Barnsley Entrance Exams Tutors and Barnsley Entrance Exams Tuition

Personal Description:
I am an independent tutor with a strong scientific background and have lived in England since Aug 1965. Most of my school and college education took place in Dudley (West Midlands) and I studied Biochemistry, at Leeds University (1975-8). I am married and have lived in Cheshire since Dec 1978. We have a son and a daughter; both graduated from Universities in Manchester. Following my voluntary redundancy from AstraZeneca, (Jun 2008), I am now a self-employed Tutor / Consultant. In addition, I am able to speak additional languages (Punjabi; studied up to GCE A-level and Hindi) and prepared to travel up to 5 miles. I have been tutoring Yr 7 - 13 students, in Maths and all Science subjects, since Oct 2008. In addition, I have prepared students from Yr 6, for the 11+ exams; frequently used by private schools, as entrance exams. Testimonials / References (from Students and Parents) are available, on request.

Teaching Experience:
During my long service in the Pharma industry (~30 years), I have run many short courses and workshops. During 2005/6, I mentored a pupil (Year 10/11) at St. Peter's High School, Longsight, organised by the University of Manchester. In the past, I have also been responsible for organising and running the weekly classes at the Sikh Temple (Gurdwara), for teaching youngsters the Sikh way of life & Punjabi culture, in helping to improve their knowledge and integration into the Western Society over a period of ten years.

Tutoring Approach:
I can provide tuition to individual students (or small groups) in the form of friendly, relaxed lessons. Teaching sessions are always customised to meet the specific requirement of the students. Generally, I enjoy teaching and considered to have a caring approach. I use a combination of computer and 'white board' based approach, for creating informal interactive / discussion type sessions, with some form of regular tests and re-cap sessions. Closer to the exams, the lessons are much more focused on using past papers covering a wide range of questions, to enable the students increase their confidence in preparation for the examinations.

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Personal Description:
I graduated from Cambridge University with a BA in English Literature, and then from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, graduating with a BA in acting, where I was the recipient of the Noel Coward Scholarship from 2008-2011. In July 2011 I won the Michael Bryant Award at the National Theatre, for verse speaking and Shakespeare.

When I'm not acting or tutoring I can be found in the plumbing, plastering, kitchen or grappling with a cryptic crossword.

CURRENT AVAILABLE SLOTS: 9-10am + 10-11am Sundays, weekly.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a private tutor since 2008.

Currently tutoring students in: 8+, 10+ & 11+ preparation (all four subjects); GCSE Maths. Adult English and pronunciation skills.

Previously: English - KS1, KS2, 7+ (Successful entry to Highgate), 11+ (Successful entry to, Haberdashers' Askes Boys, Trinity, City of London School for Boys, Alleyn's, St Alban's), A Level (A at A Level English and Extended English). Maths - KS1, KS2, 7+, 11+, 13+ (successful entry to Oundle, Haberdashers' Askes Boys), GCSE (grade improved from D to A*). University application assistance (Successful entry to Durham and Oxford). English as a foreign language - including public speaking and native pronunciation and grammar for business professionals.

During my gap year I spent some time as a special needs classroom assistant, working closely with a child with Asperger's Syndrome. This involved facilitating the social and academic change between primary and secondary education on a one-to-one basis.

Also at this time I ran Welsh language games sessions for primary children in non-first-language schools to improve and encourage their use of the language outside of the classroom environment.

Whilst at secondary school I taught reading skills to children who had low reading-ages.

I wrote a thesis on the connections between Maths and acting whilst at Guildhall.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is tailored to the individual's needs; firstly finding ways of fully explaining a concept, then cementing them with useful and memorable material to build students' confidence. My main objective would be to aid the student in understanding not only the specifics of the work but also the broader aspects of it, which I believe provides a truer grounding in - and enjoyment of - a subject. By making the work useful and enjoyable, and by finding alternative and effective approaches to study, I hope that my tuition will shed new light on subjects for students.

My passion is building confidence and fostering resilient approaches to problem solving.

I specialise in tutoring Maths and particularly enjoy helping those students whose confidence in the subject has become a barrier to their learning and enjoyment of the subject.

Previous Students' Comments:

'Before I met Alex, as a dyslexic, I was academically unconfident and dreaded having tutors who had never really helped me before. Alex tutored me from Year 8 to 11 and she completely changed my attitude to studying, helped me develop my organisational skills and gave me a huge amount of confidence in my abilities. As I approached GCSEs she tutored me particularly in Maths where I was struggling with a D grade. Without her expert tuition I doubt I would have been able to achieve my A* in Maths.

I think Alex is an amazing tutor because she has an extraordinary talent for making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience to the extent I would genuinely look forward to our lessons. Alex was far more than a tutor to me, helping me through such formative teenage years. I consider her a friend.'

- Tally

'Alex is a truly outstanding and gifted tutor as well as a fantastic person. I have very much enjoyed being her student for over six months, and have not only learnt a lot due to her expertise and impressive knowledge but also grew to love English Literature because of the inspirational nature of her tutoring. Previously, I used to constantly struggle with my assignments since English is not my first language, however, after a few weeks of sessions with Alex my grades and confidence significantly improved. She has an ability to keep the lessons varied and interesting; always well prepared for lessons - she was kind enough to provide me with extremely useful books and personal notes. Her incredible dedication and hard working nature also deserves mentioning as she was willing to help me even in the evenings when I was panicking about coursework and the approaching exams. With Alex's assistance and firm confidence in my ability I have achieved a high A in my A-level English Literature and even a merit award in Extended English. I would enthusiastically recommend Alex to anyone who wants to succeed in their exams and learn heaps of interesting information.

- Natasza (Graduated with an MA from Oxford University)

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Personal Description:
A Maths graduate professional tutor and a qualified maths teacher who is specialised in preparing students for the common entrance exams 11+ and 13+ with high success in securing their places at their first choice schools; preparing and improving grades in GCSE, iGCSE and A-level Maths exams. She is passionate about giving young people the best possible education in life, and relish the challenge of managing a diverse workload. Her goal is to ensure they are supported and encourage them to achieve their full potential.

Teaching Experience:
She has 12 years tutoring experiences. Her students are from both independent schools and maintained state schools. She has particularly taught those who came from the top tier independent schools, such as the Colet Court School, the St Paul`s Boy School, the St Paul's Girls School, the Westminster School, the Godolphin and Latimer School, the Latimer Upper School, the Frances Holland school, the James Allen Girls School etc. She is specialised in preparing children for the common entrance exams 11+, 13+ with high success in securing their places at their first-choice schools. She has extensive experience in preparing and improving grades in iGCSE and A-level Maths exams. She has a valid DBS check and is teaching Maths in the Central London Academy. She has taught Lady Margaret School and etc.

Tutoring Approach:
She believes that every child is different and she adjusts her teaching style to enhance the student`s style of learning. It has been worked very well in the past and she helped many students to reach their goals. It is a priority for her to make sure that tutees have a firm grasp of the core skills needed to satisfy the requirements of the examination boards at different levels of the national curriculum. She provides depth knowledges to those who love Maths, and gives dedicating support to those who find it more challenging. She tailors every session to the student`s demands and builds up the strategies and frameworks to adapt his or her individual skills. She has her own teaching materials. She monitors each pupil's progress and ensures their successes.

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Personal Description:
My name is Lenka and I am an experienced and qualified language teacher. I am passionate about languages and I love teaching. I have traveled a lot and lived in different countries. I studied Spanish and French literature at an Italian university and lived in Spain where I studied Spanish language, culture and journalism. I qualified as a secondary language teacher at Lancaster University and worked as a teacher in the independent sector for 7 years. I am a native Czech speaker. I am currently working as a freelance tutor for a language agency as well as teaching private students. At the moment I am available during the weekends and Monday and Friday afternoons. I tutor in Seaford and surrounding areas.

Teaching Experience:
• tutor in a language school teaching all year groups and individuals
• teacher in two comprehensive schools teaching KS3, KS4 and Sixth Form
• language teacher in an independent boarding school (13-18) teaching Spanish, French and Italian at GCSE and A-level
• tutor in adult education
• vast experience with private language tutoring

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching philosophy is that a thorough knowledge of grammar as well as the ability to communicate is essential for learning a language successfully. I advocate a communicative approach and I teach in a relaxing atmosphere so that my students feel at ease and not afraid of communicating in a foreign language and at the same time they can learn by assessing their own mistakes.

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

MY CAREER HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

►► MY STORY ◄◄

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

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

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

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

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

►► QUALIFICATIONS ◄◄

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

►► PARENT FEEDBACK ◄◄

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you ever so much for reading :)

*Enhanced DBS certified

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

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Personal Description:
Growing up in London, I understand firsthand the challenges young people face and the many distractions that can impact their academic progress. Having spent years tutoring students from diverse backgrounds across the UK, I've come to appreciate the value of personalised lessons tailored to each student's unique strengths and weaknesses. This approach ensures that every individual gets the support they need to overcome obstacles and succeed.

Teaching Experience:
Experienced Tutor with a Dual Background in Dentistry and Chemical Engineering

With over 10 years of tutoring experience, I specialise in helping students excel through personalised, engaging lessons tailored to their individual needs. My academic background includes degrees in both Dentistry and Chemical Engineering, giving me a unique ability to explain complex scientific concepts in clear, relatable ways.

I have extensive experience working 1-on-1 with students, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), where I focus on creating an inclusive, supportive environment. My lessons are fun, interactive, and designed to keep students motivated, fostering a love for learning and a drive to achieve more. Whether you're looking to improve grades or deepen your understanding, I'm dedicated to helping you reach your goals.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching methods include a variety of approaches, from videos, challenges and interactive sessions.
My pupils have fun whilst they learn and get the grades they need!

I am aware each student is an individual, with varying levels of ability and so the lesson would be determined using this. Analysis of each lesson and how the student responds to different techniques of teaching will be made, to tailor for the ideal teaching session. This will ensure content will be covered in a time efficient manner, while keeping the student engaged and motivated.

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Personal Description:
I have master in Pharmacy from Kent University Greenwich and currently studying Medicine.
I provide excellent online tuition. I use a special program to present you with a whiteboard so I am able to incorporate diagrams and animation in my tuition. You can have a free trial to find out about the quality of my tuition.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching for the past 10 years teaching nurses, medical students, pharmacy students at all levels.

Tutoring Approach:
Online tuition
I use diagrams and animation in most of my lessons.

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Personal Description:
I am a proactive, dedicated teacher hailing from Montpellier, southern France, with a passion for teaching. Based in the UK, I have worked across 3 continents in a variety of education institutions and universities in the last few years, and have always enjoyed making a difference in the learning experience of my students and tutees.

I completed a PhD in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2018, and became an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE). I have gained relevant teaching skills, valuable insights and a solid experience in the UK and abroad both during and after my doctoral programme, and currently teach French language in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Warwick.

I am involved in scholarship and have a huge academic interest in American and comparative literature. My research portfolio contains a dozen publications in peer-reviewed outlets, including Academia Letters, The European Journal of American Culture and The Literary Encyclopedia, and a research monograph about two writers from the Beat generation - Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg - published by Peter Lang in May 2022, which has been nominated this year for a BSA Book Award. I am currently working on a research project with Cambridge University Press on the Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked in a variety of high schools and higher education institutions, both in the UK and abroad, since 2009.
I taught as French Instructor at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, USA, for 6 months, and as a French Language Assistant at Dunraven School and at Greenford High School in London (1 year in each).
I went on the work as an Associate Lecturer in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Goldsmiths for 3 years, and as a Pre-Sessional Lecturer at the University of Southampton in the Academic Centre for International Students.
I also taught as an Assistant Professor in English at Istanbul Kültür University in Turkey for 18 months, and currently teach French in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Warwick.

Tutoring Approach:
I view tutoring as a means to empower learners and facilitate knowledge acquisition. The student-centred approach with which I work is tailored to the specific needs of each individual learner - an approach I have used in my 1-2-1 private tuition for over 10 years, and in the different teaching appointments I have held so far as a French Language Assistant and as a university lecturer.
This personalised approach is forged with respect to the uniqueness of each individual profile and learning style, increasing the opportunity for success. My aim is not only to fulfil the learner's scholarly potential; it is also to foster his or her confidence in the language over the longer term by creating an awareness of its greater cultural significance.

I cater for all levels and needs, from A1 to C2 and from Y1 to Sixth Form and beyond, and have worked with children, teenagers, young adults and professionals. Over the years, I have achieved a good grasp of the educational challenges that students face in the UK at various stages of the curriculum. I have worked with various exam boards and am familiar with the current requirements of the GCSE, A-Level, I-GCSE, I-B as well as private school entrance exams.

Owing to my academic background, I am also very keen on developing an awareness of study skills and critical thinking in higher education.

The tuition is delivered either face-to-face, or via Zoom or any other online platform such as MS Teams or Skype. After listening to the learner's needs, which can be discussed through e-mail or on the phone, the tuition will start with an assessment of the learner's linguistic skills, which will enable me to identify a series of specific learning objectives and create an individualised road map towards the achievement of these objectives.

This road map will constitute our programme, and each tuition will cover a part of it. The sessions, based on dynamic exchange, will involve a series of engaging materials and resources carefully selected to meet the learning objectives. These materials, which include videoclips, podcasts, literary texts, translations, news articles, practice sheets or former exam papers, can also be edited or designed from scratch (such as homework or exercise sheets for example), in order to concentrate on a specific point, embed newly-won knowledge.

My private tuition in French covers all language skills, whether it is writing, listening, speaking through thematic conversation with a native speaker, building an ability to read texts in the target language with various degrees of complexity, or developing French cultural awareness - beyond the stereotypical.

A high level of service is maintained throughout the tuition delivery programme, and careful attention is given to the learning experience, which remains my top priority.

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Personal Description:
Currently I work on many Department for Education projects striving to improve the quality of education across the UK, particularly in the area of mental health and effective teaching. I also work as an education consultant delivering training internationally to students and teachers alike.

I am a supportive and encouraging tutor, with many years experience as a qualified teacher and many more as a private tutor on a 1:1/small group level. I am educated to Masters Level in Health Psychology and Education, so I am certainly no stranger to education myself!

In my "spare" time, I am studying for a PhD in Psychological Medicine at Kings College London.

I have worked with young children starting out on their education journey through to Bachelor and Masters Level University degrees.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked with young children starting out on their education journey through to Bachelor and Masters Level University students.

Whilst my subject specialism is Psychology, I have taught across a range of subjects with enthusiasm, which ensures that I have an excellent track record of students gaining exam results which exceed their minimum target grades, with many meeting their aspirational target grades.

I have taught in a range of education settings which include: primary and secondary schools, Pupil Referral Units, Further and Higher Education. This includes working with individuals of all abilities and backgrounds, including having experience in working with individuals who may have special educational needs or have English as a second language.

This has been in a variety of subjects which include: Entrance Exams, English, Maths, Science, Health, Psychology and Humanities, among others.

I have taught extensively online as well as in person.

I am fortunate enough to be an Examiner of KS2, GCSE and A-Level providing me with a detailed insight into a range of exam boards.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly and supportive tutor who can be relied upon to provide the best quality lessons. I like to incorporate humour and fun, tailoring my lessons to the needs and interests of the students I am delivering to.

For higher level tutees such as those at university. I integrate academic skills whilst supporting then with the planning and implementation of assignments, dissertations, exam preparation and more.

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Personal Description:
🌟 SPACES NOW AVAILABLE FOR SUMMER/SEPTEMBER 2024 🌟 ONLINE SESSIONS ONLY

Hi there! 😄 My name is Shel and I'm a passionate English Tutor (UCL Graduate) with over 10 years of experience teaching English Language & Literature to a wide range of ages (GCSE, A-Level, University and Adult Learners) 🚀 I also teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL / TESOL) and have taught abroad in Thailand.

I have in-depth knowledge of the UK National Curriculum and specialise in English Literature/Language (Additional subjects Media/Film Studies, History, Theatre). I also offer services in essay writing/proofreading, functional skills, 11+ exam practice, TEFL, and university applications.

🤔 Why Work With Me? 🤔

With me, you're not just getting a tutor, you're getting a mentor and a coach who will be dedicated to supporting you with your learning and helping you improve your confidence for success. I also make sure to tailor my lessons to your individual learning needs (SEN and Neurodiverse-friendly lessons).

I would love to be part of your academic journey and help you reach your goals as your English Tutor and Mentor! Don't hesitate to message me and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

I have a high pass-rate, and countless testimonials praising my engaging and tailored teaching style! I can offer a complimentary 30-min lesson so you can even see for yourself that you won't be disappointed! 🌟

Teaching Experience:
With over 10 years experience as a professional tutor, I am confident that I can help you or your child go from under-confident to thriving! Over the years, I have guided a number of struggling students to exceed their predicted grades; many of which went on to study at top universities.

I also have experience working with young people as a film & theatre workshop facilitator - creating engaging lesson plans is something I do best!

I Can Help You:

✅ Improve your Reading Comprehension Skills
✅ Master your Essay-Writing Fluency (incl. Dissertation Support and Proofreading Services)
✅ Strengthen your Creative Writing Skills
✅ Improve your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar
✅ SMASH those exams! (School/University Entrance Exams, GCSE, A-Level, University)

🤔 Why Learn with Me? 🤔

✅ Tailored to YOUR Individual Learning Style
️✅ Primary, Secondary, GCSE/IGCSE, A-Level, University
✅ AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Cambridge IGCSE, WJEC
✅ Flexible & Affordable Sessions
✅ SEN & Neurodiverse Friendly
✅ Very High Success/Pass rate - students have really gone from D grades to A* (see testimonials in my photos)
✅ An engaging and interactive teaching style

Tutoring Approach:
If you decide to work with me, you'll be getting more than just a tutor! I'm also a passionate Mindset Coach who loves to teach my students about the power of the brain and HOW to learn better. I believe that learning is a highly individual experience, and ensure to cater to my student's learning style. love to use visual stimuli and technology to aid learning but also value the more traditional tutoring approaches such as regular tests, setting homework tasks and detailed note-taking (I always tell my students that you are 40% more likely to achieve something if you write it down!)

🧠 About Your Lessons 🧠

🎓 Taught by a UCL Graduate with OVER 10 years of Experience
🖥️ 1 Hour Online Sessions via Google Meet
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Individual or Group Sessions Available
🖼️ Interactive Lessons with Visual Learning Materials
🧠 Confidence & Mindset Coaching
📈 Progress Tracking


SET TEXTS:

POETRY ANTHOLOGY & UNSEEN POETRY (AQA, Edexcel, OCR Poetry, Cambridge Poetry Anthology)

SHAKESPEARE

Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Othello, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, Hamlet, As You Like It, The Tempest, The Winter's Tale, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice, Troilus and Cressida

LITERATURE

Of Mice and Men, Jekyll & Hyde, Great Expectations, Jane Eyre, Pride & Prejudice, A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, An Inspector Calls, A View from the Bridge, Things Fall Apart, To Kill a Mockingbird, Blood Brothers, Silas Marner, Woman in Black, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, The Empress, Whale Rider,

AND MANY MORE!

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Only Online Sessions are Available.

Flexible Monday to Sunday Availability.

Don't hesitate to contact me for more information!

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hello
I'm moving to North Somercotes, Lincolnshire late August and will be taking on new students to start ready for the academic year in September.

As an experienced tutor, specialising in Primary Education and Secondary Education. I have experience in teaching Maths and English for all abilities including S.E.N.. My experience also includes 11 plus, both CEM and GL. Which would be particularly relevant for those students sitting the 11 plus in Buckinghamshire and entrance exams for the Bedford Schools.

I work with students providing a supportive environment where areas of possible weakness are identified and strategies developed ensuring the students self esteem, confidence and love of learning are enhanced.

Teaching Experience:
5 years experience within the education system at secondary schools, working as past of the senior leadership team. Have tutored adults and children, to improve confidence and self esteem, reinforce knowledge, to meet national curriculum expectations, successful completion of the 11 plus and entrance exams, S.E.N. and English as a foreign language.

Tutoring Approach:
Hello

As an experienced tutor, specialising in Primary Education I have experience i teaching Maths and English for all abilities including S.E.N.. My experience also includes 11 plus, both CEM and GL. Which would be particularly relevant for those students sitting the 11 plus in Buckinghamshire.

I work with students providing a supportive environment where areas of possible weakness are identified and strategies developed ensuring the students self esteem, confidence and love of learning are enhanced.

Subjects

Personal Description:
"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives".

Hi! My name is Gajan and this is what I believe.

• I am a young and energetic person, able to bond very easily with my students.
• I have been there and done it before. All my recent experiences and learnings help me get through to students.
• I will not give up on anyone, no matter how hard the challenge!

• I graduated in 2009 from the University of Colombo and Middlesex University , with a First Class Honours as a Master of BIT Engineering.
• I work for a GFL company as a Civil Engineer in Wimbledon.

• I will tutor at your home and travel is included in the price.
• I am available after 5pm on ALL weekdays.
• I am available all day on weekends.
• I am eager to start ASAP.

Teaching Experience:
• My most recent students excelled in Maths and Further Maths, getting equal or higher grades than predicted by their schools .
• I have copious experience in teaching students, relatives and friends through 11plus to A Level and above.
• I provide students the understanding of the subject without giving the answers, helping them work independently.
• Detailed feedback is always provided to parents, along with frequent progress charts for student, to make sure they are developing step by step.

Tutoring Approach:
• All of us are different - and I will tailor my approach depending on each student's abilities. I have fun and direct methods that students enjoy and are guaranteed to bring success.
• I specialise in helping with exam technique, time management and confidence - all are crucial for success in exams and the real world.
• Passion and motivation is crucial, and I will help students discover their passion and the importance of education.
• I provide students the understanding of the subject with real-world examples, to help cement the knowledge into their minds.
• I set regular tests and targets to make sure students are constantly progressing, along with feedback for parents.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Free 30-minute introductory session to ensure we are a good fit.

I specialise in KS2 and KS3 English and creative writing with a particular focus on 11+ exam prep. To date, my students have a 100% pass rate for their intended independent schools.

I was not a great student as a child. Rigid and rote teaching sucked all the appreciation I might have had from learning. That is, until I returned to education in my late 20s and, over the course of two bachelor's and master's degrees, discovered just how rewarding it can be. Partly because of this reason (and partly because I simply love sharing knowledge!), I began a new career in teaching and for the past 9 years - with over 600 hours of teaching logged - I have made a point of injecting colour into a learning world that, for many students, has become drab and monochrome.

Outside of teaching, I love my arts and crafts - from drawing and painting to cross-stitching and model-building. I love being creative! And that feeds into my teaching. I'm fairly laidback and relaxed and try to instil that in my students as well and give them the confidence to ask questions without the fear of being rebuked or ridiculed.

Teaching Experience:
My experience as a tutor ranges from lecturing screenwriting at Anglia Ruskin University, where I am an associate lecturer, to almost ten years of tutoring at an advanced studies summer school at one of Cambridge's prestigious colleges, and over 600 hours of private 1-to-1 tuition. In addition to these regular teaching commitments, I am often asked to give lectures on the art of creative writing to visiting international students at Cambridge University.

After some less than pleasant experiences at school, I returned to education in my late 20s. I attended an Access to HE course specialising in creative writing, English literature and journalism, from which I graduated top of my class with a distinction.
I then achieved a BA (with honours) degree in Writing and Film Studies, graduating again top of my class with a first. In addition, I was awarded the McLeod Prize for highest average mark for any student within the entire faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences and the award for Best Major Writing Project, which were the opening chapters of a novel which went on to win numerous literary prizes.

I followed this up with a master's degree in creative writing on one of the top master's programmes in the world (at the University of East Anglia), from which I graduated with a distinction.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that confidence is a big part of success, and confident students make emboldened decisions in their learning, so I will be your child's biggest supporter. Every child is a unique individual who has their own way of learning so every lesson is tailored to their needs with no comparisons or judgements.

The following topics are covered in both KS2 and KS3:
Comprehension; reading; inference skills/verbal reasoning
Grammar; spelling; vocabulary expansion
Creative writing; sentence and story structure; description and characterisation.

Monthly reports will be issued to parents of students to keep you up to date with your child`s progress.

I also provide creative writing for all ages and novel-writing mentoring; and for older students: essay writing skills and editing of university papers. I am the author of eight published novels, which have won numerous awards, and one screenplay/film. I am so passionate about writing that I am constantly reading about it and keeping on top of new techniques. As a result, I have a wealth of knowledge that is wasted on just me alone and I wish to share it with equally motivated people who want to learn more about English and/or creative writing.

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August 2024:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading

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

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

Writing

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

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

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

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

Why study English?

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

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Personal Description:
I am currently an Academic Foundation Doctor at University Hospital Southampton. I studied at Westminster School as a Queen's Scholar and secured 14 A* at GCSE and 4 A* at A-level. In 2020 I received first class honours in Natural Sciences and was awarded a scholarship by Jesus College in 2020. I graduated Cambridge University in 2023 (MBBChir)

I am also a keen musician and played the clarinet with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain between 2014-2017. On holidays you might see me climbing and camping around Scotland or catching up with close friends in London.

What do I offer?:
• 13+ entry scholarship examination to Westminster School; 'The Challenge'
• Oxbridge interview preparation for medical applications
• BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test)
• UCAS personal statement
• Other; please reach out to discuss

Teaching Experience:
Between 2020-2022 I have taught the neuroscience course (NHB) for 2nd year undergraduates at Jesus College Cambridge. Supervisions comprise of weekly small group teaching. I have also taught the NHB course privately 1:1. I regularly teach younger students (10-14).

Tutoring Approach:
I am a kind and supportive tutor looking to work with my tutees to identify and consolidate areas of weakness. In addition, I hope to provide insight into the skills required to tackle competitive application processes, including scholarship exams and medical interviews.

I prioritise improving exam performance and I encourage the development of critical thinking skills at all levels of learning. In undergraduate supervisions, I aim to tackle difficult concepts from first principles and question underlying assumptions, as well as help undergraduates develop their written communication. I believe these skills are highly valuable for writing personal statements and for success at interview.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Personal Description:
Outside of tutoring, I enjoy photography, baking, wildlife gardening, health and fitness, including swimming and woodland walks, as well as spending time with family and friends.

I'm very proud of my daughter and three young grandchildren who also share my interests in photography, forest adventures and baking!

Since becoming a vegan, I have enjoyed creating a wide range of delicious meals which are also enjoyed by family and friends!

I am also passionate about wildlife conservation and have initiated campaigns in my local area to conserve areas of habitat for wildlife. For example, two years ago, I collaborated with local schools and councillors to stop the felling of 43 healthy trees at a historic green space in the town centre.

Teaching Experience:
I am a PGCE qualified teacher in Primary Education, specialising in Special Educational Needs, with 15 years of school teaching experience.

I chose to reduce my hours as a school teacher five years ago so that I could focus my attention on my tutoring business full time.

My main areas of expertise are English and Maths, where I can quickly diagnose a student's tuition needs and plan personalised lessons to help them to reach their learning targets.

I have taught many students with a wide range of learning needs, including learning difficulties such as dyslexia. For example, I recently tutored a boy with moderate dyslexia who was in Year 6. During this time, his confidence in his abilities in English increased significantly to such an extent that his grade increased from below to the above expected levels in Year 9.

I embrace all opportunities to keep up to date with developments in the National Curriculum by continued research in the public domain as well as attending training webinars and conferences

Since becoming a Private Tutor 20 years ago, I have helped over 1000 students to increase and exceed their grades in Maths and English Lanuage and Literature, sometimes by up to three grades.

I have also successfully coached adult learners for Functional English and Maths tests from Level 1 to Level 3, as well as students who speak English as a second language, for GCSE and IGCSE English and Maths exams.

Additionally, I tutor students in entrance test preparation skills for the 8, 11 and 13 plus exams.

I am always extremely proud of them when they exceed their predicted grades in their exams and gain entry into their chosen independent school.

Here are some recent reviews:

`Thank you Tina for helping me to take a long way in a very short time. My English was grade 2 at the beginning of the year 11. With the support from Tina, I have achieved grade 5 in both English Language and Literature. Thank you so much.`

`Tina`s teaching style allowed me to learn at my own pace and she always had a clear plan for each lesson.`

`She is patient and thought provoking, encouraging her students to `learn to learn`, rather than reproducing someone else`s ideas.`

"My daughter`s confidence in English has dramatically improved in both herself and in the classroom, thanks to Tina."

Tutoring Approach:
I would describe myself as a friendly and inspiring tutor who works with students in a calm and encouraging way.

I have been fortunate to teach in a variety of learning contexts, including nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools and colleges, which has enhanced my ability to adapt my expertise to a wide range of differing tuition needs.

I believe that by engaging with each student on a cognitive level, I am able to establish a positive rapport with them.

It is very rewardingl when I see a 'light bulb' moment happen when a student seems to glow from feeling a renewed sense of understanding and achievement.

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Personal Description:
I am a dedicated and enthusiastic tutor based in Muswell Hill, with a real passion for helping students in North London and beyond unlock their potential. I currently work part-time at a secondary school in the area, and have previous experience in an independent school in Hampstead. I have also spent valuable time living in Quebec, deepening my cultural and linguistic understanding.

I pride myself on building a strong rapport with students, making lessons both engaging and supportive. I tutor pupils ranging from 6 years old to adult learners in Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, History, Entrance exams and 11+ preparation, including preparation for London day schools.

In my free time, I enjoy exploring the green spaces of Alexandra Park, browsing the independent shops on Muswell Hill Broadway, and swimming. I recently completed the Parkland Walk challenge.

Teaching Experience:
I bring extensive and diverse teaching experience to my tutoring. I currently work part-time in a secondary school in North London, and have previously taught at a comprehensive in Islington. I have also completed supply teaching across London boroughs, as well as a valuable teaching placement in Birmingham. In my school roles, I have held responsibilities for curriculum developmentand year group mentoring, which informs my holistic approach to student progress. I have been a private tutor for over 5 years. Professional references are available upon request.

Tutoring Approach:
My tutoring approach is built on a foundation of professionalism, thoroughness, and genuine rapport. I believe a supportive and structured environment is key to unlocking potential. I specialise in translating classroom material into clear, manageable steps, which directly builds student confidence. This progress in self-assurance, paired with targeted skill development, consistently leads to improved grades and a more positive attitude towards learning outcomes I take great pride in fostering.

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