Ebbw Vale Latin Tutors and Ebbw Vale Latin Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a Cambridge graduate currently teaching at a secondary school in Birmingham. I offer private tuition in English and Latin as well as Oxbridge application advice.

I specialise in coaching students through GCSE/A Level. However, I am happy to help all students from 11+ and even adult learners. I am proud of my strong track-record in helping students to achieve excellent results in their exams.

A little about my academic background: I graduated with a degree in English from the University of Cambridge (Girton College) in 2008 and in 2010 completed a Masters in Medieval Literature and History at the University of York. In 2019 I completed my PGCE at the University of Warwick and have since taught in a local secondary school.

Teaching Experience:
I am experienced teacher currently employed at a Birmingham secondary school, where I teach across Key Stages 3,4 and 5.

I have several years of experience in private tuition and and have tutored students preparing for GCSEs and A Levels in Latin, English (both language and literature), and Politics & Government. I've had great success in helping students of a range of abilities improve subject confidence and achieve exceptional results (including many A*s and Grade 9s).

Tutoring Approach:
Latin:

Puzzled by perfect participles?
Confused by conjugations?
...and what on earth is a gerundive?

Let's face it, studying Latin can be difficult, but it is the challenge which makes it such a rewarding subject.

My approach to teaching Latin is to develop translation skills whilst reinforcing the key building blocks of grammar. I endeavour to work at the student's own pace and tailor my sessions to complement school work.

English:

As a qualified teacher of English, I understand how to get the best out of students. I have an intimate knowledge of most GCSE and A Level set texts and can advise students on revision strategies and exam technique.

I am comfortable working at different paces and levels to support the individual needs of a student.

It is difficult to offer a single "approach to tutoring" as I believe the right teaching method depends entirely on the interests, level, and personality of the individual student.


Interviews:

I am also available to tutor students preparing for university entrance interviews (in particular Oxbridge). Having experienced the process first-hand, I feel I am well positioned to offer meaningful advice on how a candidate can impress during the application and interview process. I am willing to conduct mock interviews.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I studied Classics at King's College, Cambridge, graduating in 2009. I then trained as a teacher at Queens' College, Cambridge, graduating with a PGCE in 2010. I have been a private tutor since 2009, and have now clocked up thousands of hours' tutoring experience in Latin and Ancient Greek. I tutor both languages to degree-level standard in London, Cambridge and online. I love Classics, and my main aim is to make my lessons fun and inspirational.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring Latin and Ancient Greek intensively for the past 7 years, with thousands of hours' teaching experience to date. I have taught towards all major public exams in both languages, such as Common Entrance, GCSE, AS, A2, SAT, Pre-U and even BA (i.e. University exams). I am familiar with the entrance processes for a number of independent and grammar schools, and have had a lot of experience teaching towards scholarship papers. I have tutored many students applying to Cambridge and Oxford, and can provide in-depth advice and support with choosing the right course and college, as well as getting to the necessary level for the language tests. I have also taught the languages to those who have decided to learn them purely for fun! In addition to my face-to-face teaching, I have taught extensively online (about 50% of my teaching is conducted on Skype), and have built up an array of handy techniques to get the most from the online format. I was Head of Latin at a school in Bury St Edmunds for two years (September 2011 to July 2013). Since October 2010, I have been supervising Cambridge undergraduates in Latin and Ancient Greek (colleges so far have included Pembroke, Downing, Homerton, Queens', King's, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Caius, Peterhouse, St John's, Emmanuel and Trinity). I also own and run a private tuition agency, Titanium Tutors, which I set up in 2011, managing a team of 8 staff members and over 1000 inspirational tutors.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching style is structured and thorough. I start every lesson with a five minute recap of the key content of the previous session, checking how much the tutee remembers. A typical lesson will then consist of a translation, in which I ask the tutee to note down each unknown word as it is encountered and to devise a memory trick which will help them to recall the word in a five minute test at the end of the lesson. Together with the tutee, I will then pick a grammar point which stood out in the translation exercise as requiring the most immediate attention. We will spend five to ten minutes working on that, with the tutee's understanding tested with some reinforcement exercises. At the end of the lesson we will recap all the new vocabulary and grammar which was covered, and I will typically set a manageable 20 - 30 minute homework for the next session based on what was covered in the lesson. Every lesson is of course different, and tailored to the tutee's requirements, but I find this approach works in the vast majority of cases. I consider grammar to be crucially important, but treat it as a means to an end and always emphasise the ways in which it can be usefully applied to translation rather than learned in isolation. I believe that any tutee can excel in Latin and Greek with a little guidance and a decent amount of independent work. Above all, I strive to make my lessons fun and enjoyable. I love my subject and want all of my tutees to love it too.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an Oxford Classics graduate with experience of teaching children and adults.

Teaching Experience:
I have seven years experience of teaching a range of ages up to 18, both private tutoring and school teaching.

Tutoring Approach:
Tutoring programme designed according to the student's needs and aims,

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm an experienced stage and television actor with a degree in English (2.i) from Trinity Hall, Cambridge and a 2-year post-grad qualification from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. I live in central London (Westminster) and enjoy balancing out the right brain activities of acting with the rather more left brain activities of teaching - especially Latin, which I studied through A-Level to degree, taking a Latin translation and literary criticism paper in Part 1 of my Cambridge Tripos.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught both privately and at a range of different schools and colleges for many years. My private client base has principally been in teaching Latin for Common Entrance and GCSE. In terms of classroom experience, I have worked as a supply Latin teacher at Eaton House Schools and as an A-Level English Tutor at Collingham Tutors. The majority of my work is as a private tutor travelling to people's homes and offering additional support to 10-16 year olds who are struggling with their Latin. I have a huge success rate in terms of results, regularly turning C-grade students into A-graders.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is both pragmatic and personal. Every child is different and therefore every child requires a subtly different approach. In terms of teaching English Literature my principle objective is to inspire. In terms of teaching Latin my key concerns are rigour and attention to detail. With the right approach it is often very easy to turn a child who hates Latin at school into one that (even if it is secretly) both loves it and does very well.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Oxford graduate with more than fifteen years' experience as a private tutor and consistently excellent results in Latin, Greek, Classics and English.

Studied Classics at Oxford University and awarded an academic scholarship.

Earned a Master's Degree with Distinction in Latin literature at UCL. Awarded the Dean's Prize.

Since then, I have been working as an award-winning arts journalist alongside my work as a private tutor.

Teaching Experience:
Private tutor for fifteen years, with significant experience in private tuition of Latin, Greek and English at all levels, and excellent exam results achieved by my students.

*LATIN/GREEK*

Classroom experience as teacher of Latin at a prep school and teaching assistant for primary school Latin classes.

In-depth, up-to-date knowledge of the current syllabuses for Common Entrance, GCSE and A-level, as well as all major textbooks, including Oxford and Cambridge Latin Courses, Athenaze, Greek to GCSE, Shelmerdine, ISEB Common Entrance publications and other frequently used courses. I also have a wide range of my own resources.

*ENGLISH*

English tutor for ten years, complemented by working as an award-winning arts journalist. Through this work
I've personally interviewed several of the authors on the English syllabuses, including Margaret Atwood and Arundhati Roy. I have a particular love of bringing Shakespeare alive, and I have also extensively interviewed many actors and practitioners about Shakespeare's work, including Sir Ian McKellen; I love to feed this real-world experience into lessons, to show that learning English is not just about words on a page.

Tutoring Approach:
CONFIDENCE: I love seeing students gain confidence as they study with me, and passing on my knowledge and enthusiasm until they are as excited about a subject as I am. My main focus is finding something for them to enjoy within a given subject and building our learning around that.

TARGETED APPROACH: I find out the areas where the student will need the most help, then I plan my lessons carefully to address those areas of difficulty. I always try to build on the way the student has been taught at school, so that my tuition complements their school learning rather than clashing with it.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: I also ensure that we are always working on exam and revision techniques while learning. This includes helpful mnemonics, studying past papers and mark schemes, and ensuring we are engaging closely with the relevant syllabus to pick up as many marks as possible when it comes to exams.

TIPS AND TRICKS: I like to build routine into tuition sessions, so that the student knows what to expect in each session, which helps boost their confidence, and so that grammar which can seem strange and unfamiliar at first becomes second nature. I've got plenty of tips and tricks to help with the most difficult parts of grammar and syntax. It's useful to break things down into smaller chunks - for example, the large set texts can be daunting, but they become manageable when taken piece by piece.

Above all, my approach is to be friendly, patient and knowledgeable.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an experienced qualified teacher (Certified Teacher-Directive 2005/36/EC) of Modern Greek language (native speaker) and Classics (Ancient Greek, Latin, Classical Civilization). My BA degree with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status, 4-year course) from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA, Faculty of Philology), is in Greek & Classical Philology with a major in Linguistics, and my MA degree is in Educational Studies (with Distinction, The University of York). Most of my tutees are learners of Greek as a Foreign Language (Conversational Greek, Business Greek, Greek for Beginners, Intensive Greek), Greek as a Second Language, and BA /MA students at the University of Edinburgh (where I'm based) and other universities (via online tuition) who need help with Latin/Ancient Greek/Modern Greek for their undergraduate/postgraduate course. I also have significant experience in preparing tutees for GSCE in Modern Greek. In addition, I have worked on a plethora of GR-EN digital content translation/localisation projects, content creation projects and as a proofreader/checker for MA dissertations and PhD Theses.

Teaching Experience:
January 2012 - present
Freelance Tutor for Greek as a Foreign Language (Conversational Greek, Business Greek, Greek for Beginners, Intensive Greek) or Second Language, Latin, Ancient Greek.

January- June 2012
Lakeside Primary School, Clifton Moor, York, United Kingdom
Volunteer teaching assistant, York Students in Schools (YSIS)
This community volunteering scheme provided teaching opportunities that enhanced personal and professional development.

December 2009- October 2011
"Neo" Educational Organisation of Secondary Education, Athens, Greece
Middle School and High School (Gymnasium and Lyceum) full time teacher
Latin & Ancient Greek Literature and Thought, Classical Civilization, Greek and Roman History
Student-centred and interactive teaching approach
Developing and designing lesson plans according to the Greek National Curriculum.
Monitoring student progress (summative and formative assessment)

2007-2008
Teaching practice - National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

"Varvakeio", Experimental Lyceum, Athens
"First (1st) Experimental Unified Lyceum of Athens"
"Gennadio", Athens
"Anavryta" Experimental Lyceum, Athens,
"Agion Anargyron" Experimental Gymnasium, Athens
Arranging and developing lesson plans for middle school and high school grades.
Practice on teaching methods and strategies
Classroom management
Observing lessons
Teaching under observation

2004 -present
Self-employment- Private tutor
Greek as a Foreign Language (GFL), Greek as a Second Language, Ancient Greek, Ancient Greek Language, Latin, Ancient and Modern Greek literature, Philosophy, Writing/Study skills

Tutoring Approach:
Student-centred and interactive teaching approach.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hello! My name is Giacomo, I come from Italy and I am a third year PhD student in Roman Archaeology at the University of Leicester.I have a strong experience in tutoring and teaching at high school and university level and I'm happy to help with Latin, Ancient Greek and Italian.

Teaching Experience:
During the last two years I have been teaching different courses at the University of Leicester, acquiring a strong experience in dealing with students. In particular during this and last year I have been teaching Latin and Ancient Greek to first year students. In the last two months I also have been teaching Latin to the children of the Overdale Infant and Jr. School, as part of the Outreach Program of the School of Archaeology and Ancient History. Furthermore, since last year I have been working as one to one study mentor in The AccessAbility Centre of the University where I support students with learning disabilities. Finally, when I was still in Italy I have been giving private lessons of Latin, Ancient Greek and Italian literature to high school and university students for three years.

Tutoring Approach:
I will have a different approach according to the language I will be teaching. For Italian, I will use a communicative approach. This means that I will deliver just a minimum of grammar and I will use the target language as much as possible so that the student will learn the grammar implicitly. On the other side, since Latin and Ancient Greek are extinct languages I will use a more traditional approach. Nevertheless, also in this case I will try to alternate grammar with literature in order to help the student to get a broader perception of the ancient world.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have an academic background in law and criminology, and more than ten years' experience working in the legal profession. I also have a full command of French, Spanish and Russian. I hold the Chartered Institute of Linguists' Level 7 Diploma in Translation, Russian to English (equivalent to a master's degree) and the Level 6 Certificate in Translation, Spanish to English ( equivalent to a bachelor's degree).

Teaching Experience:
I have taught English to Russian and Turkish speakers over Skype for seven years. I also have considerable experience of teaching French and Spanish one-to-one, both children and adults.

Tutoring Approach:
I greatly enjoy tutoring and find seeing my students improve hugely rewarding. My approach is gentle and encouraging, with an emphasis on setting a thorough basic structure in place.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a 27-year-old Classics teacher, currently employed at Brentwood School in Essex. I graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2014, and have been a teacher for 5 years.

Teaching Experience:
I am lucky enough to have taught in schools with internationally-renowned reputations; first at King's College Schhool, Cambridge, and thereafter at Eton College. I am currently employed at Brentwood School. I am confident with various aspects of the Classical curriculum, and am keen to take on students aged 8+ in Latin, Classical Greek, and Classical Civilisation.

Tutoring Approach:
I would like to think that I am engaging and enthusiastic; that said, I know the value of patience. I enjoy incorporating games and technology into my teaching, in order to maximise the understanding and enjoyment of my students.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have tutored a wide range of subjects, most frequently Maths and Latin; I have wide-ranging knowledge but I am a rare specialist in Classical Greek GCSE. Perfect exam grade record - in my mixture of reformed and unreformed GCSEs I achieved 5 9s, 6 A*s and and A^(A**) in Further Maths. A* in EPQ. 3 A*s A Level Maths, Further Maths and Economics.

2021-2024: BA Economics (First Class Honours), Durham University, United Kingdom
2024-2025: MSc Environmental Economics and Climate Change (Distinction), London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), United Kingdom

2025-2029 PhD candidate in Environmental Economics, University of Basel, Switzerland

Teaching Experience:
100% 9-7 GCSE Record for Tutees

Tutoring 12 students in wide-ranging topic and subject areas.

I have tutored GCSE Latin, GCSE Greek, and year 9 Maths.

Feedback from Faye and Iona Green (Grade 7 in Latin GCSE) (February 2020):

'My daughter has been having 1 to 1 sessions on a weekly basis since summer 2019, she wanted to do GCSE Latin in 1 year.

We cannot speak highly enough of William, he has taught her everything she needs to know in a way that is easy to understand, full of enthusiasm and always willing to help outside of the taught lesson. He sets homework when needed and marks this.

My daughter is feeling confident about the forthcoming exams because of the excellent tuition that has been provided.

I would not think twice about using William again for tuition in the future and would highly recommend him to anyone else.

Thank you William for all you have done.'

Feedback from Katie (Passed GCSE Maths Equivalency Test for PGCE) (September 2020):
'Just wanted to let you know I passed the test! Thank you so much for all of your help, you are a fantastic tutor!'

Feedback from Magdalena and Thomas (November 2020):
'Hi William. I had a parents evening recently and Tom's teacher said he is doing very well in math. Tom told me he feels more confident at school too. Thank you for your work with him.'

Feedback from Vivian and Cassidy (February 2021):
'Your input so far has made a huge difference.'

Tutoring Approach:
Friendly, supportive, motivating, specification based work and focus on improvement through guiding through past papers.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a teacher, novelist, and musician from Scotland. I have tutored for many years and taught at preparatory schools. I have also taught English abroad (Italy & Brazil).

I enjoy helping students to overcome their difficulties and find ways to enjoy the language and culture.

Lessons at my house or yours.
Online tutoring is a great way to work on your language (rates negotiable).

Teaching Experience:
12 years with First Tutors, from beginners, through Common Entrance, GCSE and A-level to university.
6 years with Greater London Tutorial Agency/Top Tutors
Latin, Ancient Greek & English:
6 years Classics, Mayville High School, Southsea
12 years Classics, Hall Grove, Bagshot.
1 year at Academy School, Hampstead.

Creative Writing: 7 years University of Portsmouth
2 years Islington Summer University.

English as Foreign Language:
1 year St Giles, Sao Paulo, Brazil;
2 years English Academy, Molfetta, Italy, including PET, CAE, CPE, IELTS, TOEFL.

I also teach guitar, bass, piano and Italian.

Tutoring Approach:
Most pupils who come to me have simply lost track or lost confidence.
With careful guidance, it usually doesn't take long to put them back on the right track.

I can help with the building blocks of grammar, presenting it as a puzzle or a game; I can suggest ways to improve vocabulary; and I can point the way through the complexities of translation and syntax. Even working on exam technique can ease anxiety quickly.

I also enjoy enthusing students about classical mythology and literature.

I am happy to teach online as well as in person: with a committed tutee, this can work as well as tuition in person.

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:
My name is Georgios, I come from Greece and I am a passionate teacher of Classics. I have a broad experience teaching Classical and Modern Greek, Latin, History and Classical Civilisation. Adapting my teaching to the level of the student I can help students of any level to excel to their exams or broaden their horizons by learning about the classical civilizations.

Teaching Experience:
I have an MA (UCL) and a BA in Classics from University of Crete (upper 10% of my class) with specialisation in Classical Studies and I have a 9 years experience teaching students of all ages. I have a QTS and I have taught several students entering the university, with outstanding results. Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of tutoring numerous students in those captivating subjects. Guiding students through the realms of ancient civilizations, literature, and languages has been incredibly rewarding.

Tutoring Approach:
I can teach any type of Latin, Greek and History lessons, taking my students from the beginners level to excellence. I follow a systematic approach that will guarantee fast and steady progression to higher levels of classical knowledge guaranteeing high GCSE, A-level grades and deep knowledge of the subject. My teaching is individualised based on the needs of the students with the ultimate aim of teaching people that will enjoy studying Classics and learning about the civilisations that constitute the basis of our modern world. Last but not least, my approach is patient, encouraging, and focused on building a strong foundation of knowledge while fostering critical thinking skills. Also, I am specialized in exams being an examiner of Edexcel,Pearson (Greek), OCR (Classical Greek) and AQA (Italian) and I have 9 years experience teaching students of all ages.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Native speaking Italian tutor gives private lessons in NORWICH: grammar, conversation, literature and italian history and culture.
Due to the Covid-19 global emergency all the lessons will take place ONLINE ONLY.

Teaching Experience:
19 years tutoring/tuition experience:
-A1/A2 English to italian students
-Italian language and literature for native speakers,
-BASIC Latin (middle/junior high school level)
-BASIC Ancient Greek (1st year senior high school level/ Primo Liceo Classico)
-History of italian, latin and greek literature for italian students

2 years experience as volunteer support teacher for foreign children in an elementary/primary school in Milan, Italy.

Tutoring Approach:
Patient and flexible, I always help my students to be independent learners building a relationship based on trust and making them love the suject.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi all, my name is Jack and I am currently a finalist undergraduate at Oriel College, University of Oxford studying for a BA in Literae Humaniores (Oxford's name for Classics) hoping to help people stay on top of their education during a time in which education has been incredibly unstable for many.
I have 3 A stars in my A levels in History, English Literature and History, a mark of 100% in my Extended Qualification Project and 12 a stars in my GCSEs
I have an offer for postgraduate study at Newcastle University starting in September 2023.

Teaching Experience:
Having tutored for four years, I specialise in teaching students of all ages and abilities in Latin, Ancient Greek and wider Classical studies. I have also extensive experience in tutoring History and English to a GCSE standard. Beyond pure academics, I am a successful Oxbridge application tutor, specialising in personal statements and interview preparations for most humanities degrees.

I have tutored all of the UK examination boards (WJEC, AQA, OCR and Pearson), as well as Cambridge Pre-Us. I also am experienced in both GCSE and iGCSEs.

I also have a tailored adult learning programme which is flexible to both students ability but also the part of the Classical World in which they are most interested.

Tutoring Approach:
With my years of tutoring experience, combined with the skills I have developed at Oxford, I am confident in helping my students acquire an in depth understanding of their subjects. I use a range of interactive approaches to tutoring, providing personalised guidance to my students to allow them to reach their full potential. Through a combination of wider language work and a focus on examined content, I believe any student is able to access classical languages. With good, personalised tutoring, I believe these so called "dead" languages can be brought back to life, inspiring students to great success no matter their aims.

With adult learners in mind, my approach tuition is to get to grips with some original texts as soon as possible, since this is why we learn Latin and Greek! Language is the key to unlocking the ancient world and too often classical language teaching misses this, deep in its lexicons and grammar primers. I aim to correct that, by teaching grammar and language skills alongside getting to grips with some of the biggest names of the classical world.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Master of Science in Teaching and Learning from Oxford University
Currently taking bookings for Entrance exam tuition (11+ and 13+) and specialist tuition in Latin, RE and History.
My credentials:
* Former GCSE Examiner
* Current Examiner for Common Entrance / 13+ Scholarship exams
* Head of Department with senior leadership / management experience
* 17+ years teaching experience
* Taught pupils who have gone onto achieved academic scholarship awards at their schools and places at Oxbridge
* Hundreds of hours experience of teaching online effectively via Zoom to enable pupils to reach their full potential.
* Experience as a school governor.

Teaching Experience:
17 years teaching experience. GCSE Examiner. Head of Departments of RE and Latin at multiple schools. Master of Science in Learning and Teaching awarded by Oxford University. Member of a school leadership and management team and a school governor. Hundreds of hours of experience of online teaching.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a personalised approach that takes account of the student's learning style and preferred pace of learning. As part of my tutoring service I also provide homework for pupils which is marked, and free access to a range of different learning resources which can be used outside of sessions.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I graduated with first class honours in Linguistics and am now studying the historical development of the Latin language for my MRes (Masters of Research). Having studied both English and Latin language I have an in depth knowledge of grammar and syntax in both languages. I also have a myriad of tips and tricks to help make grammar learning a little less daunting!

I can also tutor undergraduate Linguistics (listed under English). I am specialising in Historical Syntax but am able to offer support for a range of other first and second year modules including but no limited to: Sytnax, Semantics, Phonology, Historical Englishes, and English Grammar. I am open to enquiries about modules not listed here.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 3 years of teaching experience with students from year 1 in primary school all the way to first year of undergraduate. Through teaching a broad range of students I have developed a flexible approach to teaching can easily adapt to the needs of a student. My tutoring supplements school lessons by helping the student to develop their problem solving skills so that they are able to tackle those surprising exam questions calmly.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to take an active approach to learning. In my first lesson with a student we focus on past paper questions to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This allows us to formulate a comprehensive plan going forward in order to maximise their revision time. I will work with the student to fill the gaps in their knowledge by working systematically through the syllabus for that topic. For content based material I will get the student to ask questions and tell me what they do not understand, I will then explain the material in simple terms. For mathematical or grammatical (depending on the subject) material I will explain how to do the calculation then run through examples with the student until they feel confident to do it alone. To conclude the lessons I ask students to tell me what they now know about the topic so that they can see just how much they have learnt!

Subjects

Personal Description:
Former Assoc. Prof. at Durham | Experienced teacher | Published novelist

I'm a full-time, professional tutor with a unique breadth of experience across a two-decade career:

• Associate Professor at Durham University
• Teacher at a top London independent school ("Excellent" rated)
• Published novelist of Roman historical fiction
• Archaeologist and active academic researcher

I love combining the joy of one-on-one tutoring, seeing students grow and learn, with my life-long passions for history, politics and literature.

For me, tutoring does not stop with passing exams, vital as that is. Just as important is learning how to push intellectual boundaries, encourage creative thinking, and expand the imagination. I want my tutees not just to realise their full potential at school, but to be ready for the challenges that await them beyond.

I take on a limited number of tutees so that I can tailor my approach to each tutee's specific needs, with concrete targets and an approach that will engage, challenge and inspire. I prepare bespoke resources carefully prior to lessons as well as detailed feedback on written work (this is all included in my fee - I will never charge for anything outside contact time). Please get in touch to ask me about my availability.

One of the great things about my varied career track has been the chance to live and work in other countries, with all the mind-expanding experiences that brings. Before my doctorate I also worked as a professional archaeologist. Over the years I have pursued historical and archaeological research in the USA, Mexico, Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland.

TESTIMONIALS

"My child went from a predicted D to achieving an A in one year. John gave her confidence, a much better understanding of core concepts and an enthusiasm for the subject. All delivered in a clearly structured digestible way with kindness and patience. I would highly recommend his tutoring skills." - Parent of A Level Politics student

"John was the perfect tutor, helping my son to reengage with English after he lost some confidence based on feedback from his school teachers. My son managed to improve his GCSE grade from 6s at the begginng of the year to 7s in his mock exams to 9s in the final exam. To say we are over the moon is an understatement." - Parent of IGCSE English student

"Thank you so so much - I'm thrilled that I came so far in history - from a C to an A*!! It's such a relief I'm getting into where I want to go on my own merit and I'm so so grateful to you again." - A Level History student

"John has tutored my daughter during the Sixth Form and helped her success in gaining an offer to study PPE at Oxford University. In Politics, particularly, he has boosted her confidence and provided invaluable coaching on exam technique. Because he was so knowledgeable and great at explaining, he also engaged her in discussions on topics which she had otherwise struggled to embrace and understand. Also his manner and kindness helped her to enjoy and flourish from his teaching. He is an excellent tutor, and we are very grateful for all his teaching and expertise." - Parent of A Level Politics student

"John's enthusiasm for the Ancient World is very clear but his ability to understand the needs of his student is what sets him apart from others. John delivers clear and memorable lessons. He takes the time to engage and check M's understanding of the topic in a way which makes him feel more confident about his own abilities. […] John genuinely wants M to succeed. Towards the end of the summer, they will visit the British Museum together and this is an example of John's commitment to his student." - Parent of GCSE Ancient History and Latin student

"I recently got my GCSE results, and I got a 9 in history. I wanted to thank you as your tutoring helped me so much and there is no way I could have achieved this result without your help." - GCSE History student

Teaching Experience:
PROFESSIONAL FULL-TIME TUTOR, 2022-present

I have successfully tutored students of various abilities at GCSE and A Level across a range of subjects and exam boards:

• Classical Civilisation and Ancient History (OCR)
• Latin (OCR)
• History (OCR/AQA/Edexcel)
• Politics (Edexcel)
• English (AQA/Edexcel)

I have expertise in UCAS applications, Oxford HAT and Cambridge HAA and interview technique; since 2022 six of my students have received Oxbridge offers, with many others going to top Russell Group universities

HISTORY AND POLITICS TEACHER, 2020-2023

• ISI "Excellent"-rated independent school
• Taught History at KS3, GCSE and A Level
• Taught Politics at A Level
• Sixth Form tutor (particular strength in UCAS applications and personal statements)
• Detailed understanding of the specifications and marking criteria for English, History and Politics at GCSE and A Level

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, Durham University, 2010-2020

• Taught History lectures, seminars and supervisions at every level (undergraduate to PhD)
• Taught Creative Writing lectures and tutorials at MA level
• Pastoral officer for 1st year undergraduates
• Departmental admissions officer (responsible for accepting/rejecting UCAS applications)
• Multiple academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals, as well as papers at international conferences
• Visiting fellowships at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna (2009-2010) and Institute for Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2015-2016)
• Interviewed as an expert in my field on several BBC documentaries and podcasts, and as a guest speaker at the BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival
• I remain an Honorary Research Fellow of Durham and an active researcher in my field

Tutoring Approach:
TUTORING

My approach is based on empathy, encouragement, and enthusiasm. Often students have great potential in a subject, but for whatever reason lack the confidence to realise it. Other times a student has the confidence, but haven't quite learned the skills they need to reach that elusive target grade.

Wherever they are coming from, as a tutor my first goal is to understand my students and see things from their perspective. Then I provide the structure and support they need to achieve their goal. This might be through weekly essay writing and feedback, talking through tricky concepts, providing curated resources to help their development - in fact, whatever they need to succeed.

PERSONAL STATEMENT ASSISTANCE

My career path has given me unique experience of teaching before, during, and after A Levels. This means I understand the student experience from all perspectives. I have seen the pressures and demands of GCSE and A Level study, and as Sixth Form tutor have guided dozens of students through the UCAS process, including multiple successful Oxbridge applications.

My experience as a Durham University admissions officer taught me that, when it comes to the most competitive universities, the personal statement is very often the deciding factor. My experience as a published author means that I can help my tutees sculpt their perfect application, one that showcases academic skill while bringing out their uniqueness and passion.

Just as important, I understand the transition from school to university, and all the challenges it brings. During my time at Durham University I also served as pastoral officer to first-year undergraduates, which involved helping students make the (often difficult) jump to a new level of independence and academic demands. For tutees about to take their A Levels, part of my approach is therefore to help them prepare mentally and practically for that transition.

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