwriter from Hertfordshire England.

Robert is a graduate of the prestigious (SMPTV) Screen Scoring Masters program at USC (Thornton school of music). He was mentored by renowned film composers including; Bruce Broughton, Christopher Young & Patrick Kirst. At USC he was awarded the 'Nordstrom Family Scholarship'. At this time Robert was also welcomed into the British Academy of Film and Television Arts family after becoming the recipient of the 'BAFTA LA Access for all Scholarship'.
In 2019 his ongoing relationship with BAFTA continued as he was invited onto the BAFTA LA Newcomers program.

In 2015 Robert Graduated from Leeds Conservatoire of Music with a 2:1 in Music Production and Music Composition. During his time there he studied under the tutorship of Brian Morrell, Alex Halliday and Jiannis Pavlidis.

Over the years, Robert has worked as a private tutor for GCSE, BTEC and A-level students and as a guitar instructor.
He has worked with a U.K. based classical choir as their music producer and arranger, and also as an artist in residence in various schools in England, where he offered advice to young musicians. Robert is also currently working in the music industry as a Songwriter and Producer alongside several British artists and has previously worked in studios across London and Los Angeles such as Abbey Road and Capitol Records.


As a film composer, Robert has worked with composers such as Kevin Kiner (Lucasfilm 'Star Wars: the Clone Wars' | Warner Brothers/DC 'Doom Patrol') & Layla Minoui (ABC 'Castle' | Disney 'Vampirina'). As well as continuing to work on a wide variety of film & visual media projects as a freelance composer.
He has scored the music to a number of short and independent films which have been nominated & screened at various European & U.S film festivals. Robert has also written music for a variety of other visual media projects. Including commercials, video games and more recently for programs airing on National Geographic.

Teaching Experience:
7+ Years of Private tuition.
(Guitar, Music performance skills, composition, GCSE BTEC & A-Level)

Tutoring Approach:
I am very personable and have an easy going personality. I often like to let my students direct the flow of sessions, in line with their academic needs.
Every student learns in a different way and at a different pace. I always make sure I cater for my students preferred way of learning by employing a wide range of teaching methods.
I'm able to relate to the younger generation when teaching and I can often use modern examples to explain older musical techniques and rules. This helps my students engage with the curriculum on a personal level and deepen their understanding of music. I also have experience working with people who have learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia.

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Personal Description:
A primary specialist, Zeshaan is currently the Head of Maths at a Primary School. He has several years of experience and a track record of producing excellent results in regard to KS2 SATs scores.

Teaching Experience:
Several years of experience, primarily within Bradford.

Tutoring Approach:
Hands on and friendly approach to students and parents/carers. Has a true passion for what he does and cares about each student he teaches.

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Personal Description:
My name is Tia and I'm an experienced 11+ tutor with over six years of proven success helping KS2 students gain entry into top grammar and independent schools. Having personally navigated the 11+ process as a student at Newstead Wood Grammar School for Girls, I understand both the academic demands and the emotional pressures students face. I specialise in preparing pupils for GL-style exams, focusing on Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Over the years, I have helped students secure places at selective grammar schools such as Newstead Wood, Bexley, Dartford, Tonbridge, and St. Olave's, as well as prestigious independent schools including Highgate and City of London. My tutoring style is results-driven but also supportive, ensuring each student feels confident, motivated, and prepared.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a professional tutor for six years, working with both private clients and established organisations such as Kumon. My experience spans a wide range of abilities and ages, primarily focusing on Years 3 to 6. I have a strong track record in preparing students for 11+ entrance exams, and my lessons consistently lead to tangible academic progress. Many of my students have successfully secured places at highly competitive schools. I pride myself on creating engaging, structured sessions that make learning both effective and enjoyable. I also believe in building strong relationships with parents, providing clear, honest feedback and collaborating to ensure the best outcomes for each child.

Tutoring Approach:
My lessons are built around active learning and tailored to each student's unique learning style. I start with a quick review to consolidate prior knowledge before introducing new material. For visual learners, I incorporate diagrams and visual aids; for hands-on learners, I use practice problems and interactive activities. I encourage students to ask questions and actively participate, as this deepens understanding and builds confidence. Between lessons, I set targeted tasks to reinforce skills, and I expect students to come prepared with any questions for our next session. I also keep parents updated with regular progress reports, ensuring they are informed and involved in the learning journey. My ultimate goal is to help each student reach their full potential while making the process as engaging and stress-free as possible.

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