Topsham Tutors & Topsham Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a Physics graduate and have over 34 years teaching experience. I love helping people. I am always looking to help people find ways to help themselves!

Teaching Experience:
Taught for many years at all levels. Physics is my main expertise but have also taught Greek (native speaker), Maths, Biology and Chemistry.

Tutoring Approach:
I want to find out the best way to help each individual student. Help them to break down problems into smaller manageable bits.

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Personal Description:
I completed Nuclear Power Engineering degree studies in 1990 after 6 years of training in Havana and Moscow. Between 1990 and 2004, I worked as a Biomedical researcher in the fields of Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Vaccine Development. This involves collaboration with many European and American research teams and working visits to leading Biomedical centres in UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Spain including several UK Royal Society Fellowships and a UK Wellcome Trust International Travelling Post-doctoral Fellowship at Glasgow University Division of Immunology/Microbiology, which can be followed up by publication in peer-review scientific journals. Since 2006, I have been teaching Mathematics at GCSE and A-levels in the UK and currently, I am teaching at these levels plus International Baccalaureate Level. I have been an external marker (Mathematics in English and Spanish languages) for the International Baccalaureate Organisation for the last two years. Born in Cuba, Spanish is my mother tongue, thus i am able to tutor at any level in these two subjects: Mathematics and Spanish.

Teaching Experience:
In the last 14 years, I have had the opportunity to teach both in Scotland and England, thus I am familiar with mathematics teaching programmes in both locations. This includes pupils at all stages of secondary education from 11-14 up to Advanced Highers/Advanced A-levels. It includes extensive tutoring practice with pupils preparing for GCSE(Standard Grade) and AS/A(Higher/Advanced Higher) examinations.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe the role of a tutor is to encourage and guide pupils who are already interested to succeed in a particular topic. Thus, I would provide all the encouragement and academic support for them to achieve their top potential. In my experience over the years, I have observed over and over again, that pupils preparing for A/Higher levels exams show most difficulties linking contents taught in previous years(GCSE/Standard Grade) to the newer A/Higher level topics. Thus, I focus a good deal of attention to fill those gaps and develop both pupils' awareness of these connections and relevant knowledge and skills in such a way they are capable to perform independently achieving consistently a minimum of 70%-85% in practice papers prior to the actual exam date.

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Personal Description:
I am a mature person and have had a large family and enjoy working with young people.

Teaching Experience:
Have twenty years experirnce in teaching and tutoring for Reading Borough and West Berkshire Councils. Have worked in primary schools and am currently teaching GCSE students English, Maths and Science. Also have extensive experience of SEN teaching and working with ASD students.

Tutoring Approach:
Thorough, patient and successful.

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Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified economics and business teacher with 20 years' experience in secondary schools, and now as a full-time tutor. I've provided over 9,000 hours of private tuition to 400+ UK and overseas students. I have an economics degree from Liverpool University. Prior to teaching I worked in advertising for 10 years. I also own two online businesses. I live in Bristol, am married with 3 teenage children, and I am passionate about helping young people achieve their potential.

Teaching Experience:
I taught economics in secondary schools for over 10 years, but I am now a full-time tutor. I typically tutor 40 to 50 students across an academic year, and they consistently perform above expectations; for example the majority of my 2024 students achieved at least a grade B, with several gaining an A*. However, my main focus is adding value, and all my previous students have improved at least one grade since I began working with them. Indeed many have improved by 3 or more grades. I teach all the major exam boards (International Baccalaureate, Cambridge International, Edexcel, Edexcel International, AQA, Eduqas, OCR and WJEC) and am an experienced economics examiner. I also have a current CRB.

Tutoring Approach:
I will always begin by discussing my tutee's individual requirements and areas of the syllabus they would like to focus on. Students may ask to recap concepts and theories that aren't fully understood, however in my experience most require help with exam technique, and how to translate their knowledge into a high grade answer. I therefore place a great emphasis on guiding students through the process of answering past paper questions, across all topic areas. In our sessions I will help with essay structure, illustrate how to use higher order analytical and evaluation skills, and crucially, how to apply an answer to information in a case study, or how to bring in real world examples.

Over the years I have taught an increasing proportion of students online, so that currently about 90% of my tutoring is done this way. I use Skype/Google Meet/Zoom and Google Docs, which students can also access. This makes the sessions as interactive as meeting face to face, and it also means I can tutor students from anywhere in the world (I have taught people in South Africa, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Spain, France, Serbia, Russia, Montenegro and Bermuda). I always encourage students to provide feedback so that they receive maximum benefit from their teaching.

Below are some testimonials from past students (many more can be seen in the reviews section):

"Ian tutored my daughter prior to her A Level exams in the summer of 2024. She had been predicted a B grade, but needed an A for her university offer. Ian covered content as well as exam technique with her, they also worked through past papers together and Ian on request would mark some of her written work. My daughter achieved an A☆ in economics… This was beyond her expectations, and we are extremely grateful for Ians tutoring and guidance." - Mrs De Simone - Cambridge

"My son initially struggled with the subject gaining an E grade in his mock exams but with Ian's help he managed a grade B in his AS level and attained an A grade in both A level papers. This was a huge improvement over the two years and I doubt it would have been possible without Ian's help, both with weekly tutoring and the all important pre-exam revision days. Ian's approach was personalised and intensive and my son's needs we're concentrated upon fully. Ian was always punctual and organised and struck up a good relationship with the whole family. I would happily recommend him." Mrs W - Redland, Bristol

"Matt only got an E grade in his February A2 mock exam and the school predicted he would get a C grade at A2. With the significant assistance from Ian, Matt achieved an A* at A2. In his other two A levels, Matt achieved Bs (he also had tutors for these). There are several reasons why Ian made the difference: 1.Being taught on Skype. Matt was initially very apprehensive about being taught on Skype rather than in person. But Skype proved really beneficial. Firstly it enabled Matt to fit in tuition at times that would just not have been possible if travel had been involved. Secondly it enabled Matt to have additional lessons when he had spare time. 2.Focussing on how to structure essay answers. The school just didn't put anywhere near enough emphasis on this crucial area. 3. Essay marking. A key aspect of A2 is exam practice. We paid Ian for essay marking which meant that Matt was effectively maximising his time with Ian. 4. Not accepting mediocrity. The school said that Matt should not retake his AS exams as he had a good B grade. Ian said he should retake as he could do better. 5. Providing positive encouragement. Matt has always lacked belief in himself and Ian gave Matt the confidence that he could achieve a good result.
We would strongly recommend Ian as an Economics tutor" Mr P - South Gloucestershire

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Personal Description:
I am a professional geography researcher specialised in regional geography and urban sciences. I have gained my knowledge and expertise from universities across Europe (Pécs, Wolverhampton, Maribor, Zagreb, and Ljubljana). I am currently a PhD Aspirant at the University of Pécs, Hungary.

I have been mainly researching in the field 'geography of energy', but my interests link my specification to other scientific disciplines such as sustainability, environmental sciences, and landscape geography, and I am able to perform and combine various geographical fields.

During my years as a PhD Student, I was given the chance to gain experience as a lecturer; teaching subjects which included: renewable energy resources and world regional geography. In 2015, I officially became a teacher after successfully completing my PGCE at the Birmingham City University in England.

As a teacher I have also gained experience in a prison setting teaching mathematics to a wide age range and ability of students and different learning levels, whilst I have been able to use the knowledge that I obtained from the course in practice.

Besides having published a number of articles and books, I am the founder and series editor of Frugeo's journal called Geographical Locality Studies.

I am a registered member of the Hungarian Geographical Society (MFT), and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).

Teaching Experience:
Being a 'good' teacher is a subjective opinion that I cannot state about myself. I am experienced in a wide-range of teaching environments from primary/secondary school-aged pupils to adult/prison learning and higher education.

People who have observed me teaching in the past have had positive criticism of my work and mentioned how efficient and encouraging my lessons and teaching methods are. In my opinion, to be a good teacher it is essential to be flexible with the environment you work in and have to have comprehensive knowledge both in outdoors and in classroom settings. You have to experience and observe the outside world for you to engage and maintain properly an enthusiastic class when teaching geography.

The qualifications and the reputation I have obtained in Geography are the results of an enthusiasm I have had since my childhood for this subject area and it is still part of my daily life that comes to life through my own business and its journal.

Geography is not only my profession, but is also my hobby that is present in my life with all of its aspects, whether it be examining a piece of rock or talking about coffee beans, I can discuss both in an academic sense as well as out of personal interest. The diverse use of language therefore is important when encouraging others on geography and the key is to find a common interest between subject and receiver for them to understand and to be inspired by what they are learning. For example, when teaching in the prison, Mathematics combined with Geography suddenly becomes more interesting and therefore engaging.

Tutoring Approach:
For a researcher with a deep understanding about the Earth's mechanisms, Geography will always reserve a high number of mysteries. Research is the foundation for everything that is taught and this will always be exciting for me to do. But the implementation of this new knowledge may be challenging, that is why you have to keep thinking of new teaching methods to improve the quality of the subject that you are teaching. For this reason, it is essential to assist the younger generation for them to become capable to deal with geography related topics and issues.

As originally a researcher with a non-British educational background and with a very colourful and diverse interest in Earth Sciences, I am able to shake things up. My aim is to develop people's knowledge, foster their understandings on geography and help them achieve the required goals set by the school/exam board which I hope will motivate them into using geographical knowledge in their daily lives.

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Personal Description:
Hello,

My name is Lauren. I am a physics/science teacher with over ten years experience, currently working in a secondary school in East Dunbartonshire; teaching a range of classes from S1-S6.

I studied at Strathclyde University for my undergraduate degree, and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) later, as a postgraduate on their learning and teachers masters programme.

I have tutored Primary students and Secondary students physics, science, mathematics and dance since the age seventeen. I have received positive feedback from all of the students I have tutored and they have attained highly in the subject I have tutored them in. I am devoted to helping people learn and enjoy doing so!

Teaching Experience:
Since qualifying as a teacher in 2014, I have gained extensive experience of delivering qualification classes: National 3 Physics, National 4 Science, National 4 Physics, National 5 Applied Science, National 5 Physics and Higher Physics. I have some experience of Advanced Higher Physics, Advanced Higher Mathematics of Mechanics and National 4/5 Dance qualifications.

I have in-depth knowledge of Scottish qualifications for physics and a plethora or varied resources/materials for delivering these courses.

Additional information:
• SQA marker for both National 5 and Higher level since 2016.
• Consultancy and advisory roles working with companies including Goethe-Institut, TIE Scotland, Unboxed and BBC Bitesize.
• Previously held the position of Principal Teacher of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) in two schools, across seven years.

Tutoring Approach:
Whatever approach suits the student!

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Personal Description:
Hello! My name is Giacomo, I come from Italy and I am a third year PhD student in Roman Archaeology at the University of Leicester.I have a strong experience in tutoring and teaching at high school and university level and I'm happy to help with Latin, Ancient Greek and Italian.

Teaching Experience:
During the last two years I have been teaching different courses at the University of Leicester, acquiring a strong experience in dealing with students. In particular during this and last year I have been teaching Latin and Ancient Greek to first year students. In the last two months I also have been teaching Latin to the children of the Overdale Infant and Jr. School, as part of the Outreach Program of the School of Archaeology and Ancient History. Furthermore, since last year I have been working as one to one study mentor in The AccessAbility Centre of the University where I support students with learning disabilities. Finally, when I was still in Italy I have been giving private lessons of Latin, Ancient Greek and Italian literature to high school and university students for three years.

Tutoring Approach:
I will have a different approach according to the language I will be teaching. For Italian, I will use a communicative approach. This means that I will deliver just a minimum of grammar and I will use the target language as much as possible so that the student will learn the grammar implicitly. On the other side, since Latin and Ancient Greek are extinct languages I will use a more traditional approach. Nevertheless, also in this case I will try to alternate grammar with literature in order to help the student to get a broader perception of the ancient world.

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Personal Description:
Hi, I am Wahid and I am a medical doctor and a graduate of University College London (UCL) in BSc Biomedical Sciences (Hons). I have experience of teaching GCSE and A level Biology, Chemistry, Physics (GCSE) and Maths across the exam boards. I have more than 500+ hours of teaching experience of these subjects.

Teaching Experience:
I have experience of teaching for the past couple of years. Seeing improvement in my students' knowledge, skills, and ultimately boosting their grades is at the core of my teaching. My students have moved from D prior to teaching to A and Bs. I focus both on the core knowledge and skills as well as past exam questions- providing tips and techniques as we go along.

Tutoring Approach:
I take a holistic approach in my teaching; providing high quality of teaching which is result-driven, systematic and student-centred- with focus on exam and revision strategies. My teaching is active and engaging.

I am responsive to the needs of my students; ensuring they are making significant progress. In addition to conveying knowledge in an understandable way, I am aiming to boost my student's confidence and transferrable skills. All of which will ultimately lead to boosting grades significantly.

What you will be looking forward to:

1. Acquiring in-depth and concise knowledge of the contents of the specification
2. Exam tips and proven studying techniques
3. Past paper practise
4. Marking and providing feedback on mock exams
5. Enhancing confidence and analytical skills
6. Pattern of topics that always come up
7. Being available to answer my students' queries round the clock

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Personal Description:
Hello, my name is Alexandra I was born and raised in Greece where I obtained a Bachelor Degree in International European Studies. I worked as an English and Greek tutor for 12 years in Language schools and privately. I have managed to develop a very interactive and efficient way for Adults and young children to learn English as a foreign language as well as Greek since it is my native language.

Teaching Experience:
12 years tutoring language for: Adults and young children 7-16, GCSE, IELTS, TOEIC, A1-C2 level
12 years tutoring Greek students with homework, prep for exams

Tutoring Approach:
Adults: I promote interactive ways of learning that include discussions around films, music, theater and interesting articles, conversations and the expression of personal opinion. I strongly support verbal exercises so that the learner manages to feel confident on having basic conversations within the first month of learning.

Young children: I support interactive learning by role play, games and short films that include exercises. I focus on establishing excellent knowledge of the grammar and syntax rules and I introduce multiple ways to build on the vocabulary.

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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:
My name is Jimmy. I am a college graduate from an accredited university in the US and hold a teaching certification in secondary mathematics education (grades 7-12). I have 9 years of tutoring experience in GCSE Maths, A-Level Maths, Further Maths, 11+, and competitions such as Maths Olympiad and Kangaroo Maths.

I am passionate about helping students build confidence, improve grades, and enjoy mathematics. Outside of tutoring, I am active, enjoy sports, and love solving and creating math problems.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught students from KS3 to A-Level, including exam preparation for GCSE and A-Level Maths, Further Maths, and competitive math exams.

My lessons are tailored to each student's level, strengths, and areas for improvement. Students I've taught have successfully raised their grades, built problem-solving skills, and developed lasting confidence in mathematics.

I teach both online and in-person, adapting sessions to suit each student's learning style and pa

Tutoring Approach:
I use a personalized teaching approach, combining direct instruction with differentiated strategies. Lessons focus on conceptual understanding, problem-solving, and exam techniques, often using past papers, practice questions, and real-world examples.

My goal is to help students think independently, understand concepts deeply, and achieve their full potential in mathematics.

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Personal Description:
My name is Farah, a graduate of Marine Engineering and Offshore Platforms from the University of Tripoli, Libya (Class of 2017). I currently live in Warrington, and I'm passionate about education, especially teaching Arabic, Math, Physics, and Science.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 10 years of experience teaching Arabic, Math, Science, and Physics to students of different age groups - from primary school to high school. I've worked in both formal schools and private tutoring settings.

Tutoring Approach:
• I use a simple, step-by-step approach tailored to the student's level.
• I focus on deep understanding rather than memorization.
• I include visual aids, practical examples, and interactive activities.
• I aim to build student confidence through encouragement and positive reinforcement.

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