Rowley Regis Entrance Exams Tutors and Rowley Regis Entrance Exams Tuition

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

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

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
I specialise in Maths, English & Science at GCSE level and AS/A-level Maths. I cover all 3 main exam boards including Edexcel, AQA & OCR. I also tutor for 11 plus entrance exams including Verbal Reasoning, Non Verbal Reasoning, Maths and English. I have a high success rate for entrance exams for Grammar & Private schools within South East England.

I have 8 years tutoring experience and am qualified to post graduate level. I have achieved over 90% for most of my A-level modules and `A` grade for GCSEs.

I teach out of a dedicated office space at home. I am available weekday evenings and Sundays and hold a current CRB clearance certificate. A free trial lesson for new students can be arranged on request.

Teaching Experience:
With over 8 years tutoring experience, I am very confident in my teaching. I am qualified to post graduate level and am a high academic achiever.

Over the years I have developed various teaching techniques which I adapt to varied level of abilities in my students. I prioritise on student`s weaknesses and explain key concepts in a way which they understand.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching is in accordance with the exam specification requirements and I focus on what the examiners expect. Each lesson is tailored to meet the needs of each individual student.

I believe past paper practice is essential in ensuring students experience exam environments and get familiar with the format of questions. I have seen a dramatic improvement in my student`s performance improving from E to A grades.

I provide access to a range of preparation material such as past papers, topic specific worksheets, recommended workbooks etc. for my 11 plus entrance exam students. I explain all techniques required to do well in the entrance exams, rather than relying purely on past papers only.

I give weekly homework to my students to ensure learning during the lesson is not forgotten and is reinforced. Regular assessment and review of topics covered previously helps to ensure progress is being made

I have a track record of enabling pupils secure a place at their chosen school and achieve a high grade at GCSE and key stage level. I achieve this by focussing on the pupils weaknesses and explain key concepts and techniques in a way which they understand.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have a passion for the English language and its literature which is reflected in my work. I really enjoy tutoring, because I know the one-to-one learning situation gives students the attention and focus which they need to improve, and which they cannot get in school. I am a parent, a published poet and occasional actor. PLEASE NOTE: Idonot do trial lessons.Please trust my knowledge and experience.

Teaching Experience:
I have 30 years' experience of teaching English to kids of varying backgrounds and abilities (11 to 18 up to A level) so I have built up an extensive bank of resources over the years, which I use to carefully prepare for lessons. I am also an experienced examiner for AQA, which offers valuable insights into exactly how to achieve high GCSE grades .I recently received the JCQ certificate for services to examing. I have been tutoring successfully for seven years now, and my knowledge and expertise would be very useful to students aiming at high marks in GCSE and A level exams. Recently, I have helped a pupil win a scholarship to high-achieving independent QEGS in Wakefield, and others to gain entrance to grammar schools

Tutoring Approach:
I am patient, friendly and easy to get on with. I have always tried to make my lessons interesting, relevant and inter-active. I tailor my teaching to the pupil and know that praise and encouragement are the keys to confidence and progress. A good sense of humour is vital,too.
I have helped to improve the grades of many pupils, some of whom have achieved the highest grade at GCSE, and have coached younger ones through entrance exams to sought-after schools. One student, whom I tutored for three years, progressed from a poor level 4 in year 8 to GCSE grade B, the minimum requirement for A levels in many good schools, while others have achieved the A* grades required for their chosen paths.
I have achieved high ratings from the parents of students I have tutored. A good tutor can make a difference with focused one-to-one attention, and I am a good, committed tutor..NB I offer discounts for online tuition.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a Cambridge graduate and Fellow of the University of London, with fifteen years of experience tutoring Religious Studies and Philosophy. My students have a strong track record of A/A* grades. I tutor it full-time across OCR, AQA, Edexcel and other exam boards. I can offer hundreds of exemplar essays and resources.

Get in touch for a free 1-hour trial session!

Extracts from letters of recommendation (available in full on request):

"James is an extremely capable and sensitive tutor."
Mother of RS (OCR) A-Level student
Grade received: A

"My daughter got a D in her mock earlier this year ... for her to get an A really was at the top end of our expectations."
Father of A-Level RS (Edexcel) student
Grade received: A

"I cannot recommend James highly enough. He is punctual and thoughtful and I would not hesitate to hire him again in the future."
Mother of Religious Studies (Edexcel) student
Grade received: A

"James immediately established a very good working relationship with my daughter which encouraged her to really engage with the subject…I would highly recommend James as a tutor."
Mother of Religious Studies (OCR) student.
Grade received: A

"James was brilliant."
Mother of twin daughters taught in Religious Studies (OCR) and Philosophy (AQA).
Grades received: A

RATES
Free 1 hour initial lesson. If there is a results-based bonus I am happy to negotiate the hourly fee.

Teaching Experience:
I have thousands of hours of tuition experience built up over ten years of full-time tutoring. Some of the specific subjects I have taught include:

Cambridge Pre-U Theology & Philosophy
Philosophy A Level (AQA, OCR and Edexcel)
Religious Studies (OCR, AQA and Edexcel) GCSE, A Level
Government & Politics (Edexcel and OCR)
Theology and Religious Studies at degree level (I have helped six different students receive good grades for third year RS dissertations)
Oxbridge applications and interview practice

Tutoring Approach:
Receiving tuition can be a bit daunting at first, so I try to make sure my students feel I`m on their side and there to help them with anything they might not feel able to figure out at school.

My approach to tuition is to assess what specific needs a student has and then to organise the sessions around those needs. Some students need essay technique help and some have a specific set of topics they want to go over. Others might need an entire course taught to them as they have left school or are being home educated.

In my years of tuition, I have built up a cloud-based digital archive of hundreds of handouts which can help a student get back on track and achieve the highest possible grade.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an Arabic linguistics PhD student at the Language and Linguistic Science Department of the University of York, UK. I hold a BA in English literature and linguistics as well as an MA in translation studies. My study makes me familiar with written Arabic and spoken Arabic in its different forms (dialects). This is why I am quite familiar with Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Gulf and Sudanese Arabic. In addition, I am also a CELTA-trained teacher and an Assistant Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught English as a foreign language for 10 years at Minia University, Egypt. I also taught Arabic to adults as well as young people for 5 years in England. I teach face to face and online.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching depends on immersing you in enjoyable daily-life situations so that you can easily imitate and, after not too much effort, read, write and speak Arabic/English like a native speaker. Culture cannot be separated from language. So, I also immerse you in the main cultural aspects of Arabic/English-speaking countries in general and offer a brief background to language as reflected in culture. Also, I try to compare Arabic and English (as a language) and the culture represented by it with other languages, including French and German (languages that I am familiar with).

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi I'm Meghavi and I am a BSc Physics graduate from Imperial College London and I have a QTS (Qualified Teaching Status) at grade 1 - Outstanding. Currently, I work as a Consultant in the Digital Transformation space. I have always been interested in teaching, from my GCSE years, I began helping my friends with their school work. Moving to A level years I started helping out some of the teachers in my school to run after school sessions to help kids with their Homework. I would say I am very patient and will sit there till the concept is clear in their minds. I am not the kind of person who gives up easily so I will do what it takes to make sure an idea or concept is understood. As a person I am very friendly and bubbly. I like to have a good laugh and I'm a good listener.

As far as personal interests go; I love to travel, I love music, movies and Food. I enjoy cooking. I like trying out new things and exploring new places and meeting new people.

Teaching Experience:
My interest in teaching began when I started helping my sister with her school work. I started teaching in 2009. I worked at Kumon (one of UK's largest supplementary education provider) for a year. I then started tutoring AS Students for AS Physics at Lampton School which involved spending my free lessons and after school sessions to help them with any conceptual problems, homework, exam practice or just a recap of any topic in AS Physics. These students felt comfortable coming up to me at any time during or after school to ask any queries they had about the subject. (References Available)

I have helped out in Maths classes and planned my own lessons under the supervision of my teacher. I have also worked as a learning mentor at Lampton School and helped students with any homework or classwork in various subjects.

More recently (2013 - 2014) I have been a tutor for various students; teaching A Level Physics, A Level Maths and Further Maths, GCSE Maths, Primary Maths and GCSE Science (Biology Chemistry and Physics all inc).

Tutoring Approach:
Clearly each student is different, and so the way of teaching each one will be different. However I believe that if the foundation is strong nothing can go wrong. I will first try to ensure that the concept and the base of the subject is strong before we go on to a number of past paper questions and exercises. I believe that the best way to learn is to see how any problem can be tackled, go through the thought process and then apply what you know to the specific problem and solve it.

I will first see what the student finds most difficult and what their weaknesses are and then strive to overcome them. Each student will have their own learning methods, some may learn by understanding the whole concept then going into the exam questions, some want to go through exam questions while they are learning the concept to see how the theory can be applied to the problems. Some may learn visually with experiments or examples whereas others will learn through trial and improvement of their own. I will spend the first session finding out how they like to learn and design a program just right for that individual student.

From previous experiences I believe the key areas students need help in are:
- learning the foundation of the subject
- how to manage time in exams
- how to structure their answers in an exam
- lots and lots of practice
Hopefully once we start tutoring, the students will feel much more confident with the subject and the key to success for any exam is self confidence. I will always be their as a guide, a mentor, a friend to help them through what they find difficult.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have been teaching secondary school science since 2002. I have a wide experience across the age and ability range and prepare all lessons with learning style and individual differentiation in mind. I have been a private tutor since 2006 and worked with ages 7-16 across a wide range of subjects to equally great success. I prefer to tutor in the tutee's home as this is where they are most comfortable and therefore in a mindset ready to learn. I also work and mark GCSE exams and moderate controlled assessment.

I have been a highly successful 11+ expert tutor for 16years with a wealth of experience with a variety of exam boards, grammar and independent schools exam settings.

Teaching Experience:
Secondary Science and Maths teacher 2002-present day
Private tutor with various clients 2006 - present day
GCSE Sciences controlled assessment moderator for 2009-present day
GCSE Sciences examiner 2006-present day
Highly qualified and experienced Head of Faculty

Tutoring Approach:
I like to make activities fun and active to engage the student and also include an aspect of repetition to check learning and embed learning into long term memory to help prepare for future exams.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Cambridge educated, and an Oxford University prize winning teacher, I have recently passed my latest OFSTED inspection. I specialise in :

11+
English Language (GCSE and iGCSE)
English Literature (GCSE/iGCSE/A Level/ELAT)
GCSE/ A Level Business Studies
GCSE / A Level History
Creative writing (adults)
Business English (adults)
ESOL (adults)
UCAS statements
Mock interviews

I am DFE authorised to teach the subjects I advertise.

I hold an excellent degree in English, a PGCE in English/History, a Cert Ed.in Drama, an MA in creative writing from the number one UK writing programme, and a post graduate in teaching creative writing from Cambridge University.

I am a published author and editor.

I have taught students from:

Independent Senior : Rugby School, Gordonstoun, Warwick School, The Kingsley School, King's High School, Kingham Hill, King Henry 8th, Princethorpe, Bablake.

Independent Junior: Crackley Hall, Warwick

State Selective: Lawrence Sheriff, Rugby High, Alcester Grammar, Ashlawn, WMG Academy, Stratford Girls' Grammar, Kings Edward's Boys Grammar, newport Girls' High School.

State non-selective: Kenilworth School, Finham Park, President Kennedy, Babington Academy, English Martyrs, Bilton High, Houlton, The Harris, Avon Valley, Walsall Academy, Joseph Leckie Academy, Myton, North Leamington, Ernesford Grange, Southgate School, East Barnet School, Attleborough Academy, Southfield Girls' School, Rugby Free School.

State junior: Potters Green, Long Lawford, Holbrook, Park Hill, Dunchurch, Hillmorton, Cawston Grange, Abacus Academy, Our Lady of Assumption, Henry Hinde, St Anthony's.

University: Cambridge, Warwick, BCU, Keele, York.

I have taught students in the UK, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Russia and South Korea.

I am a native English speaker - this is highly advantageous to English as a second language students.

Scholarships gained: Rugby School, Warwick School.
Bursaries gained: Bablake School, Princethorpe College.
Grammar Schools: King Edward's Boys, Lawrence Sheriff Boys', Alcester Grammar, Rugby High School.

Having a grammar school education myself has been most useful and that my children were educated in the independent sector gives me an insider insight.

Many of my pupils have gone onto Oxford University, Durham University, and elite Universities to study subjects such a medicine and dentistry. One of my GCSE students moved from grade 3 to grade 7 in three months and another moved 4 levels from grade 5 to 9 in 6 months.

I hold QTS and DBS. Unlike tutorial centres, I focus only on one student in a session, ensuring better progress.

I teach students between the age of 8-adult.

I lecture in Creative Writing.

Teaching Experience:
I am an experienced, successful online tutor. I update my teaching skills annually. I have completed my Safeguarding Certificate, Sexual Harassment Awareness, PREVENT training, and my GDPR certificate.

I have worked with Grammar Schools, Independent Schools, Public schools, selective and non-selective state schools. I have been a Head of English and Senior Leader in a highly successful Birmingham school. I have taught writing to post-grads at Cambridge Uni, Warwick Uni, Hull and York University. I have published educational research and resources, edited publications and mentored writers.

I have been an examiner for KS2 SATS, English Language and English Literature and am an Arts Awards Assessor.

I am familiar with the following curriculum:

AQA, EDEXCEL, OCR, EDUQAS, iGCSE, Essex 11 Plus, Warwickshire and Birmingham 11 Plus, IELTS,Trinity ESOL, British Council ESOL.

I have worked with pupils struggling to perform at schools which have not served them well. I have worked on behalf of schools, providing one to one tuition for LAC pupils. I have worked with very good pupils at very good schools in order to support pupils to become excellent.

I am willing to do unlimited prep. I do not pluck activities off the internet and hope they fit as I design work especially for my pupils.

Tutoring Approach:
Your child won't be placed in a group with other children who have different needs and work at different levels!

I have high expectations of your child - this helps them to reach their goals.

I will tell you the truth about your child, sharing information and assessments.

I standardise my marking in a secondary school every year.

Successes in 24-25* ( grade boundaries moved up)
100 % eleven plus passes
100% Grade 8 and 9 at GCSE Language.
100% Grade 7, 8 and 9 at GCSE Literature.

testomonials:

'Thank you ...as your support has very much enabled this success.'
'I am short of words to thank you, for all the help and support you gave.'
'She couldn't have done it without your support.'

2023- 2024 Academic year* ( grade boundaries moved up)

NR-9, 8 GCSE Eng Lang and Lit
LS- arrived in the UK with no English and has made 3 levels of progress within 6 months.
JR- gained an 11+ place at King Edward's Grammar School
AN-gained an 11 + place at LSS Grammar School.
AS-gained a place at Lawrence Sheriff Grammar School
RM- gained places at The Kingsley and Princethorpe independent schools
SG- gained a place at Bablake Independent school
SS- gained bursaries at Bablake and Princethorpe Independent Schools
HJP- an adult ESOL learner from South Korea, has progressed from A2 to C1 British council levels, and gained a distinction at GCSE speaking and Listening in less than 9 months.


Testamonials

LR- " We DID it!!!! Thank you so muchhhhhhhh. The scores gets him into the best grammar school - KEGS!Thank you so much for your perseverance and amazing teaching!!!"

SC-" We think you're best English tutor there is so no surprises with your ofsted rating."

Successes 2022-2023.

AC-9, 9 GCSE Eng and Lit ( school predicted grades were 6,6)
ES- 9,8 GCSE Eng and Lit ( school predicted grades were far lower)
HH- 8, 8 GCSE Eng and Lit
WN- 8,7 GCSE Eng and Lit ( school predicted grades were 4,4)
PH- 6 Eng Lang ( school prediction was a 3)

LH gained a place at Medical School and met the offer.
NQ gained a place at University, and met the offer, when the school stated she was not able to.
KS- gained several places at university for Mechanical Engineering and met the offers.

Successes 2022

FO - gained a music scholarship at Warwick Snr.

WH- gained 225 in his 11 Plus exam, entitling him to places at two top grammar schools.

HG- gained his place at a highly competitive Grammar school sixth form- in July of Year 10 he was told he was 'pushing' grade 5 by his teacher.

TW- gained his GCSE score two grades above his September working at grade and 1 grade above his target grade.

SDP- gained a place at a competitive independent school, with a massive bursary

SR- gained a place at a competitive independent school, with generous bursary

HA- passed 11 plus at 249 marks

EK- passed 11 plus at 226 marks

FO has gained a place at his chosen Independent School- he was the first to have been accepted while only in Year 5.


Successes 2020-2021

HL-invited to a medical school interview

KC-Grade 8 in GCSE Business Studies- he was a grade 5 in September and had a target of grade 6.

QN- Grade 5 in English Lit after three months of tuition and beginning at Grade 3.

BJ- Grade 5 in English Language despite predicted grade of 4.

Successes 2019-2020

VY- Grade 8 in English Language- was struggling to maintain a good grade 5 in school.

MS-Grade 7 in English Language and in English Literature- was working at Grade 5 in school.

HL- Year 13- grade 7 in Eng Lang GCSE November re-sit- HL started with me on a very low level 5 and has worked with me for less than one year.

SK-Grade 6 in English Language- was a low grade 5 in school.

WL-Grade 6 - was low grade 5 at school.

LS- Grade 5 in English Language after working with me. School gave him a Grade 3 in their August teacher Assessment GCSE.
BJ- Year 11 - BJ was working at a grade 4 in mid September when I began working with him. He gained a grade 5 in the Eng Lit exam.

KC- Year 10- KC was a low level 3 at the start of year 9 - gained a high grade 5 in GCSE Eng Lit at the end of Year 10.

II- Year 10 - II was a low grade 3 - gained a grade 5 in Eng Lit GCSE.

NE- Grade 4 in English Language - a very low Grade 3 in school.

AA-Year 6-AA passed her 11 plus.

HL- Year 13- received an offer from a good university to take a great Science course only 15 days after sending her UCAS application in on October 15th. Has two interviews for medicine too.

HS- Year 13- HS began studying medicine at Norwich after working with me to write his UCAS personal statement.

SE- Year 13 -SE lacked confidence when trying to write a UCAS personal statement. With my help, SE is now at a very good University.

BR-First Year University- BR was struggling to write his first academic essay. I taught BR how to reference and the importance of using authentic and serious sources.

Parental/ Learner Testimonials:

20-21

I was accepted into LSS...I would like to say thank you for the help in Business Studies as that helped me ace my exams.

KC- GCSE students

P was so happy with the lesson yesterday. He told me that V taught me more in one lesson than school taught me for the whole year which is fabulous !

PN's Mum (PN attends a Grammar school)


2019-2020

LS's mother-

I wanted to express my thanks again. I have no doubt that LS would not have achieved a level 5 without your tutoring, and it had been left to the school. I had every faith that LS was capable if he applied himself and had the right teaching and guidance but could not see him getting what he needed from the school. He did it. Thanks to you.

2018-2019

E has improved a lot lately with V's help. V is really good at teaching (E's mother)

I wanted to drop you a line to thank you personally for all the help and support you have given L over the last few months. Whatever the outcome is she couldn't have done it without your coaching. Her work has definitely improved which wouldn't have happened had she continued with just the support school gave her. So thank you.( L's mother)

Earlier Successes

2018-2019

KS 2 SATS - NJ had given up working in year 6. After my support he won a prize for writing and scored 113 and 117 in his English papers.

Scholarships - CA was a Grade 4 in History GCSE. He needed a grade 7 to obtain a scholarship. After my support CA gained his grade 7, got his scholarship and recently went on to gain a grade 9 in the actual GCSE securing his place at Rugby School.

GCSE- MS was at a good independent school and in top set. However, she was scoring at grade 2 in her English Language and English Literature mock exams. With my help MS went on to gain two level 7s for both her English GCSE exams.

Post Grads - S, A, I were all on a PGA at Warwick University. To get onto the MA course they needed to gain a distinction on their PGA assignments. With my support, all three transferred to the MA course.

ZN wanted to do as well as possible in his MA assignments but was struggling with Academic English. With my help he scored merits for his essays and dissertation.

H - a dyslexic adult who struggled with having to write personal emails/messages-she overcame this by just sending emojis. With my support H now composes emails using words and has the confidence to send emails / messages whenever she wants to.


2017-2018 successes :

N J-- NJ went from a Level 3 in school mock exams to achieving a Level 7 in the actual GCSE exams despite being dyslexic.

OL--OL went from a bottom grade D in school mock exams to achieving a high grade B in the actual A Level exams, taking up her place at Leeds Art School.

JA-- JA was home schooled and dyslexic. She felt that she was not able to study beyond GCSE. JA decided to continue with her education beyond GCSE as a result of the self- confidence she gained with my support.

AZ--As a result of my coaching, AZ had started to gain additional days work ( AZ has his own business)

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I have taught extensively online as well as in person.

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

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

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a well-qualified and experienced private tutor working online, providing preparation and support for GCSE and IGCSE in English Language, English Literature and French (AQA / Edexcel / Cambridge etc) and for 11+ entrance exams in English and Verbal Reasoning (including CEM/GL style 11+).

I also teach English as a foreign language at all levels, including preparation for PET, FCE, CAE & CPE exams and IELTS and 'Life in the UK' for UK Citizenship, covering all aspects of English from Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing to Grammar and Pronunciation.

Teaching Experience:
On leaving Oxford University, I started out as a lecturer in French and English at Fareham College, Hampshire, where I taught Higher Education courses to both young and mature adults and was commended by the Principals for my students' achievements.
I used this initial experience to launch a successful career of private tutoring in England and France, with many students coming to me through personal recommendation.

Now, with over 20 years of teaching experience, I privately tutor a range of school-aged pupils from 6 to 16, both native English speakers and those for whom English is a second language. At 11+, 13+, GCSE and IGCSE, most of my pupils have successfully obtained places at top private secondary schools and 6th form colleges.

I also have a portfolio of private Chinese, Ukrainian, Russian, French and English adult students learning English as a foreign language, many of whom return year after year to pursue their learning to ever-higher levels and for the considerable pleasure that brings.

Tutoring Approach:
In my opinion the huge advantage of private one-to-one tuition, for both student and tutor, is that each lesson can be tailor-made to suit the student's particular needs perfectly, targeting and strengthening weaker areas while continuing to develop all-round confidence and ability. Lesson content can adapt flexibly from session to session and skills needing more attention can be frequently revisited.

My approach is caring and friendly, and I possess both endless patience and a sense of humour! I am enthusiastic about the subjects I teach and time and again I have seen that enthusiasm transfer itself to students as lessons progress. Encouragement is a great aid to achievement and it is very rewarding to see how this, in turn, leads to excellent results.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have wide and successful teaching experience, high expectations of myself and of all my students and a deep love of language, stories and teaching. I have kept up to date with educational research and can therefore offer the best evidence-informed practice to make a real difference to the children I teach. I believe passionately in the power of reading for pleasure as a lever for improving academic success and have converted hundreds of children into confident, independent readers.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught for over 20 years, in state and independent schools and in every year group from Year 1 to Year 13. I have also tutored children 1:1 and in small groups to prepare them for 11+ exams, senior school scholarship exams and to help them keep up if they are falling behind. I have even assisted university students with their dissertations. I am therefore as confident with students of A level Greek as I am helping young children who are struggling with phonics. My students have a track record of success in exams but also learn to love learning.

Tutoring Approach:
Experience has taught me how to adapt teaching to a student's individual needs, experiences and interests. Tutoring is powerful because it is tailored, so I offer personalised lessons which will support, engage, encourage and challenge my students. For English, I generally write my own tuition resources which are adapted specifically to suit the needs of an individual child. For 11+ preparation, I use some published resources to assess where children's strengths and weaknesses lie but then provide my own materials for teaching. For Latin or Greek, I would use courses to structure language learning but, again, supplement this with my own materials.

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August 2024:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading

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

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

Writing

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

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

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

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

Why study English?

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
Due to my background of teaching, I have a very caring attitude towards teaching. I will listen to all students needs and I will take care with all resources I create for my students. I will ensure that I take as long as the student needs to understand specific concepts of the language.


Whether you want extra support with conversational classes for trips to Spain, or full lessons for whatever reason I will ensure I will take every care to ensure you gain the best experience learning Spanish

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching since 2016 in Spain, Argentina, USA, Dominican Republic, Cambodia, Spain and of course Northern Ireland.
For each student I will understand exactly what you want to learn and I will take the approach to teaching as the pupil wants.
I can offer to help students with their homework, speaking skills, writing skills, reading skills and listening skills with excellent resources some of which created myself. I can help with essay writing and reading comprehension. I can teach from primary through to a-level and can offer some tuition for primary pupils.

Tutoring Approach:
Whether you want extra support with conversational classes for trips to Spain, or full lessons for whatever reason I will ensure I will take every care to ensure you gain the best experience learning Spanish.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Experienced University admissions assistant with over 5 years experience at Oxford & Cambridge.

I have extensive experience assisting students to understand the requirements and best practices in enhancing their university applications to maximise their chances of securing their dream university.

Currently undertaking a PhD at Oxford and a member of my college admissions team.

Teaching Experience:
I utilise my experience and extensive bank of good personal statements, understanding of what universities are looking for in candidates and offer insider advice on how students can enhance their applications.

I offer the opportunity to coach students into improving their applications, proofreading and reviewing applications.

Tutoring Approach:
I provide a wealth of knowledge and materials to my candidates to enable them to succeed.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hello, my name is Milo. I am undertaking a Masters in Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, having just achieved a First Class Bachelor's Degree in Natural Sciences. I have a high proficiency in Physics and Maths and am an experienced teacher. I also offer tutoring in Chemistry, for which I was awarded the Salters Advanced Chemistry Award for my outstanding A level performance.

Teaching Experience:
I have three years experience tutoring Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics for GCSE, A level, IB and University admissions. This includes experience with all the major UK exam boards including AQA, OCR, Edexcel. I am represented by a tutoring agency called BridgeTutors who will provide free graphics tablet when you start lessons with me.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to teaching conceptual misunderstandings is that any idea can be understood by anyone, as long as it is deconstructed into small enough steps and that the student is walked through each step at the correct pace. During lessons, I guide students through past paper questions, building their confidence as they apply their knowledge to real-life situations. For exams, I believe that active recall (recalling and using information from memory alone) and studying mark schemes are the best way to revise.

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Pierrette and I provide excellent French and Spanish tutoring for kids and adults based around London and Essex. I am A-Level and GCSE qualified with over 20 years of experience teaching French and Spanish. I create interesting lesson programmes and my material is based on your current skills. I

Teaching Experience:
Are you getting ready for that long deserved French vacation or Spanish holiday? Perhaps you are starting a business that requires a lot of travel and foreign language skills will make things so much smoother and easier? Or you just want to learn a new language so you can add an impressive skill to your resume but you think it might be too difficult to learn? Let me show you how easy it can be to learn French or Spanish.

Tutoring Approach:
will be more than glad to work with you to discover how beautiful French and Spanish languages are. I am very patient and friendly, and I will ensure to help you progress and become fluent in speaking French or Spanish. I can also easily help you with test preparation and essay writing, as well as, reading and homework. I enjoy teaching and I always strive to be the best teacher that I can be. Be more confident in speaking French and Spanish - give me a call now, and I'll make sure to teach you in a creative way and make your learning experience an enjoyable o

Subjects

Personal Description:
Engineering Graduate First Class. 20+ years of experience in IT and software. Experience in banking, software testing, project management.

Teaching is my hobby. I have worked with UK students and also from students from India. I am open for online lessons for students from any country.

Teaching Experience:
Tutor for primary school students. Software testing trainer. Experience in assisting various software technologies and certification.
I have successfully sent 11Plus students to top grammar schools.

Teaching is my hobby. I have worked with UK students and also from students from India. I am open for online lessons for students from any country.

I have proven and successful eleven plus experience.

Tutoring Approach:
Classroom, online, at home. Objectives set as per strengths, weaknesses and goals.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I offer personalised, structured tutoring for the 11+ entrance exams in Greater Manchester and Trafford, alongside private schools like William Hulme, Stockport Grammar, Cheadle High, MGSB, MGHS & Withington Girls, and many more, tailored to each child's strengths and learning needs. Lessons focus on English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with clear explanations, strong exam technique, and regular practice using 11+ style questions. My supportive approach builds confidence, accuracy, and readiness for grammar school entrance and beyond.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 20 years' experience as a tutor, having been tutoring since 2006. I began by supporting my own children as well as friends and family, and have since built a strong track record of success, with pass rates consistently exceeding 95%. I offer both one-to-one and small group tuition, supporting students of all abilities to achieve excellent results in entrance examinations.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to teaching is structured, supportive, and student-focused. Each lesson is carefully tailored to the individual child, with strong foundations established before introducing exam techniques and timed practice. Through clear explanations, regular revision, and targeted feedback, I help students develop confidence, accuracy, and independent learning skills. My aim is for every student to feel well-prepared, motivated, and confident in their abilities.

Subjects