Thorn Tutors and Thorn Tuition

Personal Description:
Here is a little bit about myself: I enjoy reading, watching television and playing cricket.

I am 55 years old and live in Redhill, Surrey. I am able to tutor the following subjects:

A' Level Mathematics, GCSE Mathematics, KS3 Mathematics, KS2 Mathematics, A`Level Economics and GCSE Physics.


I am available any day of the week, daytime as well evenings.

Before the first lesson is scheduled, I will pay to you in full for the cost of purchasing my contact details. As for the first lesson, if for whatever reason your child is unhappy with my tutoring style within the first 20 minutes, we will stop the lesson straight away and I will not ask any payment for it. This way you will not pay a penny for anything you are uncertain about.

Here is a testimonial from a parent of a child that I tutor:

A great tutor and always strives on making sure the student understands the topics. He teaches my son GCSE Maths and my son has improved since working with him.

He is very approachable and communicates well both with my son and with myself. I`m glad I found this website.

Teaching Experience:
I have more than twenty years of teaching experience, which includes one-to-one tutoring as well as school, college and university teaching.

Tutoring Approach:
I feel very passionately about learning. Mathematics in particular is a challenging subject, but with hard work, patience and a willingness to learn from my mistakes, I have found it very rewarding. It is this same lesson I have learned which I would like to continue to convey to students.

A great emphasis is placed on helping students truly understand the subject material, rather than tutoring them to simply pass exams. My aim is to impart transferable skills beyond the field of studying, whether it be in the work place or students` personal lives. Encouragement is given to students to ask any questions that are concerning them.

Rather than spoon-feed them information, I interact with them by asking them to justify answers to follow-up questions I ask, and hence lead them to the solution as a result of their efforts.

My teaching style is such that I am able to empathise with students with respect to any learning and developmental issues which they may need support with. To achieve this goal, special consideration is given to identifying particular learning weaknesses and providing multiple approaches to learning which best suit the need of the student. This in turn makes the primary learning objective of understanding and advancement achievable as well as an enjoyable and productive experience.

Students are encouraged to chart their progress with my guidance by recording their assessment of specific topics throughout the year. This in turn would give them confidence leading up to their exams.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I was born in Germany to British parents and lived there for 8 years before coming over to the UK to live. I also spent a total of 2 further years over there in Southern and Northern Germany after my A Levels and during my undergraduate degree to further my knowledge, working for OSRAM GmbH and studying at the Freie Universität Berlin.

Teaching Experience:
I graduated with a degree in German and Drama, with First Class Honours, in July 2010, from Queen Mary, University of London and have just completed a PGCE (Secondary) in Modern Foreign Languages (German with French), at the Institute of Education, University of London, also gaining QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) from the GTCE (General Teaching Council for England).

I am familiar with the National Curriculum at the Secondary level for Key Stages 3/4/5 - Year 7 through to Year 13, and will tailor tuition to suit individual needs, allowing for development in German language skills, as well as preparation for public examinations.

Tutoring Approach:
Friendly 1-2-1 tuition supporting development in German language skills, tailored to individual needs. National Curriculum at Key Stages 3/4/5 can be followed as well as key examination preparation to boost confidence and performance.

Currently offering sessions on a Saturday/Sunday @ £40p/h

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am qualified in Mandarin Chinese teaching both in China and in the UK and have successfully delivered lessons to learners at all levels in the UK in the past 15 years. Recently I also began to teach Guzheng music for beginners.

Except for face-to-face teaching, I also offer online lessons via Skype for international students from distant side of the world.

With plenty of thoughtful design, I will make sure each individual students' lessons with me are unique and tailor-made, every lesson is enjoyable, creative and effective.

In my spare time I enjoy Chinese calligraphy & Chinese tea art, playing Guzheng, Guqin & bamboo flute( three traditional Chinese classical music instruments), and study Chinese & English literature.

Teaching Experience:
Years of Mandarin teaching experience both in China and in the UK to students at all levels and age groups; experience in designing and delivering bespoke learning material (including audio lessons) tailored to individual needs.

I have successfully delivered Mandarin teaching in the following areas:
• Academic discussions on Chinese culture and history
• Business and business negotiation
• Vocational / exam study
• Casual (Incl. Conversational Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, etc.)

I also have experience in:
• Interpreting &translation both in China and in the UK, broadcasting work in China
• Teaching private Guzheng lesson and Playing Guzheng & Guqin music for public Performances
• Teaching private Yoga lesson

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that a successful lesson should be able to engage students in a fun and active study relevant to real life situations, so I use a wide range of teaching methods, materials and activities.
My teaching activities are carefully designed to encourage students' interests and stimulate their creativity.
I guide students to make best use of their imagination to help their each individual lesson fun and effective.
I tailor my lessons based on every individual's needs, capabilities and personality.
I understand and convey linguistic and cultural nuances, based on my affinity with languages.

Extra support: I design tailored extra supporting material for individual needs, offer free flash cards and encourage my students to share coursework with each other. Besides, I also give advices to parents on supporting children to review or make use of what they learnt in their daily life, etc.

About my Fees: Discount available for group bookings.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Native Qualified Spanish Teacher who...

...loves Arts, baking, good food, sharing time with friends, learning new things and of course Teaching.

Teaching Experience:
I am a qualified teacher since 2002 and I have been teaching and tutoring Spanish in the UK for more than 7 years. I have worked for several schools and Sixth Forms and I performed as A-levels examiner. I also work for a language Academy and tutor for companies and casual learners. Among my former students there are Doctors, Military Officers, business women/men, A-level Students, Pensionists, Cabin Crew, Teachers, Travellers...

Tutoring Approach:
My aim in teaching is to provide you with a tailored programme that best suits your individual needs and interests. Taking into account your individual learning style I intend to create a situation where you feel relaxed and confident and become enthusiastic about understanding the language.
Tuition usually take place at a public space like a library or either student or tutor home.

Would you like to be fluent in Spanish?

Subjects

Personal Description:
I lived and worked in France and am keen to pass on my love for the language and culture of this fascinating country. I am fluent in French and have an MA in French studies. I love all things French - music, history, culture - and I love to communicate this in my teaching. I am good-humoured and patient in my approach to tutoring and love to encourage my students to try new things in their learning.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught all level of learners from little ones to GCSE students through to adult learners. I have been teaching for 10 years and have built up a wealth of experience and can recommend websites and links that will be of use to lots of different levels. I have paid for access to a language learning website and I invite my learners to register through the links I send (this is free for students - I have paid for the access).

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is very much to ensure that you are comfortable with the learning environment. I use the Gianfranco Conti method of teaching which means that I encourage speaking and listening in our classes, however, I do back this up with writing and reading exercises so that all the 4 skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) are practised in my lessons.
I work with the student to make sure that we are approaching the learning that you need in a very proactive way.

For example: for beginner adults we can look at:
- shopping / personal opinions/directions
For more advanced adult learners we can look at
- tourist attractions/describing people and places/asking for more information
For GCSE students we can look at:
- key vocab in the exam/pas papers/key grammar structures/speaking exercises/picture card exercises

These topics are very much agreed on with you as the student and are flexible as we continue to work together

Subjects

Personal Description:
Ciao! I'm a native Italian speaker fluent in Italian, French and English, with a First-Class Honours degree in Humanities, specialising in History and English Literature. Since 2014, I've been helping learners of all levels develop confidence and fluency in English and Italian-from beginners taking their first steps to advanced learners refining their mastery.

I bring more than just expertise to my lessons-I bring a deep love for language and its structure. My teaching is tailored to each student's goals, pace and interests, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment. I believe that great teaching is a two-way exchange: both tutor and learner grow through the journey.

Whether you're preparing for exams, brushing up your conversational skills, or simply exploring a new language, I'd be delighted to support you!

Teaching Experience:
Ciao! I'm a passionate educator with over ten years' experience helping learners grow in confidence, language skills, and exam success. I hold a First-Class Honours degree in Humanities (English and History), a TEFL qualification, and I'm currently training towards a PGCE in Lifelong Learning-giving me the tools to support both young learners and adult students alike.

For GCSE students, I provide clear, structured support in English Language and Literature, helping learners approach exams with confidence and clarity. My sessions are tailored to your goals-whether it's mastering unseen poetry, tackling tricky grammar, or refining essay technique-with an emphasis on building skills that last beyond the classroom.

For Italian-speaking adults, I offer a warm, welcoming space to build your English or Italian skills at your own pace. Whether you're learning for work, travel, or pleasure, I bring patience, cultural insight, and a flexible approach to make language learning enjoyable and rewarding.

Learning with me means engaging lessons, a supportive atmosphere, and progress you can feel. 📚✨

Tutoring Approach:
"I take great pride in helping learners-especially beginners-gain the confidence to understand, speak, and truly enjoy the Italian language. My lessons go beyond grammar and vocabulary, offering a gateway into the richness of Italian culture, history, and daily life. I aim to create a welcoming, engaging environment where curiosity leads the way and progress feels both natural and rewarding."
✨

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a Spanish native speaker from Mexico. I have 9 years of experience teaching English and Spanish in Mexico and the UK. I am a qualified Spanish Teacher currently working in the Greater Manchester area.

Teaching Experience:
My most significant educational experience comes from teaching in an English School in Mexico, which was a rewarding experience. I was always extremely supportive with my students during the lessons and I consistently showed excellent communication and understanding skills. I helped pupils to improve their language skills through the implementation of varied activities and materials considering their individual needs. During this period of time, I worked with various groups of learners from ages 4-5 up to adults and occasionally worked with low-ability learners and some mild learning difficulties, which helped me to develop excellent classroom management and classroom organisation.

Further to this experience, I also periodically work as a private language tutor where I design and deliver bespoke courses or individual material to young or adult learners.

While studying at university I joined a nursery and primary level school where I worked with children from ages 5-11 teaching them English according to the national curriculum.

In 2018, I started volunteering at All Hallows R.C. High School supporting one of the Spanish teachers during their lessons. During this time I have had the opportunity to work with pupils from Year 7 up to Year 11, and learnt about the UK national curriculum.
A key part of my role is supporting the teacher with the management of pupil behaviour, helping them to reduce wasted time and enabling them to concentrate on delivering their class. Another part of my role is to ensure students work during class and understand the tasks assigned by the teacher. I normally sit next to pupils who struggle with Spanish so they do not feel left behind by the others. I patiently help them to complete their activities, motivate them and encourage them to study harder. Furthermore, I was assigned to support Year 11 students to help them reinforce their speaking, vocabulary and grammar skills in order to succeed in their GCSE Spanish exams.

I currently work as a Spanish teacher in a Secondary school in the Greater Manchester area.

Tutoring Approach:
My capacity to help pupils to face challenges and make them believe they can be successful no matter how difficult the situation is, as well as the ability to create positive and welcoming environments in a classroom and my constant need to share knowledge are the skills that have guided me into education. Seeing students thirsty to learn and looking at their faces when they understand new/complex topics is an amazing feeling. I am also motivated by the knowledge that I can be a good influence, a role model, and a source of inspiration for others at such a fundamental age which drives me to be at my best every day.

I am a person who has an active and dynamic approach to work and getting things done, skills which have served me well to ensure variety while working with students from different ages in order to design creative and innovative lessons. I am a supportive and an effective listener who adapts to all situations, which enables me to create positive and comfortable learning atmospheres. As my teaching abilities have developed, I have demonstrated that I have the capacity to identify students' needs easily. This helps me to find different teaching strategies in order to provide students better ways of learning and thinking which would suit their specific needs.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have graduated with a first MBiol (Hons) Biology degree at the University of St Andrews. I really enjoy biology and especially Ecology and Conservation but I am comfortable with most areas due to the highly integrated nature of the subject. Apart from my studies, I enjoy dancing as I did Latin and Ballroom lessons for 9 years and I am a recently qualified Ocean diver. I have finished high school with an International Baccalaureate diploma of 40/45 (higher level: Biology, Chemistry, Modern Greek/ Standard level: Maths, English B, Psychology).

I love working with younger people and aid them in the process of learning new things and make them enjoy a subject that I thoroughly love myself!

Teaching Experience:
During my final year of university, I have been involved with the Coronavirus Tutoring Initiative (CTI) which consists of volunteering to tutor biology to students that cannot afford private tutoring but were affected by the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this position, I have taught students at A-level (both AQA and OCR boards) developing my tutoring experience and getting familiar with the specifications of different UK educational systems. Tutoring through CTI has taught me to be patient and considerate of children`s circumstances and tailor my lessons according to each person`s needs while keeping on top of the syllabus so that they can be prepared for their mocks and actual exams. Through CTI I have tutored for approximately 70 hours. I have also offered AQA, OCR and CCEA AS and A level tutoring independently. Overall I have approximately 550 hours of teaching experience.

I am currently working as an ecological consultant in the Buckinghamshire area. In addition to that, my degree had a year placement requirement, which I completed in the USA at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. In addition to this, I have had two research assistantships at my university. Through talks and presentations at both formal and informal settings, I have learnt how to tailor my knowledge to the target audience depending on their experience on the subject and their background. I also wrote publishable and concise reports which helped me on focusing on the important details of subjects.

I also have experience with a range of software and technologies, which means I can approach a wide range of lessons for all ages, with the appropriate set of tools and I can tailor each one of them to the individual`s needs effectively, and in an engaging way.

Tutoring Approach:
In terms of my approach to teaching Biology, I am trying to focus on the students` needs and what they don`t understand or need help. The student and I will discuss the subjects of interest and I`ll try to let them figure out the answers themselves rather than me giving them a ready answer. This way they will be ready to answer all types of questions rather than trying to memorise an answer and be flustered in an exam setting if something they haven`t seen before comes up. In order to achieve this, I usually prepare my lessons in advance. I give exercises to the students to complete before our sessions so we can discuss them and identify challenging topics. Once these topics have been identified, I try to explain them through audiovisual measures (diagrams and videos), as well as examples from personal experience, which places the theory in a real-life context which is more memorable. However, I understand that this method doesn`t work for everyone and therefore I am willing to adapt my teaching style to the individual`s needs.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Head of Physics at Independent school, experience teaching, tutoring and examining A level Physics all exam boards including IB.

Teaching Experience:
20 years experience, 15 as Head of Physics

Tutoring Approach:
Either online through zoom and interactive whiteboard software or face to face. One hour sessions based on filling in gaps in knowledge and exam practice.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I was born and raised in Greece where I completed my Bachelor's Degree in Greek Language & Literature at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens.I recently moved to the UK (2020) to earn my Master's Degree in Language Sciences with specialization in Neuroscience of Language(University of Reading).

I am fluent in both Greek and English. I also speak Spanish and French (proficiency level).

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching the Greek Language (Modern & Ancient Greek ) since 2012, preparing high school students for the country-wide university entrance exams. In parellel, I was delivering in-home classes to assist students of various age groups with their curricular activities in humanitarian subjects such as History, Modern Greek Language & Literature, Ancient Greek, Philosophy & Religious Studies.I have also worked as a volunteer for the non-profit organization ''METAdrasi'', where I taught young refugees Greek as a second or foreign language.In 2020, I started working for the Greek School of Oxford, preparing students for their GCSE exams in Modern Greek and teaching Year 5 and Year 7 the Greek Language as a Second/Foreign Language.

Tutoring Approach:
Basically I use constructivist teaching approaches and strategies to help my students. I encourage them to actively participate in the learning process and help them develop critical thinking and communication skills in the target language. The material I share with my students is accumulated through all the years of my teaching work and there is a variety of types of exercises I offer to them. I also use a lot of interactive online material like live worksheets, language games such as Wordwall etc. and different kind of resources; newspapers articles, songs, poems, movie dialogues, inscriptions, texts published on social media ,recorded day-to-day conversations between native speakers etc.This helps them not only reinforce their academic knowledge (grammar and syntax) but it also broadens their experience on the cultural and contextual aspects of the language.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Welcome to my tutoring page! My name is Roisin and I'm dedicated to helping students not only grasp the material but develop a true love for learning. With a focus on English and Biology, I bring enthusiasm, patience, and a kind, supportive approach to each session. I believe that every student has the potential to excel when given the right guidance, and I'm committed to tailoring lessons to suit individual needs. I value learning from mistakes and see them as a powerful part of growth. As a hard worker, I take pride in creating a positive, encouraging environment that helps students build confidence and reach their full potential.

Teaching Experience:
While I may not have extensive formal teaching experience, I have had the rewarding opportunity to volunteer and assist students with their schoolwork. Through this hands-on experience, I've helped children improve their understanding of subjects like English and Biology, guiding them towards better grades and increased confidence. I've always enjoyed working one-on-one with students, providing personalized support and encouragement. These experiences have shown me how impactful patience, clear explanations, and a positive attitude can be in helping students overcome challenges and succeed academically.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is centered around fostering a positive, encouraging environment where students feel comfortable learning and growing. In English, I focus on helping students refine their own writing style, teaching them to be clear and concise while also nurturing a genuine love for the subject. I aim to expand their creative and analytical abilities so they can approach writing and literature with confidence. For Biology, I like to break down complex concepts into simple, foundational ideas that students can build upon. This way, they gain a deep understanding from the ground up, which strengthens their overall knowledge. I don't believe mistakes are a setback-they are a part of the learning process. I encourage students to learn from them, using each challenge as an opportunity to improve and grow.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a fully qualified science teacher and the current Head of Biology at a large secondary school. With over 20 years of experience in education, I specialise in helping GCSE students succeed in Biology by building both subject knowledge and exam confidence. I also work as an examiner for AQA GCSE Biology, so I know exactly what examiners are looking for and how to help students maximise their marks.

Teaching Experience:
I've taught Biology across Key Stage 3 and 4, with a particular focus on the AQA GCSE specification. As Head of Biology, I lead curriculum planning, exam preparation, and targeted intervention strategies to support student progress. I also mentor early career teachers and trainee teachers, supporting them to deliver effective and engaging lessons. My work as an AQA examiner gives me valuable insight into how exam questions are marked and how students can approach them with confidence.

Tutoring Approach:
My tutoring sessions are calm, focused, and tailored to each student's needs. I focus on building a secure understanding of key topics, strengthening exam technique, and improving confidence. I use a combination of clear explanations, structured practice, and real exam-style questions. As an experienced teacher and examiner, I can help students refine their answers to meet the mark scheme and feel well prepared for their exams.

Subjects