Blaydon Entrance Exams Tutors and Blaydon Entrance Exams Tuition

Personal Description:
NEW AVAILABILITY - FROM SEPTEMBER 8TH 2025.

SPECIAL OFFER ++++ 2 STUDENTS TUTORED ONLINE TOGETHER IN ENGLISH - £17.50 EACH ++++

SPECIAL OFFER ++++ 2 STUDENTS TUTORED ONLINE TOGETHER IN MATHS - £17.50 EACH ++++

A LEVEL ENGLISH, POLITICS AND PSYCHOLOGY.



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I have been teaching GCSE and A level students with enthusiasm and passion for more than 20 years - and I achieve great results.

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

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

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

I have successfully coached a number of students for Entrance exams in Coventry and Warwickshire - for Warwick, King's High, the merged Bablake & King Henry Schools and Solihull School.

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

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


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

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

I write all of my own lessons.

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

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

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

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

I also tutor online via SKYPE and MICROSOFT TEAMS.

I have had excellent recent successes. In the most recent 2024 summer exams, four of my GCSE students scored A** (level 9) grades in Language.

All of my last four A level English students scored A grades.

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

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Personal Description:
I am a very motivating person, willing to explore more opportunity, l have taught at multi cultural school and also in other European countries EU ONLY. Very flexible and open minded. Ready to work on short notices . Computer literate and have PGCE and QTS at the University of Birmingham. I also have Post Graduate in Pure and Applied Mathematics

Teaching Experience:
Over 15 years of teaching experience. l have taught at the American school, International schools and local and colleges .My main subject areas are IB, AP`s and GCSE in mathematics , Calculus, Physics, chemistry, and Further Mathematic

Tutoring Approach:
One to One approach . Make the student to participate in the explanation and check on the weakest points of the student to assist the student to improve this will enable the student to reach his or her desired grade.
Simple and straight forward explanation on any topic even those which seems difficult for students to understand.

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Personal Description:
Experienced and well qualified tutor in secondary, adult and university Maths and Physics.
With a positive attitude and engaging personality I get on well with my students.
I have also tutored students with dyslexia and autism related conditions and aware of modern educational SEN practices in this regards.

Teaching Experience:
Tutor with over 15 years adult college training and tutor experience.
Can tutor from Nationals 4/5 through to Advanced Higher, as well as GCSE/iGCSE, A-Level, IB.
Also tutor mature students and graduate level University and Colleges NC courses.
Cambridge Entrance exams STEP (paper-1 and paper-2 only).
Registered STEM Ambassador (East of Scotland).

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in putting the students interest first and ensuring that they work at
a pace with which they are comfortable.

Regular reports on progress are available to guardians.

Available daytime, evenings and weekend (presently ONLINE only)
I offer tutor online lessons via Skype/ whiteboard app- very easy at no extra cost to students.

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Personal Description:
I am a fully-qualified professional teacher with more than 30 years of teaching and tutoring experience, both in the UK and abroad. I regard myself as a friendly and approachable tutor, as well as honest and conscientious, and I pride myself on being able to communicate with students of all ages, from pre-teen to pensioner.

I am the father of two boys, and we live in the Sutton area. My wife and I successfully tutored our sons for Sutton's grammar schools (WCGS), and they have since both graduated from top Russell Group universities. My hobbies are limited to reading these days, and I am particularly fond of English Literature. Dickens and Hardy are two of my favourites, but I am also keen on modern and less serious writers, such as Tom Sharpe and the two Rankins - Robert and Ian.

Teaching Experience:
After obtaining my first degree in Spanish with Politics and Economics, I started teaching abroad; first in Spain, then in Turkey, and later in Central Asia and the Middle East. Since retraining as a teacher of English, I have taught for more than 15 years in the UK and almost 15 years abroad, where I was Head of Department at an Institute of Higher Education for three years.

Most recently I have taught English at an independent school in Sutton, and previous to that I taught Academic Writing for East Anglia University for several years. Nowadays my tutoring is split 50:50 between English for the 11+ and Common Entrance (13+) exams, and English, Spanish, Economics and Politics & Government for the GCSE and A-level exams (all boards).

11+ and 13+ (Common Entrance)
I am very happy to report that all but one of my twelve Eleven Plus tutees passed the SET (Selective Eligibility Test) for Sutton's grammar schools last September. Of these, 100% of them passed the second stage exam and obtained their first choice of grammar or independent school. I use a selection of published materials and those of my own creation, and insist on a high standard of weekly homework in reading, writing and language knowledge. For 11+ pupils I start tutoring in Year 4 or 5, whereas 13+ pupils begin in Year 7 or 8.

GCSE and A-level
I am equally happy to report that all of my most recent GCSE and A-level students have passed well, with top grades from B to A* (A-level) and 6-9 (GCSE). The majority of those have gone on to their first choice of further and higher education institutes, and in most cases this has been achieved by my insisting on regular homework done to a high standard. For GCSE pupils I prefer to start tutoring at some time in Year 10, whereas A-level students typically begin around Year 12.

I also provide individual tutoring in ESSAY WRITING and STUDY SKILLS, as my experience has taught me that many students at GCSE, A-level and undergraduate level face real problems in these areas. By working together on your essays, substantial improvements can be made in style, organisation, argument, presentation, and much more. This way, I can teach you how produce more effective and mature essays, and thus help you to obtain better grades and increase your confidence in producing written work.

Tutoring Approach:
With every tutee I carry out an initial assessment of his/her needs and abilities, and my teaching begins from there. Typically I work on improving their weaknesses and consolidating their strengths, and this essentially involves them producing high-quality homework on a regular basis. I use both established published materials and those that I have created myself over the years. This approach appears to be successful, and I can provide references.

Over the past twelve years I have successfully tutored students for the following schools and universities:

Schools: Sutton Grammar, Wilsons, Wallington County, Wallington High, Nonsuch, Whitgift, Trinity, Wimbledon High, Kings School, City of London, Reigate Grammar, Caterham School, St John's, Westminster, Epsom College, Ewell Castle, and many others.

Universities: Manchester, Warwick, City, East Anglia, St Martins, Lincoln, Kings, LSE, UCL, Nottingham, Reading, Birmingham, Bournemouth, and several others.

Please note that my fees are very affordable, bearing in mind that I travel to your house and offer a personalised tutoring programme.

I currently charge between £45 and £50 per hour, depending on subject and level.

NB: Any tutoring that involves more than 6 miles travel (round trip) usually incurs a small extra charge.

If you are looking for a fully-qualified, highly-experienced and versatile tutor, you need look no further. Here are a few messages from some of my most recent successful tutees:

Hello Jeff, I just got my IELTS results and I FINALLY passed it! Listening 8, Reading 7.5, Writing 7, Speaking 7.5 and it's 7.5 overall. I would like to THANK you sooooo MUCH for your help and all advice you have given me! It would not be possible otherwise. (Vanja)

Sam got into Wilsons and we are pretty sure that his English performance carried him through. Sam said we ought to say 'thanks' to you as you made a massive difference to his standard of English in a very short period of time. Not sure how, but you made something click in his brain where his school teachers had failed! (Cathy)

Hi Jeff, hope you are well. I am extremely delighted to tell you that Rick has a place at Westminster, and we are going ahead with that. He has also had offers from HABS, KCS and RGS Guildford. Thank you so much for all your support. (Animesh)

Hi Jeff, just to let you know that Dillon got a place at Sutton Grammar on Monday. He also received places at Whitgift, Trinity and Epsom. We have decided to accept Sutton Grammar, and thank you for all your help and time.
Thanks - Paulomi and Dillon.

Dear Jeff! Thanks you so much for tutoring me last year. You have helped my English greatly and without your advice and guidance I would have had a nervous breakdown when I was given the task of an essay. You taught me about causal connectives, signpost words, paragraph structure and much more vital strategies of writing an amazing essay.
Finally, I am happy that I got a place at Wilsons and know I would have failed the English language test without what you taught me. I am very grateful that you gave up your time to help me pass.
Yours Sincerely, Makar

Hi Jeff, I hope you're well. I just wanted to let you know that Andriy got offered a place at Whitgift and we have accepted it. Thank you very much for helping and recommending this great school to us. Andriy is really excited about it and cannot wait to start.
(Oksana)

Dear Jeff, sorry for the delayed reply as we are in India. Rishi has done well, has received English Language 9 and English Literature 7, and scored 8 in six other subjects. He could achieve good results only because of your support. Thanking you.
(Chandra)

Hi Jeff, I am pleased to inform you that Mahati cleared the 2nd round. Her cut-off score is 354. We hope she gets into either of the two schools. Thanks a lot for your support throughout.
(Sassi)

Hi Jeff, Tamana's results have come in for the Sutton Stage 2 test. She has passed with a relatively good score of 315, and based on last year's stats, she should get in comfortably to Nonsuch or Wallington. Thanks for all your lessons that significantly helped her in the preparations.
(Vedant)

Hi Jeff, hope you're doing good. We have got the exam outcome, and Samrudha is able to apply for Nonsuch. Her score is 309, and the highest total score is 389. Secondly she has cleared Tiffin's Stage 1 test and has been invited for Stage 2 on November 11, and we would like to take your help whenever possible.
(Kirthi)

Hi Jeff, I just wanted to let you know that Ed passed the entrance exams for all three schools. Thank you so much for all your support! (Emma)

Hello Jeff, I hope you are well. Vivaan passed the exams for Wilson's, Wallington and Sutton. He also got through Tiffins Stage 1. Thanks very much for your help and support! His English improved massively under your guidance.
Kind regards
Jyothi

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Personal Description:
Hello! I'm Nicole.

I studied History and English at the University of Oxford (Wadham College). I graduated with Double First Class Honours in 2010, finishing top in my academic year.

My excellent results reflect several important characteristics: my exceptional academic ability, my high academic standards, my mastery of study-skills, and my dedicated and conscientious work ethic. I look to encourage these qualities in all of my students.

More importantly though, my outstanding results are a result of my absolute love for, knowledge of, and commitment to, my subjects. I am a lover of learning, and aim to help my students to find a similar excitement and passion for their studies.

Teaching Experience:
I have extensive experience working with young people and adults in educational or supplementary learning contexts.

I have been tutoring privately for over a decade. My students have come from a diverse age range - spanning from the very young to the much older. I am comfortable working with children, teenagers and adults, and experienced in adapting for a range of access needs.

I have tutored students in History; English Literature; English Language; reading comprehension; speaking, listening, reading and writing skills; primary level Maths; entrance exams; university applications.

I have tutored multiple 11+ and common entrance applicants, including those applying to competitive London private schools. I have a 100% success rate for acceptance into one of the family's desired schools.

I am also experienced in mentoring potential Oxbridge applicants, and advising on study and revision skills.

I am also an experienced theatre practitioner, working regularly for the Theatre Royal Plymouth, the Barbican Theatre, the Exeter Northcott Theatre and additional regional and national theatre companies. I am experienced working with a range of groups, including primary school age, adults, adults and young people with complex and multiple needs and/or learning difficulties, and children from migrant or refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds, and am committed to making sessions accessible to everyone.

I work regularly as a facilitator on specialist cultural educational projects in schools. This involves designing and delivering programmes of work and one off workshops or extended learning days for primary and secondary aged pupils, including those with complex and challenging behaviour.

After graduating, I spent a year working full-time as a Cover Supervisor in a secondary school, covering classes in all subjects across the secondary curriculum, for students ranging from 11 - 16 years of age, and offering specialist teaching support for GCSE and A-Level English classes. This gave me the opportunity to observe and work with students of all abilities and learning styles, and to learn how to adapt my teaching style accordingly.

Tutoring Approach:
I am passionate about learning - and look to encourage a similar excitement in my students. In History this might be through some particularly fascinating or gruesome details, or in English, through exploring a beautiful line of poetry.

I am very individual-student orientated, so I seek always to establish each individual's aims for tutoring, and then we will work together toward these. For one student, this might be to know how to deconstruct a poem; for another, how to write a good essay.

With some students, I will plan structured lessons, whereas others prefer simply to earmark time with a dedicated tutor, before deciding what to do themselves at the time. Perhaps they will bring their homework, a study-book, or something they are stuck with - whatever the case, I aim always to listen and respond to the needs of each individual student.

With all my students (but especially the younger ones) I am a big believer in making learning FUN! I therefore often design lessons which use a variety of practical learning activities to keep them stimulated, rather than just relying on book-learning. In the past, I've mummified a teddy, conducted a press conference, and taught times-tables via Grandmother's footsteps! I find this to be particularly effective for students who struggle with concentration.

I believe that when offered education through the right methods, everyone is able to maximise their own ability to learn. Having completed a full-time degree and worked extensively in educational environments and contexts, I am equipped with plenty of different learning methods - including, through my theatrical background, more kinaesthetic or practical approaches, particularly suited to students who may struggle with 'book learning'. With my students, I look to discover which approaches work well for them, and then to use these to help them master the subject material. This in turn helps students to gain in confidence and self-motivation as they discover their own capacity to learn - and enjoy learning.

If students are working toward exams, I first seek to establish what a student feels his or her weaknesses are, and then focus tuition on areas or skills which will help them to plug the gaps or grow in strength and confidence. If more general support is needed, I will combine working with core material with a focus on ensuring that they have a solid grasp of the assessment objectives, question-types, and what the exam will look like, so that they can go into the exam confident and well-prepared. I also find that practice, practice, practice is essential, so we'll often work with past papers.

I seek always to establish clear lesson goals, and to review material learnt several times within each lesson, ensuring that the student feels comfortable with using the material learnt, rather than swamped by facts and lists.

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Personal Description:
I am a warm friendly, patient, understanding and highly motivated tutor. I have the ability to attend to all your learning needs. I am extremely resourceful and knowledgeable on the subjects I tutor in. I will work out the best way that you learn and teach to your learning strengths. Your success is my success!

Teaching Experience:
I have been a Primary School Teacher and a teacher of English as a Foreign Language for over twenty years. I have experience of teaching all levels of English from pre-school to Business Studies and University essay writing. I have also been a Primary School Teacher for fourteen years.

I have regularly coached students for the SATS tests, 11+, IELTS and some subject specific exams.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is to get to know you the person a little first. I like to establish what specifically you want from the tutoring sessions. When I have established your requirements I can then start to build a profile of your learning; what methods best work for you. Your success is my success.

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Personal Description:
I have lived and worked in Plymouth since I finished me degree in 2001. I started as a full time private tutor in 2009 and have been tutoring ever since. I absolutely love this work and am extremely enthusiastic about helping others enjoy and succeed at learning.

I am married and am a mum of two young boys. My hobbies include sports, walking, art, reading, writing and volunteer work with my church.

I am currently away on further training so can no longer do my usual face-to-face lessons, but I am looking at building up my online students.

Teaching Experience:
I have over a decade of experience of helping children, teenagers and adults with their maths and English learning. Whether it is to salvage a struggling student, to catch-up, to succeed in an exam or to excel beyond their current level, I am passionate about helping and unlocking a student's ability to understand and to enable them to enjoy learning.

I hold a BSc degree, 3 A-levels (grade B, including maths), 9 GCSEs (7 As - 2 Bs) and am a graduate of Study Technology. I have been tutoring since 2009 and specialise in the 11+.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching style is to tailor all lessons and communication entirely to each student, as each student is unique in the barriers they encounter, and in their level of understanding of the subject. I direct the lessons at a pace, and with content, that the student can comfortably handle and make progress with. I also aim to ensure learning remains light and not too serious: I am friendly and ensure that my students are at ease in lessons so that they feel free to ask questions or to say if they don't understand something.

I aim to always make the lessons visual and interactive and set homework to reinforce what we cover in our lessons. I can post worksheets for the lesson/homework if needed.

I am happy to answer any questions you might have and I look forward to hearing from you.

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Personal Description:
I have seen students` confidence in their abilities increases and their understanding deepens. Both students and parents have offered positive feedback from the great improvement in their grade as a result of my tuition. For example, a student`s grade in A Level Physics improved from originally an E to an A after my tuition, while others attend their preferred schools after help revision for their entrance exams.

Teaching Experience:
After various school placements, such as teaching classes at St Aidan`s (ranked amongst the highest achieving comprehensive schools in the country), for over five years I have helped a multitude of pupils ranging from as young as six through to mature students.
Having experienced rigorous training, I am an Examiner for a major board and have relished the challenges of marking
candidates` papers. I feel this gives me an invaluable perspective when preparing my students for their own tests.
I am familiar with the different examination boards, particularly AQA, Edexcel, OCR, CIE and ISEB. Covering English and Reasoning where desired, I have prepared students for 7+, 8+, 11+ and 13+ entrance examinations as well as the STEP and PAT tests required for the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. With my tuition, students have gained entrance to the schools of Aldenham, Fulham Prep, Harrogate Ladies, Sedbergh, Charterhouse and Latymer. After my tuition, candidates attained the necessary grades for their university offers, including from Oxbridge, to study courses relevant to our preparation. I also have experience aiding with IB and professional skills tests together with Pre-U and IGCSE.
I am happy to offer tuition for all other syllabuses as well, for example WJEC and for free-standing maths qualifications.
I also offer tuition to adults wanting to improve their own maths understanding and skills, for example to help with their career or to pass graduate skills tests such as Kenexa, SHL and numeracy for QTS etc.
I have helped several students with Asperger Syndrome, those with dyslexia and students who are home schooled, have conditions including severe physical handicaps, speech and language difficulties or have had to change school due to behavioural difficulties. Furthermore, I have been trained for and have taught looked after children and also have experience of helping those for whom English is an additional language.

Tutoring Approach:
I find I can relate to students in a calm and patient manner and I have enjoyed helping them through difficulties with their subjects. I endeavour to find and solve the problems students have in their understanding to give them a firmer grasp of the topic, with the benefits from this being increased confidence and improved results.

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Personal Description:
I have a background in senior industrial and commercial management, both in the UK and overseas; also senior experience in the public sector (local government and NHS). I took time out in my thirties to gain my PGCE.

Teaching Experience:
I have never taught full-time (although I was once up to around two-thirds of a full timetable). I have worked in further education colleges and as a supply-teacher, mostly in secondary. In addition, I have long experience as a governor of my old private-sector school, so understand very well the requirements for successful 11+ and 13+ entrance. I have been tutoring since 2000, and have a multitude of "success-stories".

Tutoring Approach:
First and foremost: flexibility. Equally, I have a wealth of life-experience, across sectors, so can, as my students have often remarked, bring subjects to life: they are seldom bored, if ever. I also have a large stock of teaching resources and past examination-papers and tests. I combine light-heartedness and a level of informality with a focus on the need to meet objectives and achieve results(sometimes having set them).

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Personal Description:
Online & Face to Face tutoring, located in KT3 (New Malden) and W5 (Ealing Broadway).
I`m Sam, Geoscientist and Academic Tutor, currently teaching Maths & Science at MathysicsTutor Kingston.
Having obtained my 3 degrees with scholarships in Science and Engineering at top universities, I have helped students at various level to unravel their full potentials and am determined to create enthusiasm in students to achieve the success they are aiming for.
I have experience of tutoring primary, secondary, GCSE, A level and university students with a firm knowledge of the optimal motivating and engaging approaches for each age group.

Beside tutoring, I am a knowledgeable Geoscientist and Engineer with 10 years experience in oil industry. As a Geoscientist, I combine advanced Maths, Physics and Geology in order to discover oil ad gas within the earth.

I have a strong understanding of Math, Physics, Chemistry, Geology and related subjects. I also have a B.Sc. in engineering and two M.Sc in engineering and geosceince.

As a Geoscientist, I have been responsible for managing, mentoring and training junior colleagues in a multinational team, where I have demonstrated high level of communication, interpersonal and interpretive skills. Working in an international company and also tutoring international students, has given me opportunity to work efficiently with people from variety of backgrounds.

Teaching Experience:
I was a teaching assistant during my academic years. Since graduation in 2009, I have tutored people in my social circle and since 2016 private tutoring through First tutors and other agencies with top reviews, 20% of my students come from referral. Great achievements such as:

Student admitted to King's Collage after 8 month's tutoring in Maths and Physics.

A* grade in GCSE Chemistry achieved by student after 2 month tutoring.

Experienced in tutoring University students from Edinburgh, SOAS, Kingston, Leeds and City universities in Maths, Geology, GIS and research/dissertation preparation.

My GCSE and A-level students have come from:
King's College School Wimbledon
Whitgift School Croydon
Tiffin School Surbiton
Tiffin Girls Kingston
ACS Cobham
Kingston College
Kingston Grammar
Hampton School
Sutton Grammar
Esher college
Coombe School New Malden
Surbiton High school
Wimbledon High school
Lady Eleanor Holles Hampton
Box Hill School Dorking
Royal Russell School Croydon
Nonsuch High School Cheam
Grey Court School Richmond
Twyford Church of England High School Acton
Royal Grammar School Guildford
Esher High School
Ursuline High School Wimbledon
Whitgift School Croydon
Latimer school Hmmersmith
St Dominic`s Sixth Form College Harrow
Notting Hill and Ealing High School
International School of London Ealing
Moulsford Preparatory School Oxfordshire
St John's Beaumont School Windsor


TESTIMONIALS:

"Sam goes through examples well and has a lot of practice questions ready. He explains the topic well and is very thorough with his explanations. I will continue to use him as I prepare for my A2 physics exam." Ryan, A level, Surrey

"Sam has helped my step-son with both Computing and Geology. From C grades he is now getting As in his tests. Sam is well prepared and thorough and has been a great help. I have no hesitation recommending him to other students. Sarah,A level, Purley.

"Sam helped me with maths for my last year exam he is an excellent tutor. He was very helpful and I definitely recommend him if you have any problems with maths." Tasio, University, Surrey.

"Sam is an excellent tutor who really goes out of his way to make sure you understand every aspect of the task at hand. Thanks to him I know feel far more comfortable in Maths. I would be very happy to recommend Sam and will continue to rely on him in the future." Diego, Year 12 IB Student.

Tutoring Approach:
Enriketa raised her maths grade from C to A; you can too, ask me how!

I believe the most efficient approach is the most engaging one. It is important to appreciate that students have different attitudes towards learning and hence tutoring should be about helping them to get the best out of their education through discovering their potential and developing interest in the subject.

METHODS OF TEACHING:

Online & in person

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Personal Description:
Hi! I graduated from the University of Warwick with a degree in Mathematics in 2017, and I'm currently a full time professional tutor with over 500 hours of experience. I specialise in boosting confidence and working with students who want to learn and are curious.

"Happy to find a right tutor for my daughter- reliable, patient and punctual."
"Tom is reliable and professional and the sessions are a real confidence boost"
"Due to the help received by Tom I achieved an A in C4, an A in C3 and a B in M1. I would highly recommend Tom over all other Maths tutors."

I am particularly adept in curriculum mathematics, having achieved 95+ on all my Core modules in Maths and Further Maths at A Level, although I can also readily teach extra-curricular A Level examinations such as STEP, MAT, AEA and the Senior Maths Challenge (among others). I also achieved highly in Physics, with 100% in the two final papers, so if you need help with this (especially the Applied Maths side of Physics) then I am very able and ready to help.

I attained 3 A*`s in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics at A Level, so I know exactly what is required for the top grades. I also achieved Highest Ever in School for the Senior Maths Challenge and a distinction in AEA Mathematics. My MAT grade was enough to earn me a non-STEP offer from Imperial, and I passed all three STEPs, STEP I in Lower Sixth.

Beyond my grades, I work hard and have a dedication for my subject. Mathematics is the cornerstone of every science, and a proper understanding of it is essential. I love sport and cars, and keep up with the latest technology.

Teaching Experience:
Throughout my education I have tutored those younger than me and worked with some of the brightest young minds, who are now top of their year in the highest ranking universities. I am flexible in tutoring a range of abilities, and have experience from mentoring Year 7 students just learning algebra, through to Year 12 students retaking GCSEs, all the way to STEP tutoring and preparing for university entrance exams.

Post-graduation, I have tutored over 500 hours over the course of 2 years. I have recent experience tutoring students preparing for GCSEs and A Levels, from a wide age range and level of abilities.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a strong believer that every student is different, and that they each have their own way of learning that works best for them. A great academic record does not necessarily mean a great tutor, however I think that I have the right approach whereby I learn first how the student works best, then implement learning techniques which will drive the best results.

I also strongly encourage an inquisitive and questioning behaviour, where the student is aware that not everything I say should be taken for granted. The key skill universities are looking for is an inquisitive nature, so I do not lecture to the student, I let them give feedback and treat them as an equal, and in most examples let the student lead the session. This way they develop an ability to think for themselves.

My first session is normally spent working out the best tutoring technique, how motivated the student is and what sort of ability they are. For example, in some cases I like to set small amounts of homework which actually help develop a deep understanding of the question, rather than bundles of questions that encourage method-learning repetition.

From here, each session can build on the previous and will depend a lot on the current progress of the student, upcoming examinations, strengths and weaknesses and how confident they are. In general though, I like to go through the content as fast or as slow as necessary, and then do some past paper or textbook questions with the student. Each session I will set an aim determined with the student and work towards that aim.

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Personal Description:
Welcome! A freelance tutor and singer, I give "Personal tuition in the right key". I can help you get the highest grades in exams, and study in the "key" that best suits you. Like the right song choices, I often inspire my students to succeed.

- Which subject(s) do you teach?

French, Spanish, Latin, Ancient Greek, English as a Foreign Language, Creative Writing, Singing, Oxbridge Interview preparation.

- Tell me about your qualifications.

Master of Studies in European Literature (Spanish) from Exeter College, Oxford University;
Master of Arts in Classics and Modern Languages (French) from New College, Oxford University;
PostGraduate Certificate in Education and Qualified Teacher Status from the Department of Education, Oxford University;
Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (Spanish Diploma) from Salamanca University, Spain;
Advanced Certificate in Careers Education and Guidance from Canterbury Christ Church College;
Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Level 5, CELTA equivalent, 140 hours) from EDI and i-to-i Volunteering.
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts ("Working for 21st century Enlightenment")

- Where do you teach?

I teach online via FaceTime and/or Skype from my home and at students' homes. I live in Abingdon, in Oxfordshire, in the UK, and am prepared to drive up to c30 miles from home if online lessons are not possible, to include nearby towns such as Oxford, Wantage, Bicester, Henley, Reading, Newbury, Thame, Wallingford, Marlow ... I teach pupils online anywhere in the world, latterly in UK towns such as Northampton, Cheltenham etc. and abroad in Hong Kong, Russia, Kazakhstan ...

- Describe your arrangements for online tutoring.

I use Skype or Apple FaceTime. The video feed can be switched off at my student's request, or if it degrades the sound quality. Tests and exercises are sent to the student and returned to me for marking by email.

Teaching Experience:
- What kind of experience do you have?

Two years teaching Scholarship Latin and Greek in a local prep school (Cothill House);
Previously spent 25 years in the classroom in independent and state schools in the UK, France and Peru, teaching all ages;
Sometime Head of three academic departments (one of which I founded at Abingdon School);
c10 years one-to-one private tuition to all ages, latterly often online or through local agencies.

- Do you have an up-to-date DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service, formerly CRB) Certificate?

Yes - fully listed on the DBS update site.

- Where and with whom did you train?

University of Oxford, New College and Exeter College;
University of Oxford Department of Education;
Salamanca University;
Christ Church College Canterbury;

- Do you belong to any professional organisations?

I am a member of the General Teaching Council, the Association for Language Learning, sometime Chair of the Oxford Education Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Academy of St Cecilia.

Tutoring Approach:
"David has been tutoring our son via Skype for the last year, since his Spanish teacher said she did not want to put him in for GCSE Spanish as she thought he would fail. David has been marvellous with coaxing and coaching him and giving him confidence. Just the one to one attention has been hugely beneficial, and the bonus that "tech"� was involved, and that there was no time lost in driving to and from lessons has been a real godsend too. David is incredibly supportive and encouraging without being at all patronising, and really strikes the right balance to get the best out of his students. Can recommend unreservedly."
Mrs F, Gloucestershire,

"Our son has flourished under David's tutelage; the balance and content of homework and classwork has been very carefully gauged and enabled our son to progress rapidly, with great enthusiasm for his studies. The weekly reports David submits have been of immense value to us as parents trying to support our son's learning, as has the clear structuring, marking and regular review of work." Dr M. and Mr E.

"David has provided my daughter with an excellent grounding in Spanish prior to her starting the subject at school. He has guided her through the basics in a clear, thoughtful and well-informed way and has formed a very good relationship in which she has felt engaged, supported and motivated." Mrs W.

"My two children (ages 9 and 10) have progressed rapidly in their French learning with David. His lessons with them are focused and thorough, and his approach is patient and clear. He has great enthusiasm for languages and significant experience in teaching them, which show through in his lessons. My children both very much enjoy their lessons and are even happy to do the homework! David is also very helpful in working with us to find the best ways to support their learning between lessons. " Jenny T

"Dear David, Thank you so much for all your help and guidance when I applied for the Chaplaincy. It was good, too, to see you there when I went for interview" Revd. Michael P"

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a friendly encouraging professional teacher with a BA Hons degree in English & Spanish with Art History;. I have over 25 years experience teaching in schools, adult education centres. I am a Specialist SEND tutor/ Learning Mentor, 11+ entrance exams and IELTS for overseas students, private colleges. I regularly teach private companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, INEOS, Santander Bank .
On line and in person. Although If I have to travel cost may differ.

I thoroughly enjoy seeing students develop and improving their knowledge. I am a specialist in preparing you for the IELTS exam for Australia and the spouse visa for the UK.
Together we see your progress. Regular assessments and feedback are available.
Good IELTS results achieved with overseas students who want to enter UK universities . International doctors who need IELTS score 8/9.T I teach on -line using Teams or Zoom.

Teaching Experience:
Over 25 year experience teaching at various levels, from entrance exams at primary to university IELTS and degree level Spanish.
I have recently taught adult English to Chinese graduates at Grant Thornton's Accounts company.
I provide professionally recognised materials that comply with exam requirements.
I have supported many adult learners with English as a second language.
I presently teach Academic Skills for various universities including LJMU, Liverpool University, Manchester Univ. and many others.
Specialist Mentor for SEND students.

Tutoring Approach:
I listen carefully to your requirements and tailor make a course to suit. I use multi media materials including. past papers, exam practice and listening podcasts for GCSE and A Level, .etc... I will direct you to good learning websites.
- I give clear goals for each session .
- Continuous assessments and feedback.

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!'

*

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.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am studying MSc Psychology on campus at University of London. I have a vast experience of teaching A-Level/GCSE Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology having myself scored A grades in the aforementioned.

Teaching Experience:
I have 10 years of teaching experience of teaching Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. I can also teach Urdu and English Language + Literature.

Tutoring Approach:
I start from topics the students are comfortable with and move gradually towards more complex areas as their confidence builds. I use questions and examples to check understanding continually. I don't lecture to students or ask them to memorise things. But I am very flexible.

Subjects

Personal Description:
- Build your child's confidence in maths
- Help them improve with their math results
- Work with an experienced Maths teacher and tutor to support you and your child achieve their goals

Experienced Math teacher in fourth year of teaching in mainstream schools and over a thousand hours of tuition. I will look to support students, working on their weaknesses and building on their strengths so they are ready to reach both their academic and other goals. I enjoy helping students progress within their education whilst enjoying it at the same time.

I am a patient tutor that seeks to understand the student and how I can best help them. I live in Wakefield, Yorkshire though unfortunately I only possess a mild Yorkshire accent!

I have tutored students from around the U.K, Netherlands and America from primary up to college with success at every level. I can provide written feedback from my tutees who have been ecstatic about the tutoring they have received.

I've previously studied at the University of York, worked at L'Oreal and have led several charity initiatives that have raised approx half a million pounds. I currently run an e-commerce business that focuses on technology and other retail items. I enjoy showing students what they can achieve with Maths whether that is the path that they are looking to take or just to pass an exam. I will motivate them within all facets of their life so that they not only become better mathematicians but more confident individuals.

I run and teach within an online tuition centre that focuses on KS3 Maths students up to Further Maths at A Level. I can also direct to you brilliant English and Science Tutors if required.

Individual tutoring costs £50 per hour. This includes a tailored plan, weekly assignments, regular feedback regarding progress and tests to show you the improvements.

For more information, please message me with your requirements and I'll get back to you within 12 hours to support.

Teaching Experience:
Working in schools with students has allowed me to understand how best to support students in groups or one-to-one situations to help them progress as quick as possible. I have over 1,000 hours experience of tuition and am able to support students of all abilities. I have enjoyed supporting students with entrance exams to secondary schools, passing their GCSE and also retaking their Maths GCSE with success in all. I am also able to support students with SEN needs and aim to personalise learning for all so that it is accessible and achievable.

Working with children and young adults for several summers through the National Citizen Service has helped me improve my ability to challenge, motivate and help students progress, helping them reach their goals.

Prior to entering the education sector and working with children, I worked within large corporations in London and have several years of leadership experience through volunteering within the charity sector leading teams that have cumulatively raised half a million pounds.

I studied at the University of York till 2018 and am currently completing my Masters in Development and Education. Through my varied and wealth of experiences I am able to support students from all backgrounds and abilities.

Notable Recent Student Achievements
GCSE Level 3 -> 6 (8 months)
GCSE Level 6 -> 8 (5 months)
GCSE Level 7 -> 9 (7 months)
GCSE Resit Pass (8 months)

Bradford Grammar School 11+ Entry with a Scholarship and placed within the top 5 students (4 months)
Bradford Grammar School 11+ Entry after failing the first entry without tuition, student received tuition and passed the resit (3 months)
Entry to St Aubyn's School - Essex (5 months)
Entry to Thorpe House School (5 months)
Entry to St George's College - Weybridge (7 months)

Tutoring Approach:
I provide individual and group sessions for KS2 - KS5 students. First sessions revolve around testing the student to build up a picture of their strengths and areas of improvement. A plan will be made to help secure the knowledge they have and build up on the things they don't know. For exam candidates, lessons will focus on strengthening key skills and understanding how to approach exam style questions.

For students wishing to pass an entrance exam, I am able to support with Maths and Non - Verbal reasoning for either CEM or GL tests. Starting from September I will be offering weekly group sessions for GCSE and 11+. If you would like to join the classes, message me as places are limited.

I will look to strengthen your child's academic abilities and aspirations. I have had success with both low attainment students and high ability students achieving the grades that they are looking to achieve. Students enjoy my lessons due to my explanations and methods making Math easy to understand.

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Personal Description:
Hey there - thank you for checking out my profile. I am a qualified and practicing GP based in London. I studied as St Georges University of London, graduating in 2018. I have a wide array of experiences within the medical specialties and several years teaching and tutoring experience. I am a patient, reliable and trustworthy person and ensure any pupil of mine will be encouraged to reach their full potential and much more. I am full of enthusiasm and believe everyone has the ability to obtain good grades with hard work and perseverance in order to have a bright and promising future. This has been proven with all of the tuition jobs I have taken on.
I have special interests in medical school 1-1 OSCE preparation, interview preparation, as well as mentoring students who would like to get into medical school, and currently work in a GP Practice which specialises in work experience for A-Level students as well as clinical placements for medical students, attached to a number of medical schools.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 10 years of private tutoring experience. I also have several years experience as a medical clinical skills tutor, achieving the top 10% as a medical student at university in OSCE examinations. I have played an active role in teaching and supervising medical students from several London-based medical schools for over 5 years. I currently work as a clinical supervisor for medical students during my clinical work as a GP.
I have obtained good reviews across the board and find tutoring a rewarding job to see pupils grow and achieve their full potential.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in assessing the needs of my tutee and tailoring a programme specifically for those needs. Whilst a systematic and disciplined approach is essential, each student is unique and I believe in working closely with you for target your specific concerns and areas of improvement. I believe the best way for a person to learn is through bursts of theory and a lot of worked examples and practice.
Most importantly, I believe in finding ways to enjoy learning and as a result, remaining curious and inquisitive as medics for the exciting career ahead of you.

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Personal Description:
I am currently a Senior Research Associate at Manchester Metropolitan University, where I engage in cutting-edge research and innovation in Mechanical Engineering. My academic journey is marked by significant achievements, including completing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Loughborough University in 2020 and an Erasmus Mundus Master's degree from KU Leuven (Belgium), Universidade do Minho (Portugal), and the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). I also hold a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from UET Lahore, Pakistan.

My extensive experience in both academia and industry has equipped me with a deep understanding of the subject, allowing me to bridge theory with practical applications effectively. I am passionate about fostering a stimulating learning environment, guiding students through complex concepts, and helping them achieve academic excellence.

I am eager to share my expertise and contribute to your academic journey, providing personalized tutoring that supports your growth in Mechanical Engineering and related fields.

Teaching Experience:
Extensive Tutoring Experience Across Multiple Universities:

I have had the privilege of teaching over 60 students from more than 15 prestigious universities across the UK, primarily focusing on Engineering subjects. Each student's academic progress is documented on my personal website and FirstTutor profile, where you can view detailed feedback and reviews that reflect my commitment to their success.

Over 15 Years of University-Level Teaching:

My academic career spans more than 15 years at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore, Pakistan-one of the most respected public sector universities in the region.

I have held various teaching positions:
Associate Professor (2022 - 2024): Leading advanced engineering courses, supervising research projects, and mentoring junior faculty members. My role involves shaping the curriculum and contributing to the academic policies of the department.
Assistant Professor (2012 - 2022): Developing and delivering undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Mechanical Engineering, guiding thesis work, and engaging in collaborative research projects with industry partners.
Lecturer (2009 - 2012): Introducing foundational engineering concepts to first-year students, designing course materials, and establishing a strong educational foundation for students as they began their academic journeys.

Proven Expertise in One-to-One and Group Tutoring:

Since 2005, I have been dedicated to offering personalized one-to-one and small group tutoring sessions. This experience has honed my ability to tailor my teaching strategies to meet the individual needs of each student, ensuring that they not only grasp complex concepts but also develop confidence in their abilities.

Experienced in Online Tutoring:

Since joining the FirstTutor platform in 2016, I have successfully transitioned many of my teaching practices to an online format. My experience with remote learning technologies allows me to deliver engaging and effective tutoring sessions, ensuring that students receive the same high-quality education online as they would in person.

A-Level and GCSE Tutoring Expertise:

Beyond university-level education, I have substantial experience tutoring A-Level and GCSE students in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics. My approach focuses on building a strong foundation in these subjects, critical for excelling in exams and preparing for higher education.
For Mathematics, I cover all levels and years, helping students navigate the complexities of the subject with ease and precision, ensuring they are well-prepared for their exams and future studies.

Positive Feedback and Student Success:

My teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that every student has the potential to excel with the right guidance and support. I am dedicated to providing a learning environment that is both challenging and nurturing, where students are encouraged to explore, ask questions, and achieve their academic goals.
I have received consistently positive feedback from students and parents alike, highlighting my ability to make complex topics accessible and engaging. I invite you to visit my FirstTutor profile and personal webpage to read more about the experiences of past students.

Tutoring Approach:
Student-Centered and Flexible Learning:

I am a firm believer in the inherent talent and potential within every student, which, with the right guidance and approach, can be fully realized. My tutoring philosophy is centered on creating a flexible and adaptive learning environment where each student's unique needs and learning styles are not only recognized but embraced.
I dedicate specific time to each student, ensuring that their individual learning objectives are met. Whether it's last-minute preparation for exams or ongoing support throughout the academic year, I offer full flexibility in scheduling to accommodate the student's needs. My goal is to be available when they need me most, providing targeted assistance that helps them reach their milestones effectively.

Outcome-Based Learning with Peer-Like Support:

My teaching approach is grounded in outcome-based learning, where the focus is not only on mastering the subject matter but also on achieving specific academic goals. I work closely with students to set clear objectives and create a structured plan that guides them toward success.
I believe that learning should be a collaborative journey, where the tutor and student work together as peers. By fostering a peer-learning environment, I encourage students to engage actively in the learning process, asking questions freely without hesitation. This method ensures that students feel comfortable and supported, making it easier for them to grasp complex concepts and develop the confidence to apply their knowledge.

Comprehensive Guidance and Autonomous Learning:

I aim to equip students not just with knowledge, but with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need to tackle academic challenges independently. By guiding them through the learning process, I help them develop the ability to explore and discover solutions on their own, which is essential for long-term academic success.
My approach is designed to instill a deep understanding of the subject matter, ensuring that students are not just prepared for their exams, but also confident in their ability to excel in their future studies and professional endeavors.

Strategic Preparation for Exams and Assessments:

I understand the pressures that students face, especially as exams approach. Therefore, I provide strategic, last-minute preparation sessions tailored to help students maximize their performance. This includes focused review sessions, practice exams, and targeted feedback on areas that need improvement.
My methodical approach to exam preparation is designed to build the student's confidence and reduce anxiety, enabling them to enter the exam room fully prepared and assured of their abilities.

Commitment to Student Success:

My ultimate goal is to help each student reach their full potential. I am committed to their success and go the extra mile to ensure they are well-prepared, confident, and ready to excel. The learning environment I create is one where students feel empowered to take control of their education, supported by a tutor who is as invested in their success as they are.

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