Puddington Tutors & Puddington Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a PGCE-qualified teacher with two Master's degrees, and I also serve as a Cambridge International examiner. My teaching expertise covers Mandarin GCSE (9-1), IGCSE, GCE (A level), HSK, Japanese GCSE (9-1), and JLPT qualifications. I teach my students both on-site and via Zoom for private students.

Teaching Experience:
I teach both Mandarin and Japanese at local independent schools and universities, and I am also an experienced private tutor. I instruct both simplified and traditional Chinese, as well as Japanese, to both native and non-native students, including professionals. Over the past decade, my students have consistently achieved outstanding results in Edexcel Chinese (9-1) and Japanese GCSEs (9-1), earning A* and Grade 9. Additionally, they have excelled with As in A-level Chinese.

I've successfully tutored numerous students who pursued further 'Oriental studies' at Oxford University, completed an MPhil in Chinese studies at Oxford, and Japanese at Leeds University and Cardiff University.

In addition, I possess a strong working knowledge of the national curriculum and am very familiar with the demands and expectations of both state and independent schooling.

Tutoring Approach:
Encouraging, effective, student-centered approach, and developing a love for learning.

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Personal Description:
I am a fully-qualified professional teacher with more than 30 years of teaching and tutoring experience, both in the UK and abroad. I regard myself as a friendly and approachable tutor, as well as honest and conscientious, and I pride myself on being able to communicate with students of all ages, from pre-teen to pensioner.

I am the father of two boys, and we live in the Sutton area. My wife and I successfully tutored our sons for Sutton's grammar schools (WCGS), and they have since both graduated from top Russell Group universities. My hobbies are limited to reading these days, and I am particularly fond of English Literature. Dickens and Hardy are two of my favourites, but I am also keen on modern and less serious writers, such as Tom Sharpe and the two Rankins - Robert and Ian.

Teaching Experience:
After obtaining my first degree in Spanish with Politics and Economics, I started teaching abroad; first in Spain, then in Turkey, and later in Central Asia and the Middle East. Since retraining as a teacher of English, I have taught for more than 15 years in the UK and almost 15 years abroad, where I was Head of Department at an Institute of Higher Education for three years.

Most recently I have taught English at an independent school in Sutton, and previous to that I taught Academic Writing for East Anglia University for several years. Nowadays my tutoring is split between English for the 11+ and Common Entrance (13+) exams, English for KS2 and KS3 SATs, and English, Spanish, Economics and Politics & Government for the GCSE and A-level exams (all boards).

11+ and 13+ (Common Entrance)
I am very happy to report that all but one of my twelve Eleven Plus tutees passed the SET (Selective Eligibility Test) for Sutton's grammar schools last September. Of these, 100% of them passed the second stage exam and obtained their first choice of grammar or independent school. I use a selection of published materials and those of my own creation, and insist on a high standard of weekly homework in reading, writing and language knowledge. For 11+ pupils I start tutoring in Year 4 or 5, whereas 13+ pupils begin in Year 7 or 8.

KS2 and KS3 SATs
I usually start tutoring for the KS2 SATS in Year 5, and in Year 8 for the KS3 SATs. I tend to use a mixture of focused texts and past papers.

GCSE and A-level
I am equally happy to report that all of my most recent GCSE and A-level students have passed well, with top grades from B to A* (A-level) and 6-9 (GCSE). The majority of those have gone on to their first choice of further and higher education institutes, and in most cases this has been achieved by my insisting on regular homework done to a high standard. For GCSE pupils I prefer to start tutoring at some time in Year 10, whereas A-level students typically begin around Year 12.

I also provide individual tutoring in ESSAY WRITING and STUDY SKILLS, as my experience has taught me that many students at GCSE, A-level and undergraduate level face real problems in these areas. By working together on your essays, substantial improvements can be made in style, organisation, argument, presentation, and much more. This way, I can teach you how produce more effective and mature essays, and thus help you to obtain better grades and increase your confidence in producing written work.

Tutoring Approach:
With every tutee I carry out an initial assessment of his/her needs and abilities, and my teaching begins from there. Typically I work on improving their weaknesses and consolidating their strengths, and this essentially involves them producing high-quality homework on a regular basis. I use both established published materials and those that I have created myself over the years. This approach appears to be successful, and I can provide references.

Over the past twelve years I have successfully tutored students for the following schools and universities:

Schools: Sutton Grammar, Wilsons, Wallington County, Wallington High, Nonsuch, Whitgift, Trinity, Wimbledon High, Kings School, City of London, Reigate Grammar, Caterham School, St John's, Westminster, Epsom College, Ewell Castle, and many others.

Universities: Manchester, Warwick, City, East Anglia, St Martins, Lincoln, Kings, LSE, UCL, Nottingham, Reading, Birmingham, Bournemouth, and several others.

Please note that my fees are very affordable, bearing in mind that I travel to your house and offer a personalised tutoring programme.

I currently charge between £48 and £52 per hour, depending on subject and level.

NB: Any tutoring that involves more than 6 miles travel (round trip) usually incurs a small extra charge.

If you are looking for a fully-qualified, highly-experienced and versatile tutor, you need look no further. Here are a few messages from some of my most recent successful tutees:

Hello Jeff, I just got my IELTS results and I FINALLY passed it! Listening 8, Reading 7.5, Writing 7, Speaking 7.5 and it's 7.5 overall. I would like to THANK you sooooo MUCH for your help and all advice you have given me! It would not be possible otherwise. (Vanja)

Sam got into Wilsons and we are pretty sure that his English performance carried him through. Sam said we ought to say 'thanks' to you as you made a massive difference to his standard of English in a very short period of time. Not sure how, but you made something click in his brain where his school teachers had failed! (Cathy)

Hi Jeff, hope you are well. I am extremely delighted to tell you that Rick has a place at Westminster, and we are going ahead with that. He has also had offers from HABS, KCS and RGS Guildford. Thank you so much for all your support. (Animesh)

Hi Jeff, just to let you know that Dillon got a place at Sutton Grammar on Monday. He also received places at Whitgift, Trinity and Epsom. We have decided to accept Sutton Grammar, and thank you for all your help and time.
Thanks - Paulomi and Dillon.

Dear Jeff! Thanks you so much for tutoring me last year. You have helped my English greatly and without your advice and guidance I would have had a nervous breakdown when I was given the task of an essay. You taught me about causal connectives, signpost words, paragraph structure and much more vital strategies of writing an amazing essay.
Finally, I am happy that I got a place at Wilsons and know I would have failed the English language test without what you taught me. I am very grateful that you gave up your time to help me pass.
Yours Sincerely, Makar

Hi Jeff, I hope you're well. I just wanted to let you know that Andriy got offered a place at Whitgift and we have accepted it. Thank you very much for helping and recommending this great school to us. Andriy is really excited about it and cannot wait to start.
(Oksana)

Dear Jeff, sorry for the delayed reply as we are in India. Rishi has done well, has received English Language 9 and English Literature 7, and scored 8 in six other subjects. He could achieve good results only because of your support. Thanking you.
(Chandra)

Hi Jeff, I am pleased to inform you that Mahati cleared the 2nd round. Her cut-off score is 354. We hope she gets into either of the two schools. Thanks a lot for your support throughout.
(Sassi)

Hi Jeff, Tamana's results have come in for the Sutton Stage 2 test. She has passed with a relatively good score of 315, and based on last year's stats, she should get in comfortably to Nonsuch or Wallington. Thanks for all your lessons that significantly helped her in the preparations.
(Vedant)

Hi Jeff, hope you're doing good. We have got the exam outcome, and Samrudha is able to apply for Nonsuch. Her score is 309, and the highest total score is 389. Secondly she has cleared Tiffin's Stage 1 test and has been invited for Stage 2 on November 11, and we would like to take your help whenever possible.
(Kirthi)

Hi Jeff, I just wanted to let you know that Ed passed the entrance exams for all three schools. Thank you so much for all your support! (Emma)

Hello Jeff, I hope you are well. Vivaan passed the exams for Wilson's, Wallington and Sutton. He also got through Tiffins Stage 1. Thanks very much for your help and support! His English improved massively under your guidance.
Kind regards
Jyothi

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Personal Description:
I am a professional actor and director. My work is primarily in the theatre both in the UK and Internationally. I continue my career in the theatre and balance this with my teaching work.

Teaching Experience:
I have a wealth of teaching experience as a professional performer. I have tutored in schools, colleges and also at The Arden School of Theatre in Manchester on the first year acting study course. I have directed numerous student productions and taught children and young people drama technique. I also have extensive experience within the disability arts sector and specialise in working with children with special educational needs.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a supportive approach to teaching and specialise in facilitation technique. My work is child/adult centred and I encourage students to take risks and find their "voice." My work gives the student confidence and improves self-esteem.

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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:
James is a freelance theatre director who trained at RADA and the Kings Head Theatre in London.

I have directed several theatre productions at drama schools, fringe and off-west end theatres. As an Associate Director, I have worked in the West End on numerous productions including The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe and the Olivier and Grammy-nominated Amelie The Musical. I have also worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company as an Assistant Director on their sell-out show A Christmas Carol starring Adrien Edmondson.

Teaching Experience:
In my early career I taught at Theatrix Performing Arts School and directed students through Trinity College London acting examinations as well as public performances. My students achieved a 100% pass rate with Merits or Distinctions in their performance examinations. Theatrix recently gained notoriety after alumni Ambika Mod starred in the hit Netflix television series One Day.

I have been a guest director at three drama schools including Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Drama Studio London and Court Theatre Training Company.

Tutoring Approach:
I focus predominantly on text analysis when working with students on the practical and performance aspects of theatre. I use exercises, improvisations and games to engage them with the scenes they are working on.

I try to facilitate a students' personal creativity when working with them on theoretical theatre work; I encourage them to use their own ideas and opinions. It is my view that theatre is not objective, so allowing personal style is very important.

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Personal Description:
I am a Spanish tutor from Spain with 13 years of teaching experience, specialising in online tuition for GCSE/IGCSE, A-Level, IB, university students, adults and professionals.

I hold a Master's degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language and a PhD from the University of Oviedo (in Spain). I also hold a current DBS certificate and have received more than 180 five-star reviews across independent tutoring and review platforms.

I work with students across the UK and internationally, offering structured one-to-one online lessons tailored to each student's level, objectives and course requirements.

My work includes GCSE and IGCSE preparation for AQA and Pearson Edexcel, A-Level Spanish, IB Spanish B at SL and HL, university Spanish, and adult and professional tuition.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught Spanish for 13 years in both Spain and the UK education sector. My experience includes teaching at the University of Oviedo, working in secondary education and many years of full-time private tuition.

I regularly work with students preparing for:

• GCSE and IGCSE Spanish
• A-Level Spanish
• IB Spanish B at SL and HL
• University Spanish courses and examinations
• Adult and professional Spanish

For examination students, lessons combine exam preparation with the language development needed to improve performance in speaking, writing, reading, listening and translation.

I have worked with students from complete beginner to advanced level, including students aiming for the highest GCSE, A-Level and IB grades.

Tutoring Approach:
Lessons are individually planned rather than based on a fixed course. The starting point is always the student's current level, their goals and the areas that are limiting their progress.

For GCSE, IGCSE, A-Level and IB students, this normally means combining exam technique with targeted work on grammar, vocabulary, accuracy and communication. For example, a student preparing for an A-Level speaking examination may need speaking practice, but also more accurate grammar, stronger vocabulary and a wider range of structures.

Adult lessons are adapted in the same way. Some students want a clearer understanding of grammar, while others are more interested in conversation, travel or using Spanish professionally.

All students have access to an individual shared online document containing lesson notes, vocabulary, grammar explanations, exercises, corrections, homework and additional resources. This provides a clear record of progress and makes revision easier between lessons.

Lessons take place online using Google Meet and shared Google Docs. I provide the teaching materials, so students do not normally need to purchase a textbook or subscription.

I place particular emphasis on clear explanations. Rather than simply correcting mistakes, I help students understand why an error has occurred and how to avoid it in future.

For school students, I am also happy to communicate with parents when appropriate and provide feedback on progress and areas that require further attention.

A laptop or desktop computer is recommended for lessons.

Cancellation Policy

As tutoring is my full-time profession and lesson times are reserved specifically for each student, I operate a 48-hour cancellation policy. Lessons cancelled with less than 48 hours' notice are normally charged in full. Wherever possible, I am happy to accommodate changes when sufficient notice is provided.

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Personal Description:
I grew up in Peru and lived in the USA and UK before moving to Brazil for 10 years and Bolivia for 2 years before returning to England (Taunton and London). Mike my retired-vicar husband also worked in Africa and served as advisor at The Royal Institute of International Affairs.We have four grown-up children, each born in a different country, and as a family we all share a fascination with different cultures, religious beliefs and ethnic groups. My interests include foreign travel, cooking from around the world, candle-making, films and play-fighting with our cat Mimi. I enjoy teaching children games and crafts, reading spy novels. and voluntary work with youth groups.

Teaching Experience:
After obtaining my CELTA Certificate from the prestigious International House in London in the year 2000, I accumulated almost 3000 hours teaching experience on a one-to-one basis with Home Language International, Concordia International and Crest School of English, Edgware. Since 2002 I have provided residential tuition for over 120 tutees, who have travelled to our home from countries as diverse as France, Italy, Russia,Siberia, Brazil, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Germany, Holland Argentina, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Japan, Germany and Spain. These students have varied in age from children to grandparents, and include a number of married couples.

Tutoring Approach:
I prefer the richness of residential tuition, since cultural immersion can lead to deeper relationships and a more holistic grasp of the culture behind the language. Nevertheless I have also a wide experience in one-to-one teaching in daily or weekly sessions. I quickly adapt my material to the ability and requirements of the pupil, making use of visual aids, games, cuttings tape recordings and other kinaesthetic tools to make lessons more interesting, and often draw on a wide range of personal stories from across the world to illustrate the material. When the tuition is residential, I supplement the formal lessons with visits to local attractions, depending on the students' particular areas of interest;-
• English Mediaeval History (Berkeley Castle and Gloucester Cathedral)
• Jane Austin and Georgian England (Bath and Cheltenham)
• Industrial Archaeology (Stroudwater Canal, Sapperton Tunnel and cloth-mills in the Golden Valley)
NATURE
• Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust
OTHER
• Cotswold Attractions (Bibury, Stow-on-the Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Moreton-in-Marsh)
• London
• The filming of Harry Potter (Gloucester Cathedral, New College Oxford, Chepstow, Symonds Yat and Lacock Abbey)

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Personal Description:
With over 90 dissertations completed with a specialist in Qualitative Research (Critical Discourse Analysis, Grounded Theory, Thematic Analysis, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Heuristic and Relational Analysis) all achieving 2/1's and above I can offer complete support.

I also provide essay support for students, teaching content style, how to research, reference and build an argument to achieve a good 2/1 with quick results or for the student who wants to learn about critical analysis and logic a more comprehensive support to gain a 1st.

I also provide exam preparation and support for those who have anxiety and need to prepare well ahead for the examination. As a trained therapist I adopt a person centred style to achieve results.

Teaching Experience:
My teaching experience is extensive, having taught at Kings on the Medical Course for a number of years, Birkbeck and SOAS as well as South Bank University. Currently I teach on the Masters Course and have supervised numerous dissertations to a high level. My expertise is in qualitative methods where I did one of the first phenomenological Doctorates looking at the lives of male substance users, whilst working with them therapeutically.

I currently work with students to do qualitative dissertations ranging from Kings, UCL, LSE, Goldsmiths, Queen Mary's and City Universities. I can work all the way up to Doctorate level and have worked with four counselling psychology students, two criminology, one Sociology and a Psychology student. At Masters level I have worked with law students, nurses, Social Workers and Sociology students.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is drawn from Bruner, Vygotsky and Rogers, based upon scaffolding the student to build their confidence and expertise so they begin to develop their own expertise. Within an exam for example students require a deep knowledge of understanding of what is required and therefore need support to be able to do this. Essay writing requires a different set of skills, such as being able to research a topic and move to building an argument. For many students this requires considerable scaffolding at first.

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Personal Description:
I'm a native Greek teacher with over 8 years of experience helping students of all levels. I hold a BA in Philosophy and Education and I'm currently studying for a MA in Language Education for Refugees and Migrants. I love traveling, meeting new people, and exploring cultures, and I bring that same curiosity into my teaching. With strong communication skills and a supportive approach, I make sure every lesson is personalized, practical, and enjoyable, so you can feel confident while learning Greek at your own pace.

Teaching Experience:
Greek Language Courses (2018-2021): International House of Bristol

Private Tutor (2015-current): Private lessons for students of primary [Greek, History] , secondary and high school [Modern Greek, Ancient Greek, Latin, Greek, History, Literature] and adults.

Teacher of Ancient Greek Language in 2nd Experimental School of Thessaloniki, Greece (2015)

Teacher of History Classes in 8th High School of Thessaloniki (2014)

Teacher of Modern Greek Language in 11th High School of Thessaloniki (2014)

Tutoring Approach:
My lessons are student-centered and flexible, always adapted to each learner's needs. I focus on communication and confidence-building, encouraging students to use Greek in real-life situations. With strong communication skills and a supportive approach, I make learning practical, engaging, and enjoyable.

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Personal Description:
I am 36 yrs old, happily married to my lovely wife Ren, and was born and raised in the United Kingdom.

I have a BEng (Hons) Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oxford Brookes University and have A-levels in Mathematics, Physics and Physical Education. My degree had numerous modules in advanced mathematics and physics, which I excelled at and deeply enjoyed. I informally tutored several of my friends and peers during university in Mathematics.

Following my graduation I secured a junior project engineering position at a company in the Oil and Gas Industry in 2007. I progressed into a project management role within 3 years of starting my career and I have subsequently been a Project Manager and Project management consultant for large engineering and construction companies in the Oil, Gas and Energy industries, including Schlumberger and Koch Industries. I have been a Project Manager in the industry for over 10 years and have managed numerous multi million pound projects for many large clients including Shell, Exxon Mobil, Centrica and Saudi Aramco. I am a Member of the Association of Project Management.

However, over the last few years I have become increasingly aware and concerned about the impact of my industry on climate change and I have become very interested in contributing to society in a more constructive manner. I have grown more interested in tutoring, in large part due to the positive impact i have seen my father have on his students - he has been a tutor in A-level Mathematics and Physics for the last 10 years, following his retirement from his engineering profession. And I feel I can have a similar positive impact on young people with my educational, professional and personal experience.

Teaching Experience:
I have 3 months of tutoring experience. However, my career as a Project Manager has required me to lead, mentor and train young project engineers and project managers on the principles of project management, work practices and their duties. This required me to impart, share and educate my younger, less experienced colleagues to better prepare them for their roles. So I am confident these skills and experience will serve me well with students and hold me in good stead to be a successful tutor.

Tutoring Approach:
The approach I take with tutoring will be the same as I do personally and professionally. In my personal life, with my wife, family and close friends, I stay true to my values of being caring, honest, respectful, kind, patient and genuinely interested in anything I can advise on or do that keeps our relationships harmonious and happy.

In my professional and working life, I always conduct myself with integrity, fairness and when necessary with respectful firmness to ethically guide and collaborate with my colleagues to achieve the best possible results for my projects. I take a purposeful, disciplined, hardworking approach in all my professional endeavours, but when appropriate will be light hearted and sincerely seek to cultivate good relationships with everyone I work closely with.

I intend to bring the above core values, principles and ways of working to my tutoring duties with the earnest hope of improving the knowledge and experience of my prospective students.

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Personal Description:
I am a confident and independent individual, who thrives to help others by sharing my knowledge and skills. I love to learn, as I am a firm believer that knowledge is power, and no matter how old you get you never stop learning.

Teaching Experience:
I have taken part in various work experience opportunities in the field of teaching, and have been successful in acquiring the skills to work with children of both primary and secondary school. I have studied A-level maths, hence I have a very strong understanding of the curriculum and the knowledge needed to study GCSE maths. Currently, I am university student studying BSc Economics which requires a deeper understanding of mathematical and statistical concepts, which I have gained over my academic studies.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring consists of understanding the needs of each student, in order to cater for them specifically. I work to understand their strengths and weaknesses, to analyse their gaps in knowledge may lie. I am aware of the steps I will need to take to help each individual succeed in their studies.

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Personal Description:
Hello potential students!

My name is David. I was an actor for 20 years, both as a hobbyist and a professional until becoming a writer. I still am both of those things (as well as a voice-over artist), but now would like to pass on my knowledge to other people and see if it helps them.

Until very recently, I worked in customer service for a myriad of companies--all to allow me the space and time to enjoy a career that was never fully stable. I enjoyed them, but only for the opportunity to meet new people and learn from them. True, I may be a tutor, but I will never stop being a student.

I also class as neurodivergent. For decades I lived with undiagnosed ADHD. Learning this was a surprise to many others around me, but not to me directly. The signs were not as well known back then, and somehow I had adapted to learn. These days, we adapt the teaching; so know that whatever background you have, we will find a way to learn together!

Teaching Experience:
Over one year as a private Tutor. Most of my students have been GCSE level (all exam boards) and a few have been adult learners wanting to know more, or Primary School pupils working to better their grammar. I hold a Master's Degree in Creative Writing and a Bachelor's in Drama--both of which give me a unique but well rounded approach to English Literature and Language, as well as essay writing.

Tutoring Approach:
Easy; good conversation, plenty of debates and a whole heap of laughs! For most texts involved in the English Language and Literature courses, it's hard to really analyse what lies beneath the words on the page; especially in a school-style setting. I like to find out what how the student works, and what works for the student. Then, I tailor our sessions around them, their pace, and see if there's more excitement underneath those words!

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