Bournemouth Study Skills Tutors and Bournemouth Study Skills Tuition

Personal Description:
Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my profile. My name is Dr. Alisdair and I am a part time tutor with with eighteen years experience teaching psychology and research methods & statistics. I am currently the Head of Psychology at one of the top online schools. Developing and enhancing a student's learning experience is something I am passionate about. To achieve this, I employ a patient approach to tutoring, ensuring that students have an enjoyable, challenging and interesting experience. My teaching style relies on honesty, dedication and transparency. I aim to offer you a bespoke tutoring service that meets your requirements, be it face to face, or via online technology.

Studying and tutoring for many years has given me experience in realising the pressures that students face, and I'm able to use my awareness and knowledge to motivate learners. I have a real appreciation for how people learn and are able to adapt my teaching to different learning styles. I try to make lessons informative and fun, ensuring that the student takes an active part in the lesson. I feel my academic experience has given me the necessary skills to help students reach their full academic ability.

Teaching Experience:
One of my subjects of expertise is psychology. Having studied, researched and taught/tutored psychology to numerous students, I am well placed to help you with assignments, exams and general course content in all areas of the subject, including; cognitive, social, developmental, research methods and more. Whether you are studying for a degree or beginning your journey into psychology at GCSE or A-Level, I can help you to get to grips with this fascinating subject.

My other main area of expertise is in research methods/statistics. Since 2006 I have provided support to individuals from a range of backgrounds, including students studying social sciences, life sciences and humanities. My experience extends to helping employees with their data analysis. If you are struggling to interpret your analysis, or need help using SPSS, or if you want to understand more about statistics then please do get in touch.

If you would like support with learning English as a second language (ESL) then I can help you. Please do contact me if you would like to practise speaking or are having difficulty reading and writing in English. I can support you with vocabulary comprehension and word meanings for example.

I have experience in tutoring students with assisted learning needs, including; Asperger syndrome, dyslexia and dyspraxia. My one to one teaching experience extends to the supervision of final year undergraduates and Masters students, therefore I have coherently supported and guided students through empirical projects, improving skills such as literature search & review, analysis and scientific writing.

Qualifications:
My first degree was in psychology (BSc Hons). I then went on to complete a Masters (MRes) in psychological methods, followed by a PhD in psychology/cognitive neuroscience. I also obtained a 'Teach English as a foreign language' (TEFL) certificate.

Awards:
Excellence in Teaching - Awarded by Bournemouth University in 2013.

Feedback:
Below are some examples of student and parent feedback that I have received across various sites:

Lisa (Lily) 5/5
Alisdair was an amazing Tutor for my daughter. Her A Level tutor went on sick leave the term before her A Level exam, and after an initial couple of one to one meetings, we settled upon a series of Skype tutorials which were brilliant. Alisdair would send key exam questions for my daughter to do prior to the Skype tutorial, and she would send them back to him to mark before their tutorial. The system was so engaging and efficient that she went from a grade D in her mock A-Level to a grade A in her actual A-Level exam. Alisdair is flexible, personable and very effective. I would totally recommend his services.

Michelle (Sammy) 5/5
An excellent tutor - patient, kind, encouraging, and well organised with great resources. We used Alisdair`s services both for one to one sessions and online in the run-up to my daughter`s A-levels when she experienced a pre-exam confidence crisis. She found him to be an effective and empathetic tutor, with an obvious enthusiasm for his subject. We really appreciated Alisdair`s experience, which enabled him to work out how best to support my daughter and get her back on track. Alisdair was incredibly helpful, and very flexible in his scheduling of sessions. A`levels are now over, and I am sure that Alisdair`s help made a huge difference. Highly recommended!

Jeremy 5/5
Alisdair helped me with my final major project, both with the statistics, and academic writing. I was very happy to achieve a first for the project and I can`t thank him enough for his help. I learned a lot with his tutoring and improved my understanding of statistics and my academic writing. I now feel more confident going into my Msc next September. He was very fast at responding to my questions and emails and was always very positive and helpful.

Nicki 5/5
I've had the pleasure of knowing Alisdair for over a year, during which time he tutored me with my undergraduate psychology degree. Above all, he has excellent subject knowledge along with the ability to convey complex information in a simple and easy to understand manner. He made light work of SPSS and report writing as well as guiding me to a deeper understanding of psychological concepts. Alisdair's friendly personality immediately put me at ease and he knew the correct level of challenge to ensure that I gained a good grade for my dissertation. I cannot thank him enough! He is a truly talented tutor - smart, efficient, professional, and comes with my heartfelt recommendation.

Mark 5/5
Alisdair is an exceedingly knowledgeable, friendly and patient tutor who responds promptly and with amazing clarity on even the most complicated of SPSS issues. He has a great understanding of the planning and organisational problems associated with dyspraxia, and was of enormous help to my son during his MSc project, keeping him calm and giving advice where needed. I only wish we had discovered him earlier! My son has achieved a Distinction at Masters level, and without Alisdair's reassuring and friendly discussions I don't think he would have managed to even finish his project. I would recommend Alisdair highly as a tutor.

Maha 5/5
The best tutor ever, he makes everything so clear and he trying his best to make sure I understood what we had in the session and clearly he is so kind as person and tutor!

Tutoring Approach:
Other services:
If you require help with developing your study skills, including; revision techniques, essay planning, critical thinking and more, then I can help you to hone your study skills set. In addition, feel free to contact me if you would like your work to be proofread. I will check your document to ensure the spelling and grammar is watertight. If you need me to, I can provide you with comments using track changes with suggestions/edits to improve the quality of the document, for example, the structure, scientific standard and whether you have answered the assignment question. Having published numerous scientific articles, I appreciate and understand the need for precision in the preparation of your work, therefore I'd be happy to help you with things such as APA formatting and preparing a manuscript for publication. Please take a look at the tasks I can help you with below.

Examples of tasks I can help you with:
Understanding concepts/theories/studies
GCSE/A-Level exam technique
GCSE/A-Level homework
Revision techniques
Critical thinking/reading/writing
Essay planning / editing
Report planning / editing / suggestions for improvement
Presentation planning
Dissertation/thesis planning/editing/suggestions for improvement
Preparing manuscripts for publication
Literature search/review
Help with systematic reviews/Meta analysis
Experimental design
Data analysis/selecting appropriate tests/interpretation/reporting analysis
Using SPSS/JASP
Figures and tables
Addressing Reviewer's and Editor's comments
Proofreading
APA formatting / referencing
ESL

Other details:
I also offer tuition via Skype, Zoom and e-mail for those students who do not want to meet in person, or live far away. Therefore I can fully explain any concepts, ideas or subject content that you need help with, and give verbal and written help with assignments and exam prep online.
A-Level exam boards I have tutored students on include; AQA, OCR and CIE. I have many resources, including; mind-maps, evaluation sheets, research study summaries, past exam papers, quizzes and more.
Please enquire directly to me about availability, do not go by tutoring website calendars.
Lessons cancelled less than 12 hours before the scheduled start time will incur a 50% charge, as will no-shows.
Student/parents will be asked to cover travel expenses/time for travel costs if lessons are to take place at the student's home or public place. It is £5 if you need me to travel up to 8 miles away, then 50p for any additional mile over that.
Group sessions (up to 3 students) can be arranged also, please enquire.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an experienced teacher, with subject specialisms in both Literacy & Numeracy. I have over 12 years experience of working in educational settings from Secondary to Higher Education. I have a PGCE teaching qualification with Qualified Teaching & Learning Status, a BA Hons degree in Social Science and a Master's degree in Multimedia & E-learning. I am a strong advocate of Lifelong Learning with a commitment to delivering high standards of teaching.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 12 years experience of teaching Literacy/English, Study Skills including research skills & academic writing skills for undergraduates and access students; Reading and Writing Skills for all ages and levels of ability, GCSE & Functional Maths and Sociology for both GCSE & A'Level. I have taught at a variety of educational establishments including York College & York St John University, as well as private training companies and individual tutoring.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a calm, patient and friendly approach to teaching and believe in the importance of individual learning styles and approaches. I am able to apply an adaptable approach to teaching, which enables learners to remain motivated whilst working towards success in their goals.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Dr. Mohammad, a Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Oxford, with a stellar academic background, holding a PhD from the University of Cambridge. With over 3500 hours of teaching experience across esteemed institutions such as King's College London, University of Cambridge, and University of Oxford, his expertise spans various academic levels - from GCSE and A-level to Undergraduate, Master's, and PhD.

In addition, Dr. Mohammad holds a Master's degree in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Sheffield, a Master's degree in Psychology (MSc) from the University of Liverpool, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (PGCert TLHE) from the University of Oxford. His educational journey commenced with a First Class BSc in Biomedical Science from King's College London, and he is currently pursuing his MB BCh BAO (Medicine) degree at Queen's University Belfast.

Dr. Mohammad has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and conference presentations in prestigious journals, covering a wide range of multidisciplinary research areas. His work spans neurosurgery, surgery, neuroscience, cell biology, neurobiology, pathology, mental health, stroke, neurology, psychiatry, and global health. His publications are highly cited by leading researchers worldwide.

In his teaching approach, Dr. Mohammad adeptly tailors his methods to cater to individual student needs, guiding them toward unlocking and realising their full academic potential.

Several noteworthy accomplishments of his former students include:

● 92 students received undergraduate Medicine offers from UK universities (including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, King's College London, University College London, Barts, Edinburgh, Exeter, etc.)

● 73 students received undergraduate Oxford and Cambridge offers, including Natural Sciences, Biochemistry, Psychology, Human Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, etc. (excluding Medicine)

● 16 students received undergraduate offers from Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, MIT, UC Berkeley, NYU, Chicago, Toronto, etc.

● 6 students received undergraduate Medicine offers from the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, and National University of Singapore

● 21 students received Master's offers from Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, King's College London, Edinburgh, University College Dublin, etc.

● 14 students received PhD offers with scholarships from Oxford, Cambridge, Cardiff, King's College London, UCL, St Andrew's, Bristol, Southampton, etc.

● 27 students received the Gold Medal in the British Biology Olympiad (BBO)

● 3 students received 1st place in the National Brain Bee

● 32 students received offers from top highly competitive UK independent schools and top grammar schools, including Wycombe Abbey, St Pauls Girls, Ardingly College, Brighton College, Magdalene College School Oxford, North London Collegiate School (NLCS), Westminster School, King's College School Wimbledon, Queen Elizabeth's School (QE), Dulwich College, Wellington College, etc.

Teaching Experience:
●+3500 Hours of Teaching and Tutoring Experience in London, Cambridge and Oxford (GCSE, A-Level, Undergraduate, Master and PhD)

● Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, Natural Sciences, Anatomy, Physiology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Immunology, Chemistry and Cell Biology tutor

● University (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) Admission Mentor

● University of Oxford Physiology and Anatomy Lecturer

● Laboratory Demonstrator and Supervisor for Natural Sciences Tripos University of Cambridge

● Member of Lincoln College and Merton College University of Oxford Senior Common Room

● Postdoctoral Scientist in Cancer Biology and Pathology, University of Oxford

● UCAT, BMAT, and ESAT preparation tutor

● Editorial Board Member for PLOS, Frontiers and Springer Nature scientific journals

● International Biology Olympiad, British Biology Olympiad, Intermediate Biology Olympiad, and Brain Bee Mentor

● Scientific article publication and international conference presentation mentor

● OSCE mentor for medical students

Tutoring Approach:
A holistic and comprehensive approach characterises Dr. Mohammad's tutoring and mentoring services, seamlessly blending guidance and instruction. His methodology encompasses motivational strategies, deductive problem-solving techniques, and a specialised 'Pyramid Technique' for tackling questions.

Emphasising the crucial skills of time and stress management, Dr. Mohammad excels in preparing students for examinations through question-based strategies, including the use of mock exams. His expertise extends to diverse aspects of academic writing, covering essay composition, coursework development, dissertation support, proofreading, and adept referencing. This proficiency applies to both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

In the realm of natural sciences, Dr. Mohammad offers analytical insights across disciplines such as anatomy, biology, neuroscience, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, organic and inorganic chemistry, immunology, molecular and cell biology, genetics, molecular genetics, and developmental biology. Additionally, he provides specialized preparation for the BMAT and UCAT exams.

Navigating the complexities of the UCAS application process, Dr. Mohammad offers tailored support for OXBRIDGE applications, including mock interviews to enhance preparedness. His guidance extends to interview preparation for Undergraduate, Masters, and PhD admissions.

For those seeking assistance with dissertations, essays, and coursework at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, Dr. Mohammad's expertise ensures comprehensive support.

Dr. Mohammad also offers specialised courses to help students publish scientific articles and present at international conferences.

***Notably, the first session with Dr. Mohammad is fully refundable if satisfaction is not achieved, underscoring his commitment to the success and contentment of his students.***

Credentials:

Dr. Mohammad, PhD, MPH, MSc, PGCert TLHE, BSc (Hons) | MB BCh BAO (c)

Subjects

Personal Description:
When I was a boy I was taught by people who were larger-than-life characters who dominated the classroom. They made clear to us boys what was expected of us and that if we didn't make the effort we would simply not achieve the rewards.

As a teacher, I share the same ethos. I expect pupils to follow my lead and work to the best of their ability.

I spend a lot of time reading and thinking.

I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said that 2% of people think, 3% think they think and 95% would rather die than do any thinking at all!

Sadly, I think that over the last thirty years dumbing down and inflated grades have shown how accurate Shaw's assessment was.

I see my role as one of reversing the tide of apathy and mediocrity and encouraging pupils to value themselves as individuals each with unique potential.

I finally achieved my educational potential because I came to see intellectual growth as the only sure path to happiness and fulfilment.

Helping pupils reach the same understanding about their full intellectual potential is my vocation and the foundation on which I build all my one-to-one tuition relationships.

Teaching Experience:
After teaching in the UK Primary and Secondary sectors as well as managing English and History departments in three international schools overseas, I now devote my time exclusively to private tuition.

My experience includes 12 years teaching English and History to GCSE and A level in the UK secondary system and eight years teaching the same subjects to the same levels in international schools in Italy, Egypt and Kenya.

During this time I have always had a number of students on my books for home tuition to provide extra help in Primary, Secondary and University level subjects.

My English GCSE students last year all achieved A-C grades and my A level History student achieved an A (predicted C after Year 12) and is now at university. In previous years, my A level History students have never achieved less than a C and in 2014, I had a student who reached A* and is now studying the subject at Exeter University.

Tutoring Approach:
My experience has led me to believe that one-to-one tuition is the best way to educate pupils. It brings them to the realisation that the whole point of education really is to set us free. It's not easy for a student to discover this when confined every day in a class of 30 or more others! Learning to think independently as an individual, and to read and write fluently enables pupils to participate fully in society, to achieve their full potential and thereby become happy, confident adults. Once the student is enthused and inspired by a tutor to think for themselves there is only one way forward.

I like to encourage pupils to develop independent thinking and logical analysis. Too many schools are teaching the children WHAT to think when they should be teaching them HOW to think. Naturally, many pupils become disengaged and even some of the most talented are simply going through the motions rather than actually studying. This lack of motivation together with highly inflated grades means that many of our youngsters are leaving school with minimal reading and writing skills. Indeed, few now have the aptitude for doing much reading, thinking or writing at all.

I like to build up the student's confidence by establishing their strengths first. Thereafter I identify weaknesses and gauge the student's awareness of them and motivation to put them right. Above all, I encourage my students to read widely and with full concentration. My best students learn to read closely and publish their reviews on Amazon. Aside from the huge adrenaline run, the boost in confidence and proficiency students get from seeing their writing in print is awesome to behold!

To put it simply, when they're reading they start succeeding!

Homework set weekly by me will always involve reading, thinking and writing. My feedback will always concentrate on reinforcing the idea that the writing process never ends with the last full stop. I expect students to read back their work to ensure that their writing communicates their meaning clearly and fluently. Editing with the focus on making the right word choices, organising sentences with the words in the right order and structuring longer writing assignments into coherent paragraphs are all priorities schools are increasingly neglecting thereby greatly hindering the life chances of their pupils..

Once the student and I have agreed which areas need improvement we use lesson time to extend the student's competence and skills by undertaking thinking and written assignments that allow the student to develop these.

Weekly homework set will advance and reinforce the skills the student has been encouraged to bring to the lesson.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I studied architecture then moved into the world of film and commercials as a set designer,training at the BBC and moving into the freelance world working on Films and Commercials (Production Design,Art Direction and Set Dressing).Drawing skills have always been central to my varied art and design career .
In film I collaborated with a variety of creatives including directors ,lighting,costume,makeup,special effects designers,which was enriching and inspirational.Then I began to paint for other designers on their projects and my artwork became a larger part of my work.
Now I work mainly from my studio in Wimbledon on commissions (including painting ) for films & interiors,portrait commissions and my own personal projects in between tutoring.Drawing,painting,photoshop,collage,photography and model making are used in many of my projects.My work has been exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery,The Mall Galleries with The Royal Society of Portrait Painters and Aubergine Gallery.I exhibit twice a year at the Wimbledon Art Fair and had a painting in the BP Awards 2016 at The National Portrait Gallery,London,then in Lincoln and finally to The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh until the end of March 2017.
I continue to be passionate about the visual world,creating and sharing my skills and experience, carefully designing my sessions to respond to the students requirements in an enjoyable and rewarding way.

Teaching Experience:
In recent years I found people came to my studio for advice and inspiration. I was then invited to be a visiting artist at a school in Kingston and began taking workshops for groups of varying age groups and abilities.
I have designed and run workshops for 'Gifted and Talented Children' and have recently been invited to devise workshops for the V&A.Recently I devised and supervised a project for a final year textile design student at Manchester University to work on a project with a working designer .The students I work with at the moment age from 6 years to adults. From Scholarship Applications to students needing help with university projects to professionals requiring assistance with projects.
My City & Guilds course for Delivering Learning enabled me to carefully design the projects to suit the students and their individual requirements.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a great believer in the unique value of creative skills to build confidence and enrich our lives in so many ways.
My sessions are carefully considered and devised to encourage my students to develop their talents and make it an inspirational and enjoyable experience.One-to-one Tutorials are a great opportunity to work on your own skills to enable you to produce that art & design portfolio,better pieces for your GCSE course work ,for the practising artist or designer to inspire innovative ideas & concepts,alongside the exploration of materials,process and techniques,or for anyone with a desire to enrich their life creating art!

Subjects

Personal Description:
Law essay and dissertation writing support. I am a University of Cambridge law tutor who can help you write a first class grade law dissertation or essay. I have over 8 years of experience in legal practice and teaching law at undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive level. I was a law lecturer at the University of Reading and have learnt the best teaching techniques. I have completed over 300 hours of private law tuition and all my students successfully gained 1st class (70%) or high 2.1 grades (65 - 70%) as a minimum. I can help with law assignments, essay writing, law dissertations, and exam preparation.

Teaching Experience:
My legal career started soon after I graduated with a masters degree from the University of Cambridge in 2013. I have worked as an in-house lawyer for a successful company - International Probiotics Association. Teaching law has always been my passion and hence private tuition has been my supplementary job since June 2013. I have experience in teaching law for both students and legal professionals having worked at the University of Reading.

Tutoring Approach:
I teach all LLB and LLM subjects, including core/compulsory undergraduate subjects. I can also help to structure your law essay or dissertation and proofread it. I can also help with Cambridge and Oxford admissions interviews and A-level Law exam preparation.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a native Arabic speaker, very passionate and knowledgeable Arabic teacher.
Teaching on a part-time basis at the moment.
Academically, I have two master degrees; one in conflict, governance and development at university of York in UK., and the second is an executive MBA from Dauphine University, France in cooperation with HIBA in Syrian and Saint Joseph in Lebanon. Further, my BA was in English Language and Literature.
Professionally, I'm a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) with 20 years experience in development sectors within public, private and international organizations in various countries.
I worked for more than 4 years with the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Office in policy and delivering projects.

Teaching Experience:
I have more than 11 years experience delivering lessons focused on the interests and needs of student/ clients.
Knowledgeable of standard instruction principles, modern tools for teaching Arabic to Non-Arabic speakers (English, Turkish, Indians, Italians and Germans).
This experience has equipped me by fully require qualifications from planning the course, teaching theories and methods to communication.
Ability to handle both administrative and teaching duties with a high degree of professionalism.). Besides to solid English-to-Arabic translation abilities.

Tutoring Approach:
My approaches are SMART and holistic in nature, and take in my account the culture sensitivity for each student. I am friendly and responsive, authoritative vs. authoritarian. My teaching style is more customized to meet the defined objectives. Sometime could be formal or informal, especially for students under 18 years.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Being fundamentally committed to good practise and innovation, I am always engaged in continuous learning in order to broaden my knowledge. Completing my Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages with Greek as my native language I know the needs of a student who embarks on this journey of learning a foreign language.

Teaching Experience:
Having 12 years teaching experience both in Greece and in England in different settings (language schools, summer school, primary schools, secondary schools and colleges) I am fully aware of the different methodologies that are to be used with different students. I am an experienced, enthusiastic and focused English and Greek teacher committed to safeguarding and promoting the education and well-being of children and young people. The past 5 years my experience in the British schools as a supply teacher and a permanent TA in a Primary School have equipped me with the necessary skills to apply my knowledge in different contexts. Also, the past 3 years I have been teaching Academic English at Nottingham Trent International College and Nottingham University. My permanent job is English tutor at Derby Adult Learning Service.

Tutoring Approach:
Every lesson is personalised and carefully planned as the student's needs are taken into consideration. Different methods are utilised during the lesson with various activities making it interesting to each individual student.

Subjects

Personal Description:
My passion for Art, Crafts and Design has been of paramount importance to me and sharing my knowledge and skills to all learners in these subjects.I have been drawing, painting and designing for over 40 years. I qualified as a Printed Textile Designer from Polytechnic of East London, on the BA Hons in Combined Studies Course.

From this I gained a valuable insight into the fashion and textiles industry, working with design studios. My love for creating designs continued on to the Masters Degree course at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where I worked for Terence Conan Design Studios.

I developed an excellent rapport with artists and designers in the industry and decide, after several years of working for top high Street retailers as a fashion and textile designer, to build my own company up whilst teaching in Further Education. I became Head of the Fashion and Textiles Course in a top London college. Here all my students on the BTEC Diploma Level 3 and Level 4 courses gained work placements with Vivienne Westwood, Zandra Rhodes and many more. Many entered into their first choice Universities with my knowledge of putting their portfolios together and teaching life drawings to accompany their portfolios.

After having taught Fashion, Textiles and Art and Design for many years, I decided to challenge my other passion in Fitness. With my qualifications as Tutor and Assessor, I began delivering gym and personsal training courses to 16 to 18 year olds and 19 plus learners.

Currently, I am delivering mixed-media techniques to all age groups and organisations. I love what I do and love seeing my participants flourish.

Teaching Experience:
Art
Adults/Sixth Form/FE Colleges/Universities - one to one tutoring, group workshops.Portfolio preparation, drawing, painting, photography, sketchbook work

Design
Textiles, fashion design, illustration, visual communications, printmaking, art therapy with the use of colours

Crafts
3D construction with mixed media, tile design, ceramics, mosaics, jewellery design

Tutoring Approach:
Art,Design, Crafts...

All lessons will involve practical sessions, to include drawing techniques, perspective and visual skills, along with demonstrations handouts with overviews of the lesson and some homework for the next class (eg. Recording visual drawings, research and ideas in a sketchbook with specific tasks. Annotations will also be encouraged in sketchbook work.

Depending on age groups and examining boards, we will focus on how to achieve best results to prepare for exam situations, as well as for portfolio preparations and interviews.

Materials will be provided by the learner, however, I will be able to suggest what to purchase, and bring materials to experiement with if they are not readily available.

Most importantly, lessons will be tailored to your child's or your personal needs. Suggested visits to certain museums, events will be beneficial and discussed during the lessons, when appropriate. Contextual Studies will be looked at initially to have a better understanding of the subject or project devised.

Tutorial sessions will involve realistic scenarios, workbooks and guidance to achieve the level required to pass any exam or tests.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Background:
• BA (hons) Fine Art,
• Master of Fine Art Photography
• Photography teacher with 20 + years experience.

Enhanced DBS (on update service)


Please contact me if you are struggling to access tutoring financially as I may be able to offer discounts.

Please Note: Any tutoring must be booked within 3 months of request

Teaching Experience:
Experience in Levels:
• GCSE, AS, A2, City & Guilds
• Outreach, youth work, Access (to degree)
• BA photography.
• MA / MFA photography

Subjects Offered:
• Digital photography
• Analogue film photography and alternative processes.
• Art and design
• Reading and writing

Key Skills:
• Adult Mental Health Aware (MHFA England)
• Safeguarding Essentials (CYLiX)
• Emergency First Aid in the Workplace (St. Johns' Ambulance)
• Adobe Suite
• Microsoft Office Suite


Work Place Experience:
• Tutor / technical instructor BA/MFA - University for creative arts (UCA Farnham)
• Photography teacher - The Royal School, Haslemere, Surrey.
• Photography teacher / outreach placements - Alton College, Alton, Hampshire
• Facilitator art-based workshops - community hubs in Surrey and Hampshire
• Outreach Youth Hubs - Hampshire Youth Service

Tutoring Approach:
With a strong foundation in teaching, creative practice, and hands-on support roles, I offer a compassionate, adaptable, and proactive approach to education.
I've worked across a wide range of settings, from secondary and further education to 1:1 tution, SEND, hub-based art and craft sessions developing excellent communication skills, emotional resilience, and the ability to manage complex responsibilities with empathy and professionalism.
Learning should be fun and relaxed, and as such my approach is very practice based.

Subjects

Personal Description:
A very warm hello!

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August 2024:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading

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

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

Writing

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

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

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

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

Why study English?

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

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have been teaching for 14 years, specialising in Art and Craft at GCSE and A level. I have a PhD in Art Education and a first class honors in Fine Art. I have worked for AQA exam board for several years and Eduqas/WJEC Exam board so I understand the mark scheme very well for all arts courses and this helps me to get excellent results for my learners. I also have an MA in Creativity for the professions. I have studied sculpture, collage, printmaking, painting, mixed media, drawing, life drawing, textiles, art history, photography and critical thinking. I am a very personable, friendly and encouraging person. I love supporting students and helping them to reach their potential.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching for nearly 14 years, specialising in Art and Craft at GCSE and A level. I have a PhD in Art Education and a first class honors in Fine Art. I have taught in the UK, the Congo, France and Tuscany.

I have had several 1-1 tuttees. I have also delivered art workshops for primary school children and adults, as well as teenagers.

I teach an adult art class weekly and lots of one off art and craft workshops for a range of ages.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a very personable, friendly and encouraging person. I love supporting students and helping them to reach their potential. I am a good listener and a creative thinker. I am always able to offer suggestions to benefit students marks in a friendly way. I always see the best in my tuttees and encourage them to enhance their grades by clear guidance.

I offer practical support with demonstrations of techniques.

I ask my students what it is they would like to learn and continually adjust my teaching style to meet their needs.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi everyone!

My name is Ceri (pronounced Kerry) and I'm a British teacher with 15+ years of teaching/tutoring/examiner experience.

My main specialism is supporting A Level students with Psychology, specifically exam preparation/research methods support for the following exam boards: AQA, Cambridge, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC.

I hold a BSc honors in Social Sciences, a Master's in Psychology, a PGCE in Social Sciences and a 220 hour TESOL certificate.

In addition to supporting students with Psychology, I can also support with other Social Sciences, Health and Social Care and English as a Foreign Language courses.

I have a consistent track record of supporting students with a 100% pass rate of A*- B (or equivalent). I am patient and sensitive to learning barriers so get in touch and we can reach your goals together!

Teaching Experience:
8+ years experience teaching A Level Psychology in schools and colleges/tutoring (specialising in exam preparation/research methods).

8+ years experience teaching A Level and BTEC Level 1/2/3 Health and Social Care in schools and colleges.

7+ years experience as a Personal Tutor responsible for Study Skills and UCAS applications in schools and colleges.

4+ years experience as an Online English Language tutor for EAL students (Business English specialism - Adults (A2-C1)/Children age 4-18 (pre-entry to level 6)

Tutoring Approach:
I have a flexible tutoring style and always put my students first by designing sessions that meet their needs and learning style.

I always offer a free/optional "get to know each other session" before we start our paid sessions.

In this session students can tell me their goals, strengths, weaknesses and types of activities they like so that I can adapt to ensure they get the results they want!

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an enthusiastic tutor in English, EFL and SEN. I am passionate about progressing individuals to achieve and exceed their educational expectations. I ensure my learners feel confident, motivated and inspired.

My love of languages has motivated me to learn Spanish and I am hoping this will let me access conversations when holidaying in Spain in the future.

I am a fluent Welsh speaker, having had a bilingual upbringing and education. In turn, this has given me a genuine interest in cultural aspects, not least in my love of poetry. I compose poetry in both English and Welsh and have performed at local poetry events. My poetry is in English schools in the North West, as part of the National Curriculum in Literacy.

My interests include: walking with family and our dogs; playing guitar; singing and volunteering at an Adult Day Care Facility.

Being a mother to a child with Autism and learning disabilities, my caring role; at times somewhat challenging and tiring, has afforded me a unique life experience of reward and enrichment.

Teaching Experience:
With over 20 years' experience in Education as a Literacy Intervention teacher, assessor and homeschool tutor in English and EFL, I can progress children and adults on their learning journey.

Within the Primary sector, I teach children from Year 1 through to Year 6 and am knowledgeable and skilled in all areas of the National Curriculum in Literacy:

Reading and Comprehension
Writing and handwriting
Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Phonics (Year 1 Screening Test)
SATs (Year 6 SATs practice)
Speech and Language (Makaton, PECs)

Within the EFL sector, I have homeschooled and taught students in Further Education, from overseas e.g. Hungary, India, Nigeria, Japan, Italy, Germany and Russia. I am currently teaching a child online in Shanghai, China.

Additionally, as a fluent Welsh speaker, I can teach Welsh up to Intermediate Level and am currently teaching adults and children online.

I can and do teach individuals with Special Efucational Needs (Autism, ASD, ADHD) and learning challenges such as dyslexia and Irlen's Syndrome.

Tutoring Approach:
My online tutorials offer a bespoke service, tailored to the learner's needs and interests. My lessons are always fun and engaging! I use a range of resources to link to the individual's learning style - we all access and process information in different ways and there is no such thing as 'best-fit'.

I can teach students individually or within groups of up to four.

I have a drive and a passion to teach and support children and adults to attain their learning goals whilst impacting positively on their personal, social and health education.

Send me a message for a free online taster session.

Many thanks.

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Personal Description:
Expert Tutor | Mentor | Academic Coach.

I am a professional private tutor with years of experience and a demonstrably successful record with my tutees. A former Teaching Fellow at King's College London, I have degrees from the universities of London, Jerusalem and Cambridge. Author of 'Israel and the Cold War: Diplomacy, Strategy and the Policy of the Periphery at the United Nations' (I.B.Tauris, 2013), I have reviewed for the Royal Institute of International Affairs and have written for several academic journals and newspapers. I was the first recipient of the Mikardo scholarship awarded by the British Foreign Office, and, whilst at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was awarded a Golda Meir Fellowship. Whilst at Cambridge, I won a Donner prize in Atlantic Studies for an essay on the role of the United States in the Falklands War. In addition to the subjects listed below, I tutor in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies, and am happy to consider all enquiries within my general areas of interest and experience. I am also available for dissertation consultation, proofreading, and help in exam and essay writing. As of 2025, my students have won places to, inter alia, Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL, KCL, Birmingham, York, Sheffield, Nottingham, Sussex, and Oundle. For peace of mind, I have an enhanced DBS check and am subscribed to the annual update service.

Teaching Experience:
In addition to over a decade of experience as a private tutor, as a Teaching Fellow at King's College London, I taught MA courses on the Arab-Israeli conflict, US and British Foreign Policy, War and Peace in the Middle East, and Inter-Faith Relations. A fluent Hebrew speaker, I was Peer Tutor in Hebrew at University College London, where I was awarded the departmental prize for excellence in the Hebrew language.

Tutoring Approach:
My sessions are interactive, confidence-building, and results-driven - blending academic rigour with tailored coaching to help you think critically, write clearly, and perform under pressure. In addition to tuition throughout the academic year, I offer intensive tuition during school and university holidays, which both tutees and parents find particularly useful for preparation, consolidation of knowledge and, if need be, to get a student back on track.

Services include:
Dissertation & essay consultation
Exam strategy & past paper practice
Personal goal planning

Enhanced DBS | Proven Track Record

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