Norwich English Tutors and Norwich English Tuition

Personal Description:
I am an Anglia Ruskin Graduate in Communication, since graduating I have been perusing a career in Teaching Assisting. I am passionate about arts and crafts which I have been able to apply to the Brownie Club I co-run. I am experienced in working in a busy out of school club where I have gained valuable experience being responsible, entertaining and educating young people.

Teaching Experience:
I currently volunteer as a teaching assistant at a city primary school, where I have a multitude of responsibilities including small group work & offering alternative provision for students who are unable to participate in main activities.

Tutoring Approach:
I can provide a structured work time table given different needs and time frames for your child. I am patient and understanding and provide clear and well thought out examples and explanations. I am a sociable,kind, good humored person who is well loved by the children I work with.

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Personal Description:
Hello,
I have completed my PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at UEA. I also have an MA (Distinction) in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, and a First Class Honours Degree in English Literature. I also have a good Fine Art degree from Chelsea College of Art and Design. I have been a private tutor for twenty years, and have taught many children in that time.

I am currently tutoring in Wadebridge in Cornwall but can offer Skype or Zoom lessons.

I'm 49, married and am an aunt and godmother.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught at undergraduate level at university as well as writing skills in an academic skills centre. I have also taught SATs to thirteen year olds. I have a PTTLs degree level 4 qualification and taught on an Access Course to adult learners.

I have taught AQA and EDEXCEL syllabuses at GCSE and AQA at A-Level.

Please note that I do not teach any Eleven-Plus or verbal reasoning syllabuses and that I prefer to teach older children (13 plus)

Tutoring Approach:
I use past exam papers, model essays, and devote time and attention to close reading of set texts at GCSE and A-Level. I have also given art lessons.

I can also provide Skype and Zoom lessons and find this has been successful with older and university level students.

I have a friendly, professional approach and find I develop a real rapport with my pupils, who find their results and confidence improving with my tutelage.

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Personal Description:
I am experienced and qualified tutor. My thorough and wider knowledge in science subject, make lessons quite approachable for students. They can learn a lot in a very friendly and relaxed enviornment. I love to teach students of all age group.
I try to make science subjects very easy and enjoyable for my students to get maximum marks in their exams.

Teaching Experience:
I have 9 years of teaching experience in UK, for up to A.Levels science students. I am giving science tutions for all the examination boards and specifications. I provide my students some practice to solve past papers questions for their ultimate success.
I am working as a Science technician in Christ college Guildford. Teaching and practical in laboratory experience make me confident for the tutoring.

Tutoring Approach:
Excellent tutoring approach. I can teach biology and chemistry upto A.levels.
physics upto GCSE level.

I have worked as a career coach with Harris academy Greenwich. I can prepare my students for their future perspectives and to make them confident to achieve their goals.

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Personal Description:
Paola
Online lessons nationwide and face to face based in Aberdeen.

I am a native Italian speaker with British nationality and fluent in both English and French.

I have a long working knowledge of English, having worked for several years as a librarian in Aberdeen and for the oil & gas industry (GE and NOV) for 8 years. I also worked for RGU prior to start teaching full time.

I offer Italian, French and English tuition at all levels, from complete beginners to advanced.

I studied English language and literature with French and Italian at La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, where I obtained my PhD.

After graduation I spent a long time working in France in Disneyland Paris. This gave me the opportunity to hone my French language skills.

I have experience teaching students of various age and nationality, both school children and adults who need to pass exams.
I have a PVG check.

Teaching Experience:
University of Aberdeen
Rosemount Community Centre, small groups - Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen language department
Tutoring agencies

Tutoring Approach:
I offer distance learning tuition via Skype for all beginners, intermediate and advanced learners.

I describe myself as enthusiastic, friendly and patient.

I am committed to delivering high quality tuition by offering tailor-made classes to suit different students' needs.

I think that a good tutor should guide the student towards the learner's goal with confidence and be able to explain clearly and in a friendly manner.

I am committed to bridge the gap between the textbooks and the demands of modern learning making the learning process fun and adaptable to each student.

Learning a new language should be fun. I am passionate about creating activities for the learners and make them feel at ease and comfortable during the class.

I have experience teaching school children and adults one-to-one, one-to-two, and small groups for different organisations across the UK such as private schools and community centres.

I offer flexible hours so my students can arrange the classes according to their needs and availability.

Learning a new language is a great opportunity to discover the culture of another country.

Cultural awareness is part of the language experience. Therefore, I love sharing the culture of my country and my knowledge of other cultures with my students.

For my teaching, I use different techniques and media. I love sharing online resources such as videos, articles and podcasts for listening activities and guided speaking exercises.

I can prepare for school and university exams, including GCSE and National 4 and 4 English, French and Italian and EFL exams.

For learners who take regular classes I can correct short written exercises.

During the first class I can assess the student's level in order to plan a suitable course tailor made to the learner's needs.

I am enthusiastic for using new technologies to add to the learning experience.

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Personal Description:
Oxford graduate with more than fifteen years' experience as a private tutor and consistently excellent results in Latin, Greek, Classics and English.

Studied Classics at Oxford University and awarded an academic scholarship.

Earned a Master's Degree with Distinction in Latin literature at UCL. Awarded the Dean's Prize.

Since then, I have been working as an award-winning arts journalist alongside my work as a private tutor.

Teaching Experience:
Private tutor for fifteen years, with significant experience in private tuition of Latin, Greek and English at all levels, and excellent exam results achieved by my students.

*LATIN/GREEK*

Classroom experience as teacher of Latin at a prep school and teaching assistant for primary school Latin classes.

In-depth, up-to-date knowledge of the current syllabuses for Common Entrance, GCSE and A-level, as well as all major textbooks, including Oxford and Cambridge Latin Courses, Athenaze, Greek to GCSE, Shelmerdine, ISEB Common Entrance publications and other frequently used courses. I also have a wide range of my own resources.

*ENGLISH*

English tutor for ten years, complemented by working as an award-winning arts journalist. Through this work
I've personally interviewed several of the authors on the English syllabuses, including Margaret Atwood and Arundhati Roy. I have a particular love of bringing Shakespeare alive, and I have also extensively interviewed many actors and practitioners about Shakespeare's work, including Sir Ian McKellen; I love to feed this real-world experience into lessons, to show that learning English is not just about words on a page.

Tutoring Approach:
CONFIDENCE: I love seeing students gain confidence as they study with me, and passing on my knowledge and enthusiasm until they are as excited about a subject as I am. My main focus is finding something for them to enjoy within a given subject and building our learning around that.

TARGETED APPROACH: I find out the areas where the student will need the most help, then I plan my lessons carefully to address those areas of difficulty. I always try to build on the way the student has been taught at school, so that my tuition complements their school learning rather than clashing with it.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: I also ensure that we are always working on exam and revision techniques while learning. This includes helpful mnemonics, studying past papers and mark schemes, and ensuring we are engaging closely with the relevant syllabus to pick up as many marks as possible when it comes to exams.

TIPS AND TRICKS: I like to build routine into tuition sessions, so that the student knows what to expect in each session, which helps boost their confidence, and so that grammar which can seem strange and unfamiliar at first becomes second nature. I've got plenty of tips and tricks to help with the most difficult parts of grammar and syntax. It's useful to break things down into smaller chunks - for example, the large set texts can be daunting, but they become manageable when taken piece by piece.

Above all, my approach is to be friendly, patient and knowledgeable.

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Personal Description:
I am a History and French undergraduate at the University of Oxford, and have just finished my first year. I am a enthusiastic person with a variety of interests, including piano and football. I am also a trained Peer Supporter (30 hours of training) so am easy-going and warm, and particularly good at working through any concerns that tutees may have.

Teaching Experience:
I have tutored in piano, and have also worked at a holiday camp with children, and at an after-school club.

Tutoring Approach:
First of all, I would want the tutees to prepare a few grammar exercises for languages, which we could go through in the tutorial. Then, I prefer to make up flash cards with either facts (for essay based subjects) or vocabulary for languages. I also find past papers very useful for those with exams, and would like to encourage further reading, watching foreign television, and playing word games, which would improve their overall proficiency in the subject.

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Personal Description:
I am a well qualified and experienced Primary School and EFL teacher. I have a wide range of experience in teaching students from the age of 5 through to adults. I graduated from Warwick University with a degree in Ancient History and Archaeology followed by a Primary School PGCE from the University of Roehampton and a Masters in Education from the University of Bath.

I am able to build strong relationships with my tutees in order to raise their confidence and attainment levels. I ensure that my lessons are interactive, enjoyable and meaningful to allow students to reach their potential whilst having fun.

I am able to hold tutoring sessions in my classroom in Farnborough or online via Zoom.

I love to travel and have relished the great opportunities of teaching in Spain, Thailand and the Czech Republic. I also enjoy adventures with my three young sons, cycling, camping, swimming, music, drawing and reading.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked as a Primary School teacher (state and independent) for over 20 years in the UK and at International Schools abroad. I have also had the pleasure of tutoring a variety of students and helping them to achieve excellent results in SATs tests, entrance exams and 11+ or providing them with that bit of extra help and confidence needed to succeed in the classroom. In addition I have worked with students from across the globe, helping them to improve their English language and communication skills.

Tutoring Approach:
Each student is different, not only in terms of their needs but also in terms of their learning style. I believe it is necessary to set up a clear learning programme to establish goals and targets that can be ticked off and celebrated to ensure that both confidence and attainment are improved. I am patient and supportive and try to include fun activities in each session to ensure that students enjoy their learning and strive to achieve their best. Through assessing each student's starting point and the progress they make I am able to adapt learning programmes and set appropriate challenges depending on the needs of the individual.

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified teaching assisstant have experience working in schools like Wybourne primary
And montbelle primary school.
I have up to date DBS

Teaching Experience:
I have a 5years experience working with children from all age groups
In primary schools .

Tutoring Approach:
I normally teach children in my house .I work with children starting from age group
5 onwards and teach them to pass the enterence exams.
I normally access the level the child needs to work and make individual action
Plan for each child .

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Personal Description:
My interests include reading widely, playing chess and going to exercise classes such as metafit and bodypump. In terms of tutoring l believe in trying to motivate my students and getting to know them and take an informal approach in what is a one to one teaching programme . I find that students respond better in a more relaxed atmosphere in their own home environment.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching for twenty five years but now work part time in the English dept in Jordanhill school in Glasgow . Hence depending on the day l could tutor during the day rather than after school hours if required. I have taught CFE at all levels including BGE(broad general education) national 4, national 5, and Higher. I have been involved in tutoring at all levels and try to provide a tutoring experience tailored to each individual according to their particular needs.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to teaching involves a thorough revision of RUAE(close reading)using a variety of textbooks and also pass papers for practice in preparation for external assessments. Writing skills would also be developed for a variety of writing purposes such as imaginative, argumentative and persuasive essays for national 5 and Higher level folios. The critical essay element of English courses will be explained and skills in this area developed via practice aided by detailed notes and planning sheets on the studied texts. The Scottish text section of national 5 and Higher will be be covered In detail with regular exam practice on the set text.

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Personal Description:
You will find in me an extremely calm, caring and committed teacher. Kensington-based, I have over thirty years teaching experience both as a class teacher and one-to-one tutor. Identifying gaps quickly and working with a student's learning style is key. I believe confidence in speaking and writing grows with exposure to high-quality conversation and reading as well as active vocabulary extension. I focus on all three as well as on exam technique and content.

I bring my extensive background as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and also as an actor to bear on teaching the deeper mechanics of the language in addition to its its more poetic and literary aspects.

As a mother of five, I am family-oriented and often teach entire families. I have an active interest in history, philosophy and politics, enjoy cycling and am a huge Led Zeppelin fan.

Teaching Experience:
Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, ISEB, CAT, Common Entrance, 7+, 11+, 13+, GCSE, Personal Statements, Interview Practice, Academic English

General, Business , Conversational and Legal English; Interview Practice; Presentation skills; Email English; Proof Reading; Citizenship Preparation

Tutoring Approach:
My goal is to adapt to your learning style and help you reach the targets you set yourself. Good rapport and a relaxed environment are essential for learning. I work hard to establish both. I am comfortable with all ages and stages and try to make both my teaching and your learning a pleasurable experience.

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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 am a fully qualified and practising English language and literature teacher at secondary school level (KS3 to GCSE).English teaching is not just a profession to me but a life long passion to inspire and develop students in my chosen subject.This makes me patient, flexible, creative and enthusiastic. Initially,I will assess a student to target areas for development unless a learner has specific needs which he/she intends to focus on.Since every student is an individual, who learns at their own pace and style, I will adapt my tutoring techniques to suit those personal requirements.
I am willing to hold sessions in the comfort of your home or alternatively arrange a convenient meeting place of your choice, e.g library.

Teaching Experience:
After graduating from the University of Leeds with an English language and literature degree in 2001, I worked as a Core subject Mentor (English specialist) at secondary school where I conducted booster classes with small groups and individuals (0f different abilities) in order to raise attainment. After completing my teacher training,I taught English from key stage 3 to GCSE level (11 -16)in various secondary schools across West Yorkshire.
I have extensive experience of teaching to the new GCSE requirements of major exam boards such as WJEC and AQA. Along with this, I am familiar (and resourced) with most set texts used in schools. I am currently teaching English at a Secondary school.

Tutoring Approach:
Initially,I will assess a student to target areas for development unless a learner has specific needs which he/she intends to focus on.Since every student is an individual, who learns at their own pace and style, I will adapt my tutoring techniques to suit those personal requirements. I aim to make learning fun and enjoyable. I believe a student has fully engage with their subject in order to make outstanding progress.

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Personal Description:
Dr Fouzia has been supporting students studying Bachelor's, Master's and PhD for over 14 years, across a range of UK universities (for example, Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial, Warwick) and international universities (for example, Harvard, MIT). Thus, she has extensive experience in working with UK and overseas students, including students from China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and America. Her work covers the following areas: university pre-sessional courses, sociology, psychology, business, criminology, nursing, health and social care (both at college and university level), childcare, teaching, paramedical science, and beyond.

As an Examination Board Assessor, Fouzia has experience working with a myriad of examination boards, such as C&G, EDEXCEL, AQA, OCR, WJEC, NCC, CIE, ICAAE.

Moreover, her deep understanding of pedagogical principles helps guide her tutorship. Students can reach out to Fouzia out of lesson times via telephone, WhatsApp or email for any queries, progress conversations, target setting and more.

Teaching Experience:
Dr Fouzia offers face-to-face and online guidance for university students at all levels. Her work includes:

Professional editing and proofreading academic assessments for structure, style, logical coherence, clarity, and critical analysis
Proofreading of manuscripts for publication in high-impact journals.
Paraphrasing
Formatting
Reference management
Critical thinking
Critical appraisal of evidence and evidence-based practice
Research topic selection and identifying research gaps
Planning and structuring essays and dissertations
Shaping writing to make it crisp and concise, and reducing wording to reach desired word count
Guidance on report writing and creating PowerPoints for course work
Interpret and perform literature, systematic reviews
Research proposals across all subject
Data collection and analysis for both qualitative and quantitative methodology (manual and electronic analysis ie SPSS/ NVIVO).
Dissertation/ thesis design and methodology
Academic poster presentations
PhD Viva preparation
Time and stress management
UCAS applications
UCAS personal statements
Interview techniques and mock interviews for university/ employment applications

Tutoring Approach:
Dr Fouzia provides a personalised one-to-one service, meeting individual needs of students (incl. ASD, dyslexia, etc) which enables them to actively engage in their lesson, and boost confidence. She is punctual and offers a high standard service, and this is evident in the reviews received from previous students. Her holistic approach has resulted in excellent pass rates (Merits & Distinctions). In addition, being a lecturer, research supervisor, examiner, and interviewer, places her in an ideal position to support you or your child with medical school applications.

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Personal Description:
Hello,

I'm Alison, English Language tutor with UK tutors.

Studying at Cambridge University, the Open University and UWE I have qualified in English, linguistics and French to degree and postgrad. levels, I have coached my tutees from ungraded to grades B or C. I aim to make learning fun, inspire confidence and fill in those gaps in your knowledge to help you gain a good grade. My teaching methods vary according to the way each tutee learns. Previous tutees have praised my teaching resources and found these useful.

I know most about the AQA examining board syllabus.

Trained to teach sixteens and over, I have PTLLs and CTLLS qualifications so I mainly coach sixth formers.

I'd be delighted to help you through your AS- and A-levels and give you that extra practice and help that your teachers do not have time for.

Teaching Experience:
I have experience of teaching over sixteens and have successfully coached sixth formers for their AS- and A-levels. Pupils for Oxbridge entrance have also come to me.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to be clear about exactly what is to be taught and learnt from the first tutorial and sometimes draw up an individual learning plan.
It is good to be methodical, give plenty of practice with homework if you wish and to assess and check learning. I use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, worksheets, essays, close one-to-one help, asking and answering any questions and filling in gaps in your knowledge. I consolidate learning to give you the confidence you need to take an exam. Practice makes perfect so plenty of exercises until you know what you need to know.
I aim to make learning fun as well as getting you to work hard.

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Personal Description:
Ive been teaching since 2000, my career started at durham university as a lecturer for education and ICT. I then went on to teach secondary ict then secondary english. I now teach Computer Science.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught mainly English and Computing for over 20 years.
My strengths in English are definitely Creative writing, and I have obtained an MA in Creative writing. I have taught KS2 - KS4, mature students and undergraduates at university .

Tutoring Approach:
I am friendly and approachable and would concentrate on building relationships with my students as well as teaching them relevant skills in their particular subject.

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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.

*

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.'

*

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.'

*

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.'

*

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!'

*

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.'

*

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.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a Specialist Dyslexia Tutor with over 10 years' experience of supporting students in secondary, further and higher education. I am a Professional Member of the British Dyslexia Association and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

I am passionate about helping students achieve their potential. My experience has shown me just what a difference one-to-one tutoring and specialist intervention can make. Not only have I seen the improvement in my students' academic ability, but the difference to their self-esteem and confidence has been immeasurable.

Teaching Experience:
I am a fully qualified secondary school English teacher and have previously worked for three London universities as a Specialist Study Skills and Academic Writing Tutor. I currently work with students in the east of England.

I support students with all aspects of their academic work. I help my students to plan and write their essays with confidence, stay on track with their academic reading and most importantly - reach their academic potential. My knowledge and experience enable me to use a blend of specialist teaching strategies which help students to understand and work with, rather than against, their dyslexia.

My tuition also helps students develop strategies to learn effectively and successfully online.

I also regularly carry out full dyslexia screenings. This is a comprehensive test which is followed by a detailed feedback report.

Tutoring Approach:
When working with students my aim is to boost their confidence, and in turn their ability, through friendly, patient and creative tutoring. My lessons are tailored towards the individual strengths and talents of the learner and are designed to improve their writing and study skills, whilst also enabling them to become successful independent learners.

My tuition always begins with an assessment of needs. Prior to our first session, I will request any diagnostic assessment reports you may have. This will enable me to gain an understanding of your unique dyslexic profile.

Together, we will discuss what you would like to achieve during our sessions. We will consider your strengths and areas for development and subsequently identify your learning goals. Based on this discussion, we will create a learning plan with clear objectives and review dates. Learning goals will give our sessions a clear focus and allow us to jointly evaluate your progress.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge and I've taught students all the way from university to primary school in a number of subject areas. I also have an MPhil in Philosophy from Cambridge and a BA (Philosophy) /BSc (Biology) from the University of Auckland.

At the moment, my main areas of expertise are philosophy/critical thinking and sociology but I've previously privately tutored students in biology, maths, psychology and english for many years.

I was born in Sri Lanka but I grew up in Australia and New Zealand. I moved to the UK, to do postgraduate study and can't seem to leave :)

Teaching Experience:
University Teaching:
Lectures: Introductory Lecture on Buddhist Account of Personal Identity (Oct 2018), Environmental Ethics and Future
Generations (Lent Term 2021)

Supervisions (2018 - Current), Cambridge University supervisions, both group and individual, for papers in the faculties
of Philosophy (Formal Methods, Set Texts, Political Philosophy), History and Philosophy of Science (General Philosophy
of Science, Philosophy of Psychiatry), Medicine (Social and Ethical Context of Health and Illness) and Sociology (Health,
Medicine and Society).

Kings College London (Sep 2019 - Dec 2019): Introduction to Ethics.

Auckland University (2012-2013): Critical Thinking, Introduction to Metaphysics, Theories of Human Nature and Introduction to Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Logic.

I've also been a tutor from 2009 -- 2018, both privately and working for Tutoring Australasia. During this period I taught, philosophy, english, maths and psychology.

Tutoring Approach:
I specialise in teaching students to do just that little bit better in exams and in fundamental skills that will be useful to them throughout their education, such as writing clearly and engagingly.

Learning should also be fun and tailored to the student; ideas don't really come alive unless they feel relevant. So even my university teaching uses sources that are accessible and interesting to the student, like podcasts and youtube videos.

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