Crook Entrance Exams Tutors and Crook Entrance Exams Tuition

Personal Description:
Hello. I am a fully qualified teacher with experience across the whole of the primary curriculum, including special needs and teaching for SATS tests . I continually update my teaching, mainly through the National Education Union online training sessions. I have had great results tutoring children extensively on a 1-2-1 basis for SATS and the 11+ entrance exam, plus have experience teaching adult literacy and English as a Foreign Language. I aim to motivate both children and adults who find reading and writing challenging, building both confidence and skills. Practical strategies and numeracy games are used to assist children to gain improved competence in mathematics. Assessment is used to inform my teaching in order to make efficient use of the tutoring time.
I enjoy running, Pilates, reading and volunteer for charity, including as a volunteer youth-worker with children and young people.

Teaching Experience:
Currently. I teach English to and host visiting international teenage students. Recently I volunteered as a tutor for the Catch Up Programme, Year 5 and 6 Literacy SATs, online with the charity Action Tutoring.
I am experienced in administering and marking voluntary SATs papers.
I have over twenty years of experience teaching in UK primary schools as a full time classroom teacher and as a supply teacher.
I was a special needs teacher in a public school for one year with individuals and small groups.
I have volunteered as an adult literacy tutor and taught Pilates to adults.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a patient, understanding approach to tutoring. Tasks are broken into small, achievable steps. Praise and encouragement are used to build self esteem and motivate learners. Your child will be encouraged to enjoy learning and to gain independent learning strategies.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Super-tutor with a 1st Class Masters from Cambridge University and over 14 years of experience.

I have tutored internationally for high-profile and UHNW families, but also work online with students on a weekly basis. My style is fun and engaging, with a focus on confidence-building as well as achieving academic results.

Teaching Experience:
- 1st Class B.A. (Hons) in Education Studies with English and Drama from the University of Cambridge, 4 As at A-level (English, Biology, Geography and Theatre Studies) and 11 A*s at GCSE.
- Over 14 years (4000+ hours) experience as a Private Tutor.
- Have tutored around the world, travelling with families and living with them domestically.
- Extensive experience with students suffering from dyslexia, petit mal, ADHD and anxiety.
- 100% success rate in improving GCSE and A-level students' performance by a minimum of 2 grades or to the top possible grade.
- Successfully helped students get into schools including Eton College, Harrow, Westminster, Kings (Wimbledon), Sevenoaks, Winchester, St Paul's Girls, City of London, Godolphin & Latimer, Francis Holland School, Harrodian, Sussex House and Putney High School, and universities including Cambridge, Bristol, Edinburgh and Georgetown, US.

Tutoring Approach:
I am the tutor who is also the friend, always working to ensure the child learns to love the subject and want improvement for themselves, not because I demand it of them. As a result of my time, I want the child to develop positively as a person as well as within the subject we are working on.

Firstly, I will always aim to find the areas the child is having the most difficulty with and break it down to its simplest form to help them understand. Once a child has understood the basic principle of what we are learning, I aim to push them as far as I can with their learning - my memory of the best teacher's I had at school were the teacher's who pushed me even further than I needed to go, and who gave me more knowledge and information than I needed to know. I then found that I entered my exams relaxed and confident, knowing that I had excess knowledge. Rather than learning just to answer set questions in an exam, I felt I truly understood those subjects.




TESTIMONIALS:
"Thank you for working so hard with Annabel. She has improved so much and genuinely enjoys all her sessions with you, which is a huge achievement for time spent doing maths and english in my view!"
Mother of Annabel (11+ Preparation)

"Lucy has been the best teacher ever and has taught me so much. If I pass any exams, it will be because of her awesome advice!"
Hana (11+ Preparation)

"I would like to thank Lucy for giving Julian such a thorough preparation so that he had confidence to deal with the tasks. His brilliant results are largely thanks to her help."
Mother of Julian (English Lit GCSE)

"Cecilia is deeply dyslexic and Lucy was able to take her from a modest level of writing to an A in English Literature. She was absolutely amazing, the best tutor my daughter ever had. Her ability to organise and simplify the work were crucial in achieving this result. But more importantly she was able to give Cecilia the self confidence she was lacking."
Mother of Cecilia (English Lit A-level)

"It was fantastic having Lucy here with us and she slotted into everything with such ease. She was a delight to have around."
Father of Etta and Artie (Year 2 homeschooling, domestic)

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Personal Description:
I am a bubbly, outgoing person who loves teaching.
I was made redundant from my role on the Crime and Disorder Partnership where I was challenged to proactively tackle crime in the area.
I then decided to persue my career as a private tutor and teacher, having done it as a hobby for 3 years and found I have a passion for this field, this is now my sixth year of tutoring and have had lots of successes and am proud of all my tutees; past and present.
I can sometimes travel to you if required but prefer if I can tutor from my home.
I am available evenings and daytime and will allow single lessons or block bookings.

Teaching Experience:
I currently teach maths in a secondary school and previously taught functional skills IT to level 1 and 2
I have 2 years experience in the Public Sector working with young people and adults tackling crime and disorder through engagement and educational projects.
I have previously tutored many children to GCSE Maths and can provide references if required

Tutoring Approach:
I treat each child as an individual and relish the challenge of helping each boy or girl achieve their targets. I have an excellent rapport with children and all those I teach feel that I am very approachable, easy to talk to, kind and caring. I try to make learning fun.
I can provide one off sessions to tackle problem areas or intense revision help.

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Personal Description:
I currently work as a QA Engineering Lead at Globacap. Before this I received a Double First Class in Mathematics.

I am 33, fully CRB checked, and a member of STEMnet (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics network), as well as being An associate member of the IMA (Institute of Mathematics and its Applications).

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring around the West Midlands for over 5 years, Manchester for 2 years, and currently due to COVID, I've been teaching online for another year. All parents / tutees who I have supplied private tutoring to are happy to recommend / provide references should you wish to seek clarification, on the quality of tutoring I am able to provide.

All students I have tutored have seen an increase in grades over the time I have worked with them, with an average improvement of 1 and a half grades!

I am happy to also offer a free first half session in order to gauge a students requirements, as sometimes parents aren't aware of this.

N.E.W Academy - Cover Supervisor and Academic Coach
Years 2009/10 and 2010/11

Self Employed - Private Tutor
2012 till present

Tutoring Approach:
I will provide materials, course guides, and encourage young students to be creative in their methods of tackling problems. I have lots of experience with working with students from the E/U borderline-category all the way up to A/A* candidates.

From the Ages of 14 onwards (Year 9+) I teach all subjects from scratch, with a view to proving why concepts exist and introduce topics from first principles. This I believe will improve retention, help pupils understand concepts better, and also allow them to remember test questions better - It really does work!

Where parents request extra work, I can provide monthly progress sheets, homework tasks, and an extensive list of past papers. Pupils are also encouraged to not just tackle past papers, but to try and understand how papers are conceived, helping them prepare for the unexpected, should it arise in their relevant exams.

Subjects

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.

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Kay and I have 21 years' experience as a tutor in all of the following subjects and levels:

1) English at Primary level (Years 1 to 6), KS3 , GCSE (Language & Literature) and A level Literature.
2) Maths at Primary level (Years 1 to 6).
3) 7+, 11+ , 13+ entrance exams.
4) History at KS3 and GCSE level.
5) Piano - from Grades 1 to 5 , as well as learning for pleasure
6) Singing -from Grades 1 to 5., as well as learning for pleasure
7) Guitar- from Grades 1 to 3, as well as learning for pleasure.
8) Music Theory- from Grades 1 to 5.

I am now offering tuition on Zoom/Skype during the Lockdown.

I also have 26 written references from parents, for students of various abilities, across all these subjects and levels.
I have an English-related degree (in History- which included some English modules within the degree), and I have a Level 1 City & Guilds Teaching Certificate in English.

I also have a proven track record of improving student's grades, regularly improving them by 1 to 2 grades, often in less than 1 year's tuition. For example, in English, I recently tutored a student at GCSE level- he had been predicted C grades in both Language & Literature, but after just 8 months' tuition with me, he achieved an A in his GCSE English Language exam and an A* in his English Literature exam. This is typical of my success over the years as a tutor.

I use National Curriculum Resources for all tuitions. Furthermore, I have great experience tutoring all abilities from the gifted and talented to those with Learning Disabilities (I have regularly taught students with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Asberges).

I can either travel to the student's home or they can come to me. I am available to tutor on all evenings of the week, Monday to Friday, as well as in the daytime.I tutor through most of the School holidays, providing the opportunity for students to put in extra revision during these periods.

Teaching Experience:
As a full-time tutor, I have built up an extensive knowledge of the National Curriculum and the various exam boards.
I have also built up a wealth of National Curriculum Resources for English, Maths and History : my 3 main subjects.

For English, I have resources covering the following: Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar , Phonics, Vocabulary, Sentence structure, Comprehension and Creative Writing.

For Maths, I have resources from the very basics: Number Bonds and Counting up and down at KS1, to the 4 operations & main topics : for example Fractions , Decimals and Percentages at KS2 . Also, I have books for Gifted and Talented Maths students at the top of KS2 level.In addition, I have an extensive resource base of past exam papers in all subjects and levels.

For History, I have National Curriculum Resources for the various exam boards and plenty of past papers.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a firm believer in making students feel at ease in the lessons, and in offering plenty of encouragement during the tuitions to build the student's confidence in the subject I am teaching.

I generally teach a topic to a student , and then set practice questions for the student to attempt based on my teaching.I am open to setting homework for the students, but always liaise with the parents as to whether they want their child to have any and if so how much.

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GCSE Poetry
Love & Relationships
Power & Conflict

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am 49, married and a proud father of two lovely daughters. I enjoy keeping fit and have recently discovered running and the sense of achievement and pride one can get from it. I am an approachable person who enjoys the company of family and friends. I like to visit new places and try to make the most of what comes my way.

Teaching Experience:
I am a qualified teacher with experience in teaching and preparing students for 11+ / entrance exams in English and Maths. With 20 years teaching experience, I have worked in both state and Independent school settings. I have prepared many children for their examinations in the schools I have taught at and individually through tutoring. All children are successful in attending their chosen school.

I currently enjoy teaching in an independent primary school setting from 4 - 11 year olds and have experience in teaching all subjects to a wide age range.

As well as specialising in preparing children for entrance exams and 11+ I have a masters level qualification in Special Educational Needs (SEN). I am genuinely passionate about helping those children with barriers to learning succeed, and to become happy and confident learners.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe fun, enjoyment and confidence are the key elements of learning. It is imperative to teach in a variety of ways and establish the best learning style for each individual pupil exploring Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic methods of learning. By 'doing' a learner learns and remembers. My initial training as a teacher has helped me to teach any subject effectively. Helping students overcome barriers to learning and making progress are the things I enjoy the most about teaching. I am genuinely passionate about my subjects and in seeing learners reach their potential. I too enjoy the challenge of mastering new things and embracing the notion that you never ever stop learning.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an enthusiastic and approachable Teacher who is passionate in teaching children to progress and learn. I am well-organised and highly motivated.
I am flexible in my approach to teaching, delivering in the style of the children's needs and their way of learning. I have high expectations of all students and encourage them to reach their full potential. I use various teaching styles and assessment techniques. Positivity and independence from the children are encouraged.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked as a Class Teacher for nearly 20 years in local Schools. Although my subject specialism is in English, I have an interest in both Maths and English subjects.
I also have significant experience of working with children on a one-to-one basis and in small groups delivering a series of Maths and English GCSE sessions. I have delivered interventions to small groups of children and on a 1:1 basis at primary level. Planning & preparing Maths, Reading, Grammar & Writing activities. Involved planning, creating and organising resources, creating fun, engaging and creative lessons, enforcing independence, delivering skills-led series of sessions, encouraging progression of skills and differentiating activities.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a flexible, adaptable and positive approach to tutoring. My aim is to for children to fulfil their potential. I teach in the style of the children's needs and their way of learning. I am flexible and adaptable. I use various teaching styles, such as the VAK (Visual, Auditory & Kinaesthetic) and identify which one would be the most suitable for the child. I also use various assessment techniques and provide feedback.
I begin a topic by addressing any gaps in children's knowledge and learning. The Learning Objective is clearly focussed upon in each session. I always provide stimulating and engaging activities suited to the child's needs. I introduce each topic and model examples, addressing any misconceptions from the child. Children then have opportunity to complete the tasks and then assess their own learning at the end of each session.
Overall, I am to provide a personalised tuition programme for each child adhering to the requirements of the national curriculum. I aim to deepen understanding by linking activities to the other areas of the curriculum and in wider society.

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.'

*

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:
Hi, I'm a year 13 student with currently 3 offers for medicine and awaiting to hear from the 4th, I have tutored other students from year 3 up until year 9. I really enjoy working with students to help them feel more confident in their subjects. I got 9 for GCSE maths, biology, chemistry and physics and would love to help anyone that is struggling in those subjects. I got all A's in my first year of A level Chemistry, Biology and Maths and am consistently getting A*'s in the second year. In my UCAT I scored 2890, which was in the 92nd percentile and I also got a Band 1 for the situational judgement test. I appreciate that the medical application process can be daunting so I am more than happy to help with that! I am happy to offer support with the UCAT, personal statement and interview prep :) I got offers from both the Russel group universities I applied to (Sheffield and Nottingham) and also I got an offer from HYMS. I believe education opens doors to many opportunities and I find it a privilege to aid children in opening these doors.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring children for the past 2 years in person, from year 3 to year 9. I support the students in maths, english and science. I support them with questions that they struggle with and believe in taking an individualized approach, so that the needs of individual students are met. I often mark practice papers and questions that they do and also set them with additional questions that I create so that they have a variety of resources to practice what they are learning. I liaise with parents to address their concerns while still treating the student's confidentiality with utmost respect. I also spend time supporting fellow peers with aiding their understanding of recently taught topics. Tutoring has given me many other transferable skills, it made me much more adaptable as I had to take on different styles of teaching based on age, and how they like to learn. It also helped to develop organizational and time management skills. My tutoring experiences have enabled me to become skilled at capturing the attention of students for periods of time, in order to explain concepts to them. I have done summer schools from University of Leeds, and Hull York Medical School and I have also done an online UCAT course with the university of Sheffield and so I am familiar with a few universities and would be able to offer support individualized to the university of Sheffield and Hull York Medical School. I also occasionally teach Sunday School at my church, I have done this both in person and online and so I am comfortable teaching children of a range of ages. I am also able to read and give guidance on personal statements as I have read personal statements for my friends and I have also received support for my own personal statement from other sand so I am able to give good support in that area as well.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that tutoring should be individualized to the needs of individual students and so I do not take a blanket approach with tutoring and I prefer to discuss with my students to arrange a plan of support ideal to them. What I usually do is working 1 topic behind what they do at school and consolidating exam technique on those topics and revising them together or another way to is teach ahead of the syllabus so when they cover it in school it will be like revision for the student. I usually explain topics using diagrams and examples and by teaching handy mnemonics to aid retention and recollection.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Enthusiastic and hardworking private tutor, currently studying Engineering at St John's College Oxford, tutoring during the holidays and term time. I'm offering tutoring for the PAT entrance test and advice for Oxford admissions, as well as lessons in Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry up to A-Level, in person (in Cambridge) or online.

Teaching Experience:
I've gained 6 months experience tutoring students up to A-level, both independently and as part of the tutoring agency UK Study Centre. I'm providing guidance and support for Oxford admissions, specifically for subjects requiring the PAT entrance exam, including personal statement writing, interview and exam preparation. I've achieved top grades in 12 GCSEs and 4 A-levels, giving me experience in converting understanding and exam technique into results in exam situations. I've been awarded a scholarship at Oxford in 1st year, which has required a diligent work ethic and thorough preparation for deadlines, skills that help me to provide well planned and entertaining lessons for students.

Tutoring Approach:
I aim to provide an interactive and engaging learning experience, and be flexible with lesson content and resources suited to your needs and expectations. I strive to teach through underlying concepts and understanding, producing a genuine interest in the subject matter. I combine this with a focus on good exam technique and practice to help you achieve the results you want.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a UK-qualified teacher (QTS) and CELTA-certified tutor with a Postgraduate in Education(PGCE), a Bachelor's in Electronic and Electrical Engineering(BEng), and a postgraduate in Computing. I enjoyed working with children, so I quit my job as an engineer, to be a teacher. I offer premium tutoring services that go beyond academics to support the full development of each child. With experience teaching in London secondary schools and founding a school in Sri Lanka for underserved communities, I bring a rare blend of educational rigour, global awareness, and deep compassion to my work.

Teaching Experience:
I am a fully qualified Maths teacher (QTS) with extensive experience teaching at London's leading Outstanding-rated secondary schools. I have taught across a wide range of year groups, from Year 7 to Year 13, and have a proven track record of helping students succeed in both GCSE and A-Level Maths.

In addition to my classroom teaching, I have worked as a private tutor and governess for students of all ages and abilities, including private households and those needing tailored support. I also mentor A-Level students, guiding them in identifying their passions, setting clear goals, and preparing for university admissions and future career paths. My teaching experience extends beyond the UK. I co-launched and led a school in Sri Lanka that focused on providing quality education to underprivileged children.

. My lessons are structured, engaging, and highly personalised to meet each student's unique needs, fostering not only academic excellence but also confidence, independence, and long-term success.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in building positive, supportive relationships with my students to identify their needs and tailor each session accordingly. I ensure that every minute counts by thoroughly planning lessons to help students make the most of our time together.

As an approachable and easy-going tutor, I engage students with a variety of activities and quality resources to boost attainment. My approach also includes public speaking, mindfulness, and mindset coaching, fostering both academic success and personal growth. My goal is to create a supportive environment where students thrive academically and develop confidence, resilience, and a love for learning.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am studying for a PhD in Engineering at the University of Cambridge.
My background is in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with specialization in Machine Learning.
In my undergraduate degree at Cambridge I studied General Engineering for two years, which introduced me to a wide range of subjects.

Teaching Experience:
I have supervised 8 undergraduate courses at Cambridge including Math, Mechanics and Materials.
Previously I tutored high school students in Physics Olympiad.

Tutoring Approach:
I conduct tutorials as two-way conversation in which students are prompted to think actively and challenged to develop a good intuition for solving problems.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am 30 years old who moved to Rugby from Coventry just before the pandemic.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching maths in a secondary school for 7 years and I am the KS3 curriculum designer.
I have been tutoring on and off for even longer with a previous pupil successfully completing a medical course.

Tutoring Approach:
The sessions will be flexible to meet the individual needs of the tutee. All sessions will be tailored to the individual.

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Jimmy. I am a college graduate. I graduated from an accredited university in US. I also have a teaching certification in secondary math education(grades 7 to 12) I am a very active person. I play a lot of sports and like working out. Moreover, I enjoy solving math problems and inventing my own math problems.

Teaching Experience:
I have 8 years of tutoring experience in math. I tutor a variety of math courses such as Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus. I tutor both in person and online. Moreover, I tutored exams as well such as A-level, MCAT, SAT and GCSE. I tutor students ranged from middle school to college level.

Tutoring Approach:
I tutor my students in differentiated instruction. I modify my instruction based on my students' learning needs.

Subjects