Horfield Tutors & Horfield Tuition

Personal Description:
I am an experienced tutor and have been tutoring for the past 20 years. I am friendly and supportive and tailor learning according to the pupil's individual needs. My specialism is 19th & 20th century history and I am especially knowledgeable about British and American history. I teach pupils essential research and study skills including effective exam techniques. I have also tutored English language at secondary and GCSE level with good results. I aim to inspire confidence in my pupils and promote enthusiasm for learning in a supportive environment.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a tutor for over 20 years. I have also helped out in primary schools on a voluntary basis and I have part completed a PGCE in Upper Primary (1999). I am have completed a PGDE at Bury College so I am qualified to teach in further and higher education.

Tutoring Approach:
I am supportive and caring and I encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. I aim to inspire confidence by teaching them essential study skills and exam techniques. I teach pupils to break down learning into manageable chunks and teach them to analyse and revise their work. I make my lessons interesting and I am warm and friendly which puts pupils at ease. I also have a good sense of humour and aim to build up a strong rapport with pupils. I ask pupils to contact me between sessions if there are any concerns and I fully update parents on their child's progress.

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Personal Description:
I was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, and moved to Yorkshire 20 year ago.

I speak 4 languages and being over here has given me the opportunity to teach my mother tongue, which I thoroughly enjoy!

Teaching Experience:
I have always taught languages - both in Spain and in England. I have had students from a wide spectrum - from 5-year-olds to the retired. This has given me a very good insight and experience into the needs of every particular student.

I am a qualified teacher and I've taught in colleges, secondary schools and on a one-to-one basis. Since the rise and development of online tuition after 2019, I have also taught online both for schools and privately, and I am well acquainted to teach in this environment using a variety of platforms (Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom).

I also work for a large distance learning organisation as a free lance tutor of IGCSE and A Level. My teaching involves supporting students with their learning and also live online tuition on a one-to-one basis as well as groups.

I have been an AQA and a Pearson Edexcel examiner for GCSE and A Level Spanish for over 10 years and I am deeply acquainted with the old (2016) as well as the new (2024) GCSE Specifications.

Tutoring Approach:
I am naturally friendly and easy to work with. My approach is flexible, adaptable, and responsive to the individual's needs. My aim is to ensure progression and success at any level.

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified teacher and tutor of six years' experience. After studying Physics at Imperial College, I taught maths and physics at a private tutorial college in Kensington before gaining a PGCE Teaching Certificate from the Institute of Education (University of London). Currently I teach physics at Tiffin Boys grammar school in Kingston as well as tutoring physics and maths. I am fully CRB checked through the school.

I can also provide tutors to cover other subjects outside my field of expertise. At your request I can arrange tuition from qualified teachers and experienced graduate tutors. Tutoring sessions can be arranged at our base in Wimbledon or at your home.

Teaching Experience:
I have helped many students to gain top grades at A-Level (AS/A2), IGCSE and GCSE, physics and maths, all major boards (Edexcel, OCR, AQA, WJEC) and I have tutored many younger students to pass entrance exams for independent and grammar schools. My students have gained entrance to top schools including Eton (King's scholarship), Westminster, Winchester, Whitgift, Trinity and King's College School. I also specialise in scholarship papers and have helped students gain scholarships, including the notoriously challenging King's Scholarship for Eton College and the Westminster Challenge. In addition, I have prepared numerous students for the 11+ and 13+ Common Entrance papers used by many grammar and independent schools: non-verbal reasoning as well as physics/science and maths. I also have experience working with younger primary school pupils, both in preparation for prep school exams and boosting general maths/reasoning skills.

Levels covered include:
• A-Level (AS, A2: Edexcel, OCR, AQA, WJEC)
• GCSE/IGCSE (Edexcel, OCR, AQA, WJEC)
• Common Entrance (Maths, physics/science, non-verbal reasoning: 13+ and 11+)
• Entrance and scholarship exams (Eton College/King's scholarship, Westminster/Westminster Challenge, Winchester, Whitgift, Trinity, KCS)
• Primary school

Please contact us if you would like to discuss a programme of tutoring suitable for your child or if you have any questions regarding tutoring.

Tutoring Approach:
I offer one-to-one tutoring personalised to each student's individual learning style and course of study. I use my in-depth knowledge of exam requirements to support students' learning. I also provide tailored follow-up activities to foster independence and challenge students to progress their own understanding.

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Personal Description:
My name is Jaynish and I am a working professional in Banking industry. Currently working in Banking industry as a Manager. I have completed my Bachelors and Masters in India and MBA in UK. I am specializes in mathematics, science,biology and a native learner of Hindi and Gujarati. I started my teaching activity back home with nearby children to my house,try to help them to solve their problems with Maths,Science and Biology and since then have loved every minute teaching someone.

Teaching Experience:
2 years teaching experience to the neighborhood students in India. No formal qualification in teaching or experience other than teaching neighborhood students, however, I can offer a wealth of Maths knowledge gained and implemented during my educational and workplace career.

Tutoring Approach:
Practical and activities based teaching with feedback. I access the needs of the tutee and plan my lessons accordingly.

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Personal Description:
I am a very experienced senior architect and interior designer, and diploma in teaching from The Coventry City College (PTLLS) I'm experienced in Spanish lessons for many years in the UK and in Spain, I am self-motivated, extremely punctuality, inspirational, work effectively within a group and private if require. I am a confident, fun person with a clear understanding of students needs. I enjoy motivating people and use a pro-active and manage different teaching style.

Teaching Experience:
My teaching experience in Spanish language is more than 10 years long. I deliver Spanish classes in Spain for foreigners in Madrid and Malaga, and here in UK, I deliver classes for different organizations and private academies, like. Coventry Research centre for the Blind People, Open Hands, Sacred Hearts Foundation and The language academy "Sunflower Languages" in Rugby.

Tutoring Approach:
All classes allowing students to learn in a relaxed environment and is proven to be the most effective way of language learning. If you feel daunted by the thought of learning Spanish in a large group, my sistem is for you. Small or private class size allows for attention to the individual student, more active participation for each student and therefore better and faster language learning.
I always organice many different activities, (spanish cinema, shoping, reading,invite spanish people to mantain conversation with the students, and many extra out-door activities)

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Personal Description:
I am an experienced tutor specialising in maths, science and entrance exam tuition. For over 10 years I have helped my students achieve their goals. Whether it's pushing for the top grades for your university course or getting that all important GCSE pass to access your dream college course, I will equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to succeed.

I know what it takes to get the top grades, having achieved a clean sweep of A*s at GCSE myself. I continued my education journey studying Maths, Biology and Chemistry A level at The Blue Coat School Liverpool, before graduating from the University of York with a BSc (Hons) Chemistry.

Fast forwarding to today, I am a leader in education policy with a deep and broad understanding of the UK education system. But just as important as my "day job", I am fortunate to still do what I love - helping students achieve their goals through my one to one and group tuition sessions.

Teaching Experience:
I began tutoring over 10 years ago, initially focussing on 11+ entrance exam tuition, but later diversifying to cover GCSE maths and science, and then A level Maths, Biology and Chemistry Tuition.

I have helped many primary school students pass entrance exams to get into the top grammar and private schools in the country, and in many cases continued to support their Maths and English development to help them get ready for secondary school.

For secondary school students, I have provided support to students across each of the key stages, each with different goals. In the earlier years, I have coached my students across maths and science to make sure they are on top of the course content. The difference made by offering a recap to content covered in school is really quite astounding, with my younger students excelling in end of topic tests and avoiding the dreaded homework struggles for that topic they just didn't quite grasp the first time.

At GCSE, I have supported my students both in getting across the pass line, and pushing students sitting on a Grade 7 in class to a Grade 9 come GCSE results day. In all cases, I am experienced in identifying areas of weakness, making sure my students have the fundamentals to understand the topic, before drilling exam questions and considering from all different angles.

Nothing is more rewarding than coaching my A level students to get the grades for the course of their dreams. I have been fortunate enough to help many students on their journey, with former students reaching the grades they need to study courses including medicine, veterinary science, biology, chemistry and biochemistry.

Tutoring Approach:
It's all about the foundations. When students start lessons with me, I find even the brightest students almost always have gaps in basic knowledge. Often these are not picked up at school, masked by exam technique or being good at past papers. However, when the real exam comes round, only a mastery of the foundations of each topic will allow students to access the highest-grade questions.

In our first lesson together, we will speak through your goals - is it getting into a grammar school? Passing your GCSE Maths? Getting an A in Chemistry A level? Whatever the goal, I will then talk you through what is needed to get there. And to be upfront, that will mean work outside lessons as well which I will help guide you through. We will then speak through your progress so far - recent test scores, topics you're struggling with, revision habits - and I will use this to build up your bespoke programme for our lessons.

In our lessons I will then focus on mending the foundations of each topic. This is achieved through a combination of explanations, focussed practice and past exam questions. Before we move on to a new topic, my students should be able to explain the concept back to me in detail, ensuring all the needed content is covered.

When explaining a topic, I will ask LOTS of questions to make sure learning is active throughout. For example:

A proton has a positive charge, neutron neutral charge, and electron negative charge. Now tell me what charge a proton has.

This type of questioning is critical and is really the difference between learning in lessons at school compared to one to one or small group tuition. Making sure my students have a comprehensive understanding of each topic is critical to success.

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Personal Description:
Hello, I am a Spanish native speaker and I studied two degrees about Education and Foreign Languages Teaching.
Currently, I am working as a Spanish Tutor in a College and Spanish&Early Years in a nursery.
I also worked as a Spanish Teacher Assitant in Reigate Grammar School.

Don`t hesitate to contact me, I`ll try to do my best
Thank you very much for your attention.
See you!
¡Hasta pronto!

Teaching Experience:
I can help children, teenagers and adults with different goals like official exams (GCSE,A Level, PGSE, University level...) travelling, socializing, living abroad, any reason actually. The lessons are mostly focused on Speaking and Listening, in order to help prepare you to communicate well with native Spanish speakers. I also cover off Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing and Reading - these are all very important in becoming fluent in Spanish.
When I help kids to work towards their GCSE or A level exams, my lessons are more formal and structured. but whatever the lesson, I always try to make my students feel comfortable and relaxed, no matter what age they are.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching style is relaxed and I aim to build your self-confidence in Spanish,
I also organize other activities related to Spanish language.
Moreover, I offer a wide range of prices and packs for every kind of needs and availability. (One to one and groups)

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Personal Description:
Covering letter and statement

I believe art has always been a universal language, between people from different cultures and people of same culture but with different backgrounds, interests and experiences.
To me, art has to give a message, a feedback to the society and creates a some kind of social awareness of changes that always happen in our world.
In my work, I like producing art pieces which will bring people together in a discussion or an argument. To make them stop and think about things in life they may never considered before, which they will only enjoy doing so through the fantasy of art

I have been a loyal student to BCU, where I obtained, both my Fine Art degree and my MA in Art and Education Practice. Planning for my PhD research study too. This post will help me through my research and will give me a good access to both teaching and research. I have been looking for this opportunity to teach alongside my PhD study.
I became a practicing artist and researcher in the subject of Britishness and modern values since 2003. Working from my studio as well as researching . I am interested in culture diversity and community. I am quite focused on research and combining my work with strong evidence. I also have been teaching Arabic and have strong knowledge of the Middle East culture and I can give support to students coming from the Middle East, including helping them to gain confidence and engage with other fellow students. I also have great experience with special needs, being a mother of an autistic boy.
I have been developing my research skills for 13 years. I am quite an independent researcher and always looking for new methods to reach the maximum point I get to with my research. I believe in creativity and in carrying out new methods that suite different projects. Supporting my art work with strong research give me great credibility.
Supporting others too is a great passion for me. I always been involved in teaching both Arabic and art. I like passing my experience and knowledge to students, directing them to new research methods and making them independent researchers themselves. Good results requires good supervision. I believe students fail when they were not giving the right support or did not have a supervisor who understands their potential and help them enough throughout their study.


Khloud

Teaching Experience:
I have been also teaching Arabic to all age groups both in schools and privately for 16 years

Tutoring Approach:
I enjoy working with others in their projects and I like engaging them in mine. Good team work is essential for me. I have great experience in communicating with people of different cultures and backgrounds. I always update my research and analyse my outcomes and findings regularly. I am quite calm and patient. I listen to students and give them time, attention and respect.
I believe in fairness and equality. I have a great respect for education and all what it stands for in terms of diversity and giving equal opportunities to every student and member of staff. Helping others reaching their potential in a safe environment is essential in education programs and practices
I am most interested in helping students becoming Encouraging creativity in research carried out by students. No limits.

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Personal Description:
I am Ian, a friendly and enthusiastic mathematician, a former teacher of maths and physics A Levels while living on the south coast of England, now relocated to Glasgow. I believe that there is much beauty to be found in mathematics and science and try to convey this appreciation alongside the technical skills required to get you through your exams. These subjects don't have to be the impenetrable list of technicalities they are often portrayed as!

I offer tutoring for Mathematics (A Level, Higher, Advanced Higher and IB Diploma), Further Mathematics (A Level) and Physics (A Level, Higher and IB Diploma).

I can tutor at your home in the Glasgow area, at my home in the West End of Glasgow (near to Partick, Kelvinhall and Hillhead subways), or online via Zoom for students based anywhere in the UK.

I have a first class BSc (Hons) degree in Mathematics and its Applications from the University of Sussex. When friends asked me how I managed to get a first in my degree, I'm afraid I could only offer a traditional answer - hard work, and a fair amount of it. Maths is one of the hardest subjects to bluff your way through, and although it's possible to scrape by with a passing acquaintance of the concepts involved, you will never do particularly well without a deeper understanding of the subject. However, this shouldn't be taken as a cause for despair - far from it! With a proper understanding of the subject, a real empathy with the "why" rather than the "how", mathematics not only becomes far more interesting but also easier. I always aim to help students see the bigger picture and how the disparate parts of your course syllabus fit together.

Teaching Experience:
I have several years of recent experience of teaching A level Maths, Further Maths and Physics at a school in the south of England. While living in England, I have tutored students from across Brighton and Hove (and occasionally beyond), and have a good understanding of the common barriers to success that students encounter and how to help overcome them.

Tutoring Approach:
Everyone's tutoring needs are different. To make sure that I can offer you the help that you need, I usually start by arranging a visit to you at your home. For students living with parents or carers, this is an ideal chance to meet with everyone and make sure that we are all happy with the arrangements we come to. The topics we can discuss include general points (why are you considering tutoring? What would you like to get out of the experience?) and more practical issues (are you studying Highers/Advanced Highers, A Levels or taking the IB Diploma? Which exam board are you studying? If studying Further Mathematics, which options are you taking?). There is no charge for this first meeting.

If we are all happy to proceed, we can discuss the timing and frequency of tutoring sessions.

I also tutor online using Zoom - this is easy to instal and configure, and I can help you get set up with this. There is no restriction to your location with this option.

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Personal Description:
I am a committed, caring and experienced teacher with a proven track record of bringing out the best in students and helping them to attain excellent results across all ability levels. I have been particularly successful at stretching those students aiming to achieve the highest grades. I have stepped back from teaching for a few years to care for my two young children full-time but I miss teaching a lot and helping students to achieve their potential. My favourite books to teach include Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby and The Handmaid's Tale, but I love teaching students to appreciate the power of words across a variety of different styles and genres. Former students would describe me as dedicated, hard-working and personable.

Teaching Experience:
I taught all year groups at a high-performing state school for six years between 2012 and 2018 before I left for maternity reasons. I am an experienced teacher of both GCSE and A Level. I was Second in Department for the last two years before I left and also held the roles of Head of KS3 and KS5 in my department before this. Sixth form teaching is my particular area of specialism as I headed up a school -wide team which sought to innovate effective teaching strategies to appeal to this age group.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly and caring teacher who seeks to get to know her pupils' interests as well as their strengths and weaknesses. I am keen to review past work and feedback to gain a deeper understanding of knowledge/skill gaps. My approach is highly personalised to these needs. I am also focused on exam requirements and assessment criteria to maximise success.

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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.'

*

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.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a 19 year old apprentice in Oxford who has always had a strong interest and competency in mathematics.

I am friendly, approachable and have a passion for helping others improve.

My other passions include sport, particularly weightlifting.

I believe that with hard work and the correct positive mindset, people have the ability to achieve great accomplishments and meet their goals.

Teaching Experience:
I have previously tutored a GCSE level student, as well as running training sessions at work for clients/new colleagues.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in order for a student to achieve their potential, they must enjoy they way in which they are being taught maths. I therefore think it is important to tailor the way in which maths is taught to each student to make learning more entertaining and engaging.

Subjects