Falmouth English Tutors and Falmouth English Tuition

Personal Description:
Hello, I'm Alex! I'm a highly experienced English tutor, educator and creative writing coach. I specialise in targeted GCSE and A-Level exam preparation for the AQA, Eduqas, OCR, and Edexcel exam boards. My focus is on delivering measurable results.

Last exam cycle's best results: two students jumped from 6 to 9 in language and literature; one jumped from 4 to 7. Please take a look at my reviews below to see some of my previous success stories!

While I focus heavily on exam cohorts, I also offer foundational support for KS2 students, frequently mentoring learners all the way through to their A-Levels.

I graduated from Falmouth University with a First-Class degree in English in 2018. Alongside private tutoring, I am also a widely published poet and creative writing coach.

Teaching Experience:
I've been tutoring and working in educational settings for a decade.

Following graduation and prior to the pandemic, I began working in schools as a teaching assistant and educational support worker in preparation for my teacher training.

Ultimately, I decided that tutoring suited me more than classroom teaching during the pandemic. I started working for the national tutoring program, and haven't looked back since.

I've helped students of all levels improve, but my primary expertise is helping GCSE, AS and A level students improve their grades across all exam boards. I also have extensive experience with IGCSE, both Edexcel and Cambridge. I believe I am one of the top tutors in my field in this area.

Due to my practice as a poet, I have also worked with a number of adult students on creative projects, from assembling poetry collections to novel writing, a practice I enjoy immensley.

I am also a trainee psychotherapist.

Tutoring Approach:
Many students who come to see me are already quite advanced in their core skills, but we often find that this does not always translate into consistently high or predictable results. In these cases, my role is to help students adapt and refine their existing abilities to meet the specific demands of their exam board. This is about developing the know-how to turn strong English into high-scoring exam responses: understanding the assessment objectives in detail, recognising precisely what each objective requires, and learning how to shape writing so that it consistently targets and fulfils them. The aim is to help students understand how to maximise the effectiveness of their ideas, analysis and argument so that their existing abilities translate into the marks they are capable of achieving.

Other students may need more targeted support with deficiencies in core skills such as analysis, evaluation, inference, contextual integration or the confident use of literary theory. These students can benefit from in-depth, expert lessons and carefully tailored resources designed to build those skills while also unlocking some of the more challenging texts and concepts within their syllabus. My approach is always adapted to the individual student: identifying precisely where greater understanding, practice or confidence is needed and addressing those areas systematically.

Whatever a student's starting point or requirements, my approach is fundamentally student-centred. I see myself less as a traditional teacher and more as a facilitator of learning: someone whose job is to help students become increasingly independent, thoughtful and confident thinkers. Ultimately, I want students to learn how to think for themselves rather than simply reproduce what they have been taught. This is particularly important in English and the humanities, where the ability to form, develop and defend one's own ideas is not only intellectually valuable but consistently rewarded in assessment.

I utilise a state of the art online whiteboard; I set homework each week; and produce tailored resources for each student.

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Personal Description:
Recently retired. Able to work away from home and willing to travel but charge £1 per mile to cover car expenses and time travelling. You can come to me. Married with son and grandchildren.

Teaching Experience:
35 years' teaching in junior and secondary schools. Head of English, Schools' Inspector and consultant. Dip. Sp.L.D. qualification. Recently, eight years' tutoring.

Tutoring Approach:
One-to-one, perhaps in your house. friendly, individual, personalised service, according to need and based on assessment and pupil or parent wishes. Normally one hour per week. Preferably for a year, at least, to achieve best results.

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Personal Description:
ANNOUNCING NEW AVAILABILITY FOR ENGLISH AND MATHS

FROM MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH onwards


***EXTRA TIMES FOR A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY, MEDIA STUDIES AND POLITICS ALSO AVAILABLE


Hello, all parents and potential tutees!

A very warm Autumnal welcome from Stuart!

I'm an enthusiastic, keen and good-humoured tutor, who teaches with commitment, dedication, passion and style!

I have been teaching Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level students now for more than 20 years - and I achieve great results.

I currently tutor students in English Language, English Literature and Maths - in the evenings and occasionally at weekends.

I am familiar with all of the English prose and play texts, as well as Poetry Anthologies and tutor students for both GCSE and IGCSE English Language and Literature.

I have a passion for poetry, I love Shakespeare, and, in my spare time, publish short stories. Creative Writing is my first love.

I also tutor students in GCSE Maths - and am familiar with all of the syllabi (Edexcel; AQA; IGCSE, OCR).

I am currently coaching a number of students who are working towards their Entrance exams in Coventry and Warwickshire - for Warwick, King's High, the merged Bablake & King Henry Schools and Solihull School.

A native Scot, I attained my English degree (BA Honours) from Stirling University in central Scotland.

In addition to my English degree, I have a second degree in Education (1st class Honours) from Stirling University, which allows me to teach GCSE Mathematics, Sociology, Psychology and Politics.

My hobbies include swimming (I swim a mile almost every day!), writing short stories and poems and motorbiking.
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Current 2026 references are available upon request.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching GCSE and A level English, Drama and Creative Writing for 20 years.

I was one of the 'pilot tutors' on Warwickshire County Council's Tutoring Programme for Children in Care, tutoring teenagers across Warwickshire in literacy.

I write all of my own lessons.

Tutoring Approach:
My style is engaging and enthusiastic. I have a passion for creative writing.

I tutor in the evenings and selected weekends, and set weekly written tasks to monitor students' progress.

A normal GCSE lesson lasts one hour, but I can offer 90-minute or two-hour sessions for AS/A level students.

I also specialise in creative writing workshops, and am a published author, contributing to a number of paid-for UK magazines.

I also tutor online via MICROSOFT TEAMS.

I have had excellent recent successes. In the 2025 summer exams, four of my GCSE students scored A** (level 9) grades in Language and three scored level 9's in Literature.
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All of my last four A level English students have scored A grades.

I have also successfully tutored many students who have been accepted into Solihull School. Warwick School and King Henry School and Bablake School in Coventry.

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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 £45 and £50 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 graduated from the University of Oxford in 2011 with a degree in Experimental Psychology, and received a Masters in 2015. I have been tutoring for over 10 years, and run a company focused on inspiring students to reach their potential through study techniques based on neuroscientific evidence. This involves delivering interactive workshops for students in schools and colleges across London, as well as through ebooks and other online resources I have created!

I love teaching and thrive on the satisfaction of helping a student reach their goal; I welcome students of all abilities, motivation levels and confidence levels. What sets me apart from most is that as well as tutoring my students, I take the role of a mentor, to motivate, encourage and guide them towards success. My students also benefit from my knowledge of study skill techniques, which I integrate into my teaching to maximise students' memory retention.

For students applying for Oxbridge, I am able to provide valuable advice on interview techniques and personal statements, as well as provide contacts to graduates from Oxford University from a range of subjects. I am also able to tutor students for entrance exams e.g. 11+.

Teaching Experience:
I have tutored extensively for 10 years at Primary, GCSE, A-level, and Degree level with excellent results. I have had students move up by up to 4 grade boundaries at both GCSE and A Level; for the 11+ I have helped students secure places (including scholarships) at excellent institutions such as Dulwich College. At degree level, my Psychology students have achieved 1sts and 2:1s. I am happy to provide references on request!

Tutoring Approach:
My first step is always to assess exactly where my student is at so that I can plan the content for sessions accordingly and make sure that they get the best out of each lesson. If there are any gaps in the foundations of their knowledge we can then attack these head on. My approach is thus very organised and tailored to the specific needs of the student, with small goals set per session alongside a long term goal to work towards. I always ensure that my lessons are engaging, and work towards building a good relationship with my students, encouraging them to ask questions without any hesitation. I adapt my approach depending on my students' learning style as I feel this is the key to successful teaching.

At GCSE and A Level, my aim is always to make sure that students are completely familiar with the subject specification and assessment objectives as this dictates exactly where they can pick up most marks. Completing as many past papers as possible is also a step in the right direction, alongside completing assignments set by myself. I always give very detailed feedback so that my students know exactly where they can improve, and how to apply it to their work going forward.

My approach for students studying Psychology at degree level depends on what is required. Most students require guidance with essays, reports, dissertations and write ups; I usually go through the assignment with the student giving valuable, detailed feedback on what can be improved and exactly how they can go about doing so. This can involve several redrafts until the work has been completed to the students' full potential.

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Personal Description:
I have been helping students to achieve in their GCSE English for ten years. The relationship I establish is coaching orientated and the student is encouraged to work out answers without me actually teĺling the answer. My approach is to help the tutee arrive at the correct answer or method.

Teaching Experience:
My tutoring roles have been as maths and English tutor with learndirect, up to and including GCSE level 3 together with home-visit tutoring for maths and english

Tutoring Approach:
I have a coaching/affiliative style from years of experience in training, coaching and tutoring. This experience has come from employed and self-employed roles.
I believe that engagement of the learner in the subject and with the tutor are the prime drivers of new learning and knowledge and I will work with learners to make their learning a fun but disciplined experience

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Personal Description:
Online and in person tuition available!

A little bit about me: I have my own tutoring business which I am currently running during my maternity leave. I am a University of Surrey MSci Biochemistry (Master of Science) graduate. Have completed half of my PGCE in secondary science teaching and currently on maternity leave. I have 10 years experience in teaching having taught over 100 students in the last 4 years. I am young and energetic whilst being knowledgable in most curriculums from pre-school all the way up to A- level.
*** PLEASE NOTE: I offer a consultation either in the student's home, online or over the phone. ***

Teaching Experience:
As a secondary school science teacher with over 10 years of tutoring experience and my own tutoring business, I tailor my lessons to everyone of students specifically. I approach teaching with a relaxed attitude where the student can really make the most out of every session without feeling bored or uncomfortable. I keep the sessions as interactive as possible and my teaching styles can be changed to suit every learning style!

Tutoring Approach:
I tailor every single lesson to every single individual I teach. My forte is teaching students without stressing, boring or tiring them. Most of my students repeat the comment "I can`t believe it is the end of the session, it went by so quickly!"; which is due to the fact that I make my lessons as engaging and fun as possible whilst not compromising on time or amount of content. Not many tutors are able to build a good relationship with their students by showing them they care about the individual rather than just each session. I LOVE teaching which is why I have not left the industry since I started. I can provide references from other parents/students proving to you how happy they have been with my service. I will not guarantee your child will achieve an A* in any given subject as that is also up to the student but I can guarantee that I will teach them as much as they can learn and make the lessons we have as fun, engaging and informative as possible.



Please Note: A surcharge will incur if I need to travel to you depending on distance. I have a fully enhanced DBS check (former CRB).

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Personal Description:
I am a warm friendly, patient, understanding and highly motivated tutor.

I have the ability to attend to all your learning needs.

I am extremely resourceful and knowledgeable on the subjects I tutor in.

I will work out the best way that you learn and teach to your learning strengths.

Your success is my success!

Teaching Experience:
I have been a Primary School Teacher and a teacher of English as a Foreign Language for over twenty years.

I have experience of teaching all levels of English from pre-school to Business Studies and University essay writing.

I have also been a Primary School Teacher for 22 years.

I have regularly coached students for the SATS tests, 11+, Functional Skills, GCSE Maths and English and IELTS.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is to get to know you the person a little first.

I like to establish what specifically you want from the tutoring sessions.

When I have established your requirements I can then start to build a profile of your learning; what methods best work for you.

Your success is my success.

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Personal Description:
Hello, and thank you so much for reading my tutoring profile. For busy parents, school leaders and occasional journalists, this opening section offers a quick summary of my professional highlights, with more details below if you'd like to know more. It would be lovely to hear from you :)

MY CAREER HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR

⦿ Award-winning teacher at my first school (Departmental Award for "Commitment to Cascading Teaching Excellence")

⦿ 20 years'+ experience in the UK's toughest Secondary and Further Education classrooms

⦿ Head of Department; Examiner Experience (Various Exam Boards); GCSE Resit Programme Manager; Advanced Teaching Practitioner; NEA Internal Verifier; Lead for Development of Departmental Higher Education Provision; Lead for Departmental UCAS Applications; Behaviour Management Coach; Learning Mentor for "Gifted and Talented" Programme; Teacher Training Mentor liaising with Ofsted

⦿ BA (Hons), MRes (Dist) and PGCE trained, with Qualified Teacher and Lecturer Status

⦿ Prize-winning postgraduate at University of Warwick for ground-breaking research that made: "a genuine contribution to the discipline of International Relations"

⦿ A leading tutor in the online space, with over 37,000+ tutor sessions delivered across 42 countries (including delivering education to children in Ukrainian and Sudanese warzones via Elon Musk's Starlink)

⦿ Expert in 7/11+ Entrance Exams/GCSE/A Level/Degree/Postgraduate/UCAS Applications/Academic Mentoring/Career Planning/Property Investment Masterclasses

⦿ Subject specialisms of English, Maths, Biology, History, International Relations and Entrance Exams

⦿ Proud to be rated 5 stars on leading review and social media platforms

⦿ Global educational consultant sought out for occasional media appearances (Radio 4, BBC)

⦿ A successful property entrepreneur and mentor to entrants into the industry, with a former property company managing £54 million of real estate nationally, developments totalling £16 million+ and fortunate enough to have built a personal portfolio of circa £3.1 million thus far

⦿ Currently researching my first educational book for sale via Amazon, exploring how to engage disenchanted learners

⦿ In my (few!) spare moments, I enjoy raising our two daughters with my wife, travelling in Tuscany, hiking in the Malvern Hills, and supporting Manchester United

⦿ As my record hopefully shows, I am a renowned tutor, with an outstanding track record of success both in the classroom, as well as in the property world

⦿ If you're looking to work with one of the leading global tutors in the industry with a proven track-record of commercial success too, then feel free to get in touch, and I'll always do my best to help

Please read on, if you'd like to know a little more about my educational and professional journey.

►► MY STORY ◄◄

I am currently a grade-one "outstanding" teacher in my present school, and have been delivering KS3, GCSE and A Level English, Maths and History in the secondary and sixth-form sectors for the past 16 years, in which time my results have far surpassed national pass rates. Moreover, due to these outstanding results and innovative teaching methods, I have served as Assistant Head of Department; helping us to be awarded an internal grade 1 "outstanding" rating for the 6 years in which I held the post. Furthermore, I also have extensive experience as an "Advanced Practitioner"-tasked with turning around failing cohorts in some of the UK's toughest classrooms, as well as my time as an examiner for a variety of GCSE/A Level exam boards.

Moreover, due to this long history of being a stand-out professional in the education sector, my advice has been sought out for occasional media and radio appearances for discussions on educational policy, whilst also being head-hunted to tutor the children of prominent public figures including Premiership footballers, Olympic athletes, luminaries of the business world, and even the family of a Nobel Prize winner for a month-which was awesome!

Furthermore, in also being an accomplished property developer with my own UK real-estate portfolio and honorary co-founder of a former property company alongside my partner, I have acted as a business mentor to Year 11 students on entrepreneurship, and how to begin their own journey in property investment, which has seen me guide some of the UK's brightest new generation of business leaders.

In my remaining spare time, I am currently engaged in the pre-reading for the start of my future PHD in International Relations, during which I will be studying the geopolitics of any superpower conflict over Taiwan. Furthermore, I enjoy travelling extensively in our second home of Tuscany with my young family, supporting Manchester United, playing the drums, and playing the PlayStation (although not as much as I used to, these days!)

As my full and varied career has hopefully shown, I have a passion for English, maths, history, and the 11+ exams, taking great pride in providing the best academic and pastoral support I can, whilst hopefully being an outstanding role-model for all of my students, as I help them forge their way in the world.

►► QUALIFICATIONS ◄◄

PHD (Start Pending) in International Relations at London School of Economics-will analyse the geostrategic relationship between the USA and China in an era of rising multipolarity.

--MRes (Distinction) in International Security from University of Warwick-won academic award for writing an "outstanding and genuinely original dissertation" that represented: "an important contribution to existing literature in the field of International Security".

--PGCE (Distinction) in Secondary Education-ranked in the top 2 trainee teachers in my year's cohort, with outstanding feedback in academic and practical assessments

--BA (Hons) in English/History from University of Birmingham-received special award for achieving academic excellence despite coming from the bottom 5% of UK families in terms of socioeconomic poverty

--A Levels (A* in all subjects taken): prize winning student in my sixth form for most inspirational pupil, and was in the top 2% of the UK for my academic results, including 100% in key modules

Teaching Experience:
I have a broad range of experience turning around struggling students in some of the UK's toughest classrooms, as well as challenging high achieving learners in the pursuit of academic excellence. In my teaching and tutoring career thus far, I have taught across the curriculum age-ranges (7-18 years), as well as undergraduate and postgraduate level students, and specialise in teaching troubled learners lacking confidence, whilst pushing very bright pupils.

Since I began teaching at my institution, English pass-rates received a 25% upwards leap in the opening two years and my tutoring pass grades in my subjects of English, maths and history have been outstanding, so that the vast majority of my classes/tutees are now passing with strong academic grades, and attaining entry to prestigious preparatory schools and/or universities. During last academic year, my tutees enjoyed superb results in English, Maths, History and the 11+, with 96% reaching their target minimum grade, and 68% exceeding this mark, entering prestigious institutions such as the University of Durham, University of Heidelburg and Bromsgrove School, as well as world-class employers such as Rolls Royce. Therefore, over my career as a "super-tutor" so far, I am proud to have delivered over 37,000 lessons across 1000 students within 41 countries, from the UK to Hong Kong.

I also have considerable mentoring expertise, in having built my own UK property portfolio currently valued at £2.75 million from scratch, I have mentored many adult and teenage entrants into property investing, guiding their purchases and renovations to the overall value of £14 million, and counting. In addition to this, I have also been an informal mentor to UK gang members, tasked with persuading them to their back on lives of criminality, and embrace the transformative potential of education, which has been among the most rewarding roles of my career thus far.

►► PARENT FEEDBACK ◄◄

--"Jonathan is fantastic and my 15 years old have a big turn round about his
view of education. Now he can't wait for his lesson!"

--"I could not have wished for a better tutor for my son! I cannot praise Jon's
enthusiasm for his subject, motivational skills and professionalism enough."

--"The biggest testimonial comes from my son, who now looks forward to and
enjoys his weekly visit! praise indeed from a teenager!"

--"I have nothing but praise for Jonathan."

--"George is totally happy to see him which is a miracle at 3pm on a Saturday!"

--"Jon is a fantastic teacher best tutor I have ever had."

--"AMAZINGLY helpful, nice and very cooperative."

--"Thanks soooo much Jon, Ashleigh passed, she won't be doing retakes and is
feeling incredibly relieved."

--"We feel lucky to book a place with him early on as he seemed to be full
booked before December."

--"Never passed an English test before in my whole life then came to Jonathan
with very little time for my first GCSE exam and managed to get an A for
English literature and a B for creative writing. 10/10."

--"Jon has a unique ability to get students onboard in a short amount of time.
He is quick to establish a rapport, building on trust and confidence which
makes an ideal platform for focused learning".

--"He is heavily in demand which speaks volumes in terms of his reputation and
is super knowledgeable and prepared for all elements of the syllabus."

--"He went from a predicted a 4/5 to an 8 !!! We were extremely pleased and
put this down to Jons ability."

--"I wish we had found him earlier! We highly recommend him!"

--"He is helpful and gifted at tutoring kids so they understand exactly what they
need to change or improve on. We will be using Jon for all of our children."

Tutoring Approach:
Besides enjoying superb results, my pupils benefit from a relaxed yet challenging atmosphere, with high commitment being expected of them, and this is demonstrated in both their personal and academic growth, which is among the most rewarding aspects of tutoring for me. I'm very friendly with a great sense of humour (so I've been told!), and I use this to make the learning as enjoyable as I can, whilst strengthening self-esteem and exciting the minds of my students. Through this, it is more than tutoring to me, seeing our time together as equipping them with the vital skills they need to excel in later life.

In terms of lesson delivery, I always strive to be on the cutting-edge of education in use of educational technology, teaching resources and methods. Therefore, my approach to tutoring currently makes use of the techniques of "blended learning", and utilises the following:

⦿ Industry-standard video-conferencing and modern presentational packages such as Miro-used by global brands like Coca Cola and Nike to power collaborative learning

⦿ Powerful virtual learning environments, resourced by well-known educational companies such as Twinkl and Century Tech, to help every one of my learners maximise their potential.

⦿ Judicious use of AI powered apps and programmes, to help explore key educational concepts, mark schemes and model answers

⦿ Fully personalised lessons, tailored to topics, skills and levels being explored by the learner at school

⦿ Interlocking homework provided, to consolidate key concepts and themes explored within each lesson

⦿ Innovative approach to learning, from using computer games as inspirational stimulus for creative writing (which have been used as national exemplars by UK exam boards), to debating contemporary issues affecting all young people for speaking and listening tasks, such as: "How Will AI Change Humanity?"

⦿ A friendly and engaging approach to learning, seeking to make it fun, yet intellectually rigorous at all time

Thus, with 20 years+ experience now in the UK's most challenging classrooms, this has constantly honed my approach to teaching and tutoring, creatively using ed-tech to ensure no learner is left behind, as we cover the curriculum in an accessible and enjoyable way.

Needless to say, I am a passionate advocate of the transformational value of education, which is a joy, never a chore. In having been lucky enough to build a property brand and investment portfolio, I now tutor primarily for the sheer enjoyment of helping develop the next generation of learners. Education enabled me to escape a childhood of abject poverty, and with this in mind, I always do my best to ensure I give each and every one of my students the best start in life I can.

If you're looking to work with one of the leading tutors in the industry with a proven track-record of academic and commercial success, then I'm happy to help.

Thank you ever so much for reading :)

*Enhanced DBS certified

**Please kindly note: proposed rate will be dependent on level of study, length of tutoring period and demand.

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Personal Description:
I am a Cambridge University educated, fully-qualified teacher. I am available to tutor in English, French, Spanish, Italian and EFL. I tutor all levels from KS2 upwards and I am also an experienced 11 plus and Entrance Exams tutor. I also tutor at KS3, KS4 and KS5 and for all the main exam boards at G.C.S.E, I.G.C.S.E and A'Level. In addition, I currently deliver online tuition to students, many of whom I prepare for the academically selective school admission process. I also deliver EAL and exam tuition to Chinese students who are preparing for Entrance Examinations and support those already at independent schools in the UK.

Teaching Experience:
I have many years of teaching experience, having started out as an EFL teacher before gaining my P.G.C.E. After graduating, I also spent time tutoring in London and often received requests to travel with international clients to continue tuition. I hold UK Qualified Teacher Status [QTS] and have taught Modern Foreign Languages at Secondary School. In addition, I have taught Adult Education Language Courses for East Riding Council.
I also run regular group courses in French, Spanish and Italian for Adult Learners. In addition, I run small Literacy support groups to help students improve their reading, grammar, spelling and punctuation. I also tutor student teachers for the QTS Literacy Skills Test and have achieved passes for students who had failed the test on previous attempts.I also continue to teach English as a Foreign Language and have taught students from all over the world from Russia to Japan and India. For example, I have successfully prepared UK and Chinese students for interviews and examinations at the following schools: Cheltenham Ladies' College; Badminton School; Queen Anne's School; Roedean School; Bruton School; Bromsgrove School; The King's School Canterbury; Woldingham; Godolphin; Queen Ethelburga's; Ashdown House Prep; Queen Elizabeth's, Barnet; Dame Alice Owen's; Sevenoaks; Latymer.

Tutoring Approach:
As a tutor my approach is patient and flexible. The learner is at the heart of what I do and my aim is for all students to make rapid progress but also to enjoy their learning. As a result I enjoy planning varied and engaging lessons which are tailor-made for my students. I strongly believe that one-to-one and small group tuition can deliver real results for all types of learners due to the focus on individual learning needs and styles.

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Personal Description:
I have worked in the educational sector both in the UK and overseas. I teach children of primary and secondary school age in both mainstream and special schools. I teach Mathematics, English and Science.

I use the Teacch, Pecs and Makaton to teach individuals whom I support as a small group and on one to one. I recently completed a Makaton training for professionals.

I am conversant with the educational curriculum.

I do have good communication skills, strong interpersonal skills and have the ability to motivate children to achieve their highest potential.

My passion about helping children of all ages and abilities to learn have always added value because, I aim to satisfy the academic needs of each child.

I am the owner and manager of a new business that allows children of primary and secondary school age the opportunity to enjoy the facilities of supplementary educational services. Aimed at distinctively making a difference by developing a child's academic potential that will help him or her make that connection with the real world.

Receiving tuition at the centre cost £20.00 per hour but if I have to travel to pupil`s home, tuition cost is £35.00 per hour.

Contact me and discover how to invest in your child's future.

Teaching Experience:
I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Education. This qualification has given me a general overview of how to identify misconceptions children have in learning the concepts and, methods to devise different ways to deal with it. Also, employing different ways of representing the same knowledge because, there are more than one way in the teaching and learning experience.

In addition, I have a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education (Inclusion and Special Education Needs). With this qualification, I am well equipped to devise, implement and evaluate systems for identifying, assessing and reviewing students' special education needs. I ensure children have conceptual knowledge which will help them make progress.

Also, I do have a Master degree in Special Education Needs. This has further foster my understanding of children with specific learning needs and how to ensure that their learning objectives are met.

Thus, my university and work experience have created in me an enthusiasm to develop an environment for learning, that would make a huge impact in the lives of all children by using my skills and experiences to help them develop to their full potential for learning.

Tutoring Approach:
I employ personalised teaching technique that is tailored to meet the need of the individual child.

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Personal Description:
I have over 15 years teaching experience, the majority of my work has been at secondary level, where my specialisms are Drama, English, English Literature, Film studies and History. However, I also have extensive experience in primary education where I have taught across the breadth of the curriculum.

My preoccupation with academia was nurtured at a competitive Grammar School, RGS Worcester, a top school with high expectations. I went on to acquire a first class degree. I remain now, as I have always been, a high achiever.

I also work in the creative arts, as actor, tutor and director, inspired by performance art in all its forms. My current artistic interests include revising classics, puppetry, theatre in non-traditional spaces, and working as a freelance drama consultant to help smaller scale theatre companies realise their artistic aims and consolidate their working practices.

Recreationally I enjoy martial arts, exercise and the outdoors. As an avid reader I am particularly drawn to epic literature and sprawling worlds, beguiling first person narratives, comparative religious and spiritual studies, psychology, philosophy and history.

Teaching Experience:
Secondary Level Education:
- I worked for 6 years as a secondary school teacher, delivering Drama and English lessons, including GCSE and 'A' level, from year 7- year 13.
-I devised and delivered a formal curriculum to teach Year 9 Drama (in line with Key Stage Guidelines).
-Extensive experience in coursework, marking, moderation and exam preparation.
-On 2 separate occasions, following Ofsted observations, I was given an 'Outstanding' classification (the highest classification).
-Quantitative end of term reports always placed my classes amongst the highest in terms of achievement and student retention.

'A' level Education:
-I taught for 6 years at 2 different Further Education Colleges. I taught English Literature, Drama and Film Studies 'A' level.
-Students were offered extra-curricular tutorials to help them achieve their desired results according to their own set of educational needs.
-I emboldened students for university entrance with interview techniques, UCAS procedures and university level preparation.
-The coursework I devised with students for their final A2 Drama and Theatre Studies was picked up as an exemplar of excellent practice, and is still used to this day by Edexcel examination board.

Primary:
-I devised a range of workshops, and delivered these to selected primary schools. These workshops raised literacy levels, written and oral communication. They were delivered to year 4, year 5 and year 6 students.
-My work with Redditch Borough Council as Literacy and Outreach Officer earned me an 'Outstanding personal Achievement Award'.

Adult Education:
-I've worked with young people trying to get back into education following exclusion, this involved working with charities like CentrePoint.
-I often work with adult learners re-taking their GCSE English.
-Postgraduate students have sought my help in the past, particularly International Students looking to improve the precision of their essays.

University Level:
-Delivering Theatre and Drama lectures, seminars and workshops to students at university level, including The University of Birmingham, University of Worcester, University of Bristol, and University of Warwick.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring involves the mutual balance of 2 equally important intentions: a sensitive awareness of what a student needs and establishing a conducive rapport.

I have a flexible communication style, informed by exposure to hosts of different students, I am adaptable and responsive, a necessity built on the recognition that effective learning can only happen when tutor and student understand each other, and are mutually inspired.

At first, my focus with a new student is to provide gentle provocations on different aspects of the subject matter- a process which allows me to see where their strengths and weaknesses lie, also allowing the student to start seeing the subject matter from varying perspectives, and to extend their range of problem-solving and communication strategies.

My approach always depends on the specific needs of the student, most commonly students ask for:
-Information building and comprehension
-Essay writing technique
-Filling in historical/ social/ political or cultural context to areas of study (particularly at 'A' level)
-Response to examination questions
-Improving literacy level, reading and comprehension, grammar (particularly at primary level)
-Extending and developing powers of expression

You will find me a generous tutor, I am not a clock watcher, it does not matter, for instance, if a class runs over. I will work hard for you between lessons, marking, researching, and developing new lessons and academic exercises. My tutoring style is tempered by profound understanding and experience of examination board and national curriculum requirements. Moreover, my many years working as an educator entailed the need to develop a flexible range of teaching strategies correspondent to the varying learning preferences of my students.

Some recent feedback:
'I wish you had been my tutor before, I feel a lot more confident'
(Chitra, GCSE English, Adult Learner)
'Great attitude and rapport with my son very engaging'
(Sarah, mother of 'A' level; Film and Studies student)
'We are delighted to have Chris helping my daughter and her friend with the written exam In the last few weeks of their Drama and Theatre `A ` level. Inspiring, flexible, fun -knowledgeable about the plays, their history and context- he is a fantastic tutor.'
(Felicity, mother of 'A' level Drama and Theatre Studies student)

Subjects

Personal Description:
PLEASE SEE 'TUTORING EXPERIENCE' BELOW FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS PAGE, THE RESULTS AND FEEDBACK

I am an Oxford graduate (English language and literature, first class), as well as a qualified English teacher, and have been tutoring since 2013. My specialism is A-level English literature.

Please get in touch for online English tuition, particularly if you are or your child is

• Preparing to take A-levels in 2026/27
• Doing coursework
• Working on the basis of continuous assessment, mocks, etc.
• Or planning to do / doing an English degree

I graduated from the University of Oxford with a double first in English language and literature, winning the prize for the best performance in English finals at Mansfield College, and the college essay prize. At school, I was awarded eleven GCSEs at A-star and three A-levels at A.

As well as tutoring, I have worked as a researcher, a copywriter, and a proofreader. I have also completed a PGCE in secondary English at the UCL Institute of Education, the highest-ranking college of education in the world ('QS World University Rankings'), during which I taught all age groups at two west London secondary schools, and received A's for my master's-level assignments. I am currently pursuing a PhD in English literature at the University of Buckingham.

As well as English tuition at any level, I can help you or your child with the following:

• Oxbridge entrance (the admissions process, practice interviews, the ELAT, etc.)
• Essay surgery - how to structure and write an essay
• How to revise - note-taking, organisation, making connections, committing to memory
• Grammar, punctuation, and style (a.k.a. 'usage and abusage')
• Speech-writing and public speaking
• Proofreading and redrafting essays
• Suggested reading and resources, including access to my library of 'TES' resources
• Creative writing
• How to annotate, analyse (and enjoy) English literature - sometimes known as 'close reading' or 'practical criticism'
• If you'd specifically like written feedback on your writing - more like a correspondence course - then I can also provide that.

In my spare time I enjoy cycling, writing, and photography.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring since 2013, teaching English at all levels (including degree level), as well as A-level religious studies and classical civilisation. I have taught AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC/Eduqas, and CAIE (Cambridge International), and am constantly familiarising myself with the new texts that my students are studying. I have experience helping students who have autism and ADHD. And I am interested in the role of generative AI and large language models in education, not to write students' essays for them, but as research assistants for students and teachers alike. It is of course important that students do not get the likes of ChatGPT to write their essays for them, among other reasons because they will not be able to do so in the exams. Tutoring is well placed to discourage this, since it has always been my practice to ask my students many questions about every essay they write.

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A student, June 2025: 'thank you very much for all the sessions! It has not only boosted my confidence in English literature but they really reminded me of how much I love the subject. It's always a pleasure to discuss nuance readings of the texts, and it has been a great help leading up to my exams.'

Charlotte, a parent, June 2025: 'Thank you so much for all your help and support for [L.]. We are so grateful for everything you have done with him and wish you all the best.'

Ann, a parent, June 2025: '[Z.] has thoroughly enjoyed her lessons with you and has gained so much from your guidance. We're very grateful for all the support you've given her.'

A parent, May 2025: 'Thank you so much again for everything you've done to help [G.] prepare for these exams - he has really enjoyed his sessions with you and he and we really appreciate your support'.

A parent, May 2025: '[N.] just received the below. It's an A* if the grade boundaries is same as last year. She couldn't have done it without your help. We really appreciate it.'

A parent, February 2025: '[S.] is really enjoying studying with you and has gained a lot of confidence in English. I truly appreciate the effort and dedication you put into teaching.'

A student, January 2025: 'thank you ever so much for your kindness and creative encouragement the past months. What is very special about you as a tutor is that you have never told me "what to write". Instead, you have asked me questions about my work that have led me to discover what I truly wish to write'.

Kate, a parent, December 2024: 'We're so pleased [G.] is enjoying his sessions and seems to be really motivated to read widely in between sessions, is making useful structured notes (which he didn't do before) and his confidence and awareness of what he needs to do when essay writing is really building. Thank you!!!'

Eleni, a parent, December 2024: 'I just wanted to let you know that [D.] received an offer […] today! She is super happy! […] I wanted to thank you again as [D.] found your sessions incredibly helpful and inceased her confidence during the exams process.'

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A-level results, August 2024:

'I wanted to write to say a huge thank you to you for all the help, support and inspiration you have given [E.] over the past year. You have not only given her the technical advice and support to help her make the most of her essays and exams, but more importantly you have helped her keep the love of the subject alive. I know a big part of the reason she is so excited to study English at university is because of how much she has enjoyed your conversations, and how you have helped her to consider texts in a way that the rather narrower scope of teaching at school does not allow. I am so very grateful to you and I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into her sessions - thank you so very much. […] You've been so great, and any other student/parent would be lucky to have access to your teaching.'

'I have just opened my results and am happy to confirm that I am off to Bristol this September with an A* in English! I just want to thank you again for making this possible.'

'I got an A in English, and will be going to Exeter, so mission accomplished. I wanted to thank you for all your help, not only for helping me to get what I needed, but for giving me back my confidence and enjoyment of the subject in the process.'

'Just to let you know [I.] got her results this morning and achieved an 'A' in English. We are over the moon […] Thank you again for all your help with the English, it's much appreciated.'

'thanks for your help this past academic year! Got two A*s in English and Philosophy'.

'I got a B and I was accepted into my firm university (Durham) which I am very happy! Thank you for all your help and support.'

'I was really happy to receive […] A in English Literature […] I secured a placed at my firm university. I will be studying English Literature at Durham University this September and I am very excited! Thank you so much for all of your support, I really appreciate it!'

'i got into Warwick with […] an A* in English!!!!! I am very happy :) Thank you for all your hard work, wisdom and wit over the last year or two'.

'Thank you so much for all your coaching and advice that you shared with [L.], it made such a difference to his confidence leading up to his exams. He is (as are we) delighted with his English result.'

'an A awarded in English […] so she is off to her first choice of Edinburgh University to study History of Art and English Literature.'

'Results day went well and I'm going to the university of Kent. Thank you so much again for all the time spent helping me to prepare for my exams it means a lot I'm very excited to continue my English literature journey.'

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A student, June 2024: 'Thank you so much for being the most amazing English teacher! It has been an immensely rewarding and interesting journey exploring so many books […] I have learnt so much from GCSEs to continuing with more amazing literatures in A-levels'

A student, June 2024: 'I […] wanted to say thank you for the tremendous help you have provided with the English content throughout the A level period. The resources that you provided for me were quite helpful in refining my knowledge in many areas of the syllabus so thank you very much.'

A student, May 2024: 'I've just received the results for my english coursework and wanted to thank you for all the help and feedback!!'

A parent, February 2024: 'your help has kept her love of the subject and her enthusiasm alive and I can't thank you enough for that.'

A parent, February 2024: 'You were such a huge help to [S.], we will always be very grateful to you.'

Kath, a parent, February 2024: 'We would both like to thank you for all your invaluable help, especially all the helpful feedback on the coursework essay. [S.] has definitely learnt a lot and grown in confidence, especially in her knowledge of Twelfth Night.'

A student, January 2024: 'I just wanted to let you know that I got an offer from Oxford! Thank you so much for checking over my personal statement and all the help that you have given me since GCSEs. I really enjoy our sessions every week, the discussions keep me constantly creative and thinking.'

A parent, January 2024: 'Thank you as always for all your continued help and support for [E.]. I know she gets a tremendous amount from your sessions and I'm very grateful.'

A student, January 2024: 'Just emailing to let you know I did get an offer from […] Cambridge yesterday so thank you so much for all your help! It is really appreciated and I'm really looking forward to starting my degree in October!'

A student, December 2023: 'So thank you so much again for all your help; your insights have been very useful and I have really enjoyed talking about literature with you.'

Tara, a parent, November 2023: 'you are really helping [R.], he is becoming much more confident. Thank you so much'.

Paula, a parent, November 2023: '[M.] is always delighted with your teaching. You are asking questions no one else does. My husband and I see her grow academically after every session with you.'

Liz, a parent, October 2023: 'Thank you so much for all the work you have done with, and the kindness you have shown, [E.] to date. She really enjoys her sessions with you, and you've helped keep her enthusiasm for English very much alive. I'm so grateful.'

Kim, a parent, August 2023: 'I cannot tell you how happy we all were and your help was clearly instrumental in that. Not sure if he told you but he got 12 points above an A* and it was his best A level result!'

A student, August 2023: 'I really enjoyed our lessons and think it has really helped prepare me for the Oxford style tutorials.'

A student, August 2023: 'wanted to let you know I ended up getting an A* in English, thanks so much for all the help!'

Mark, a parent, June 2023: 'Many thanks josh for your help this year. [E.] has said to me it has really helped, you started assisting her at a time when she felt behind her class mates for the whole of the first year, having switched to English half way through term one.'

Melanie, a parent, June 2023: 'Thank you so much for all your time and effort with [T.]'s English literature. She really enjoyed your sessions together and it really boosted her confidence and inspired her to think more deeply and critically about the texts. It also confirmed that she is happy and excited to study a literature based course at degree level.'

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

'[L.] came home from university yesterday to attend her school prize giving ceremony, and this morning as she was leaving she asked me to let you know that she won a special prize in English […] Until last night, she wasn't aware of any of her awards, apart from her scholarship, so it was all a lovely surprise. Furthermore, the essays she wrote in her A level English exams have somehow found their way into her teachers' hands; they told her, with beams of pride , that the three marks dropped overall were actually in her *non exam* assessment, so 30/30 in all questions across all papers under exam conditions, something she had never achieved before. She had admitted to me in the aftermath of the exams that when she was writing her English papers she had really enjoyed the process, her thoughts flowing pretty effortlessly on to the paper. But she had also worried this stream of ideas might not be fit with the mark schemes. […] she […] wanted you to know about her prize, as she thought you'd be pleased, and she also wanted to say thanks one last time for your inspirational teaching that led to it.'

'I got AAA* for my results much higher than my predicted! particularly for english'.

'[G.] got an A star in English. And is off to Oxford. […] Thanks so much for everything - you were honestly amazing and really helped her get there'.

'[L.] got 3 a stars and an A star as well in her EPQ. Her highest marks were in English Literature ( 197/200)'.

'I achieved 4A*s in my Alevels - one being in English Literature. My teachers also let me know that I got full marks in both the exam papers'.

'[T.] smashed English Literature, A* […] she is absolutely over the moon . Thank you so much for all the work you put in with her !'

'I got a D[distinction]2!!! […] I got full marks on my PI!'

'I got an A* in English!!! Thank you so much for all of your help I wouldn't have been able to do it without you!'

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A student, January 2023: 'Just wanted to let you know I got an offer from Cambridge, thank you so so much for all your help.' And Kathryn: 'You were such a great help to [E.] in her preparation for the Cambridge application and interview and we were all delighted when she was offered a place this week. Thank you for all the support you gave her.'

Shaun, a parent, January 2023: '[E.] has found the sessions really very helpful (and has enjoyed them!)'

Guifang, a parent, December 2022: 'From what I hear from [S.], she really enjoys her discussions with you, it's really one of the highlights of her week.'

A student, November 2022: 'I'm extremely happy to tell you that I received an 8.3 for the literary review […] Thank you for explaining to me what a literary review is […] I remember whilst working on it I was so worried about my grade, but it appears I've survived.'

Deborah, a parent, September 2022: 'a huge thanks again to you for all your work with [S.]. I know he has been in touch to let you know that he got 9s in both English Language and Literature. He was over the moon - well beyond his best hopes, so thank you again for being instrumental in helping him attain those grades.'

Karen, a parent, August 2022: 'Both my girls really like your way of teaching and talking to them, they feel really listened to and respected for their opinions (as well as respecting yours obviously), so thank you :)'

Helen, a parent, July 2022: 'Thanks so much for all the help you gave [J.], he really benefitted from the sessions he had with you.'

Tara, a parent, June 2022: 'Thank you so much for all your help and patience - I think you have been brilliant for her confidence. She found English exams really very difficult before she started talking to you and it's amazing to see how much calmer (relatively speaking!) she has been going in to her A level English papers. Whatever the result, her sessions with you have definitely helped her to enjoy English again and I'm really grateful.'

A student, June 2022: 'This is incredibly insightful and thought provoking feedback. Thank you so much.'

Mei, a parent, June 2022: 'She found your lessons very helpful and always remarked to me how much you went the extra mile for her ; looking up and sending on links to whatever you'd been discussing. Much appreciated!'

Marguerite, a parent, June 2022: 'Thank you so much for all you've done for [T.] in the past year . […] you are a very talented teacher.'

Monica, a parent, June 2022: 'You have been an absolutely wonderful tutor to [L.], and how time has flown since she first met you! […] Many a time she has needed someone to talk to, not so much about AO1-5, but rather about the beauty and burden of literature and life. You have always been willing to do that, and she is richer for it.'

A student, June 2022: 'Thank you for teaching me for the last year; I have enjoyed our lessons and I feel I have grown as an English student, with thanks to your teaching.'

A student, April 2022: 'I received an 8 for my essay!! I want to thank you for your tutoring on Keats and Wordsworth- I wouldn't have gotten such a grade without it!! […] I learned tons because of you.'

Ngozi, a parent, March 2022: 'Thanks for everything that you're doing for [G.] - it has been very helpful.'

A student, February 2022: 'Really, thanks so much. Was such a good and efficient service. Your feedback looks really good and I'm going to implement it today. […] Thanks again for doing this on such short notice'.

Deborah, a parent, October 2021: '[S.] said you make it really fun - he said at school his energy goes down in English lessons and with you it goes up! So that is praise indeed from a teenage boy!'

A student, August 2021: 'I got the A grade ! I'm so pleased, thank you for all the help and the essays really paid off :).'

Monica, a parent, July 2021: 'As would be expected from his first class qualifications, Josh is extremely intelligent. However, in my opinion, he has a a very particular advantage over others of a similar academic background, namely his ability to exhibit an authentic interest in the ideas his students express. He is always kind and encouraging, but without sacrificing rigour; this approach has had a hugely positive impact on my daughter when speaking, writing and reading. Furthermore, Josh has introduced her to a range of authors, poets , films and philosophical thought, thus enriching her far beyond the school curriculum. In the future, my daughter will undoubtedly look back on her time with Josh with both fondness and gratitude. I have no hesitation in recommending Josh as a tutor'.

Guifang, a parent, July 2021: 'I have know Joshua for 2 months and He has been supporting my daughter excellently through her GCSE courses, helping her to achieve a 9 in predicted grades. From this, Joshua has always been very serious with the work, needless to say, always punctual and gives detailed homework feedback. I know him to be a wonderful tutor to my daughter.'

Susan, a parent, May 2021: '[T]hank you so much for all your help with [N.] […] [N.] found your lessons extremely helpful which enabled her to enjoy and understand English in a greater depth […] it was excellent tuition . Thank you'.

Jamal, a parent, May 2021: 'Thank you Josh for all your efforts, you have greatly assisted [S.] in better understanding English Literature as whole.'

Zahed, a parent, May 2021: 'We are grateful for all your help and support. We are in no doubt that [A.] has improved a lot in English Literature under your guidance.'

A student, May 2021: 'I just got my coursework back and got an A in it. Just thought i should let you know thanks you!'

Margaret, a parent, March 2021: 'Thanks for helping [M.] to improve her English understanding. She really enjoys her lessons and chats!'

Chris, a parent, March 2021: '[R.] is benefiting immensely from your lessons and is definitely getting more confident in expressing his thoughts in writing! Thank you.'

Amanda, a parent, December 2020: 'Josh has really helped join the dots, encouraged a depth of questioning and ways to interpret and compare ideas, extracting and bringing fresh meaning to narrative styles and creative use of language. Josh has been a great support and steered [R.]'s confidence to look more thoroughly and develop a greater understanding all round. Josh has a kind, approachable style and encouraged [R.] with debating aloud and suggestions for further reading which all continue to be an invaluable help and inspire greater confidence in approaching exams and further reading in future!'

A student, December 2020: 'He helps focus my understanding and makes sure i understand the topic we are learning before moving on. Josh will make sure to ask you questions throughout the process and is always ready for your ideas even if you think it's wrong. He will set homework but makes sure to switch it up each week to make it more interesting and gives his feedback to help me understand what i need to do to improve.'

Diana, a parent, September 2020: 'Josh worked with my daughter for her A Level in English Literature. He was outstanding with his ideas and expanding her critical thinking. He went above and beyond to develop her analytical skills and as a result helped her obtain an A*. He is an absolutely lovely, gentle but dynamic and reliable tutor who has a rare ability combine his academic achievement with a natural talent for teaching. A real gem and we cannot thank him enough.'

A parent, September 2020: 'Joshua is an excellent tutor with great communication skills . He is very patient , helpful , approachable and takes time to explain everything clearly to my daughter . Joshua has been able to breakdown and explain in full detail all aspects of the A Level content.'

A student, June 2020: 'it's been great being taught by you, I've learned so many critical thinking skills in such a short space of time.'

A parent, March 2020: 'I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done for her - you've been the best English teacher she's ever had and she has loved her time with you.'

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During my teacher training, I taught all age groups at two west London secondary schools.

While at Oxford, I was part of an 'e-mentoring' scheme to help candidates from schools without a history of Oxbridge applications.

At Christ College, Brecon, I ran two series of seminars, for sixth-formers studying RS and English literature. In English we covered 'The Tempest', Gothic literature, Pat Barker's 'Regeneration', 'Jane Eyre', Wilfred Owen, and 'The Canterbury Tales'.

Tutoring Approach:
I try to combine three things that I want my students to do, which are three forms of thinking: speak about complex ideas, read high-quality material, and write essays for which they will receive detailed feedback. For obvious reasons, lessons are weighted to speaking, and homework to reading and writing.

Speaking

Pedagogy's holy grail is measuring progress, which is difficult in a classroom and impossible in a lecture. Happily, the tutorial system allows this to occur continuously and efficiently via dialogue. Can a student re-express an idea they have heard or read in their own words? If the answer is yes, they have probably understood the idea. Hence the constant questions!

As well as understanding the ideas of others, speaking is essential for students to develop their own. I love the quotation from the novelist E. M. Forster, 'How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?' We improve the quality of our ideas through the process of articulating them.

For my part, quite a lot of what I say is explaining what texts mean. This might sound obvious, but great works of literature are complex, so, to understand their meaning, one's own interpretation probably needs the support of others' prior interpretations.

I sometimes like to break the question of a text's meaning into two: What's it about? And what's it really about? Answering the first question is comprehension, a necessary first step. To answer the second question is to understand. In 'A Streetcar Named Desire', for example, Blanche goes to live with her sister in New Orleans. She expresses a strong dislike of her surroundings and is frequently associated with images of water. She declines mentally and is eventually taken away. So what's the play really about? Blanche is a Romantic idealist who is disappointed with her life but still tends to imagine things in their perfect form. The play is about the human soul conceiving of things being as good as they could be (as if cleansed by water), reaching for the conception, and failing to grasp it - shuttling back and forth, in other words, on the streetcar named desire.

One thing I frequently encourage is making the link between those oft-cited elements of a good essay, themes and quotations. These are not unrelated ingredients, they are the text itself viewed from different distances. A theme (the desire to be cleansed) is a wide shot, and a quotation ('the land of the sky blue water') is a close-up. So the student of English has to practise their ability to zoom in and out.

Another way I try to support my students' studies is by making connections between the texts they are reading, which in my experience doesn't happen that much at school. Particularly at A-level, there are often many fruitful connections between the half-dozen or so texts being studied: the Romantics were devoted to Shakespeare and Milton, the Gothic is an aspect of the Romantic, the Aesthetic Movement drew on particular strains of Romanticism, etc. When these connections get made with reference to particular writers, they are no longer just isms. They make the material deeper and easier to understand at the same time. Towards the end of their school careers, students of the humanities should be able to get the sense of taking part in 'the Great Conversation that began in the dawn of history and that continues to the present day' (Robert M. Hutchins).

Reading

I regularly give my students PDFs of high-quality secondary material pitched at their level or just above it. Explanatory notes, commentaries, and essays can help with understanding, particularly when it comes to context. (And all exam boards have assessment objectives relating to historical context.) To know that a text was written during a particular period and what characterised that period is to have a mental scaffold that does not limit movement but frees it. In studying the humanities we are studying human culture, and no one can do that without a bit of structure. It also helps when thinking about texts in relation to each other - when writing a comparative essay, for example. I like to think of honing in from context to text, e.g. Romanticism (late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries) > William Blake (1757-1827) > 'Songs of Innocence and of Experience' (1794) > 'The Tyger'. (What's 'The Tyger' about? There's a question!)

In my experience, knowledge acquisition operates according to the Matthew principle, named after a verse in the Gospel of Matthew: 'unto every one that hath shall be given'. In other words, the more you've got, the more you'll get. Every time you learn something about Romanticism, the greater will be your understanding of the poetry of William Blake. Your internal bookshelves expand - more connections, greater understanding. Reading secondary material is obviously 'extra', but it works to enhance students' understanding of set texts rather than crowd them out. Homer Simpson said, 'every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain', and we laugh because it's not true. You can't fill up a brain, so the cliché about people's (particularly young people's) limitless potential is true. Every time you learn something new, you enrich your contextual understanding of everything else you have ever learnt. '[E]very moment is a new and shocking / Valuation of all we have been', as T. S. Eliot put it in 'East Coker'.

Writing

Speaking and reading are in a concrete way preparation for writing. If you think and make notes while speaking and reading, by the time it comes to writing an essay, the question should not be about what to say, but how to arrange the things you want to say. So annotation is an important skill. It's a bit like getting 'in the zone' for a sportsperson - students must practise getting there and staying there. I model the annotation process something like this:

Read with a pencil in your hand. What makes you underline? Something fires in your brain, so that you have a response - you spot a developing theme, you're reminded of another book, you agree or disagree, there's a word you don't know and need to look up, you like the way a sentence sounds. It could be anything. Read until you've underlined twenty words or sentences. Work out the three or four connections between the things you have to say, and you've got a paragraph plan. Work out the main thing you have to say, and you have a thesis for your essay, which, as you aim your paragraphs at it, will accumulate force.

A lot of learning (and life) is about noticing connections, so getting into the habit of doing so is something like learning how to learn. If a student has developed this habit, they shouldn't really have to think 'What shall I write?' in front of a blank sheet of paper or screen. The content of the essay will be a sort of emanation of prior thinking.

When it comes to giving students feedback, I keep in mind one of the best incites I heard early in my PGCE: attend to your students' writing as you would a piece of literature. This way, the marking progress becomes analogous to the writing process. What are all the things that could make this essay better? And is there a connection between them, i.e. what's the main thing this student needs to focus on? (I usually give feedback using comments and 'track changes' in Microsoft Word.)

Why study English?

It has been said that 'If you can think, and speak, and write, you are absolutely deadly', and I think that's right. Learning how to construct and articulate good arguments is learning how to impose ideas on the world. To the extent that English is about feelings, it is about their articulation, and there is a great deal to learn about how feelings have been and can be articulated. Moreover, because English is the medium of instruction in all other subjects, command of it confers a freedom to range through the history of ideas and discriminate between reliable and unreliable, including online. Language is a prerequisite for thought - doing English properly is learning how to think better.

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Personal Description:
Hello, thank you for taking the time to read my profile. My name is Mairead (pronounced ma-raid, an Irish name meaning Margaret). I am a 26 year old living in Feltham, I work full time as a Disability Advisor and Autism Specialist Mentor supporting higher education students to access reasonable adjustments, provide pastoral support and advice. I also co-run workshops and events for the university I work for. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, baking, spending time with my family, going to the gym, long walks and nature trails, swimming and arts and crafts. I am also a big fan of the cinema and watching the new films out. I graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2018, with a first class honours degree in Criminology and Sociology BSc. After graduation I became a support worker supporting those with mental health issues before my current role. I have recently completed a specialist mentoring qualification. I am content working full time currently, but may do a Masters or further study in future.

Please be aware for KS1 and younger tutoring my rates are £15 per session rather than per hour, to reflect that younger children may benefit from shorter sessions, but that their sessions will still need planning and admin work.

Teaching Experience:
I have created and delivered workshops for classes of up to 90 pupils from primary school aged to university level on a range of creative and academic topics. I also have experience tutoring 1-to-1 for primary school aged students who have disabilities/ special educational needs.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is thoughtful and considered, I am a disciplined teacher who will set expectations for her students, but am also fair. I enjoy utilising technology for tutoring sessions as organisational tools and will set weekly goals that will be reviewed. in our first session, I find it is important to discuss learning outcomes and to monitor progress as we go through our tutoring journey.

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Personal Description:
18 year old A level student and high achiever at GCSE looking to help younger students.
I am currently studying Biology, Psychology and English Literature at Churston Ferrers Grammar School in the UK and have a strong passion for my studies.
I'm very much into my sport and exercise, I play wheelchair basketball for Plymouth Fusion and enjoy going to the gym a few times a week for how it makes me feel. I'm an overall advocate for all people (but particularly young people) taking care of their own physical and mental health through the right activities and approach to life.
Also, I enjoy playing music, mainly singing, as well as acting. I have performed in various shows and concerts in my school throughout the years which is something I really enjoy and a great way to boost my own confidence.
Finally, at the beginning of 2022, I began a YouTube channel with the aim of helping people start good habits (like that of studying) and build positive mindsets to approaching life in an enriching way.

Teaching Experience:
At my young age, I have no prestigious teaching qualifications. However I have two incredibly helpful experiences/characteristics to be an effective tutor:

1. Very high GCSE exam results that were achieved recently (2021)
2. I am a young person passionate about studying and can be a relatable tutor for my students as I am a member of their generation and have completed my GCSEs very recently.

My GCSE results were:

Maths - 9
English Literature - 9
English Language - 9
Biology - 9
Chemistry - 9
Physics - 9
Music - 9
Drama - 9
Religious Studies - 9
Spanish - 8

9 being equivalent to a previous A** and 8 an equivalent to a previous A*

I have also volunteered within school working as a teaching assistant in classes with younger years and have found it very easy to get along with students of all varieties.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is to apply the same principles I used to achieve my own GCSE results, as they have been proven to work very recently to achieve high marks.
I will aim to create a fun working environment for my students where they look forward to working with me.
I will aim to be encouraging and empower my students to find their own love for learning.
I will aim to show all my students that they have potential to succeed and that they do not have to be demoralised by perfectionism and comparing themselves to others.

My lessons will be engaging and interesting for my students, due to my age and first hand experience of the current education system. I will hope to not only be my student's tutor, but also a friend in which they can ask any questions about their education.

My first session is free and from then the price will remain at £20.00 an hour for all of my subjects (maths, english, biology and drama) for the time being.
The best time to work with me are weekends and weekday evenings at around 7-9 pm.

I look forward to hearing from you and to begin learning some interesting stuff! :)

Subjects

Personal Description:
Finished my Higher education in 2021 and after that I started teaching students as a home tutor. I have been teaching several students throughout the years as I am enough passionate about teaching and like to share my knowledge with children. And I personally think being kind, helpful and friendly can be a key to unlock one's interest towards their goals. Life is beautiful. We can tackle everything together with love and care utmost.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching for 2 years and my base subjects are Math, English and natural/ Environmental Science. And mostly I have experiences for primary and secondary stages. I was registered as both a home tutor and academic tutor.

Tutoring Approach:
Children often like to do whichever they find interesting and fun. Why not study? learning and gaining knowledge has no bound. My main goal has always been to arise their interests toward education and have to prove them it can bring fun moments and it is easier that way. Also Teacher-Student relation can be friendly enough to share everything so that one would not feel burdened or has to face hardships.

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Personal Description:
Being an ambitious primary practitioner and currently as Assistant Headteacher for over 20 years across a wide range of schools and having taught in the 3 Key Stages, I believe that ALL children should be inspired to live their full potential.
Ofsted deemed me to be 'outstanding-extremely innovative, purposeful with impressive teaching'. Through intervention work, as well adopting a systematic approach for teaching and learning, I have obtained a proven track record of leading effective improvement strategies to raise standards and outcomes for pupils of all abilities . Being a year 6 teacher, I have raised children's outcomes in reading, writing and Maths in their Sat's examinations and ensure that every individual that I work with makes excellent progress.
Working with pupils of different ethnic backgrounds is a strength and I have been commended for strategies implemented whilst working with pupils with Special Educational Needs. I create achievable smart targets using progress plans for all children.

Teaching Experience:
I have an exemplary set of skills for teaching all children from ages 5-11 years in English and Maths. I have taught in a variety of Primary School settings for over 21 years, as well as tutored 1:1 for 8 years. I offer bespoke packages of learning to children from ages 5-11 years and have a sound knowledge of the National Curriculum at all levels. I support children with special educational needs and offer bespoke 1:1 tutoring to enable them to make progress as well as supporting children who either require academic intervention and /or those who are aiming for a higher standard of education. This is achieved by identifying need and developing their abilities by target setting and thorough teaching of knowledge and skills.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that small group or 1:1 bespoke tuition can and does enable children to flourish and thrive. With an intense school curriculum being delivered within schools, tutoring offers both children and parents an opportunity to develop educational knowledge and skills at a pace suitable to the child. This ensures that academic gaps are diminished and children are able to make progress either more in line with age related levels or to a higher standard. I use a variety of tools to aid me to deliver quality teaching including a number of online ICT resources. Taking on a metacognitive approach, the children that I work with are engaged and interested in their learning. For children that require additional support, I use concrete resources as an aid. I also revisit learning and teach new skills as the children develop over time.

Being a full time teacher, I am available evenings and weekends and can offer online or face to face tuition This can be either in my home or yours (dependent on travel).

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm local to Much Wenlock and live a stonesthrow from the local bus stop and William Brookes School here in Much Wenlock.

I have a genuine desire to help those who may be struggling with their English and History and would benefit form additional 1-2-1 support.

On completing my Degree at UCS Shrewsbury in English Literature and Creative Language, I later passed a Level 3 Award in Education and Training (TQUK/RQF)

Teaching Experience:
Although I have little teaching experience I have began supporting and tutoring Key Stage 4 Students in Much Wenlock who are currently studying for GCSE English Language & Literacy.

Tutoring Approach:
• are you studying for sats or gcse/a-level english or history?
• do you require additional support outside of the classroom or because you have chosen to be homeschooled.
• are you seeking support or coaching on exam technique?
• are you perhaps neurodivergent and think it would be of help if your tutor was neurodivergent too?
• would you benefit by gaining support from a younger tutor who passed both gcse & a-level english and history, going on to achieve a ba (hons) degree in english and creative writing?

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