Llanwrda Tutors & Llanwrda Tuition

Personal Description:
I have had a passion for Physics from a young age, deciding then I wanted to study to degree level. Once completing my masters degree I worked in industry for 3 years doing blue sky research for BAE SYSTEMS. I decided that, whilst the intellectual rewards were great, I wanted to work more closely with people which prompted my move into teaching.

Teaching Experience:
I am a currently practicing teacher with 20 years experience at a high achieving independent school. I have experience teaching a range of abilities: from straight A students to students struggling on the D/E borderline.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe students progress best when they are confident to give problem solving a go. As a tutor I will go through the theory with tutees but my prime focus will always be how we apply that theory in practice. I expect tutees to be willing to make mistakes whilst working on problems with me so I can see where the flaws in their understanding are and help them correct them. I will also expect tutees to submit work for me to mark outside of our sessions so I can assess their progress.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Data platforms - data engineering, cloud, big data, etl, pipelines, data bases, data governance (dq,mdm,rdm,profiling,data lineage), data security, business intelligence, data science (from data platform perspective), data lakes, data warehouse (edw/dms)

I have been in informatiion technology industry for more than 22 years in various roles, industries and working with variety of platforms and it is time to help the ones that are looking for a career in it or casual learning. By education I am a mechanical engineer and did various software related trainings as part of the job.

Teaching Experience:
Currently I am teaching CODE University Students from Germany.

My teaching most of the times has been to juniors and client users and in the process of helping couple of individuals. The training can be catered for Individual needs based on their interest.

It doesn't cost you to ask any questions, if you have have as part of your enquiry.

Tutoring Approach:
It doesn't cost you to ask any questions, if you have have as part of your enquiry.

It is not similar to university or training centres but I more concentrate on practicalities and how soon the learner can get to applying for jobs with confidence and right skills and start a career.

The training includes landscape of the IT projects, document writing skills, technical skills and soft skills (can be arranged) if required.

This approach helps you to not to spend years in the college/university or attending various trainings in training institutes without knowing the real world.

Please ask me for more details.

Some IT areas that are always in Demand are: Business Intelligence (Data Warehouse + ETL + Reporting ), Databases etc..

For e.g.
Data Warehouse databases : SQL Server, DB2, Oracle, Teradata etc..
ETLs: Informatica, Datastage, Talend, Pentaho, ODI, OWB, Business Objects etc...
Reportings: OBIEE, Business Objects, Cognos, SSAS & SSRS, Qlikview etc...

The fee is negotiable.

Subjects

Personal Description:
DO YOU NEED A TUTOR FOR EXAMS/RE-SIT EXAMS THIS YEAR? LOOK NO FURTHER!


GRADE 1 OUTSTANDING - OFSTED (from 2002 to 2024!)
I have been the Head of Accounting since 2006, at a large Catholic Sixth Form College in Hulme, Manchester. I am 46 years old, living in Didsbury, South Manchester. I gained my degree in Economics and Finance in 1998 from Leicester University. I began teaching in 2002 so have many years of experience teaching Accounting.

I mainly offer tuition at my home, or a local library, either at the weekend, or weekday evenings. However, I am usually able to offer tuition during the school/college holidays.

Teaching Experience:
I completed my PGCE at Manchester University in 2002. I only teach Accounting AS and A2 Level, and this is therefore my main specialism. I can also help students in need of tutoring on the Finance elements of the Business Studies A Level, or on Accounting/Finance elements of Business/Accounting/Finance degree courses.

I teach the AQA specification.

Many tutors are not willing to advertise the results they have achieved with students. I recommend you read the section below on the results i have achieved with my A Level Accounting students.

Also, many tutors seem to offer tuition in a wide variety of subjects. Are they really specialists in so many different subjects? I am an Accounting specialist, and only offer tuition in Accounting or the Finance elements of a Business course. If you need a Maths tutor, then hire a Maths specialist. If you need an Accounting tutor, then hire me!

Tutoring Approach:
Many other tutors seem to describe their strategies/relationships etc, without mentioning anything concrete like exam results! Surely the one thing a prospective student wants to know about is exam results!?!? Read on.

I have an incredibly strong track record of results at A Level Accounting. Compare the results of my students against the national benchmarks below. Please compare the difference between my students, and the benchmarks. We are WAY ahead!


My A Level Accounting students in 2022:

Grade A*-B = 79%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2022:

Grade A*-B = 43%


Each department within the college is graded according to the college's own internal validation procedure. I have been graded as 1 'OUTSTANDING' for 17 years on the row, since I became head of the department!!!

The Accounting department was also graded as 1 'OUTSTANDING' in the last OFSTED report in Jan 2023. Key Findings from Ofsted:

"A high proportion of students achieve grades A and B. In A-Level Accounting more than two thirds of students gained a high grade (A-B). In AS Accounting, almost four times the national average achieved a high grade (A-B)."


I have been awarded grade 1 on the ALPS measure for value added on 3 separate occasions in recent years. This means i add more value to my students than any other college in the country. Value added measures the difference between what the Government predicts a student should achieve at A Level based on their GCSE performance and what they actually achieve.

Here are the previous years results, so you can see that the performance is ALWAYS impressive, and WAY ABOVE benchmark.


My A Level Accounting students in 2021:

Grade A*-B = 63%


Benchmark A Level Accounting 2021:

Grade A*-B = 47%


My A Level Accounting students in 2020:

Grade A*-B = 61%

Benchmark A Level Accounting 2020:

Grade A*-B = 44%


My A Level Accounting students in 2019:

Grade A*-B = 47%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2019:

Grade A*-B = 33%


My A2 Accounting students in 2018:

Grade A*-B = 47%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2018:

Grade A*-B = 37%


My A2 Accounting students in 2017:

Grade A*-B = 63%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2017:

Grade A*-B = 40%


My A2 Accounting students in 2016:

Grade A*-B = 51%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2016:

Grade A*-B = 35%


My A2 Accounting students in 2015:

Grade A*-B = 48%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2015:

Grade A*-B = 34%


My A2 Accounting students in 2014:

Grade A*-B = 56%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2014:

Grade A*-B = 36%


My A2 Accounting students in 2013:

Grade A*-B = 68%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2013:

Grade A*-B = 38%


My A2 Accounting students in 2012:

Grade A*-B = 68%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2012:

Grade A*-B = 36%


My A2 Accounting students in 2011:

Grade A*-B = 54.54%

Benchmark A2 Accounting 2011:

Grade A*-B = 35.12%



My A2 Accounting students in 2010:

Grade A*-B = 67.35%


Benchmark A2 Accounting 2010:

Grade A*-B = 37.36%


My A2 Accounting students in 2009:

Grade A*-B = 66.67%


Benchmark A2 Accounting 2009:

Grade A*-B = 35.83%


My A2 Accounting students in 2008:

Grade A*-B = 77.27%


Benchmark A2 Accounting 2008:

Grade A*-B = 33.93%

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Gabriela and I am certified to teach english as a foreign language. I am currently at university and I have a passion for teaching. I am dedicated and hardworking and really enjoy seeing students improve.

Teaching Experience:
I volunteered along side an ESL teacher for a year helping her with teaching the class and creating activities for the class.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to focus on the students needs and try to speak only in english. I like to use a variety of activities to keep the class interesting and fun.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have a BSc and an MSc in science and a PhD in engineering and have a theoretical and practical knowledge of maths and science. As well as that I have a lot of experience in industry and working around the world. I follow my family tradition in tutoring maths and science in my spare time, helping students, in particular those needing extra help and confidence in their studies. My husband and I have two children aged 17 and 13, we have a cat named Peter and have lived near Hereford for over 12 years. I volunteer at Marden Primary Academy as a classroom assistant and thoroughly enjoy helping out.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring maths, physics, biology, piano and theory of music for 2.5 years and have done home-schooling.

Tutoring Approach:
A patient approach, finding where a student is and then leading them on to a secure standard, with a feeling that it wasn't so difficult after all. Visual learning techniques are employed where possible in addition to learning by muscle memory, coordinating with any school work and homework so that there is no confusion with approach. I really enjoy tutoring and have fun which I think enables the students to ask questions which perhaps they were less able to do in a classroom environment.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a Common Entrance tutor specialising in the 7/8/11/13+ exams in all subjects.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 20 years tutoring experience.

Tutoring Approach:
Patient, firm and thorough.

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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.'

*

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.'

*

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.'

*

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!'

*

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 was graduated from The University of Hong Kong, major in Mathematics. As a person enthusiastic in Mathematics, I am familiar to analyze the problem and find out the solution logically. Therefore I can explain to the student not only how can I find out the answer, but also why can I know the method so that my students can understand the whole concept clearly. In addition to teaching, I would also be patient to ask the student questions to find out what they are misunderstanding so that I can correct their concept. So my students always can follow the progress in my lesson.

Teaching Experience:
I have more than 10 years one-to-one tutorial and 6 years group tutorial experience in maths. Mainly teach the students in the age between 12 to 17. The teaching content include explain the concept, consolidate the formula and skill by massive practice and train the examination skills. Although I taught maths in Hong Kong syllabus mainly before, I also have taught some students in GCSE. Therefore I also understand the syllabus in GCSE.

Tutoring Approach:
In my teaching experience, I think the most important point is let the student understand the concept so that they know what they are do, rather than just remember the formula and methods. Therefore in my lesson, students can expect they would touch much of different types of question to challenge their thinking. I think such critical thinking type of teaching method is the most appropriate to the teenage group of students. Of course I would also provide the exercise for their consolidation, teach how to use the calculator, exam skill, etc. to help the students to get a good result in their examinations.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a former City analyst with 20+ years experience and moved into teaching in higher education nearly 7 years ago.

Teaching Experience:
Over 7 years teaching experience in higher education and have been tutoring online since Jan 2022.

Tutoring Approach:
I am currently a lecturer in Finance at the University of Stirling and have two Masters degrees in Finance and Economics and have commenced a PhD in Economics and Business Administration at LUT (Finland). I have experience of tutoring Maths and Economics (A level and Scottish Highers) online and enjoy teach both of these subjects outside my teaching hours in the evening and weekends (Saturday only). I am a patient teacher and like to identify topics where candidates need help.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a Greek native speaker. I worked as a teacher of Greek Language and Literature at The English School, Nicosia - a historic, prestigious secondary school in Cyprus - from 2006 - August 2022.

During my 16 years at the English School, I have taught Greek as a second/foreign language at different levels, as well as Greek as a first language from KS3 to IGCSE and A-Level. I am well familiar with the Pearson Edexcel Qualifications, since I have been teaching and marking these qualifications for many years.

I hold a Master's degree in 'Greek Language and Literature' and a Bachelor's degree in 'Classical Studies and Philosophy'.
I love teaching because I believe in progress and change.

Teaching Experience:
Advanced GCE in Greek (listening, reading and writing) (9GK0) (2019-2022)
Advanced Subsidiary GCE in Greek, Unit 1: Understanding and Written Response (2006-2018)
Advanced GCE in Greek, Unit 2: Understanding, Written Response and Research (2006-2018)

IGCSE Greek (First Language) (4GK1) (2018- 2022)
O Level Modern Greek/IGCSE in Modern Greek (2006-2018)

Greek as a second/foreign language (pre-A1- B2) for adults (2004-2006) and teenagers (2006-2022)

Modern Greek Language and Literature for native speakers (KS3 - KS5) (2006 - 2022)

Classical Greek Civilization (KS3) (2006 - 2022)

Classical Greek Language (KS3) (2006 - 2022)

'Certification of Very Good Knowledge of Greek Language', Ministry of Education of Cyprus (2006-2019)

Tutoring Approach:
Well-prepared and structured lessons.

Differentiated teaching according to students' needs and targets.

Interactive work on all skills (Listening, speaking, reading, writing)

Use of active learning strategies.

Targeted support and guidance for exams: past paper practice, use of success criteria, effective feedback.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hey! I'm Elena, a native Russian speaker living in the South-East of England with my family. I've been deeply passionate about teaching English and Russian since 1996 when I started my own language school in Russia. The joy of running my school led me to explore languages and cultures.

After moving to the UK, I continued teaching English. When my daughter was born, I faced the challenge of teaching her Russian in an English-speaking environment where even Russian kids speak English. Determined to make it work, I dove into innovative techniques for teaching Russian as a foreign language. For the last 12 years, I've been successfully teaching Russian to school-age children and adults. I'd love to help you on your language-learning journey!

Teaching Experience:
Over the years, I seamlessly integrated teaching into various jobs I had, catering to diverse age groups-from school-age children to adult learners.

I've enriched the educational journeys of thousands of students throughout my career, a source of immense pride. Thanks to my guidance, students have not only excelled in school exams but have triumphed in entrance exams to prestigious Russian and Russel Group Universities. Many have propelled their professional journeys to new heights. Notably, some of my students have mastered English to such a degree that they secured admission to the Academy of Foreign Intelligence-a feat known for its formidable challenges.

I have over 25 years of experience in teaching English as a foreign language and 12 years of experience in teaching Russian as a foreign language. I offer the following tutoring:

- Teaching English as a foreign language to school-age and adult learners on a 1-2-1 basis and in small groups
- Teaching Russian as a foreign language to school-age and adult learners on a 1-2-1 basis
- Preparation for GCSE - Russian
- Deliver tailored courses for businesses e.g. Business English
- Preparation for TOEFL and IELTS
- Preparation for the Life in the UK Citizenship test

Tutoring Approach:
As a dynamic and performance-focused tutor, I provide engaging lessons that are tailored to the individual's goals and needs. My priority is to teach students how to speak and understand the language, ensuring significant progress within just one month.

My comprehensive language tutoring includes the development of speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. Additionally, I offer insights into the culture and traditions of the country, providing students with a holistic understanding of the language. I use modern techniques and a wide range of resources to ensure the steady progress of all my students.

I am pleased to offer both one-to-one lessons and small group sessions online.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm Chelsea,

I live in a small rural village with my family - i enjoy gardening, walking, playing games and hanging out with my cat.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching for over 10 years as a private tutor and giving language taster sessions at events.

I usually teach online but in-person is also an option!

Tutoring Approach:
I am super flexible when it comes to tutoring. We will discuss what your learning style is and adapt each lesson to that with the aim to make week on week progress.

I try to include fun topics and things that are relevant to your hobbies and interests so things are easier to remember!

Subjects