Thorn Tutors and Thorn Tuition

Personal Description:
Andreas Papapetrou was born in Nicosia, Cyprus in 1984. He began his music studies at an early age at the ARTE Music Academy (formerly Hellenic College of Music) from where he graduated in 2001 with a Degree in Piano with distinction. He continued his studies in Greece, at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, from where he got his Diploma in Piano with distinction in 2008, and at the Department of Music Studies of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, from where he graduated with a Degree in Composition with distinction in 2009. After this he moved to London where he studied composition at Trinity College of Music, acquiring his MMus in Composition with distinction in 2011. He is now a PhD candidate at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

He has studied composition with Michalis Lapidakis, Panayiotis Kokoras, Errolyn Wallen and Stephen Montague, piano with Elena Sophocleous, Emilia Tzima and Douglas Finch, accordion with Irinoula Constantinidou, and jazz song with with Yula Michail.

He has composed music for various ensembles, as well as works of electroacoustic and electronic music. His music has been performed in Cyprus, Greece, the United Kingdom and France. Works of his have been performed by the Trinity College of Music Student's Symphony Orchestra, the DissonArt Ensemble (Thessaloniki), the Contemporary Music Ensemble (Athens), the COMA Voices London choir, the TCM Harp Trio, the Solstice String Quartet, violinist Darragh Morgan a.o.

He is also an active music performer and focuses mainly on works of contemporary music and improvisation. He has performed debut performances of contemporary music works for piano or chamber music ensemble, in Thessaloniki and in London.

Besides music, his artistic interests include visual and performing arts. He collaborates with choreographers Stavri Kalopetridou and Elisabeth Schilling. He is a member of FIBRE Performing Arts Company, the contemporary music group Other People's Mail and the improvisation group 6daEXIt.

Teaching Experience:
I work as a freelance composer, performer and music teacher. As a music teacher I teach piano, accordion, music theory and
music composition, both for beginners and advanced students. I have been teaching music for the last 5 years. I have taught
people of all ages, from children to adults. I am currently a PhD candidate specialising in composition at Trinity College of Music.

I have taught piano at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, from 2006 to 2009, specialising on beginners and intermediate level students. I have been teaching piano, accordion, theory and composition privately since I came to London in 2009, to both children and adults.

In piano playing and teaching I specialise on classical music but I am also open to other styles, including popular music.
In accordion playing and teaching I specialise in classical music and Greek folk music.
In composition teaching, I prefer to let the student choose their preferred style. I do, however, specialise in contemporary classical music, ranging from acoustic to purely electronic music.

Tutoring Approach:
I feel that I have a good way to communicate with children and I am a very patient person. I am very receptive to my student's needs and I am willing to help and guide them into solving any problems related to music they might have. I always try to find the simplest way to communicate my ideas or what a music piece requires. I will always bear in mind what my student's opinions and needs are and try to adjust my teaching around these.

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Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified, excellent and enthusiastic primary school teacher. I have a great deal of experience working one to one as a private tutor as well as my vast classroom experience. I have taught in both state schools and the private sector.

Teaching Experience:
I have 6 years experience teaching Year 1 as well as experience supply teaching across both key stages 1 and 2. I have tutored privately for years and worked with children from Year 1 right up to 11+ preparation. I am passionate about what I do and achieve excellent results.

Tutoring Approach:
I have tutored many children on a one to one basis, subjects ranging from Maths, Writing, Reading and also Recorder lessons. The most important part of tutoring is understanding the child's specific learning needs. I tailor every session to suit the child and to follow his/ her progress. As a primary teacher, I pride myself on being extremely patient and on making learning fun. There is nothing to be gained from tutoring a child who wishes they weren't there. Once a rapport has been built between myself and the child, progress flies. Enjoyment is key.

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Personal Description:
I am a Tutor in English for Academic Purposes at a large UK university. In this role I teach both Academic English and General English.

Over the past thirteen years I have taught in the UK, Italy and Libya. I have taught in private schools, state schools and universities. In addition, I have taught students of all levels from beginners to advanced and all ages from 3 to adult.

I am an experienced online tutor with over 250 hours taught via Skype.

Teaching Experience:
Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes at the University of South Wales (5 years)

Teacher Trainer/English Teacher British Council Libya (3 years)

British Institutes Trento, Italy (2 years)

Private tutor in TESOL (2 years)

Cambridge IELTS examiner

Cambridge IGCSE Assistant Examiner

General English, Academic English and English for Specific Purposes (e.g. Business English)

Tutoring British and European History ages 11-18 (UK)

Tutoring Approach:
In teaching English as a foreign language I follow the communicative approach. This means plenty of communication between the student and tutor, rather than spending the whole lesson working through grammar exercises.

My lessons are student centred, which means that each lesson is about the student. My materials are carefully tailored to the individual student and not a 'one text fits all' course book. I try to make my lessons relevant to my student's needs, for example, if you are a chef I base my lessons on cookery; if you work in a shop I base my lessons around retail; and if you are studying for IELTS or residency, I will tutor you for that. Just tell me what you want to do and I will do my very best to help you realise your dream.

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Personal Description:
My name is Samantha. I am a qualified and very experienced maths teacher. I have 28 years of teaching experience at all levels of secondary education as well as being a local authority maths advisor. I'm passionate about maths, easy going and relaxed, but get the best out of my students by making the subject easily accessible and interesting. My hobbies include music (playing various instruments and also watching a wide range of bands) and supporting my football team at live games.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught in 4 different secondary schools and held a variety of roles including head of department and lead practitioner. I started my teaching career in South Yorkshire in 1992, then moved to Staffordshire in 1994. My experience of teaching maths includes KS3, GCSE ( maths and further maths) and A level. I have taught pure mathematics, statistics and mechanics at A level and also Further maths

Tutoring Approach:
I am patient and understanding. I appreciate that maths is a challenge for some students but I understand how to clarify the subject. Students learn through getting answers wrong and shouldnt worry about making mistakes. I aim to build confidence through increased understanding and enjoyment.
The sessions I run are specifically designed for each individual student. This takes into account the level they are currently working at, target grade, their areas for development and preferred learning style.
At GCSE and A level I build into each session past exam questions, including problem solving questions using the techniques learnt in the lesson.
I am happy to set homework questions to build upon the skills covered and will mark and give feedback on any work completed. In addition, I provide a plan of work to be covered for the term/ year after consulting with students and parents.

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Personal Description:
A keen third year BSc Chemistry student approaching the final year. I'm a hard working individual that is willing to help students who are trying to achieve great results in their exams

Teaching Experience:
I have worked as a tutor where I use to teach Chemistry and Biology students. I have a lot of classroom based experience and have worked at Kumon tutoring center

Tutoring Approach:
It is very vital that a need of a student is understood and helped them in every possible way. I like to teach the content in full depth with homework provided to the students and some exams practice

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Personal Description:
Hi, my name is Sean and I am 57 years of age. I have recently retired as a Deputy Head teacher and from full time teaching, having worked in Primary schools for 32 years. I am a very hard working, conscientious tutor and have always been passionate about children's education and the way in which every pupil has the potential to succeed. I have two grown up children who are currently in the world of work and studying at university respectively. In my spare time I enjoy reading, walking and the occasional game of golf.

Teaching Experience:
I have extensive experience of teaching children in the 7-11 age range and have taught Years 5 and 6 for the last few years. I have worked with children who have a wide range of ability and always get a real thrill from watching pupils progress and develop in confidence. My particular specialism is in English and Maths where I have regularly achieved outstanding results in the end of Key Stage 2 SATs tests.

Tutoring Approach:
I encourage a relaxed yet hardworking environment when working with children, assessing their knowledge and skills, and setting clear, achievable goals. My enthusiasm, patience and ability to teach methods and concepts clearly, ensure that my pupils make substantial progress.

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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 tutor who believes that with hard work and the new specifications in Physics/Maths everyone can do their best. I am empathetic and I have a proven track record of success. I can help with exam technique, question interpretation, Maths issues and practical aspects.Physics is fun and most students enjoy my lessons
Latterly I have taught KS2 Maths up to GCSE, GCSE Physics up to A2 Physics. At A-level I am very familiar with the AQA, OCR and Edexcel specifications . I have also taught Advancing Physics. I prefer to teach in my own home where I have all of my resources. Latterly I have been teaching online using Zoom.

Teaching Experience:
Sept 2012- Sept 2020 Head of Physics, the Marist Senior School, Sunninghill , Ascot
(An independent school)
Responsible for all aspects of Physics teaching in the Science Dept. Teacher of all the A level Physics.
May 2008 -1st Jan 2011 Director of Studies, Claires Court School, Maidenhead
(An independent school)Teacher of A level Physics
Sept.2003 - Jan 08 Howells School Denbigh
Teacher of GCSE , AS and A2 Physics and Year 5/6/7 Maths/Science
Sept 1988-Sept 2003 , Brentwood School.(An independent school HMC)Teacher of GCSE and 'A' level Physics (Nuffield and Advancing Physics)

There is more! I have taught for 40 years and still love teaching Physics!!!

Tutoring Approach:
Many students are not fully familiar with the subject matter and this is the most important thing! They need to understand the facts in order to remember them and apply them. Students need to have much practice with the mathematical aspects of the course and understand how to manipulate equations, establish constants,interpret graphs and answer questions using the relevant details.

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Personal Description:
Hi, my name is Shannon and I am currently studding at the University of Derby and getting a degree in Law. I have received tutoring myself and understand how beneficial it can be to help advance education. I am dedicated to helping you to achieve your highest potential and that you are pushed to achieve your best.

Please note: If you are looking for tutoring in Maths or Combined Science I work with students working on the foundation papers. I am also able to working on individual sciences if one subject requires more attention than another, also at foundation level.

Teaching Experience:
I have experience in tutoring, this started off with family and then younger pupils. Most of the experience I have gained has been tutoring at Primary level in Maths and English However, I do have experience in teaching at ages 11-14 years.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring would be based online on an agreed platform, such as zoom. I would start off the first session by getting to know the student, their strengths, their weaknesses, finding out where they struggle most, discussing the best techniques that would be most beneficial to them as an individual as well as answering any questions. Then I would adapt each lesson to the student's preferred learning methods. The lessons may be in form of quizzes, helping to better understand a topic, exam prep, homework help, mini tests, and engaging lessons.

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Personal Description:
I am a television producer who is currently looking to build upon the work I have previously done in education. I enjoyed school and learning, but I realise that I was fortunate enough to experience an ideal set of circumstances (including good teaching) and that many people find studying difficult, challenging and/or unenjoyable.

I really love working with people to plug the gaps in their knowledge and/or formal education, and I take a person-centred approach to finding what's right for each particular individual. I believe that this style allows people to feel empowered, makes things "click" in a way that is natural to the individual, and ultimately allows that person to walk away with a feeling of satisfaction and confidence in their abilities.

As a TV producer, I have worked around the world with a multitude of different types of people, and I pride myself on the ability to connect with individuals from all walks of life. I am half Spanish, so have always had a knowledge of and been surrounded by the language. I am currently working on perfecting my fluency, so am working through the formal qualifications this year, currently operating at Pre-Advanced (B2). At this level, I am more than equipped to tutor in Spanish up to A Level.

Teaching Experience:
I trained in dance from the age of 3, and when I was about 13/14, started helping with the teaching of the younger children at the school. This was where I discovered my passion for helping others to learn. I took a huge amount of pleasure in helping people figure out a way to finally crack something they'd been finding difficult.

When I then went to uni, I spent my spare time working at Salford Young People's University to lead marketing and radio production workshops, amongst others. Upon leaving education, whilst trying to start my career as a television producer, I worked part time in a local high school as an administrative assistant, exam invigilator and cover support officer, covering classes when teachers were absent. Having obtained majority A grades at school myself, I found a great deal of joy working across all national curriculum subjects to help students complete their work and understand things that they were finding tricky.

Over the last decade, I have spent a great deal of time outside of my day job leading workshops in schools, universities and other teaching organisations to inform, educate and empower young people to pursue a career in television. I have also mentored upwards of 80 individuals, each time taking a person-centred approach to figure out what is right for that particular person. My mentees describe me as someone who is gentle, patient, knowledgeable and inspires confidence. There are testimonials from some of my former mentees. I understand the importance of finding the right tutor, and am happy to supply a full CV prior to commencing any tutoring.

Tutoring Approach:
I love working with people to plug the gaps in their knowledge and/or formal education, and I take a person-centred approach to finding what's right for each particular individual, i.e. I do not follow a set formula with every person. I believe that this style allows people to feel empowered, makes things "click" in a way that is natural to the individual, and ultimately allows that person to walk away with a feeling of satisfaction and confidence in their abilities.

Ideally, I'd have students bring homework they are struggling to complete so that we can work through it together, but if that is not an option, I am very happy to discuss the individual needs and then find appropriate resources. I am happy to work either online or in person.

Testimonial from Spanish tutee:
"I absolutely loved my Spanish lessons with Melody. She prepared bespoke pages for me which we worked through, and gave me little tips and tricks to remember things that helped to improve my Spanish tremendously. She also provided me with extra activities (like watching specific music videos on YouTube) to do outside lessons that further improved my Spanish."

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Personal Description:
Hi, my name is Aneesa and I am a Dental Surgery student at the University of Leeds, with over 3 years of professional tutoring experience. I have achieved 3A*s in A levels Chemistry, Biology and Maths and all 9s at GCSE.
I have experience tutoring all exam boards and all levels, with fantastic results achieved by my students, who often jump by over 2 grades.
I focus on closing gaps in learning and building key exam technique to help you achieve the grades you deserve. In my sessions, I tailor my tutoring to align closely with the specification and markschemes, with plenty of exam practise.
My lessons are tailored to YOUR needs and at a pace to suit YOUR learning style.

Teaching Experience:
3 years of professional tutoring experience in all core subjects, with experience tutoring international A levels and iGCSEs as well.
My tutoring style is closely aligned with current teaching philosophies, with a large focus on the specification content and exam practise.
I offer a huge range of Exam questions after content is covered, and I make sure any gaps are identified and markschemes and "exam ready" preparation is discussed.

Tutoring Approach:
I usually conduct my sessions via Zoom using an online interactive whiteboard, which is available for students to view outside of sessions as well.
My approach to tutoring is tailored to my students needs- I won't move on until the topic is understood, and constantly revise topics to ensure content is retained.

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Personal Description:
Hello, I'm Ibrahim, a Dentistry student at the University of Birmingham with a passion for helping students succeed in Biology, Chemistry and Maths. I studied at Reading School, one of the UK's top grammar schools, and achieved A*A*A in Biology, Chemistry and Maths at A-level. Having gone through these exams myself, I know what it takes to achieve top grades and can guide students to reach their full potential.

Having been a tutee for many years, with a variety of different tutors, I can recognise what separates a good tutor from a great tutor - whether it's lesson pacing, subject expertise, student-tutor relationships, and more. Despite being in my first year of uni, I already have 2 years of experience working in a customer facing role at Waitrose, which has undoubtedly provided me with a plethora of transferable skills that I can apply with my students.

Teaching Experience:
I offer tuition in A-level and GCSE Biology and Chemistry, as well as GCSE Maths, with experience across OCR, AQA and Edexcel exam boards.

Previously, I have mentored Year 7 pupils in Maths, adapting explanations to different abilities while building confidence in the topic at hand. I have also tutored a family member, helping her go from a Grade 4 to 8 in Maths, and 5 to 8 in Biology and Chemistry in only 6 months!

Moreover, I have plenty of informal tutoring and teaching experience whether it be helping a struggling classmate after class, or going on a group call to help clarify my classmates concerns. I have received an abundance of positive recommendations amongst a wide array of tutoring platforms. I aim to make revision structured, manageable, (and of course enjoyable), while helping you achieve the results you're aiming for.

Tutoring Approach:
My lessons follow a clear structure: we begin with a short recap, then cover new material, ensuring I simplify difficult concepts. We then move onto exam-style questions and, when ready, full past papers - the tried and tested method that helped me secure A*A*A at A-Level.

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