Crewe Entrance Exams Tutors and Crewe Entrance Exams Tuition

Personal Description:
I have taught to all levels from reception class at primary school through to secondary school, sixth form college and university level.
I am able to offer authentic French whilst still appreciating the difficulties from an English speaker's point of view. I am also qualified to teach Spanish to all levels and have years of experience in teaching the language.
I have a friendly approach and my lessons are very well organised with a sense of purpose. They are also individually tailored to meet the student's specific needs. I have worked as a GCSE examiner on numerous occasions and have coached and taught AS/A level groups.
Should you be interested in either extra exam tuition, starting a new language or brushing up on previous knowledge, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you are willing to put in the effort, I can guarantee results from my end!

Teaching Experience:
French, Spanish and English as a Second Language - 4 years at a sixth form college
English and History - 4 years at university level
French, Spanish, History and RE - 3 years in grammar schools
French and Spanish - 6 years in adult education
All subjects - 3 years in primary schools

Tutoring Approach:
Pleasant, friendly disposition with a great deal of understanding and patience!

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an enthusiastic, young and passionate tutor with much experience in the field of teaching. With my confidence and ability to teach at varied ages I feel that I am a competent tutor for students struggling with any facet of the education cycle in schools.

I only teach females.

Teaching Experience:
I am the Head of English at an all-through school in East London. I have a varied and wide experience with teaching students of all abilities and backgrounds.

I am a qualified teacher who enjoys a challenge and has a passion for helping others reach their fullest potential.

I have experience with students all ages and abilities.

Tutoring Approach:
I feel that teaching learners at a personal level requires a particular mindset, the pedagogical approach would be catered to my learner's needs and ability. I would first take a diagnostic test of my student and then proceed with the best course of action for this tutee, using my experience from my PGCE year and my current teaching practice, I would teach accordingly.

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Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified teacher committed to first class service.

I am flexible and adaptable. I have good communication skills.

Reliable and trustworthy. I am enthusiastic and motivated in teaching children.

I have taught children for over 40 years. I was a head teacher for 28 years and loved every moment of it. I have been a self employed private tutor for over 5 years and my work is so rewarding.

I travel to the pupil and tutor on a one to one basis . I also do on line tutoring .in particular entrance exam preparation and 11 plus.

I am an animal lover and enjoy walking my westie dog in my spare time.

Teaching Experience:
I owned and ran my own private school, namely Woodlands School in Preston , for over 28 years.

I was responsible for over 110 pupils aged from 3 to 11 years of age.

I had a highly professional team of staff. Woodlands school gained excellent comments from ofsted.

I have a great deal of experience tutoring children. I make the lesson fun, exciting and bring along many resources to assist the child in learning.
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Tutoring Approach:
Praise and encouragement. I am patient and understanding. I make my lessons fun and interesting for the child in order to keep their attention.
I enjoy one to one tuition and enjoy teaching children of all ages.

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

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

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

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Personal Description:
I want to motivate and empower my pupils to help them become the best that they can be. After five years working in various financial analysis roles across London, I have spent the last two years working for myself as a consultant for charities, Escape Room owners and creative entrepreneurs and as a tutor as well. I enjoy any opportunities to help others achieve their goals.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring University students and adults in business subjects and Microsoft Excel for the past four years whilst working in Finance. Prior experience has also included children of ages 5-12 in groups and 1-1 tutoring at ages: 5-8 (for Maths and English) and 10 (for 11+ exams). Over the past few years, I have been tutoring my current tutee in English and Maths, first at primary school level and now beginning preparations for GCSE.

Tutoring Approach:
I tailor my tuition largely to the needs of the student, depending on their requirements and working style. However, my preferred method is to split each session into covering material being learned at school and taking short practice tests to assess weak areas and revise for exams. While tutoring to any required curricula I will also try to instil the love of a subject into a student by guiding them to other fascinating areas of the subject and discovering areas of interests to support the subject's framework.

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Personal Description:
Highly experienced Tutor.
Excellent track record.
Consistent outstanding results achieved.
Many very satisfied clients !

More than a decade has been spent as a professional full time Tutor.

In that time I have helped many students gain places at the most sought after Grammar Schools and Private Schools.

They have all gone on to University to pursue their careers within a wide variety of professions.

I have a tremendous wealth of experience in preparing students for a range of subjects at a variety of levels.

My aim is always to instill confidence and a firm grasp of the subject being taught.

I am renown for my patience and the professionalism I bring to each session.

Please take a look at the Testimonial provided by a very happy parent.

Education is the most precious gift you can give your children !

Teaching Experience:
11+
13+
Common Entrance
English, Mathematics and Sciences up to GCSE and IGCSE
QTS Literacy and Numeracy

11+

I have extensive experience and had tremendous success when working with pupils preparing for the 11+ examinations.
Students have gained much sought after places at Queen Elizabeth Boys' School, Henrietta Barnett, City of London School for Boys, University College School and Habadashers' to name just a few of my successes !
I am extremely adept at teaching the English, Mathematics, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning components of the 11+ examinations.

13+ (Common Entrance)

Have very recently taught and coached a student in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
All ISEB past papers were gone through in tremendous detail.
He gained a much coveted place at St. Paul's.

GCSE

I have very successfully taught at this level and prepared students for English, Mathematics and Science examinations.
I am currently working with a student in preparation for the new GCSE AQA Trilogy Examination in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

IGCSE

I have had the extraordinary privilege of coaching and teaching a young student through his IGCSEs in most subjects right up to his final examinations in Physics in June.
This has afforded me the opportunity to see the very vast difference in content demand between GCSEs and IGCSEs.

Tutoring Approach:
I take a very relaxed and calm approach to Tutoring.
Being able to put the student at ease really facilitates the learning process.
The topic being learnt is gone through very thoroughly.
Homework is set.
Any work marked previously is gone through carefully with the student.

*** Testimonial ***

Rob tutored my son Tom for 6 months in GCSE Mathematics and Science.

Rob is clearly very committed to his work and pupils, and it was more than apparent that he had taken great care in preparing for each session.

What really shone through was Rob's passion for his work and his desire to ensure that Tom achieved to the best of his ability. He always took considerable time to ensure Tom thoroughly understood each subject even if this meant running over the allotted time.

Rob is extremely professional and reliable and is very easy to get along with. In addition to his academic role, Rob also took time to build a professional friendship with Tom and a keen interest in ensuring that Tom developed his confidence. This greatly benefited his academic achievement but importantly also his belief in himself and his abilities. Tom's progress from this was clear for us to see. This was the real value added that I believe we received from the one to one tuition that Rob provided.

As Tom completed his GCSE exams Rob would always phone the same day to see how he had got on. This was clearly something he did with all his pupils as, although ensuring discretion, Rob would mention how others that he tutored had said the exam had gone.

I would highly recommend Rob as personal tutor and would happily be contacted to confirm this view.

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Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified secondary teacher, with over 15 years experience in teaching, and tutoring, within school and online. I also have over 12 years experience as a GCSE and A level Science examiner. I am a very patient, supportive, friendly, encouraging, reliable and hard working teacher/tutor.

I have always had alot of success tutoring science and maths online, with all pupils gaining the grades they were predicted or in most cases even higher.

I also offer lessons during all the school holidays times.

Teaching Experience:
I am a fully qualified secondary school teacher specialising in Science and Maths. I have extensive teaching and tutoring experience, in schools and online, in both mainstream teaching and special educational needs teaching. I have successfully taught and tutored pupils for 11 plus and 13 plus entrance exams, as well as for GCSE's in both Maths and all three Sciences, as well as Combined Science, and for A level Biology and Chemistry.

I have also 12 years GCSE and A level Science examiner marking experience, which allows me to support and explain to pupils what examiners are looking for within exam question answers.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a detailed knowledge of all current syllabus for GCSE Sciences, Maths, (as well as Maths and Science IGCSE, Functional Skills, and BTEC), and all current A level Chemistry and Biology syllabus's. I use a combination of theory, exam practice questions, past paper questions, and workbooks in the lessons, to improve pupil confidence with exam technique, and focus on exam skills.

In addition, I adapt my teaching methods to support the pupils learning needs and help to identify areas of study in which they need help to improve. I also look at revision methods and planning revision timetables with pupils to help them find the option which works best for their learning needs.

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Personal Description:
I am a Qualified Engineer (D.Phil, Oxon, MSc, BSc Imperial College), Qualified University Educator (PG Dip) and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) with over 20 years' experience teaching university engineering, including 13 years as an Oxbridge lecturer, 7 years as a Senior Lecturer at an elite Russel Group university and a year as a Professor at a highly-ranked US university. I also have over 10 years' experience in aerospace and defence research with Rolls-Royce PLC, Qinetiq, Volvo Aeropsace in Sweden, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan.

My work has given me the privilege of working with many hundreds of student-engineers across all branches of engineering. I know how difficult and challenging university engineering can be. My approach is warm, open and professional.

Teaching Experience:
In my 20 years of professional and private practice I have taught all branches of university engineering and engineering science including Aerospace, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and Electronic, Chemical, Bioengineering, Materials, Design, Motorsport, etc. and even related subjects such as Physics, Architecture etc. Whilst most of my work is with undergraduates I regularly teach Masters/MSc students and doctoral/PhD students, as well as professional engineers.

I hold a PhD in Engineering Science from Oxford University (where they call it a D.Phil), an MSc in Mechanical Engineering and a BSc in Physics, both from Imperial College London, as well as a PGdip in University Learning and Teaching.

I also have over a decade of experience in experimental aerospace and defence research, as part of which I conducted ground-shaking jet engine tests at military and civilian test sites in the UK and Europe, working with companies including Rolls-Royce aero engines, Qinetiq, Volvo Aeropspace, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan.

As well as having designed numerous large-scale experiments, my practical hobbies include classic car restoration and designing and building the places where I live. This hands on engineering experience means that I don't just teach the theory, I teach the reality and how the theoretical concepts you are learning in class relate to the real world around you. This is the beauty of Engineering.

Outside engineering, I enjoy freeride skiing, ice and inline hockey, and downhill mountain biking. I travel extensively with sport and have played hockey in almost every country in continental Europe and skied in virtually every country in the alps.

I am comfortable teaching in French as well as English.

Tutoring Approach:
Engineering is one of the hardest subjects you can study, and it doesn't help when module content is disorganised, learning materials are messy and hard to follow, and when lecturers are too busy to respond to your questions. If you are not getting the support you need, I know how this feels and I can help.

My overall aim is to teach you to become an independent learner, to teach you how to learn, so that you can learn regardless of the support from your university, and so you can continue learning when you leave university into whatever career path you take.

If you have a set budget for lessons then we won't go over this, even if we overrun the hour.

I offer an initial meeting free of charge to discuss your learning requirements, so you can show me what you need help with, what your learning aims and objectives are, and to plan our sessions together.

I am flexible in terms of scheduling, I'm happy to reschedule with sensible notice etc.

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Personal Description:
I've been working as a maths and science tutor since 2016.
Prior to my work as a tutor I worked as a science technician for three years in various schools and colleges in London. And prior to that I worked for three years as a research and teaching assistant at the University of British Columbia, Canada.
I graduated from Queen`s University Belfast in 2010 with a 1st MSci in Physics with Astrophysics.

Teaching Experience:
I offer tuition in Maths (including mechanics and statistics), Physics, Chemistry and Biology. I offer in-person lessons in the Glasgow area, and online lessons for students further afield.

I'm based in Scotland so the majority of my students are Nat 5, Higher, or Advanced Higher. However, I also have experience tutoring in the GCSE/A-Level system used in the rest of the UK.

I have experience in tutoring for university entrance exams: the UCAT and BMAT, the Cambridge Maths and Engineering entrance exams (STEP and ENGAA), and the Oxford Maths entrance exam (MAT). I can also help university students with maths/physics/engineering modules.

My rate is £50/hour. Discounts available for weekday morning students (e.g. uni students)

Tutoring Approach:
I am experienced in tutoring students of all ages and abilities. I am friendly, approachable, punctual, and believe students do best when given encouragement and reasonable goals.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a native English speaking tutor in the Westminster/Victoria area with a university degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
I developed a love for reading at an early age, which eventually expanded to writing as well, and which led me to study English Literature and Creative Writing at university. I started off teaching English in Japan, but through a strange turn of events ended up in the Financial Industry, where I worked for over a decade. However, through the process of tutoring my own son, and then his classmates and friends, I re-discovered my passion for English, and teaching, and decided to pursue it as a career. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience so far, and I've enjoyed it every step of the way.

Teaching Experience:
I have in-depth experience teaching children composition, comprehension, verbal and non-verbal reasoning for 7/8+, 11/13+ and Common Entrance, and have helped a number of children get into schools such as Westminster, King's College Wimbledon, St Paul's and City of London.
In addition, I work with children already in these schools, and others - including top Grammar schools such as The Henrietta Barnett School and Queen Elizabeth - improve their overall English ability and performance.
I also teach GCSE English Language and Literature, and the SAT/ACT exams (US University Entrance), as well as Common Entrance History.

In the last year I helped children of a variety of ages get into the following schools:
- Westminster Under
- St Paul's School
- King's College School Wimbledon
- City of London boys
- Godolphin
- Alleyn's

Tutoring Approach:
I try to encourage a love of reading and writing in all of my students, both by making lessons enjoyable and by building their self-confidence. While English can sometimes seem a dry and boring subject, I believe it shouldn't be, and that any child can learn to enjoy it given the right approach. A large part of the enjoyment comes from children learning to stretch themselves beyond their existing boundaries, and learning to think in new and creative ways.

For this reason, I approach lessons with patience and humour, but most of all with the intention to help children push past what they think themselves capable of. I find that children usually respond well to this approach, and often develop and improve rapidly as a result.

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Personal Description:
I am currently attending Cardiff University, where I have just finished my first year, studying Accounting. I am currently offering tutoring in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, until October.

I thoroughly enjoying helping people progress and sharing my love of learning! I pride myself on my enthusiasm and my approachable, relaxed nature.

Regarding what I am able to teach -
I currently am offering 11 plus tutoring as well as A Level Mathematics.
I offer C1, C2, C3, C4, S1 and S2 Mathematics modules, across all boards, as well as Biology A level topics, also across all boards. The exam board I took my own exams in was OCR MEI (for Mathematics) and OCR A for Biology.

I am aware the A Level syllabus has now changed from modular to linear, and have tutored a Year 12 student doing Mathematics under the new course. The content is very similar to previous years - it is just the style of the exam that has changed!

Teaching Experience:
I have taken on a number of leadership roles, both in school and in my freetime. I ran House Art, an intraschool competition, during Year 13, and held the rank of Corporal for the last few years of my time as a cadet as part of St John Ambulance.

Prior to going to university, I tutored two students in A level Mathematics (EdExcel and MEI OCR), who both achieved Bs, and one student in A level Biology (who achieved an A). While I have been in Cardiff, I have also been tutoring two students in A level Mathematics (both Edexcel).

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that a good teacher is vital for A level subjects such as Maths and Biology - otherwise it is easy to become lost in class and fall behind, which is where I hope to help! I am open to working with students in different ways depending on their requirements and how they work best, whether this involve helping with homework questions or teaching topics from scratch. I endeavor to establish a connection with students and am always contactable by text or email for help with questions or queries, over the week.

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Personal Description:
Recently relocated to Chippenham after 27 very happy years teaching at the Maynard School Exeter. Passionate about History and education

Teaching Experience:
History at all secondary levels, mainly A Level. Head of History, deputy Head designated safeguarding lead.
Team leader A level history for Edexcel exam board

Tutoring Approach:
Enthusiastic, encouraging. Have tutored boys and girls mainly in A Level History with excellent results. Aim to enable each student reach their full potential through enjoyment and consistent hard work.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an experienced lecturer in English Literature. I have many years' experience of tutoring across different levels - from entrsne exsms to GCSE to postgraduate - and tailor sessions through discussion with each student regarding what they want to achieve.

Central to my teaching practice is supporting students to achieve their full potential, through developing confidence in independent and critical thinking, understanding difficult concepts, close textual analysis, and academic writing skills. Sessions can be discussion based, structured around a particular text, or focused on essay feedback or exam practice, among other things.

My wide-ranging and supportive approach has led to me achieving an Outstanding Teaching Award, voted for by students.

Teaching Experience:
I have been lecturing and teaching at university level since 2007, and also have significant experience of tutoring GCSE and A-Level students where I have a consistent track record in supporting students to improve their grades in the period between mock and final exams.

The efficacy of my teaching has led to most of my dissertation students achieving a 2:1 or higher, and GCSE and A Level students achieving B grades or higher. I have also successfully tutored students for their 11-plus exams.

Tutoring Approach:
Specific strengths here lie in developing students' ability to justify, explore and argue for their responses to texts, and offering feedback on written work that supports them to articulate their ideas more clearly and persuasively.

Student feedback has also commented on my teaching style as making them enthusiastic to learn, and helping them understand challenging concepts and texts.

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Personal Description:
A very warm hello!

I am experienced and reliable, knowledgeable and empathetic, organised and conscientious, creative and passionate, and, patient and down-to-earth. I have over 10 years of classroom teaching experience as a fully qualified teacher and over 8 years of extensive tutoring experience.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught both KS1 and KS2 in a variety of locations around the UK (Durham, Essex, Norwich, Bradford and Halifax) and have taught all National Curriculum subjects. I completed an undergraduate degree at the University of East Anglia, a Primary PGCE at Durham University followed by a Masters of Education at Durham University too.

I offer private tuition all over Calderdale at a location of your choice (including from my house in Ripponden) at a time of your convenience. Please note, I do not charge an initial joining fee.

Tutoring Approach:
Every pupil is an individual and every pupil develops their knowledge and learning differently. I begin by building a rapport with each pupil, getting to know how they learn best. I start with the knowledge they already possess and build upon these. I try to make my teaching varied and fun and ensure that pupils experience success quickly, no matter how small the steps are. I believe that private tuition is the first step in facilitating future success in life. I work efficiently and professionally to ensure your investment in private tuition meets and exceeds your expectations.

I am passionate about teaching and love to see pupils do well and achieve their potential. My teaching style centres around personalised learning: tailoring my lessons to the individual learning styles of my pupils. I have the ability and patience to work well with a range of pupils and have had a lot of success motivating those who struggle. I get an invaluable sense of satisfaction from seeing pupils experience 'light bulb' moments.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August 2024:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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

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

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

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

Speaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading

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

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

Writing

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

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

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

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

Why study English?

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
Qualified, experienced, patient tutor
An outstanding practitioner, as evidenced in inspections and lesson observations.
I have had extensive training in supporting students with special educational needs. I am able to tailor approaches and resources to suit the individual needs of every pupil.

Teaching Experience:
27 years Headmistress Primary and Secondary School, retired.
15 years private tuition experience.
35 years teaching experience.

Tutoring Approach:
27 years' experience, including as Head Of Department and Headmistress.
Qualified teacher and subject specialist.
I am supportive, warm and encouraging in my approach.

Why choose me?
100% success rate in helping pupils get into their first choice schools, including Cheltenham Ladies' College, Haberdashers', St Paul's and Westminster College.
I provide expert private tuition for 11+, 13+, GCSE, A-level and International Baccalaureate examinations.
I am experienced at teaching pupils of all ages between 7 - 18.

Testimonials

Wendy was recommended to us by a colleague for her excellent quality of tuition. She has an extensive knowledge of the GCSE syllabus for literature and language and has considerable experience in the field. She is reliable and has a great work ethic. She has enabled my son to reach his potential and is able to focus on points of weakness, build confidence and motivate him into writing essays, which he did not enjoy or do prior to Wendy. Wendy has tailored her approach to teaching him in how to answer questions for the best possible outcome. His improvement in English has helped him progress in other subjects and is now looking at higher grades in History and RE due to a more articulate approach to answering questions. Less importantly my son has enjoyed his English lessons and always looked forward to them.

S, Chesham, Bucks

Wendy has been such a blessing for my daughter, completely turning around her expectations with regards to her academic ability and hugely affecting not only her English results but all her other subjects. Now, thanks to Wendy, she has the right tools to construct an essay. Her marks have improved by two grades across the board. Wendy is a wonderful and inspiring teacher and I just cannot recommend her highly enough.

Rachel, Amersham, Bucks

Lovely Wendy is the most amazing and caring tutor I could ever wish for. She deserves a medal for her work and her students are so motivated in these crazy times it is wonderful to know my son is being so looked after. He enjoys every lesson.

Lucy, South Heath, Bucks.

I highly recommend Wendy. Her long experience, personal approach and carefully planned English lessons have been incredible for over two years now. She also provides excellent feedback following each session and takes time to stay close to parents to gauge how and where she can add most value. I am happy to email or speak to other parents about how she has helped us!

Sarah, Great Missenden, Bucks.

I am so delighted we found Wendy to help with my son's preparation for his GCSE in English Literature and French to A level. I thoroughly recommend her tutoring services. She is consummate and professional and well prepared for each session with a myriad of printed materials to support the lesson. She is knowledgeable about her subject and importantly about what the examiners are looking for in assessing examination answers. She is also friendly, approachable and has a rare gift for imparting her understanding and enthusiasm for literature. My son positively looked forward to both English and French studies with her - something sadly he never felt at school. He now looks forward to University with every confidence

Tokeer, High Wycombe, Bucks.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi, I'm Khushali, a healthcare professional. I am patient and a good listener. Post motherhood, I have learnt many tricks of dealing with children, understanding their psychology, their responses and methods to tackle them.

Personally, I enjoy cooking, travel and spiritual reading. I keep exploring new skills.

Teaching Experience:
I have always been interested in teaching from my GSCE years. I began helping my neighbours and brother with their after school homework. When I lent a helping hand to teachers at school, I realised I enjoyed tutoring and hence conducted tutoring sessions simultaneous to my university years. I ensured the basic concepts were clear to the kids and they were confident in their methodology, along with scoring well. We practised similar concepts repeatedly to achieve this.
I taught the primary children with fun concepts of Art. Secondary kids with Maths, Science and language.

Tutoring Approach:
Foundation is the key to success. Each child is different. Each one needs a different methodology to grasp the basics. Understanding the child's strengths and weaknesses helps in a better learning curve. I will spend the initial class, trying to understand these methods and design a program specific to the needs. It could be visual learning, repeated practice sessions or diagramatory approach. These trial concepts help to build a strong relationship.
I ensure to teach older kids tackling time and nervousness during crucial exam periods. How to remain positive and calm.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Practising artist and tutor, my work is part of national art and design collections. Founder of an online art gallery. I graduated from the Royal College of Art in London and ENSAD in Paris, I am a guest lecturer at the Royal College of Art and I have over ten years of teaching experience.

Studies:
Royal College of Art, London
ENSAD, Paris
HFG, Karlsruhe, Germany
ENSAN, Nancy, France

Permanent collections :
Neue Sammlung Museum, Munich, Germany
FNAC Fonds National d'Art Contemporain, Paris
IFA Germany, Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations of Germany
Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, Germany
Villa Lena Foundation, Palaia, Italy

Teaching Experience:
Portfolio Review
Briefs
Exam entrance
Design
Mixed media art
Painting
My private tutorials are tailored to each students requirements and skill level. I can teach you how to develop your ideas, how to create a unique portfolio, how to build a project to stand out .

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to teaching is adaptable. I am an experienced and dynamic teacher, I like to work in a relax atmosphere yet efficient. I have taught internationally working with students from culturally diverse backgrounds and different levels of English skills.

Subjects