St. Leonards Entrance Exams Tutors and St. Leonards Entrance Exams Tuition

Personal Description:
The University of Nottingham: BA Joint Honours Spanish and Portuguese
Canterbury Christ Church University: PGCE Spanish and French
TEFL Barcelona: TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign language certificate)

I have completed my PGCE with Canterbury Christ Church University where I have had the opportunity to teach in both the Primary and Secondary School Setting. I have over 10 years experience in teaching and working with young people in a variety of settings.

I am also a qualified TEFL teacher and I have experience teaching all ages.

Teaching Experience:
Canterbury Christ Church University: PGCE Spanish and French

-Year 6 Primary School teacher
-Experience Teaching across Key Stage 2
-Key Stage 1-5 Spanish and French Teacher

TEFL Barcelona: TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign language certificate)

St Joseph's R C Primary School
KS2 teacher September 2012-July 2014

St Leonard's C E Primary School
KS2 teacher September 2014 - July 2016

Vinehall Preparatory school
Year 3 teacher September 2016- July 2018

Private tutor 2011- present day

Tutoring Approach:
-One-to-One lessons
-Group Lessons
-lessons to cater for diverse needs and abilities
-Home tutoring and lessons from my home
-Online tuition available

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 am a professionally trained actor. I have written for numerous publications, with stories and poems published regularly. I am confident with public speaking, since I have been performing in diverse venues for nearly 10 years. I have an MA in Acting and an MA in Theatre & Performance Studies. I have professional training in elocution, pronunciation as well as accent and dialect work.

I am a keen footballer, and believe in the importance of keeping fit and eating healthily. I also love travel, gardening, fixing computers and watching and critiquing films and theatre.

Teaching Experience:
I have been working as a private Tutor since 2007, and am a member of a number of private tutoring companies. I have tutored in English Language, English Literature, Speech, Drama, Acting, Philosophy, Entrance Exams, and most primary subjects. I have tutored Students from all ages and abilities; including adults and teenagers, as well as younger pupils, and pupils with learning difficulties

From Aug 2009 to May 2010 I was a Learning Support Assistant, DeBeauvoir School, Hackney, London.

Main duties included ensuring that students with learning difficulties are both kept up to speed with the general classroom environment, and that this does not disrupt the other students.

Other duties include:
- To provide full time academic and pastoral support to individual learners with learning difficulties, and/or behavioural and social problems.
- To provide academic and pastoral support to all other learners when required.
- To encourage learners to pursue further academic or vocational education.
- To provide behavioural support in class and to teaching staff at all times.

July 2009 - August 2009 I was SEN Assistant at Kentish Town CE School, London

Main duties include ensuring that students with physical and/or cognitive complications are given the extra support they require within the general classroom environment, and that this does not disrupt the other students.

Jan 2009 - June 2009 I was a Cover Supervisor, Neat Education & Select Education, Sheffield

Responsibilities are that of a Supply Teacher, being responsible for the learning and conduct of a whole class of students. Maintaining discipline and focus as well as being at all times a strong leader and role model were essential at all times.

Other duties include:
- Academic and pastoral support to all other learners when required.
- Monitoring attendance of learners and set appropriate targets.
- Invigilating examinations and mark work.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that Tutoring is first about personal connection. Any learning can only be achieved given a certain level of trust, which must be established in order to create a solid platform from which further learning can then flourish. Younger students are most open to absorbing information and should have the chance to take academic information and guidance from a range of people. This enhances the educational experiences and broadens the horizons of a student.

Having myself struggled with poor teachers, or unwieldy subject matter, I know that, with the right teachers, such areas can come alive. More clinical approaches to tutoring further separate students from the learning process. Having experienced one-to-one tuition myself, I have seen the many positives and potential pitfalls the system can bring. These experiences galvanize me and help me in my own tutoring. I relish taking what I have learnt, and the exciting methods by which I have learnt it, and passing that on to other students.

Regardless of the level taught, it is impossible to make real progress unless the student first has engagement and interest in the subject. I see my task as tutor as a process of invigorating the material for those studying.

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.
.

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:
Free first lesson

I am flexible and calm. I am always well prepared and very patient. I am punctual and try to make my classes fun whilst ensuring steady progress is being achieved.

I have learnt many teaching techniques over the past 22 years which allows me to adapt my style as per the clients requirements. As a result I have been able to maintain high standards.

In addition, I ensure key mistakes that are being made are noted and not repeated. I've found this has helped gained significantly more marks in the final exams.

Teaching Experience:
Free first lesson

I have tutored for 22 years and am vastly experienced. I teach across KS1 to GCSE's and entrance exams (11plus).

The subjects I focus on are maths, English and science ( biology, chemistry and physics).

Typically under my supervision my students achieve grade 7 or above for core subjects.

I'm confident I can help identify your weak areas too and help make significant improvements.

Tutoring Approach:
Free first lesson

All my tuition lessons are tailored to students individual needs.

I carry out an initial assessment to gauge level of understanding and prepare exmaples tailored to their needs.

I focus on exam techniques to pick up as many marks as possible.

Under my guidance many of my students have improved from obtaining relatively low grades, (C/D) to A/B.

Happy to offer FREE 15 mins consultation.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a masters degree holder with experience in tutoring up to graduate level in mathematics .

I have real flair for teaching mathematics and I get a great satisfaction from making my students learn the logic and develop an approach to solving problems.

I am also very interested in students from physics looking to learn modern mathematical techniques and actuarial students as well.

Teaching Experience:
I have 7 years of experience in teaching. Have taught several hundred graduate students to prepare for high-school and university level Maths and Statistics


Great detailed knowledge in all branches of mathematics up to graduate level.

Tutoring Approach:
Individual approach

Understand my students approach to analysis and problem solving. Challenge and channel their thought process to reach the result so that they always be successful in getting the problems solved.

Also upon request can intensely focus on achieving great exam results in short span of time.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I decided to start tutoring after my experience in trying to get tutors for my own children. As a professional working internationally I thought it would be easy to hand over this important element of their education to someone with both experience and patience. My notion was quickly turned on its head. The Tutors I found taught textbook style with the one shoe fits all approach. My children and others didn't fit into that mould. I very quickly realised that I could do a better job and took the role in house, initially teaching my own daughters before extending out to their friends.
To date I have tutored over 50 children who have gone onto their chosen schools and streams. I believe that tutoring should be about delivering skills to children that they can carry with them throughout their young lives and provide a solid platform on which to develop.

Teaching Experience:
Have tutored key stage 2 and 3.
11 plus students and common entrance applicants.
Recently started to tutor mildly dyslexic students in English comprehension and Language.
Currently writing essays for publication in English Literature and Sociology and Business GCSE and AS level. As well as E papers for 11 plus students.

Tutoring Approach:
I love seeing peoples enthusiasm toward a subject which I also share the same excitement towards however I am also passionate about helping people who may need help or are looking for methods to improve their skills in these topics.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Having completed my first degree in French and German at Oxford University in June 2013, I returned to Belfast to complete first a MA in Medieval History, and then a further MA in Translation Studies.

At the same time, I began building up a portfolio career as a freelance tutor and translator, allowing me to live out my passion for language, literature, and culture (alongside digger manuals, pharmaceutical texts, and other oddities) on a daily basis.

Teaching Experience:
My teaching experience dates back to my undergraduate years. At Oxford I gained two years' experience with Jacari, a charity that teaches English to local children of a different mother tongue. I also provided tuition to students of GCSE history in local Oxford schools.

I spent my year abroad teaching English to pupils aged 10 to 19 at a German grammar school, and have since instructed a number of tutees of ages 8 to 65+ in English Language, French, German and Italian.

I can also provide help with Oxbridge entrance examination and interview preparations for languages, English, and history, as well as general advice for personal statements.

Tutoring Approach:
This variety of experience has taught me the importance of varying my teaching approach according to the needs and interests of the pupil.

While I keep a keen eye on the intended curriculum or goals at all times, I am used and open to changing from more formal to more informal (i.e. games-based) tutoring methods as appropriate.

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
Zoom (online, highly recommended) sessions. All online sessions flat fee £30 per session for KS1 , KS2 and KS3 and £35 for A levels (sessions are nominally 50 minutes but usually lasts longer). I do a limited amount of free sessions for students with severe disabilities or families with very low income. I'm perfectly set up for remote sessions with two cameras, two screens and large bandwidth Internet connection. Screen interaction with students makes the session so much more effective and interactive and it's of course a face to face meeting. Experienced, qualified professional with excellent tuition skills in Mathematics. Very good interpersonal and relationship skills and a good sense of humour. Dedicated and enthusiastic. Achieving high success rates on a regular basis. Gentle but firm support to younger students at KS1 or KS2. Great help offered if you are at low and very low GCSE Foundation level. Great support for GCSE Higher Tiers and A levels Mathematics. Training for Entrance exams: 11+, 13+, SET. Old style and new style 9-1 Math GCSE and IGCSE. Cambridge style IGCSE. Functional Skills Maths. Trained in dealing with Special Needs students. Above all, most of my students grow CONFIDENT in themselves !

Teaching Experience:
Private tuition 1990 to present :
Mathematics for Primary and Secondary school levels in Crawley, Horley and adjacent areas.
Mathematics School teaching - part of PGCE training in Secondary Mathematics, Brunel University : schools in Crawley and London - 2001 to 2002 : have taught Mathematics Key Stages 1 to 4 in Kingston, London and St. Wilfrid's in Crawley on a part time basis.
Member of Surrey and West Sussex SATRO, Neighborhood Engineers : Variety of schools - Crawley - 2001 to 2002
Part time Private Tutor for Mathematics and Physics in Bucharest, Romania : All levels up to the European Baccalaureate stage.

Tutoring Approach:
I would like my students to understand the logic behind mathematical applications and not just memorise the mechanics of solving exercises. I aim to make Mathematics something interesting, intriguing, useful, challenging and fun. I aim to enable the students to develop a useful tool for them to use throughout their life. My lessons are planned and structured based on the National Curriculum and the respective key stage requirements.
I keep a weekly progress sheet for each student using a rating score to monitor progress and proficiency.

I am fully familiar and working with the following:

National curriculum in England: framework for key stages 1 to 4
National curriculum in England: complete framework for key stages 1 to 4 - for teaching from 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016
National curriculum in England: complete framework for key stages 1 to 4 - for teaching from September 2016

Also with the following:

National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study
National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study - key stages 1 and 2
National curriculum in England: mathematics programme of study - key stage 3
National curriculum in England: mathematics programme of study - key stage 4

Working with material from most examination boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I am comfortable teaching in French as well as English.

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

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

- Which subject(s) do you teach?

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

- Tell me about your qualifications.

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

- Where do you teach?

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

- Describe your arrangements for online tutoring.

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

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

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

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

Yes - fully listed on the DBS update site.

- Where and with whom did you train?

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

- Do you belong to any professional organisations?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
I see myself closer to the role of a mentor rather than a tutor, with my goal being to help students maximise their potential and achieve their set goals. These can range from academic excellence to securing a full-time job in investment banking or joining a top university.

I have studied Economics at UCL, where I graduated at the top of my class with First Class, Russian Studies at OXFORD, and Management at the Judge Business School in CAMBRIDGE (Distinction). Moreover, I hold a PhD in Economics (UCL, 2016).

As you can see in my profile, I characterise myself as an Investor, Entrepreneur, and Academic. As a university lecturer, I primarily taught Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Finance, and Industrial Economics to undergraduate students and International Business and Finance to Postgraduate students. Through this work, I identified various gaps in the educational sector, and as a result, I decided to start my own tutoring company and my own educational consulting group. Yet I am still very passionate about teaching, so apart from running the companies, I have kept the role of the head tutor. At the same time, I am passionate about the world of finance, so apart from being heavily invested in the academic aspect of finance, I also have my own investment company.

Despite my various professional endeavours, I still consider myself a professional tutor. Tutoring for me is not just an additional source of income but a significant source of creativity in my life. In fact, I believe that there are strong complementarities between my two, as, through my entrepreneurial activities, I get the chance to give real-life examples to my students as well as help them understand the real world.

My students have achieved outstanding results, and I believe that I have all the necessary skills required to improve their academic performance and help them fulfil their potential. Throughout my career, I have had extensive experience with families of high-net-worth individuals, primarily from the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the United Kingdom.

Looking specifically at the SERVICES I offer:

■ Regular Tutoring for GCSE, IGCSE, IB, A Level

1. Tutoring subjects include Economics and Business across all major exam boards, including AQA, Edexcel, OCR and iGCSE.
2. Intensive exam preparation sessions
3. Homeschooling students (resits, gap years, and extenuating circumstances)

■ University Admissions (Undergraduate + Postgraduate + PhD)

1. Assistance with personal statements for UCAS applications
2. University and Programme Selection
3. Proposal Drafting (research degrees)
4. Interview Preparation (MBA, PhD)

■ University Tutoring

1. Assistance with undergraduate and postgraduate subjects in Economics, Finance, Accounting, Business, and Management.
2. I have extensive experience in thesis writing and assignment supervision, research guidance, and academic writing.
3. I also tutor students studying for foundation degrees in order to assist them in achieving the grades required for universities they aspire to join.

■ Casual Learners

1. Support for CFA Level 1, 2
2. Tutoring for different subjects outside the normal university curriculum such as (such as Applied Finance, Stata Masterclass, and Day Trading)
3. Practical/ Mini MBA (mostly relevant for those running a business and are interested in developing further skills)

■ Job Applications

I help students with their job applications and interviews, primarily those interested in graduate programmes within the financial industry, especially investment banking and private equity. This includes:

1. CV guidance,
2. help with motivation letters and psychometric tests (SHL, Kenexa, CEB, Gartner, etc.)
3. interview preparation (competency, motivation, technical), including financial modelling for M&A and Leveraged buyouts.
4. For those interested in consulting, special case-study interview sessions can be organised with real consultants working in top consulting firms (such as BCG and McKinsey), where the student will be coached to excel in these interviews.

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION + QUALITY ASSURANCE

After purchasing my details, and so as to ensure the compatibility between the student and myself, I will organise a free 15-minute consultation, where we can discuss in more detail what are his/hers key objectives, the way I can support him/her in his/her studies, and devise a way to move forward. After the meeting, we can schedule our first session, and in case the student does not feel satisfied with it, I will provide a refund. Note that references are available on request and that I usually become fully booked by late February/early March. An enhanced DBS certificate is also available.

Teaching Experience:
Over the past 15 years, I have been helping more than 300 students with their studies in Economics, Finance, Statistics, and other Business-related subjects, primarily at the university level.
Looking specifically at the subjects I have experience teaching:
1. Finance: I have focused on: Corporate Finance, Time Value of Money, Bond Valuation, Stock Valuation, Advanced Corporate Finance, Financial Management, Derivatives, Decision Making and Simulation, and CFA Levels 1 and 2.
2. Accounting: I am in a position to teach courses related to financial and managerial accounting on various levels of study. Some intermediate topics in accounting can also be covered during our sessions, including leasing and consolidated financial statements.
3. Statistics and Statistical Modelling: I have in-depth knowledge in areas such as Regression with Cross-Sectional Data, Logistic Regression, Panel Data, Variable Instrumental estimation, Time Series, Econometrics, Financial Econometrics, Parametric/Non-Parametric Test, Analysis of Variance, Multivariate Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Fundamentals of Probability, and Probability Theory.
4. Economics: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Financial Economics, Industrial Economics, Labour Economics, International Trade, Emerging Market Economics, Pricing Strategy
5. Management Related courses: Marketing, Management, Sustainability, Human Resources, Quantitative Methods, Business Analytics, Operations, Entrepreneurship, Business Planning, Strategy
I have a strong track record of performance improvement for all the students that join me in their educational journey. My students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including; Russell Group Universities, leading Independent Schools, and Adult Learners studying for Professional Qualifications in Finance. An indicative list of the previous academic year is presented below:


2024-2025

Tutoring support to students attending the following courses:
• Wharton Business School - Economics Major
• University of Westminster - BA Business Economics
• University of Westminster - BSc Financial Economics
• Bayes Business School - BSc Investment and Financial Risk Management
• University of Essex - BA Sociology with Social Psychology
• UCL - MSc Finance
• UCL - BSc Economics
• UCL - MSc Management
• Imperial Business School - MSc Investment and Wealth Management
• Kings College London - BA International Development
• Kings College London - BSc Computer Science with Management
• QMUL - MSc Finance
• INSEAD - Global Executive MBA
• Kings College London - Law LLB
• Regents - MSc International Fashion Management
In addition, every year I assist my students with their applications (undergraduate and postgraduate)
Successful Undergraduate Applications
• UCL - BSc Economics
• University of Edinburgh - MA in Economics with Finance
• LSE - BSc Economics and Management
• Kings College London - BSc Management
Successful Postgraduate Applications
• Imperial College Business School- MSc Investment & Wealth Management
• Imperial College Business School - MSc Financial Technology
• UCL - MSc Real Estate Economics and Investment Analysis
• Kings College London - MSc Banking and Finance
• Bayes Business School - MSc Shipping, Trade, and Finance
• Bayes Business School - MSc Energy, Trade, and Finance
• University of Oxford - MSc in Economics for Development
• University of Cambridge (Judge Business School) - MPhil in Management

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is tailor-made, meaning that I am always seeking to adjust to the particular needs of each student. In some sessions, especially those that are close to the exam period, I focus on developing their exam skills and go through some well-tested revision techniques.

For all sessions, the objective is to make the class as interactive as possible. I follow the "Socratic" approach to learning, whereby I guide my students towards obtaining the correct answers with a series of well-placed questions rather than providing the answers straight away. Lastly, I advocate an empirical understanding of theoretical concepts, thus frequently referencing real-world examples from my work in finance and seeking to bring theory to life through life examples, cards, games, and financial trading.

I am very patient and endeavor to build a strong working relationship with my students based on honesty and openness. I have high expectations of myself and my students, and as a result, I can be very demanding yet always committed to helping them achieve their goals. I pride myself in my RELIABILITY - meaning that I will never abandon a student before the exams or any other key commitments that he/she might have. I ensure **CONTINUOUS SUPPORT** for students, and I make myself available for questions via phone or e-mail throughout the day, outside class hours, and free of charge. I am always OPEN TO FEEDBACK from the student, and I expect an honest relationship and communication with them. To achieve this, I aim to create a strong rapport with them while patiently helping them deal with any difficulties they face.

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hannah has worked as a full-time registered private tutor since 2009; she has since taught over 700 British and international students in one-to-one, classroom, and online lessons.

Hannah completed her undergraduate degree at the University of St Andrews and did her research project on the neuromuscular disorder Parkinson's disease. She then qualified as a Bowen Therapy practitioner before undertaking an international PGCE at the University of Sheffield. Following this, Hannah completed a Masters in Molecular Biology studying with the Centre for European Master's Programmes; her thesis focused on epigenetic mechanisms induced by oncoviruses and therapeutic interventions.

Teaching Experience:
Hannah specialises in preparing students for entry into medicine, dentistry, veterinary, and biological science courses at university with a focus on high-achieving Biology A-Level results. In addition, she also coaches students for the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT), University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), and the Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions (TARA).

Alongside this, Hannah also taught in the French private sector at the prestigious Epitech Montpellier (École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies, also known as the European Institute of Technology).

Since 2010, Hannah has also worked as a UCAS adviser supporting British and international students with their applications to UK universities. Hannah has a 100% success rate in interview invitations for students applying to 
G5 universities.

Tutoring Approach:
During her time teaching, Hannah has authored detailed notes on each topic on the A-Level course. She also has an extensive collection of exam questions and mark schemes, grouped together by topic to break down revision into manageable pieces.

Using their unique log in details, each registered student will have access to all these documents on the Tuition Matters website.

To supplement written notes, students often watch short videos that can help explain difficult topics more easily. Some students also choose to have homework to build upon ideas covered in the tuition lesson, this will then be marked together using the official exam mark schemes so that the student knows exactly what examiners are looking for in a high-level answer.

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August 2024:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading

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

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

Writing

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

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

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

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

Why study English?

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

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Personal Description:
I have a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering (PhD), with years of first hand experience in satisfactorily engaging and supporting students as I attempt to demystify and tear down barriers (or challenges) in different subjects areas. I am passionate and enthusiastic at teaching Mathematics, Physics, Engineering related modules and Computer related modules including programming as I create an empowering environment for students while demonstrating empathy, pastoral care and patience at all times. I have gained an extensive knowledge base to enable me deliver an outstanding knowledge transfer process to stimulate curiosity, interaction and connection with students in their respective subjects of interest. I have successfully tutored students at GCSE , A levels and BEng programs. Again, I have lectured at College and University level on Science and Engineering related subjects while promoting equality, diversity and inclusivity at all times. In addition, I have excellent communication skills and ensure I offer bespoke teaching and learning that is tailored to the student's needs or requirements. Furthermore, I am fascinated at the opportunity to engage in problem solving, critical and analytical thinking. Hence, I am happy at the prospect to coach, mentor and offer pastoral care to others as I help resolve a challenge and put a smile on a face.

Teaching Experience:
I have hand on experience of engaging in pedagogical activities especially in a 1 to 1 session. I have applied active student teaching and learning styles to facilitate learning in different areas and support learners in:
-Mathematics
-Physics
-Applying productivity software including MS office suite including MS Excel for statistical thinking
-Computer modules: coding and programming using MATLAB, Python and Java
-Mechanical Engineering modules: Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Structural Analysis and Design using different Computer Aided Design software including SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Fusion 360 as well as Ansys
-Report writing (essay, coursework report and dissertation)
Thus, I have supported diverse students in different subject areas to excel in their examinations with outstanding grades. I have lectured at University of Greenwich International College, Northumbria University and Coventry University as well as volunteered with Action Tutoring in supporting disadvantaged children with their learning. My experience enable me manage and meet the expectations of my students as I deliver a robust and standard explanation in different subject areas.

Tutoring Approach:
Typically, I elicit learning from my students by finding areas of the topic they find difficult, lack confidence and find challenging. Then, I facilitate engagement by starting my lesson from there as I clarify concepts, misconceptions or difficulties. I signpost and support the students by exploring and exposing them to the basic fundamentals of the subject. Then build their confidence in tackling related questions. Thus, empowering the students to gain a deeper insight in understanding the easy approach to learning as well as becoming competent, confident and successful in the subject of study.

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Personal Description:
I am a passionate, hardworking, skilled, and outstanding teacher. I am fully qualified and experienced Primary School teacher specialising in all primary phase subjects. I am extremely professional, energetic, and up to date with the demands of the current Primary Curriculum and the requirements for Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, preparation for SATs, SEN and learning support.

Teaching Experience:
Throughout my 15-year teaching career, I have gained extensive skills in teaching and working directly with children within the Primary Phase (4-11 years). I have an excellent proven track record of students achieving way above what they may have been predicted.

I have considerable experience in helping students who are on the SEND register and most recently I have worked as an Acting SENCO. This involved devising, delivering and monitoring the curriculum for students with moderate and severe learning difficulties as well as those with highly complex needs. I have recently attained the SENCO award qualification from Edge Hill University.

Tutoring Approach:
I am extremely positive, calm, and nurturing. I believe that every child can reach their goals in learning and I will help them to realise their true potential, improving academic performance and developing self-esteem to build a successful future.

After an initial assessment, I will create a personalised learning journey plan and I will ensure that I use motivational interests and strengths to work on areas of new learning and any misconceptions.

I aim to do much more than just increase grades, however I am to inspire, increase confidence and show that learning is something that everyone can do.

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