Shoreham-by-Sea English Tutors and Shoreham-by-Sea English Tuition

Personal Description:
I also enjoy teaching KS3 and GCSE English as I love Creative Writing and am an author myself so I hope to instil the love of writing in my students. I want all my students to feel confident with their writing and develop a way of expressing themselves. I am an experienced head of department and examiner for AQA and Edexcel exam boards.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught in a range of secondary schools for the past 14 years. I have tutored for the past 5 years.

I am an experienced teacher of GCSE English Language and offer lessons for the AQA/Edexcel exam boards. I will be able to go through practice exam questions and model answers each lesson and will help my students to feel more confident in their writing. I have all the latest textbooks and use a range of engaging resources.

Tutoring Approach:
I have an inclusive approach to my lessons and have a particular experience in students who have struggled with their mental health and confidence.
I will tailor the lessons to meet my student's needs and listen to feedback about their preferred learning style and interests.
I will be able to prepare them for GCSE content if requested.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a very approachable person who interacts well with students of all ages. Most would say that I have a positive outlook on life and always leave a positive impact on those I meet. I'm friendly, down to earth and honest. My philosophy is that studies don't have to be boring, and I always use my career as a teacher/tutor as testament to this.

I enjoy a variety of different things such as arts, culture and cuisine. My hobbies include drawing comic strips, magna, anime and playing electric bass. I am open minded and welcome students of any age, race, background and culture as an honour for me to teach.

Teaching Experience:
Over 19 years experience teaching and tutoring in and out of classrooms. I have taught both in the UK and abroad. I am one of the few teachers in London who is able to teach Mathematics, English Language, English Literature and the three respective Sciences to A* at GCSE.

Valid DBS
School/Classroom references available
Tuition references available

Tutoring Approach:
Each student is different, and I feel it an insult to my students' integrity to tell them how to revise when first meeting them. Through my experience teaching, there is no right way to study, but there are a variety of 'better' ways to make the best grades for each person's potential.

Many students approach me frustrated that they often don't achieve the same calibre as their peers despite the hours they put in. Often it is due to the fact that they aren't their peers and a different approach to revision and homework is required. I believe in working smart before working hard.

We'll tailor a program as a team, and prioritise it factorising your: current ablities, time proximity, and scope of subjects you'd like to cover.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I believe in a child centred approach to learning and always aim to work for and with my individual students.
As Senior Teacher/ Teacher in Charge, of a Medical Pupil Referral Unit I headed up a dedicated team of skilled teachers who worked with young people on a 1:1 and small group basis. I am well aware of the current concerns with the mental health of young people and aim to support those I work with in a positive and sensitively focused manner. Many of my student's have experienced exam anxiety, dyslexia and learning difficulties which has made school a problematic environment for them. I aim to help with those areas, working on finding pathways, approaches and methods which help individuals succeed.
I currently focus my attentions on tutoring individually. I find the one to one contact simulating and highly rewarding. I have worked successfully with GCSE and Advanced Level students enabling them to achieve the results required. I have taught for many years and am an Advanced Skills Teacher, who has effectively guided and supported trainee and newly qualified teachers. I have always wanted to teach and love what I do.
I am patient, understanding, supportive and highly aware of the need to enable the student to achieve. I work through praise and careful guidance to ensure the student gains the most from their one to one contact.
I am educated to Masters degree level and have taught in both comprehensive schools and special needs units. I am a published writer and bring creativity and imaginative aspects to the teaching of individuals.
I always put the student to the forefront of my teaching and aim to give them the most rewarding and positive of learning experiences.
Although I still enjoy face to face teaching, more of my time is devoted to preparing and delivering online lessons. I have been fortunate to teach across all exam boards including Scotland's National 5 exam areas and the National Higher exam.

Teaching Experience:
I was Head of performing arts in a school in Dorset for seventeen years. During that time I worked extensively with children of all ages. I have trained teachers and guided those new to the teaching profession successfully through the early stages of their careers. I have directed numerous school and examination productions which has given me an excellent knowledge of plays and productions for use within both English and Drama teaching. I have taught adults GCSE Psychology with a very good success rate. I have enjoyed the opportunities teaching in both the comprehensive and adult sectors have given me.

I continue to enjoy teaching students and young people with a view to supporting them through their preparations for internal and external examinations. I work with a variety of ages which enables me to expand my knowledge of exam boards, their requirements and standards. I regularly support GCSE English Language and Literature, together with A level Drama and Theatre specifications.
At the present time I mainly teach online using zoom. This requires individual learning materials and presentations to be organised, created and developed.
I am aware that anxious students can find online teaching a strange experience. I therefore aim to use their own preferences as a way of ensuring the online environment is less threatening and more comfortable for them.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is always to work with the needs of the student involved. I ensure I listen to their requirements, tailoring my teaching to what is needed. I value student interaction and would hope to use as much student based ideas and thoughts where this is possible. I have a highly positive attitude to teaching which always aims to enable the learner to succeed in a supportive environment.
I have a good sense of humour. I am patient , a very good listener and an individual who works in a proactive manner. I create and work with a range of resources which are specific to the topic and area being studied whilst creating and researching any areas required. I use praise and positive areas continually as I believe we all like to receive positive thoughts about ourselves, and this is means promoting a good and solid foundation to study techniques.
Although I have been teaching for a long time I really enjoy the challenges,satisfaction and creativity teaching offers. For every student I work with I plan and create personal , individual lessons and approaches which are appropriate for each person. This approach has led to many satisfied individuals at a variety of levels.
The demands of online teaching have led me to expand my skills. For individual students to achieve the necessary standards, I now prepare individual PowerPoint presentations which are tailor made to specific requirements. This is method which is working extremely well and all my students are able to use a screen share, screen shots and the materials I send to them. I believe this individual approach is a highly successful one which works positively with the online situation.
Students, should they wish, may receive a copy of the powerpoint we have used online, giving them extra resources and the means to further check details, lesson content and their understanding of any area covered.
I try to be as flexible as possible, aiming to negotiate time and dates which are convenient, suitable and appropriate for those requiring support.
I am confident my approach, working with the individual in whatever is best for them, is a method which enables individuals to succeed.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have a BVA in Fine Art and a Masters in Acting. I am an approachable, creative, skilled and patient tutor able to work with special needs and gifted and talented students. Based in London and Brighton

Teaching Experience:
Extensive private tuition Ks1 - 3, GCSE, A Level and exam preparation. School curriculum delivery through more creative and artistic methods in order to re-engage excluded, marginalized and special needs young people with education. Tutoring (English, Maths, Drama, Art, History to GCSE/A Level and University level), planning and assessment, report writing and liaising with local and school authorities and social workers. 7+, 11+ and Common Entrance preparation experience. Success with entry to schools such as Dulwich, Ibstock, Kew House, Northbridge House, Rokeby, Broomwood Hall, Whitgift, City of London, Port Regis, Worth, Godolphin and Latymer, Grey Coat and Channing.

Extensive on-set academic tutoring and tutoring with the revolving cast of School of Rock: The Musical.

One to one general learning and technical support, SAT preparation and extensive work with special needs children in a special school environment - SEN Carer for Brookfield House School, drama workshops and literacy support. Success with lifting National Curriculum levels.Experience with one to one support for Autistic children. More recently I worked with 5 and 15 year olds on the spectrum, in a one to one roles which included planning a day, implementing a Visual Timetable and introducing PECS. Trained in using Visual Timetable and Stage 1 MAKATON.

DBS cleared. London and Brighton based.

Tutoring Approach:
I am very interested in using creative areas of interest for young people as a way into learning and delivering curriculum requirements. I am strongly goal focused and motivating; using realistic, mutually agreed benchmarks and reward to move forward and achieve positive results.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Confidence is often the stumbling block for learners, and I always encourage all of my students to feel an early sense of achievement. Enabling students to see real progress quickly is essential to the building of self-esteem. I am very approachable and my style of teaching is relaxed and friendly. I love my job and hope that my own enthusiasm inspires my students to excel. Recently I have added French to my repertoire, for absolute beginners. I am sure French will be as popular and exciting as English and Maths have been.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a teacher since 1976. I have taught all age groups, from nursery to A Level. Teaching is a wonderful and totally satisfying vocation. I moved across to tutoring as I felt I could offer all of my experience in this role. Being a teacher is definitely something I was born to do, and I love it.

Tutoring Approach:
Students can learn by either visiting my home or at a distance using Skype. Every student is assessed as an individual and the content of their course tailored to their needs. I test my students periodically to ensure progress is going smoothly; also testing is a good way for students to observe their own progress. We use a variety of materials: books for writing and reading in English, and for revision in Maths; the computer for visual skills and games, listening and speaking is a major part of the programme for EFL students. Children learn in different ways, and I like to offer my students visual, auditory and kinetic tools, we can see which is most comfortable for the individual. The speed of learning is not as important as the confidence of the individual and their inspiration and motivation to progress.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I consider myself to be a friendly and approachable teacher. I get on well with the children I teach gaining their respect through being firm, fair and fun.

Teaching Experience:
I have 19 years teaching experience within a primary school setting. I have taught all primary age groups from 4-11 years. During this time I have planned and assessed children and used current SAT's materials.

Tutoring Approach:
I treat every student as an individual and asses their needs accordingly. I plan my lessons to suit their needs using my up to date knowledge of the curriculum and assessment criteria. My lessons are fun and interactive wherever possible using both written and practical techniques. I have found that children gain confidence in their ability and begin to move forward and keep up with the work in class.

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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 .

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have 35 years teaching experience both in the UK and overseas. I feel it's important to understand a students learning style and adjust lesson materials to suit that style whilst setting purposeful, realistic and attainable goals.

I enjoy teaching and deem it a privilege to have a share in helping others reach their aspirations.

I have a Trinity CERTTesol and an MA in English Language Teaching.

Teaching Experience:
Between 1992 & 2010 I lived and taught in Hong Kong to a variety of students from Chinese medium of instruction (CMI), English medium of instruction (EMI) and International schools. Assistance was given to help students progress towards their HKCEE (GCSE equivalent) and `A` levels, and in recent years the IB diploma, IGCSE's, and HKDSE.

Topics used in the lessons cover many of disciplines in the school curriculum, including, History, Geography, Economics, Biology, English Literature. Further guidance was given to help students prepare for exams, such as: SAT; and IELTS exams and common apps for HE.

In the past 15 years I have been tutoring students in the UK to prepare them for the 11+ entrance exams; teaching students at KS3, GCSE, A levels & IB. Additionally, I am currently guiding students with their dissertations for their chosen degrees, and proofreading BA, MA, papers prior to submission.

For the past 7 years, I have been involved in intervention teaching, which involves identifying learning styles and other factors that inhibit a student`s progress, and then devise strategies to engage the student in learning, to identify and then support their current learning needs.

Tutoring Approach:
I am committed to providing students with assistance to achieve the grades they need by patiently tutoring each student according to their learning style. I trust that my student-centred approach is effective in this area. My one-to-one tuition produces noticeable improvements in student confidence, attainment and ambition.

Exam Boards I cover:
- AQA
- Edexcel
- Cambridge/ Edexcel IGCSE
- OCR

GCSE English Literature texts
GCSE English Language Paper 1
GCSE English language Paper 2
- Writing to persuade
- Writing to inform
- Imaginative/ Creative writing
- Essay writing / structuring

GCSE Poetry
Love & Relationships
Power & Conflict

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am qualified tutor/teacher of English as a Foreign Language, currently teaching ONLINE only via Zoom or Skype. I also tutor primary students and feel passionate about improving every student's level of English. I can prepare you for Cambridge English exams.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching English to all ages for many years. I hold group lessons and private lessons. I do EXAM prep for Cambridge FCE, PET, CAE. I also teach Business English, do interview preparation and CV support. I currently teach at two language schools, as well as privately.

Tutoring Approach:
My main aim is to improve your confidence as your ability grows. I am known as a relaxed, approachable teacher and I feel passionate about teaching English to every level. I have travelled and learned other languages, and understand that experiencing a new culture is difficult in many ways. So my lessons are about cultural experience as much as words and language.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a vibrant passionate Italian, French and English Teacher. I am strongly committed in delivering outstanding teaching, supporting learners and motivating them.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching for 20 years, delivering:
- classes to pupils aged from 14 to 18 as a State teacher in Italy,
- individual tuition / group classes to pupils, students, professionals, adults
- individual tuition / group classes for certification purposes to pupils, students, professionals, adults in English (Cambridge ESOL certificates from A2 to C1 level), DELf-DALF (Alliance française certificates from A2 to C1 level), FIT and Start (Goethe Institut, FIT 1 and FIT 2, Start 1 and 2)
- individual / group classes for entrepreneurs (French and English)
- individual/group tuition for national competitions, job interviews,....
- degree thesis in English and French.

Tutoring Approach:
Being passionate of research, innovative methodology, communication I have developed my own methodology enabling students to speak and write from the very first lesson.
I have a true passion for pronounciation which enables learners to easily understand and produce well built answers.
I have develped my own methodology for listening activities and pronunciation skills from my experience as an interpreter (simultaneous, consecutive, chuchotage).

Subjects

Personal Description:
Friendly, patient and dynamic tutor with a wealth of experience in teaching English from age 8 - 80. I originally trained as a primary school teacher and spent 16 years teaching all primary levels in a range of schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
After moving to the USA in 1999, I began working in the ESL sector, teaching large classes of multi-level, multi-cultural classes in the Houston area. I also taught privately from my home, providing English classes during the summer vacations.
After moving to Paris, France in 2006, I studied for my International Certificate in TEFL and began teaching Business English to executives in a range of companies in the Paris/Ile de France area. I also worked for APESEB, a programme which prepared primary-aged French children for integration into bilingual schools.
After returning to the UK in 2013, I began tutoring English to both children and adults, both native and non-native. I studied for my Cert. IBET (Certificate in International Business English Teaching) and passed with Distinction in 2015.

I'm passionate about teaching, I love developing the tutor/tutee relationship and watching progress happen - could there be anything more satisfying?

Teaching Experience:
I am an experienced Business English/General English teacher of adults and children. I have an MA in English Literature/English Language, Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Teaching, Certificate in TEFL and Certificate in International Business English Teaching (Cert IBET). I have taught EFL to learners of all ages (8 - 85) and all abilities in Texas (USA) Paris (France) and now the Bristol/Bath area, UK. Since 2015, I have been employed by South Gloucestershire Council as a Community Learning Tutor, teaching ESOL classes for adult learners in Yate and Bradley Stoke.

I am a registered tutor with Lingua, Cartus Intercultural Language Solutions, Language House and Simon and Simon Language Consultants - I provide Business English training to professionals in a range of companies in the Bristol area, including Orange, Broadcom and Imperial Tobacco.
I tutor KS2 and KS3 English and provide intensive Academic English training for English examinations, including preparation towards IELTS and Trinity GESE.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is communicative and fun. No boring pen-pushing lessons! Lessons are engaging and diverse, goals and objectives are established and examined regularly. I rapidly identify your learning style and learning preferences in order to build confidence, ensure rapid progress and keep your motivation and interest levels high. I identify any blocks to learning and use a range of resources and techniques to overcome these. I try to build autonomy and self-reliance, giving my learners the tools for their individual success.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I very much enjoy tutoring pupils on a one to one and in small group situations. I am currently Head of Department in ICT and Computing. My particular strengths lie in creating Websites, Flash, Programming, Python, Binary Code and Computer Science Theory to A Level. I can also teach up to University undergraduate level and have achieved very successful results.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught in the following curriculum areas: IT and Computer Science at KS3. KS4 and KS5. I am also qualified to teach Mathematics. I have taught in sixth form colleges and mainstream mixed schools (averaging 1600 students). My teaching has span over 20 years because for me teaching it not only job it is a passion and helping the young of today achieve academically is a wonderful outcome for me and my students. I have also managed my own IT department, where I have achieved very good GCSE and A Level results in IT and Computer Science.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is to set achievable smart targets and setting goals for all my students. Deliver sessions at a pace that is comfortable to my students. All of my teaching resources are inclusive, differentiated to suit all learners and where possible all students are stretched further to enhance their learning abilities and well-being. I also engage in using different teaching styles to suit each student accordingly. All students are regularly assessed and monitored to ensure that adequate progress, good attainment and all targets are being met.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a friendly, reliable, and competent teacher who is passionate about education. I strive to not only help my students perform well whatever their objectives may be, but to also improve their understanding of content, their study skills and to build their confidence.

Teaching Experience:
I have close to eight years of teaching experience. I was the Deputy Head of Secondary at the British School of Kampala and taught Edexcel English Literature and History up to A-level. Most recently, I taught English in year 7 and 8 at King Edwards School doing supply teaching. I have taught History and Geography to Key Stage 3 at Kampala International School Uganda. I also taught A-level English Language, Literature and General Studies following the Ugandan National Curriculum.
I thus have experience of teaching a wide range of curricula to both native English speakers and those for whom English is a second or third language.

I have tutored students in preparation for their Checkpoint, Entrance and IGCSE exams with all of them going on to achieve either excellent results or performing well above their expectations. I have tutored IGCSE History, Geography, English Language and English Literature.
I have also tutored adults who began with the barest minimum of English - adults for whom Italian or Spanish was their first language - and they are now able to confidently express themselves in English.

Tutoring Approach:
I provide opportunities for my students to express themselves and to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. I endeavour to foster discovery and the joy of learning to enhance understanding of content. I can equip students with revision techniques and assist them with exam preparation. After a needs assessment has been done, the lessons will be tailored to suit the unique needs of the individual learner. Goals and objectives will be set with the student and the lessons will be designed to meet these.

Subjects

Personal Description:
This year, 14 of my 17 Higher students received an A Grade, two received a B and one received a C grade, which was a personal achievement for that individual. All five of my Nat 5 students achieved an A.Therefore, if you're looking for top grades for your child, you are in the right place. With twenty years of experience, I have a consistent record of helping tutees achieve A passes at Higher. I am a fully-qualified, GTC registered, English teacher with over fifteen years of classroom experience. Moreover, I was an SQA marker for more than a decade, with several years experience marking the new Higher's RUAE. I am a mum of two adult children who no longer live at home. My adorable Ragdoll cats, Oliver and Louis, still keep me on my toes though!

Tuition is very rewarding for me because I like working with young people and supporting them to consistently achieve excellent results. With their whole future before them, they are often refreshingly full of new perspectives. Working hard to build a warm, but professional, rapport with my tutees is the key to bringing out the best in them.

Teaching Experience:
I am a fully-qualified, GTC registered English teacher with over fifteen years of classroom experience. Moreover, I was an SQA marker for more than a decade. This included marking both critical essay for the exam board and Higher Paper 1:Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation or RUAE (previously Close Reading)

I have taught in several schools in East Renfrewshire, including Williamwood and Mearns Castle.

Tutoring Approach:
In Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation (previously Close Reading), my experience as an SQA marker provides tutees with an invaluable insight into exam strategies needed for success. Certainly, this experience leads me to use a specific question type / specific formula answer approach. Tutees are encouraged to identify a particular question type, e.g. 'the context question', and then use the appropriate formula to gain maximum marks. Thereafter, the tutee is asked to practise this particular type of question whilst also undertaking whole close reading passages containing said question type.

In the critical examination of literature, particular attention is given to structure and developing a mature, yet fresh, personal response. I tend to adopt a modelling approach. Effectively, the tutee and I draft a first core essay on a given text, say, for example, 'Romeo and Juliet' Using this exemplar, the tutee is then assigned further essay questions, drawing upon this core essay as a guideline. Support is given throughout the writing process and constructive feedback is offered in the form of stage-appropriate targets to ensure progress.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I previously taught full time in both KS1 and KS2 for 5 years, however I now work teaching children who are not in mainstream education on a 1:1 basis-.

Teaching Experience:
I have a wide range of experience of tutoring SEN children, using a range of different strategies and approaches to engage them in various aspects of the primary curriculum.

Tutoring Approach:
I pride myself in tailoring lessons to the interests of the child to ensure they gain the most out of their sessions. I make learning fun and engaging and ensure the child feels at ease.

I assess children on an individual basis, discussing with them what they would like help with whilst also discussing needs with parents. This will then determine how to best move forward and what style of support is most appropriate.

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.'

*

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 knew early on, that I wanted to teach.

I have committed the last twenty years of my life to education working as a private teacher in a variety of schools and colleges - teaching an eclectic range of pupils; from special needs students to scholars to adults. I am particularly committed to building confidence and skills in pupils whom may not feel they fit the typical mould.
I am humbled and honoured to be listed as a "distinguished former pupil" of Carlos Bonell, Senior at The Royal College Of Music

Teaching Experience:
I'm current a Licensed teacher with Bexley Music Service and have taught at a variety of schools over a period of twenty years including; Eltham College, Bexley Grammar School and a variety of secondary and primary schools.

Tutoring Approach:
Lessons are relaxed, good humoured, but also highly informative with attention to detail, with each pupil's specific needs catered for.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi! My name is Kathryn and I am a primary school teacher and mummy to two young children. I have been teaching for 9 years and my specialism is Early Years, although I have plenty of experience across the primary age range. I am hoping to do some online tutoring on the side of my day job. I am able to work evenings, weekends and occasional weekday hours. Looking forward to hearing from you and your little ones!

Teaching Experience:
I achieved a BEd in Primary Teaching with specialism of Early Years at Chester University in 2011 and achieved Qualified Teacher Status in 2012. I have always been in a permanent job role and worked my way up to become and Early Years Leader. I am currently teaching in Year 3 and have experience across Foundation Stage, KS1 and KS2.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to build up positive working relationships with children and their families and get to know the learning styles of individual children. I then deliver my tutoring in a way that meets the needs, abilities and interests of the children. This ensures we get the most out of the time we spend together in a session and enables children to work towards their full potential.

Subjects