Hargrave Tutors & Hargrave Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a freelance software developer and professional trainer who also provides one-to-one personal tuition services in computing, programming and IT related subjects. I took my first steps in programming as long ago as 1981, and have been a professional software developer since 1987. Along with the teaching and training side of my career, I develop software and web-sites for my clients, and I have been published several times in respected programming-journals.

I am also a BBC preferred-supplier, and am a professional life-member of the Association for Computing Machinery (founded in 1947 - the world's largest and most prestigious scientific and educational computing society). I have also published a book on the technicalities of e-book production.

The topics and languages I cover are: C/C++, Java, JavaScript, PHP, SQL (MySQL in particular), Regular Expressions, HTML/CSS, Python, VB and assembly language, along with software design, implementation and development principles (what many people call Object Orientation and Software Engineering), and web site design and implementation.

Teaching Experience:
I have provided private-tuition services since 1992, and was a lecturer at Roehampton University from September 1998 to October 1999. I have provided professional training services since 1999, during which time I have delivered over 110 professional courses in programming and software design and development, for companies in the aircraft industry, computer gaming, banking, web development and the BBC.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to teaching and training pivots on the most important factor - passion for one's subject. I attempt to demonstrate to the student the power and beauty of what computing and programming involves, and place a firm emphasis on explaining concepts in the simplest and most day-to-day terms.

In the sphere of private tuition for children and young adults, I have found that working through past exam-papers with the pupil or student is an extremely effective way of helping the individual's understanding and exam performance to improve.

In the sphere of the professional training I provide, clients cite frequently my passion for the subject, the original and clear explanations that I use, and the depth of my technical understanding as the factors of note in their view of my services. Delegates on the professional courses I have delivered consistently give feedback scores of 85% and higher.

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Personal Description:
I am a native Greek speaker, born and bred in Athens. I am also fluent in English and have lived in England since 2000.



I am keeping in close touch with Greece and the Greek language, which allows me to maintain my fluency, accent and knowledge of the country and the culture.

Teaching Experience:
I am an English teacher by profession and taught Greek students in language schools in Athens for fifteen years.

My students attained excellent examination results throughout my career from junior to advanced levels.

I also held private tuition throughout this period.

Since coming to England, I have taught Greek privately to English speakers who were interested in acquiring knowledge of the Greek language for various purposes such as holidays, purchasing property in Greece (holiday homes and permanent residence) and conversing with friends & family.

Tutoring Approach:
First of all, I am a sensitive listener.

I am patient with excellent skills in conveying my knowledge to my students. Focusing on helping students to feel confident with the various aspects of the language without judging them.

Finally, I firmly believe that practice makes perfect, which is also my most significant approach to teaching.



I believe it is important that lessons are interactive and fun. The lessons are customised to the student according to their personal needs, following an initial friendly telephone discussion.

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Personal Description:
I am native Spanish speaker and a qualified and experienced Spanish teacher.

I offer Spanish lessons for all levels and purposes.

For GCSE, A-Level, DELE, IB, 11+, 13+ my student`s grades have been equal or above their target grades. This is because I prepare my lesson`s according to each student`s needs using a range of resources to cover all aspects of the language learning: Listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar.

For adult learners who are interested in using the language in real life situations in countries where Spanish is spoken, I adapt my teaching to cover life situations in which they will use the language abroad.


For A Level I cover all the books theater plays and movies within the curriculum: La casa de Bernarda Alba, Crónica de una muerte anunciada, Como agua para chocolate, Réquiem por un campesino español, La sombra del viento, La casa de los espíritus, Rimas, Las bicicletas son para el verano, El otro árbol de Guernica, El coronel no tiene quien le escriba, El laberinto del fauno, Ocho apellidos vascos, María, llena eres de gracia, Volver, Abel, Las 13 rosas, La lengua de las mariposas and any other.

I offer enjoyable lessons to all levels and I offer extensive out of lesson support providing my learners with activities to do in their free time and recordings of words for them to practice their pronunciation. I also give them links to web pages to further develop their knowledge of the language.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching Spanish for more than 15 years.

-Guildford College Of Higher And Further Education - 6 Years
-Guildford Adult Education - 6 Years
-Surrey Adult Education - 6 Years
-Time For Talking (GCSE and A-Level Exam Support) - 3 Years
- Freelance Spanish Tutor To adults - Sweden - 4 Years

Tutoring Approach:
In my opinion learning a language should be an enjoyable experience so I have that as a priority when planning my lessons.I also take into account the learner`s needs and their preferred learning style and prepare the lessons accordingly. It is very rewarding for me to help learners reach their expected results.

I help the learners solid grammar base that will allow them to express themselves in Spanish, both in writing and speaking as well as understanding what is written or said.
I adapt to the learner`s preferred learning style and methods. I am very friendly and easy to follow.

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Personal Description:
My 13 years experience working as a Principal Examiner included responsibility for writing your A Level and AS Psychology exam papers for a major exam board; awarding grades to students and writing the all important examiner reports. In this respect I have a true insight into how Psychology exam papers are set and marked having supervised the marking of thousands of exams since 2002. I was also part of the team that wrote and produced the new A Level Psychology specifications for 2008 and 2015.

I have been providing training and support to staff and students since 2003 and visit numerous schools and colleges regularly especially during the key revision season. I am a regular speaker for Keynote Educational Ltd and also run successful staff and student Psychology webinars.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 20 years teaching experience and have taught and examined for both AQA and Edexcel specifications at A level and GCSE. I have written articles for Psychology Review and am a published author having written textbooks at A level and GCSE.

Tutoring Approach:
Whether its simplifying content or more importantly understanding what the examiners want then look no further.
My sessions are always dictated by the needs of the student and we will typically focus on building confidence in understanding and answering exam questions. Getting your written abilities to match your verbal abilities is key as so many students know the answer but just cant write it down in the exam in order to get marks.
Exams have changed significantly so there is less guessing what's going to be on the paper and a heavier focus on applying knowledge to questions. I will challenge you to tackle these and other types of questions so you are fully prepared for them.
I always say 50% of your grade in August will be down to the correct type of revision and the other 50% is down to how you interpret the exam question, together we will successfully tackle both. I look forward to working with you, either face to face or online via Skype, and helping you achieve something special.

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Personal Description:
I am an outgoing, patient, and hard-working girl with short hair. I have finished both of my master's degrees at the University of Warwick within the field of Engineering and started to work on my Ph.D. degree from the Nov of 2020 for Autonomous Vehicle also at the University of Warwick.

Outside of my academic work, I have pursued many extracurricular undertakings throughout my life. During my undergraduate study, I served as the University of Liverpool Flash Mob Society President and led huge street performance activities which were broadcast by CCTV13 and several other television channels. Despite attending school in China, I took English A-Levels and I have attained high marks in English language exams. Further, I am a talented musician and, at the age of 11, I obtained a Level 9 certification (UK Grade 8 equivalent) in the electric organ. Also able to join several excellent internship opportunities.

Teaching Experience:
I have been worked in a company which teaches English to under-achieving Chinese children. These experiences have greatly improved my skills in self-assessment, teamwork and communication.

I have taught some friends I met at the University who were interested in Mandarin and after a term, they can do simple conversation with me.

Tutoring Approach:
I prefer to teach Mandarin based on a book with exercises on it. But I also believe that the most effective way to learn a language is freestyle conversation with different theme after several basic lessons. I am very patient and love to teach children during playing small games with them. During the current Covid-19 situations, the online meeting is preferred.

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Personal Description:
I have been teaching French and German for the past 30 years.
I retired from classroom teaching in July 2022, in order to focus on offering private tuition.
The bulk of my private tuition is French and German GCSE. However, I am also delivering German IB (diploma) and A level, as well as English as a second language.
I also have some adult learners as well as children from age 6-10.

Teaching Experience:
I have many years of teaching French and German at all levels but mainly secondary school.
I have worked for 27 years in two London comprehensives.
My results have always been excellent.
I have outstanding subject knowledge and am familiar with the main exam boards.
I also have access to all relevant materials.
I am currently working part time in a local secondary school teaching French and German A level.
My current tuition timetable includes:
French GCSE (AQA, Edexcel and Edexcel IGCSE)
German GCSE (AQA, Edexcel and Cambridge IGCSE)
German A level (AQA and Edexcel)
German adult learners - beginners.
English as a second language - IGCSE, IELTS
Beginner's German to adult learners as well as children aged 6-11

I have students attending UK top grammar and independent schools, as well as state comprehensives. I have experience in stretching and challenging the most able as well as helping students gain an acceptable pass in what is sometimes their weakest subject.
In the last two years, those of my tutees taking higher GCSE, have all gained grades 7-9 and those taking foundation, a grade 5.
All of this information can be verified on request.
I also have a number of adult learners for beginner's German. This has been very successful. Current students can provide testimonials if required.

Tutoring Approach:
I have done a lot of private tutoring, mainly GCSE but also some A level and adult learners.
I am a calm and patient teacher and know how to get the best out of my students.
Each lesson is tailor made to suit the needs of the individual.
I pride myself on being flexible and as a parent myself, understand that unforeseen circumstances can crop up. Therefore, I do not charge for late cancellations.

Recent, verifiable testimonials (updated August 2023, following GCSE results)

Alison was a great tutor. She is very easy to understand and made french as a subject a lot more simple for my son to understand. My son was originally getting 3s and 2s in his mocks, but she was able to assist him in getting a good result in the GCSE. I can't thank her enough for the help. She's a great tutor.
I would like to recommend her to everyone.

Allison has tutored my son for the past 2 years and I was delighted that he got a 9 for his GCSE German exam this year. My son took his GCSE exam early at the end of year 9 and his grade is a true reflection of what an exceptional tutor Allison is. Allison has been a truly amazing tutor and my son has thoroughly enjoyed his lessons with her. He will continue his tutoring with Allison as he has now opted to take A/S Level German next year. I highly recommend Allison if your child needs tuition for German.


Allison has been tutoring our daughter in French for the last few weeks, to help her prepare for GCSE's.
I cannot recommend Allison highly enough. She is easy to contact and on time to every lesson. My daughter was initially sceptical about having a tutor, but from the first lesson she soon saw the benefits. Allison is very personable and gave me feedback on what our daughter should be focusing on and how she has improved. Allison has great knowledge of the school syllabus and gave my daughter key areas to focus on outside of the lessons. I would like to thank Allison for giving our daughter more confidence in what used to be one of her weaker subjects

Allison provided tutoring for our daughter ahead of her GCSE in German. She knows the syllabus extremely well and identified the main areas on which to focus. She was very flexible on when she could come to our house and helped our daughter get the most out of each hour of tutoring. The overall impact was very positive with our daughter getting a 9 in her GCSE. I can thoroughly recommend Allison to anyone looking for help in either German or French.

We had Allison for about a year, and my son continues enjoying the lessons. Allison is very reliable, personable and flexible. She understands the help and support that is required for my son and applies her skills and knowledge to help. Her calm manner and being very accommodating are helpful add-ons to the help we get from her.

I was so busy to let you know how impressed my boys are of both of you. Because of you and his German teacher now, D. studies German with pleasure.

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Personal Description:
Hi! I am a PhD student at the University of East Anglia in Environmental Sciences.
Previous to this, I was a research assistant working in climate change fields at the University of Cambridge and completed a masters degree in Animal Science

In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, sports and playing the piano.

Teaching Experience:
5 previous tutees.
Cambridge University Undergraduate Supervisor for over 15 final year undergraduates.
Demonstrator (Large group teaching) for Undergraduate to Masters Level at the University of East Anglia

Tutoring Approach:
I am happy to adapt tutoring to suit you! I want to help students not just be able to learn the subject but also understand and appreciate it. I understand that not everyone has the same learning style so am keen for trying out lots of techniques.

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Personal Description:
I am a highly experienced and passionate tutor of Modern Greek and I hold a degree in teaching Greek as a foreign/second language.

My twelve-year experience includes teaching Modern Greek to both adults and students of primary and secondary education in Paris, Scotland, the US and Greece both in-person and online. I also worked for five years at the Greek School of Glasgow as a teacher of the Greek language for both adults and teenagers. In addition, I was coordinator and examiner of the Certificate of Attainment in Greek (Ellinomatheia) and the Edexcel Pearson Qualifications for Modern Greek in the UK.

According to your language skills and your experience, we will create together an enjoyable teaching-learning environment in order to achieve your goals and to communicate fluently in Greek. Our creative lessons will include cultural knowledge, geography, literature, music, food recipes, and a lot of speaking and listening together with grammar and vocabulary. Don't hesitate to contact me and book a trial lesson.

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- Lesson plans targeted at your needs and goals.
- Lessons are based on well-organised PowerPoints, including full grammatical and vocabulary analysis, texts, videos, speaking, and listening exercises. The PowerPoint after each lesson is sent to the student.
- Grammar and vocabulary templates of our lessons.
- Speaking practising, focusing on specific topics and small talk (role play, speaking cards, targeted questions, games).

Teaching Experience:
Twelve years of experience in teaching Modern Greek:
- Greek School of Glasgow: adults classes, children and students for Edexcel Pearson Qualification in Modern Greek (GCSE, GCE AS, GCE A level)
- Private tutoring to individuals in Scotland and France
- Distance online teaching with students from the UK, France, and the US.

During my collaboration with the Greek School of Glasgow, I was appointed as the official coordinator of the school's language exams such as the Edexcel Pearson Qualification in Modern Greek (GCSE, GCE AS, GCE A level) and the exams for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek. My responsibilities included ensuring all the students' registration and application processes and communication with the official bodies of the exams. In addition, I was appointed as an official examiner for speaking and listening sections of the Certificate of Attainment in Greek, the official exams of the Greek Ministry of Education.

With careful guidance, high commitment, compassion, and encouragement during lessons, my students demonstrate remarkable progress in learning Greek. During the exams, most of my students perform better than their predicted and achieve outstanding results.

Tutoring Approach:
I tailor my tuition to the individual according to their needs, demands and objectives, encouraging them to create critical thinking towards learning. Using communicative language teaching techniques and focusing on a positive learning environment I set high goals respecting the objectives of the lesson and the abilities and needs of the student.

With a variety of learning strategies, I adapt my teaching approach to the learner's personality and needs. In order to support students, I provide their progress log and detailed feedback on their improvements and weaknesses with clear strategies of progress. I use a wide variety of teaching materials ranging from course books to stories, newspaper articles, videos, and songs. I methodologically provide resources for lessons through simplify and well-organised lesson plans in line with the objectives of the learners and/or the exams' curriculum.

My aim as a tutor is to create with my students a deep understanding of the language and confidence in communicating. My teaching is based on the idea that learning happens in a positive and mutually respectful environment, with passion and love on teaching and learning the Greek Language.

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Personal Description:
Nurturing and calm individual who has experience working with early years upto high school age in a classroom setting. Degree in disability and inclusive practice.
Based in Cheshire and currently working in a primary school.

Teaching Experience:
Qualified TA for 10+ years. Huge amount of SEND experience, working 1:1, general class support, interventions and whole class PPA teaching.
Also taught first aid to children and adults for many years

Tutoring Approach:
Flexible approach depending on needs of the learner. We must build up a good working relationship and form the trust to get the best from them.

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Personal Description:
Hello Parents and Students,
I have a First Class Degree in Chemistry and am a qualified Chemistry Teacher, with 18 years of teaching experience, including as Head of Chemistry in a Boys' Grammar School.

I love tutoring privately and am really proud to say that all of my students from last year achieved an A* or A and most went on to study Medicine or Dentistry.
I charge an extremely reasonable rate compared to other Tutors with similar experiences.

Teaching Experience:
I tutor students, both face-face and online, from schools in the surrounding areas, including Tiffin Boys and Tiffin Girls Grammar School,
NHEHS for Girls,
Haberdashers',
Gumley School and
The Heathland School.
With online tutoring now just as common, I also tutor Students from all over the country.

As a current teacher, I have extensive knowledge of the EDEXCEL, AQA and OCR Specifications, as well as the CIE Board, at both A-Level and GCSE level, including IGCSE. In my role as a Chemistry Teacher, I also cover the Core Practical skills with all A-Level students.
I am also an Examiner for the Edexcel Examining Board.

I am therefore fully equipped to give the best to all my students, regardless of which exam board their school teaches to.

Tutoring Approach:
I take on a friendly approach to learning and always make the student feel that they can succeed, regardless of where they start at.

I like to spend a little time with my students trying to find out where their strengths lie and then work with them on their weaknesses first. I provide a clear set of notes, which I prefer to give as the lesson proceeds. This allows the student to be fully engaged in the work and gives them the chance to stop me at any point and ask questions, change direction or spend more time on a particular section than originally intended. I like to provide the student with exam questions to work on in their own time, because I feel the tutoring time is better spent consolidating key concepts. This way, I find students are much better prepared to tackle a range of exam questions and more confident in approaching unfamiliar situations within the exam context.

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Personal Description:
I'm a fully qualified science teacher and the current Head of Biology at a large secondary school. With over 20 years of experience in education, I specialise in helping GCSE students succeed in Biology by building both subject knowledge and exam confidence. I also work as an examiner for AQA GCSE Biology, so I know exactly what examiners are looking for and how to help students maximise their marks.

Teaching Experience:
I've taught Biology across Key Stage 3 and 4, with a particular focus on the AQA GCSE specification. As Head of Biology, I lead curriculum planning, exam preparation, and targeted intervention strategies to support student progress. I also mentor early career teachers and trainee teachers, supporting them to deliver effective and engaging lessons. My work as an AQA examiner gives me valuable insight into how exam questions are marked and how students can approach them with confidence.

Tutoring Approach:
My tutoring sessions are calm, focused, and tailored to each student's needs. I focus on building a secure understanding of key topics, strengthening exam technique, and improving confidence. I use a combination of clear explanations, structured practice, and real exam-style questions. As an experienced teacher and examiner, I can help students refine their answers to meet the mark scheme and feel well prepared for their exams.

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Personal Description:
I'm a professional guitarist and experienced guitar & music tutor with over 20 years' teaching experience, offering one-to-one guitar lessons and full-spectrum music tuition for all ages and abilities. I've taught hundreds of students over the years, from complete beginners and adult returners, to GCSE/A-Level students, Grade learners, gig artists and advanced learners preparing for performances or music grades.

As a session-trained musician and long-time performer, I've played to audiences of over 40,000, but my real passion lies in one-to-one teaching: helping people fall in love with music, build their confidence, and develop solid skills they can carry for life.

I teach from my dedicated home studio in Kings Langley (Hertfordshire), or online via Zoom / other platforms. I also offer in-person visits depending on location and availability - please note this is quoted on a bespoke basis, depending on travel.

Teaching Experience:
I've run my own private guitar tuition practice for over two decades, having taught 300+ pupils across all ages (4+), styles and learning needs. I've also taught many pupils remotely, for example one being in The Bahamas! Many of my students stay with me for years, and I've supported people through all stages of their musical development - including school performances, first gigs, grade exams, worship songs for their church attendance, and even songwriting and composition.

Alongside children and teens, I regularly work with adult learners, professionals, and those looking for a creative outlet or confidence boost. I also have extensive experience working with SEN children, neurodivergent adults, stroke survivors, and elderly learners, with an emotionally intelligent, calm and encouraging approach.

I'm DBS-checked, insured, and trained in both practical and theoretical music education.

Tutoring Approach:
I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all method. Every student is different, so I tailor each lesson to the individual, blending technical skill-building with musicality, theory, rhythm, and creative expression.

Whether you want to learn acoustic or electric guitar, improve your rhythm, read sheet music, play your favourite songs, or work on improvisation and confidence, we can shape a path that fits your goals and learning style.

I'm friendly, supportive, and committed to helping you enjoy the process as much as the progress. My job is to make learning music feel exciting, achievable, and something you look forward to each week.

For online lessons, the rate listed applies. If you'd like me to travel to your home for lessons, I'm happy to do so depending on your location - in this case, a bespoke rate will apply. You're also very welcome to come to my home studio in Kings Langley, where I teach most of my in-person sessions.

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