Osmaston Tutors and Osmaston Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a full-time specialist tutor and experienced teacher with a PhD in English Literature and philosophy. Informed by over a decade's experience in the secondary and undergraduate classroom, my tutoring practice stimulates student independence and confidence when encountering challenging texts. I work with students studying KS3 Literacy, GCSE English Language and Literature, A Level English Literature, and undergraduate English, Literary Theory and Philosophy. I also work with students confronting the challenges of 11+ and 13+ examinations and GCSE and ALevel students engaged in homeschooling.

A recent client review (with many more available on request):

'It has been a revelation for my 12 year old to be tutored by Tom in English Literature. He is an exceptionally gifted teacher. He is qualified to teach at a much higher level than key stage 3 and the depth of his own relationship with the subject matter really shows. It is matched by his talent for allowing the student the time and space to arrive at their own understanding of the texts he teaches. His patience and understanding have been a tremendous benefit to my child and it has been wonderful for me to watch her confidence and her sense of herself grow as Tom has listened to her. I should mention that Tom knows his way around the exam system very well, and can teach tools for exam performance. However my opinion is that his true value is in his willingness also to set those types of goal aside, and model a true love of literature to his pupil.'

Teaching Experience:
I have tutored and homeschooled online and in person since 2012 in KS2 Literacy and Literature, 11+ & 13+ examinations, KS3 literacy, and GCSE/A Level examinations in English Language and English Literature across the full range of exam boards. From September 2017 to June 2024 I worked in London as a secondary teacher of English Literature and Language, RSE and Citizenship from KS3 to GCSE, with an 100% pass-rate at 7 (A) and above.

Between 2011 and 2016 I worked as a teacher of undergraduate English Literature and Literary Theory at the University of Glasgow (2012-2016), teaching over 300 students overall across a wide range of undergraduate modules. This work included course design and delivery, marking, feedback and administration, and the development of bespoke lectures and workshops in poetry. More recently, I worked as an associate lecturer in Creative Writing and Literary Theory at the University of Essex (2017-18). In 2015 I was nominated for a University of Glasgow Student Representative Council Student Teaching Award in the category 'Best Postgraduate who Tutors'.

I'm also a specialist in editing, proof-reading and academic writing more broadly. I was a regional editor of The International Journal of Badiou Studies for a number of years and I recently co-edited a special issue of the Journal of British and Irish Innovative Poetry. My book of philosophy, 'Badiou, Poem and Subject', is published by Bloomsbury (January, 2020). I continue to review prospective philosophy manuscripts for Bloomsbury. I am also a published poet with five published collections and numerous publications across a range of independent journals and magazines including Granta.

Tutoring Approach:
My tutoring practise is about building relationships: it's hugely important to me that I offer a non-institutional, supportive and lively space in which I can respond not only to a student's individual challenges and ambitions but also to what they find most stimulating and pleasurable in their work. I deliver bespoke tutorials designed to foster enthusiasm, confidence and pleasure-seeking in reading and writing; but I also prepare those of my students sitting exams to be canny, to 'play the game' with expertise.
In person, I work with a wide range of resources tailored to the needs of individual students, whether they're preparing for their GCSE or A Level English exams, struggling to read poetry for the first time or experiencing problems in their undergraduate coursework. But I'm also a strong advocate for online learning: my online tutorials are lively and collaborative, using Google docs to create vibrant shared documents full of live feedback.

I have a huge amount of experience in exam preparation across the full range of exam boards. I also offer structured tutorial series to help students become acquainted with the nuances of 11+ and 13+ examinations, including elite comprehension and creative writing coaching.

My KS3, GCSE and A-level students benefit from approaches and methodologies used in the study of philosophy, literature and creative writing at undergraduate level.

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Personal Description:
Trained actor/singer. Good communication skills at all levels. A self-motivator with good interpersonal, interviewing and management skills. A 'people person' who believes in bringing the best out of others.

Reliable, responsible, honest and keen to improve subject skills and knowledge all the time. A person who can work to time constraints and adapt to change as required with an engaging character, able to build effective rapport with groups and individuals.

A positive thinker who believes in integrity, respect and fair play who can learn from his own (and other people's) mistakes, turn setbacks to an advantage and avoid stress. An effective listener who can interpret discussion and provide constructive, tactical feedback.

Teaching Experience:
Please note I don't teach Computer Studies or Programming Languages. I specialise in Microsoft Office with some general knowledge on building/setting up home PC's and networks.

An ICT teacher with 15 years experience in an FE college specialising in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook) Internet Explorer and Windows, delivering primarily to adults but all ages welcome.

I delivered ECDL, DiDA and many other courses/units over the years and always to a high standard. Students have included the unemployed, corporate clients, mums returning to the workplace, 16-18s and all manner of the employed.

I have: been a programme area leader for adult learning and a manager of an IT centre, run in-house training for staff, been a tutor to the NUT and the NHS and have built/maintained PCs on the side.

I am also a qualified Internal Verifier and Assessor. A full CV is available on request.

Tutoring Approach:
The personal progression of the student is as important to me as their knowledge and skill in the topic. It is very much the 'teach a person to fish' mentality, and I relish watching a person grow in confidence as they appreciate the underpinning skills that the logic of computer use is built upon.

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Personal Description:
I have a background in senior industrial and commercial management, both in the UK and overseas; also senior experience in the public sector (local government and NHS). I took time out in my thirties to gain my PGCE.

Teaching Experience:
I have never taught full-time (although I was once up to around two-thirds of a full timetable). I have worked in further education colleges and as a supply-teacher, mostly in secondary. In addition, I have long experience as a governor of my old private-sector school, so understand very well the requirements for successful 11+ and 13+ entrance. I have been tutoring since 2000, and have a multitude of "success-stories".

Tutoring Approach:
First and foremost: flexibility. Equally, I have a wealth of life-experience, across sectors, so can, as my students have often remarked, bring subjects to life: they are seldom bored, if ever. I also have a large stock of teaching resources and past examination-papers and tests. I combine light-heartedness and a level of informality with a focus on the need to meet objectives and achieve results(sometimes having set them).

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Personal Description:
I am married, and live in Gloucestershire with our two Chocolate Labradors. Prior to teaching, I worked in advertising and then recruitment for 10 years. I have been teaching for the greater part of twenty years.
I am an avid reader, and keen amateur actor.
I speak basic - and extremely rusty! - French and German.
My other interests include tai chi and kung fu, yoga, weight lifting, and juggling.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked in education since 2003, initially in the primary sector and since 2007 in secondary. My initial experience was as a Teaching Assistant, working with children with special educational needs, including one to one teaching of pupils with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Between 2003 and 2007, in addition to working in both primary and secondary schools, I tutored English and Maths at KS2 and KS3.
I took my PGCE in English and Drama in 2007, and taught full time secondary English Language and Literature at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 for 10 years. I have been an English tutor for KS3, KS4 and KS5 - both face to face and online - since 2019, working with students aged 11-18.
In my last school, where I taught for 10 years, I started and ran the Debating Society, the Mock Trial, and was also involved in a number of educational trips abroad.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is open and relatively informal. I feel that tutoring works best when a relationship is established between myself and the student - they should feel free to ask questions, raise issues, and discuss any aspect of the work that interests them. It's very different to being taught in the classroom: in addition to individual attention, it also offers the opportunity to read and study texts not on the curriculum which can augment and strengthen the school syllabus. English is essentially a skills based subject. Although there is a lot of content to learn at both GCSE and A level, students benefit from being able to access and flexibly use the techniques needed to study and criticize. Reading, debating, and discussing a variety of texts enables the student to develop and apply these skills in lessons and exams.

Tuition is available in English Language and Literature for all secondary years, including GCSE resits. I can also tutor pupils preparing for the 11+, and scholarship entry in Year 7 or Year 9. Tutoring sessions are specifically geared to the student's individual needs, and may include functional literacy, close discussion of a set text, exam revision, and past papers. We can follow a specific syllabus, with the flexibility to focus on any particular aspect of the curriculum if so desired, or study more organically, choosing interesting and challenging texts that offer the opportunity to learn effectively while developing a strong set of English skills.

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Personal Description:
I am a very experienced teacher of English and Drama at GCSE, A-level, undergraduate and postgraduate levels. I believe that every student has the potential to make progress and that with the right direction this is possible. In my experience students develop in a supportive environment and I work hard to make this a key part of my teaching practice. This is based on my teaching experience that ranges from year 7 to postgraduate, through which I have developed an excellent understanding of learning styles and how they impact exam results.

Teaching Experience:
Primary/GCSE - Math
GCSE - English Literature, English Language, Media
A-Level - English Literature, English Language, Media, Drama
Undergraduate - English Language, Media, Drama
Postgraduate - Media, Drama

I am currently Curriculum Leader for KS4 GCSE English Literature/Language in a school. This means that I manage the progress of 1200+ students as they prepare for exams. I provide GCSE English training to staff and have consulted at other institutions.

I have also had Examiner training for GCSE English Language.

Tutoring Approach:
I work to identify areas of concern and ensure that we are focused on closing any gaps in knowledge in a friendly and supportive way. Lessons and homework is supported with excellent quality materials, which I write myself. These and other strategies ensure that students feel confident about their work and are able to apply their knowledge in exams.

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Personal Description:
I am a PhD student at the University of Manchester researching materials for applications to nuclear fusion. I am deeply passionate about my subject, although I understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea! I try my hardest to help my students increase their confidence, enjoyment of the subject and, of course, their grades.

Teaching Experience:
I have been an online tutor since October 2019 and have seen some of my students make 3 grades progress in 3 months. I have worked with a variety of exam boards including international qualifications.

Tutoring Approach:
I try to keep my sessions relatively relaxed as I strongly believe that the best way to learn is when you feel most comfortable. As a fellow student, I can relate to my students and offer them some advice about their studies outside of the classroom. I leave the content of my sessions up to the student to decide, but a typical session would feature a discussion of the content followed by applying the relevant skills through exam practice.

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Personal Description:
I am Marcin Bernard, an artist and art educator who mainly specialises in painting and sculpting on wood and stone. I have been painting and sculpting since twelve years of age. I completed MFA in Fine Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk in Poland. I have currently moved back to the United Kingdom with my family and am loving in York.
I am passionate about creating art, and I would like to inspire and teach students to be creative and effective in art and use art skills in life.

I believe it is essential to impart the story of Art, its developments and its power over centuries till the present times. Art is still very much alive and able to revolutionise our culture that impacts our societies at a global level going beyond its aesthetic ability to communicate to the masses. I believe Art is taught better as a praxis where the practice and theory are equally essential to engage our students and better equip them to become artists with altruistic nature, identifying and developing their potential by providing them with guidance. I have also sought opportunities to employ innovative approaches to enhance the delivery of my art lessons capitalising on traditional and digital art techniques, technology and online platforms with significance.

Teaching Experience:
I genuinely enjoy working together with the students. When I conducted a stone carving workshop at NIE( National Institute of Education) in Singapore, where I taught students how to transfer 2D ideas to 3D but carving directly onto limestone, it can be an upheaval task for students but to scaffold them to visualise their plan, see through the process from beginning to the end, problem-solving, tweaking, translating the 2D idea into 3D effectively, seeing them succeed and execute, gave me the feeling of satisfaction and joy. I realise then this is what I want to do, to teach. It was very different from an artist satisfaction.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is to find out the strength as interest of my students and to guide them to develop them and also to work ideas and think through their narratives and purpose of their work of art or art project. It can also be skill based if the child wants to develop skills, or to facilitate help towards their academic but as well discover the artistic talent in them while working towards their academic projects.

Every student is different and I would contribute by imparting skills such as observation, analytical cognitive processes, technical ability such as drawing, painting, sculpting. Also, to help students consider the story and the art-making that would best express and communicate the intended narrative. To gain knowledge about the medium through experimentation, execution considering composition, and art elements as simple as lines that are essential and part of the creative process in learning aesthetics by exposing the students to look at various art forms and observe our daily grind from everyday life. Enabling students to communicate, to articulate the value art can give and impact our society. I want to facilitate learning and journey with my students to become independent, comfortable and satisfied with the creative process of creating their artworks innovatively. Recently, I have been researching and exploring digital means and understanding what this means in today's world and culture.

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Personal Description:
I'm currently in my second year of college studying A-level economics, A-level maths and A-level business.
I went from failing all my subjects to getting predicted Bs, this has led me to wanting to help others fall in love with the subjects they're struggling in and achieve great results. I will be studying economics at university therefore economics is the subject that I'm most confident at and can help first year students only, as for help regarding GCSE maths I'm open to tutoring students in year 8 and year 9.

Teaching Experience:
I've previously helped helped younger family members with their homework, classmates and friends.

Tutoring Approach:
I personally prefer that the student brings a question(s) that they need help on and I can assist them. However I believe that the same technique might not work for some students and therefore I'd ask whether they'd prefer to get support on specific topics or a specific style of question.

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Personal Description:
Please note - for the 2023/24 academic year, I am only offering online lessons.

As a student of mathematics for over 25 years (and counting!), I have dedicated the past five years to making mathematics accessible to secondary students around the world.

After graduating from the University of Birmingham with a 1st Class BSc Hons in Economics, I worked as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant at professional services firm, PwC.

In search of a more fulfilling profession, I made the move into teaching through the Teach First programme in 2018 as a secondary mathematics teacher. Since then, I have taught as a qualified classroom teacher in the UK and as a Head of Department (Mathematics, Science, and Design) in China helping students from the age of 10 to 19 achieve their academic and personal goals.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught Maths as a qualified teacher in UK secondary schools. I then went on to teach Maths, Economics, and Business Management at an international school in China, where I was also Subject Group Leader for Maths, Science, and Design.

Tutoring Approach:
As a tutor, I will:
- arrive to lesson with materials prepared
- highlight areas where the student's understanding is correct
- identify the student's misconceptions
- welcome "why?" and "what if?" questions
- guide the student through worked examples
- give the student opportunities to display their knowledge

I work with the student to ensure they:
- arrive to their lesson equipped and ready to learn
- explain their thought process when solving a problem
- ask the tutor "why?" and "what if?" questions
- organise knowledge by creating meaningful notes

My aim is to:
- guide students to build an understanding of mathematical concepts, rather than relying on merely teaching procedures
- support students with their in-school learning, rather than acting as a replacement for school-based lessons
- help students overcome maths-related anxiety; no topic is considered to be "easy" and the focus is always on making progress
- build a positive tutor-student relationship where students are comfortable making mistakes

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Personal Description:
I have been working with children and teaching for over 20 years. I love teaching children of all ages. I really enjoy seeing children progress and their confidence grow. This is one of the reasons I really like tutoring, due to the progress being so rapid.

I live in Nuthall, Nottinghamshire with my husband and two children. Since having children, I have worked part time in schools and also I have done lots of tutoring.

Although I enjoy teaching a variety of subjects in Primary schools, I enjoy teaching maths the most. I think this is because I found it so hard at school. I really understand the barriers a lot of children have in maths and love to help them to develop a love of it.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a primary school teacher for 17 years. I have taught mainly in key stage 2 but I have experience of key stage one.

I have worked mainly in year 6 preparing children to pass their SATs and also I have tutored children to pass their 11+ exams. Being a year 6 teacher for such a long time has made me extremely confident in helping children to revise and succeed in their assessments.

I have worked closely with children who have additional needs throughout my career and I have attended lots of training in the past to support this. During the school day I tutor a large number of children who are not in education (for various reasons) and have lots of experience in helping these children.

I will adapt learning to the individual need of your child/children. Making it as interactive and fun as possible.

Although I am trained in Primary I am happy to work with secondary children who need additional support too.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to try tailor the sessions to meet the needs of the individual. I love doing this because it is something that all children need but as a classroom teacher of 30 is not always possible.

If your child needs active learning, if they need lots of repetition to make the learning stick then I can do that. I will try to make the learning as fun as possible and I will also provide home tasks (optional) to support your child's learning in between sessions.

Any questions or just for some advice or a chat please get in touch. I also run group sessions each week which are obviously cheaper than the 1:1 option.

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Personal Description:
I'm passionate about photography and the opportunities it affords for creative storytelling. I have a particular affinity for photographing 'the inbetween', unloved spaces sometimes referred to as liminal space.
Based in the northwest of England.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching A Level Photography (at an Ofsted OUTSTANDING college) for the past 12 years and have most recently undertaken a Head of Department role with responsibility for all creative subjects, including Fine Art, Graphics and Textiles, in addition to BTEC Art & Design.
I have a track record of helping my students to achieve excellent grades whilst allowing them to create highly personal projects.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that there is a form of photography to suit everybody, regardless of experience or access to equipment and software. I believe that successful outcomes and therefore high grades result from a willingness to 'get out and take photographs' and a enthusiasm to be experimental in how those images are edited/presented.
Students must be willing to engage in independent study/research and to act upon constructive feedback.

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Personal Description:
I am a Mathematician and Computer Scientist with 30 plus years plus experience working across both research institutes and business firms. I have a bachelor degree in "Mathematics and Computing", a Master degree in "Mathematics - Numerical Analysis" and a Doctorate degree in "Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence". I am friendly, enthusiastic and honest. I am also bilingual - English and French.

Teaching Experience:
I have tutored Mathematics and Computer Science to "GCSE" students and above. I have given 1-2-1 tutoring/coaching to individuals, and courses/seminars to small and large groups of university students and professionals.

Tutoring Approach:
I provide friendly, relaxed lessons either individually or in groups of up to twelve students, tailored exactly to the requirements of my students.

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