Cranleigh Study Skills Tutors and Cranleigh Study Skills Tuition

Personal Description:
I am an academic and scholar who holds both a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) and a MLitt (Master of Literature) from The University of Glasgow, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) honours degree from The University of Paisley.

Since 2006, I have been a personal tutor in several subject areas including English, English Language, English Literature, Media Studies, Film Studies, Theatre Studies, and General Writing Skills. I have successfully taught a wide range of students off-line from pre-exam age (11+) to Standard Grade, Higher, and university level, and on-line for pre-exam level (12+), GCSE, AS level, A-Level, university level, postgraduate and the adult learners over this time.

I am the author of four academic books, several chapters in edited collections from the likes of Bloomsbury and Edinburgh University Press and scholarly journal articles. My first book 'Robert Taylor: Male Beauty, Masculinity and Stardom in Hollywood' was shortlisted for the Best Monograph of the Year at BAFTSS Awards 2020, and I have been invited as a guest speaker at events across both the UK and beyond, as well as on a range of radio stations, YouTube channels and podcasts. I was recently invited to present to a sold out audience at the BFI in Southbank, London and later to give a talk in the BFI Ruben Library. I have been requested as a guest lecturer and reader/reviewer for several monographs and journal articles, which have successfully been published. I am currently working on my fifth book and have some chapters in forthcoming edited collections.

Teaching Experience:
A well as being an experienced on-line and off-line personal tutor, I have also had several other academic jobs including:

Lecturer at Forth Valley College

Seminar tutor at The University of Glasgow

Graduate Teaching Assistant at The University of Glasgow

Top-Up Tutor at The University of Glasgow

Step Up to University Lecturer at University of West of Scotland

REACH Tutor at University of Glasgow

Proof Reader at University of Glasgow, University of the West of Scotland and Scottish Rural University College

Note Taker at University of Glasgow, University of the West of Scotland and Scottish Rural University College

Study Support Tutor at University of Glasgow, University of the West of Scotland and Scottish Rural University College

Mentor at University of the West of Scotland

Transcriber at University of the West of Scotland

Exam Scribe at University of Glasgow and Scottish Rural University College

Exam Invigilator at Scottish Rural University College

Reader/Reviewer of academic journal articles and monographs, various publishers

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that learning should be fun and in a relaxed atmosphere but at the same time academic and useful. My approach to teaching is to have the tutor and student both feel that they are getting a lot out of the experience and that the time is being well used. I will break down subjects into easily manageable blocks and make sure that my student understands the unit before moving on. I also like to vary my tutorials by having some in the form of lectures, some in the form of question and answers, some where I will give students feedback on homework they have done and suggestions to improve what they have done, etc.

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Personal Description:
I am an experienced tutor and have been tutoring for the past 20 years. I am friendly and supportive and tailor learning according to the pupil's individual needs. My specialism is 19th & 20th century history and I am especially knowledgeable about British and American history. I teach pupils essential research and study skills including effective exam techniques. I have also tutored English language at secondary and GCSE level with good results. I aim to inspire confidence in my pupils and promote enthusiasm for learning in a supportive environment.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a tutor for over 20 years. I have also helped out in primary schools on a voluntary basis and I have part completed a PGCE in Upper Primary (1999). I am have completed a PGDE at Bury College so I am qualified to teach in further and higher education.

Tutoring Approach:
I am supportive and caring and I encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. I aim to inspire confidence by teaching them essential study skills and exam techniques. I teach pupils to break down learning into manageable chunks and teach them to analyse and revise their work. I make my lessons interesting and I am warm and friendly which puts pupils at ease. I also have a good sense of humour and aim to build up a strong rapport with pupils. I ask pupils to contact me between sessions if there are any concerns and I fully update parents on their child's progress.

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Personal Description:
100% Pass rate; 95% students secure a 1st/ Distinction at university level
100% Sucess rate; Dissertation/research report writing, secure 1st/ Distinction at university level
100% Success for MPhil to PhD upgrade and PhD submissions;
95% Successful Masters and PhD proposals
100% Pass rate at A levels; 90% secured A*and/or A - placed at leading UK universities.

I am a lecturer, assessor, mentor and trainer, having vast experience of teaching business-related subjects with a reputed university in the Northwest. I also deliver consultancy and research. I offer a stimulating learning environment that encourages students to trust their own opinions while foresting confidence for students to realise their full potential.
For Businesses; I deliver, Project management, Lean and Agile Process Development and E-commerce Management Training. That includes E-commerce Business setup from startup, Training on Supply Chain and Logistics, Branding, Multichannel Selling and Building a Global e-commerce business. In recent years, a few companies, I consulted have achieved over £1m sales turnover within a first financial year.

Teaching Experience:
Teaching experience of over 7 years in Higher Education, my students achieved extensive results and success rate by 100%. I am teaching and mentoring more than 50 students per year as a personal tutor. I have supervised over 45 Masters and PhD students for Research Projects until January 2017. On an average, my students obtained 72 percent (%) marks in assessments and dissertations.

I use and offer a fully equipped classroom near Manchester city centre for group teaching.
(PC, Flat Screen TV, White Board and WiFi to deliver lessons, training and presentations, accommodate up to 15 persons)

I teach subjects to Doctorate, Masters and Bachelor's Degree students. These courses are also being offered to businesses (Businesses please contact for more details).

----Subjects----

Supply Chain & Logistics Management
Operations and Information System management
Procurement Management
Project Management
Lean and Agile Manufacturing
Strategic Management
Marketing Management
Knowledge Management
Research Methodology* (see below)
Thesis/Assignment/Report writing guidance
Research Methodology (Complete research methodology within 2 hours)
----More----
Business Management | Business Law | Business leadership | Business statistics/quantitative analysis | Banking and Investment | Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) | Doctor of Commerce (DCom) | Doctor of Management (D.M., D.Mgt) | Distance learning MBA | Ethics: Business ethics, corporate social responsibility (CSR), or corporate governance | Entrepreneurship | Executive MBA (EMBA) | International Business Management information systems | Marketing | Marketing management | Market research | Masters of Business Administration (MBA) | Operations management | Operations research | Organizational Behaviour | Organizational design | PhD in Management (PhD) | Ph.D/M.B.A (joint degree) | Research methodology | Risk management and strategy | Real estate management | Strategic Management | Supply chain management | Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) | Stock management | Inventory management | Procurement Management| Project Management | Logistics Management|

* I teach research methodology to Masters and PhD students, this include, Research Methodology Design, Data Collection, Data Analysis in SPSS and Nvivo. Data Mining, Writing Data Analysis results, Questionnaire Design, Hypothesis Testing, Parametric and Non-parametric tests.

Tutoring Approach:
I have made the immeasurable impact upon the lives of students as a lecturer, mentor and trainer. The skills and knowledge I deliver to students, substantially contribute and upgrade the student's ability to see the world critically. I aim to lend the belief in student's capacity to make positive contributions to society.


Testimonials
"Thank you for your help over the past few weeks with my remaining assignments, I now feel a lot more confident about writing essays and reports, and I am on track for a 2:1 with the results I have received recently.

I think your teaching methods are very good, particularly as from experience, other tutors tend just to write comments on your work on how to improve it, but this isn't enough if you want to really understand your work, which is particularly vital for a final year student (like me) who will be sitting exams in May.

However, by using a mixture of Skype and written feedback sessions, I have been able to not only achieve good grades but also build upon each assignment in preparation for the next.

As well as this, you have completely calmed my nerves about my work, particularly during the quality assignment that you helped me with back in January!

I would highly recommend you to anyone who may be in need of a tutor...

Thanks again!"
(Ms Liv, Dated 26/04/2014)

"He listens well and always put a positive spin on things. Before I met him I was very stressed with the amount of work, he was very reassuring which gave me a confidence boost."
(Tutee Ms M, 24/03/2013)

"he is not only a good teacher, but he was also a good friend" (Tutee: Mr M, 23/03/2012)

"I'm writing to you to thank you first for the effort that you did with me in preparing for the exam for MIS. I got 60 in the exam. So, that's why I would like to continue work with you in preparing for other exams this term."
(Tutee Ms D, 18/02/2011)

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Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified teacher with Cambridge MA, PGCE & DELTA, with 30 years' experience of teaching in a variety of contexts including general secondary school English and Drama, GCSE, A Level, IB, and tuition at university and postgraduate level, including assistance with theses and similar.
I have considerable experience of TEFL/TOEFL and a successful record in teaching Cambridge FCE, CPE, etc as well as Business English classes for non-native professionals.
I recently returned to the UK from Spain for family reasons and I am new to the York area. I'm taking time out for a while to write that elusive million-seller or sitcom! Meanwhile I am a member of SfEP and work part time as a professional proofreader and copy editor. I am very happy to help groups or individuals with their academic needs.

Teaching Experience:
15 years in all key stages of secondary school education in England.
5 years Adult Education, TEFL and private tuition in the UK.
10 years teaching a British curriculum in an international secondary school in Spain at all key stages incl. GCSE, A Level and IB.
Group and individual EFL classes for children and adults, including Business English for professionals and TOEFL in an American-affiliated college.
I have an excellent record of success in preparing students for English and Drama exams - GCSE, A Level, International Baccalaureat and beyond - as well as for Cambridge First Certificate, Advanced and Proficiency in English.
Amongst other notables, I was employed as personal tutor to the actress Rebecca Hall as a child and also to one of Tony Blair's sons!

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in a supportive approach and a friendly relationship, but without forgetting it's work: you're paying me because I can improve your (or your children's) future prospects.

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Personal Description:
I trained as an actor and have worked professionally in the creative sector as a performer, writer and director, before moving into the Arts Education sector. I offer a fun engaging delivery style that can be tailored to different age groups.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked in the arts education sector since 2009 delivering individual and group sessions of a range of cross-curricular activities. I worked as a youth theatre leader and drama teacher for the Paul Nicholas Schoo of Acting between 2009 and 2014 teaching drama and theatre-led educational activities to children aged 4-18.

Following this, I have worked with various arts education charities in Yorkshire and have delivered a variety of cross-curricular work. This includes English, Maths, RE, PHSE, Drama, and History.

I currently work as the Education Manager at a large regional theatre and am responsible for planning and delivering a programme of lessons for primary, secondary, FE and HE and SEN groups.

Tutoring Approach:
I deliver pupil-led sessions that encourage enjoyment of learning and personalised development plans. I have found this approach to deliver effective results that encourage retainment of knowledge, and give learners the chance to move at a pace that works for them. I use an array of resources that allow me to tailor sessions in a way that is most beneficial to the student's development.

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Personal Description:
- qualified ex-secondary MFL teacher (PGCE, QTS obtained), familiar with and taught Mandarin Chinese GCSE specifications (AQA and Edexcel), A Level Chinese specifications at UK secondary schools. My students have great exam results.
- Native Mandarin and Taiwanese speaker, Excellent communication skills
- Experienced Mandarin Tutor. I worked with pupils at different levels: pre-School/ KS1- 5/ FE/ HE/ adults/ retired/ business Chinese/ tourism Chinese, including those with SEN and from diverse cultural background using English as an additional language)
- Freelance translator (television programmes subtitles, between English and Mandarin Chinese)
- Freelance interpreter (legal/Immigration)
- Experienced in tailor-making and delivering one-to-one tutoring lessons
- Knowledge of traditional Chinese/Taiwanese culture, politics, history, geography, society and current pop culture. Also able to combine the above with Mandarin learning/teaching
- Patient, reliable and honest
- mentored PGCE student teachers, Early Career Teachers.
- conduct and co-lead research projects with IOE (Institute of Education, University College London), on Content and Language Integrated Learning, 2021 to date. Co-presented the research results at 2 international academic conferences in 2023.

Teaching Experience:
- Mandarin Teacher at University of Leeds (Sep 2008- May 2011), a private school in north Wales (Y7 and Y9, complete beginner group/individual and GCSE preparation, 2011), a grammar school on the Wirral (2015- 2020, Y7- Y13, including GCSE/A Level preparation), and a comprehensive state school in Liverpool (2020-2023).
- Author/proof-reader of online Mandarin course contents (targeting KS2, KS3, and GCSE learners); Online Mandarin Tutor (KS2 learners and GCSE candidates. One of my pupils was accepted by a Chinese undergraduate course as her first choice for Sep 2014 entry, because of my lessons); eLearning Specialist advising the management team regarding VLE/ LMS and providing training on online teaching for fellow teachers (all above under this bullet point: between Jun 2012- Jun 2014, employed by a private company in north Wales)
- freelance one-to-one Tutor of Mandarin, face-to-face and online
- University Lecturer in Audience Development in Taiwan
- University Lecturer in Arts Management in Taiwan
- University Lecturer in English in Taiwan
- Tutor of English (adult/primary/secondary level, face-to-face, individual and groups) in Taiwan

Tutoring Approach:
- Use real-Life scenario for examples and conversation practice
- Integrate Culture into language acquisition
- Offer Business/Leisure/Travel/Conversation Mandarin Lessons
- Offer Pin-Yin and Phonics; Simplified and Traditional Mandarin characters
- Lessons are tailor-made to suit different levels from beginners to advanced Mandarin speaker
- You can choose to get trained in Listening, Speaking, Writing or Reading skills, or a combination of these four
- Deliver lessons in English-only, Mandarin-only, or a combination of English and Mandarin
- Devise different learning methods/ activities/ content for each individual learner to suit their own confidence, Mandarin abilities and learning targets/ motives.
- Encourage students to participate in their own learning process actively by creating an interactive and friendly learning environment.

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Personal Description:
My passion is to help develop confidence in young people both academically and their emotional wellbeing. As well as a qualified teacher I am an Accredited Practitioner Coach and work 1-1 with students to build confidence, self-esteem and reduce anxiety. I use these skills to support students in managing exam pressure and work load as well as helping them stay organised to reduce the overwhelm that comes with exams.

I love teaching and watching my students grow. I can create a comfortable and positive learning environment quickly so that the student feels at ease and ready to learn. My role as a teacher and a coach allows me the opportunity to inspire and empower students of all abilities to enjoy education and achieve their full potential.

Teaching Experience:
I have twenty years experience in education with outstanding success in adding value to students. I specialise in teaching Business Studies and ICT I have also ran my own business, so I can offer my students real-life examples of how businesses are run. I plan my lessons to identify gaps in knowledge and understanding. Once these gaps have been filled I move onto to building the students confidence in exam skills. I have taught all major exam boards.

Experienced in supporting students with the following courses -

Btec Business Level 2 and 3
Edexcel and AQA GCSE Business
Cambridge iGCSE in Business
Oxford AQA International GCSE
Edexcel International A Level in Business
Edexcel, AQA, Wjec and Eduqas A Level Business

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly and inspiring tutor. My philosophy is to make learning a pleasurable experience for the student. I teach with passion and authority. My friendly and approachable teaching style combines tried and tested teaching techniques and learning strategies.

I believe that education is the key to success for students of any age. As a tutor, I hope to motivate students in ascertaining their inner strength and abilities and discovering what truly inspires them. I aim to provide a stimulating learning environment that encourages students to trust their own opinions, while fostering confidence in order for students to realise their full potential.

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Personal Description:
Hello there,

Thanks for taking a look.

I have been a tutor for over 15 years. Along the way, I have learnt a lot about the role and how significant it can be. For some students, I am a mentor for their whole educational experience whilst others see me as a specialist in one area.

Alongside tutoring, I am a professional actor (hence the posey photo!) and have recently worked at the National Theatre and onscreen. Acting has deepened my ability to connect with others on a personal level, fostering empathy and understanding - qualities that I bring directly into my tutoring. I believe this helps me create a supportive, engaging, and personalised learning experience for every student.

I specialise in tutoring English Language & Literature up to GCSE and A Level, Drama, Maths and 11+ Common Entrance exams. Beyond traditional subjects, I also work as a Communications Coach, where I've helped over a hundred clients improve their Public Speaking, Interview Techniques, and Accent Clarity.

Choosing the right tutor can be challenging, and I'm more than happy to answer any questions you may have. I look forward to helping you or your child thrive!

Nick

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring for over 15 years. This has included lots of online tuition as well as face-to-face. Here is a selection of my clients:

IB English - I worked with Pietro online for over 7 years and saw him through his IB, in which he achieved grade 7 (highest grade).

A Level English Literature (AQA) - worked with Oliver (17) helping with coursework on The Great Gatsby and the poetry of Keats and Larkin. Oliver achieved an A grade.

AS Level Drama (AQA) - helped Yasmin to explore the analysis of texts of Lady Windermere's Fan and A View From The Bridge in preparation for exams, in which she achieved an A.

iGCSE English Literature / Language - I have been working online with Pietro (based in Rome). We have been working on both his school work as well as his wider approach to learning and English.

GCSE English Literature / Language - I worked with Joseph during his final year of GCSEs. Texts included Macbeth, Love & Relationships (Poetry), Jekyll and Hyde and An Inspector Calls.

11+ - I tutored Amaara through her 11+ exams on all papers (English, Maths, Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning). Amaara gained entrance (including some academic scholarships) to City of London School for Girls, Putney High, Francis Holland and JAGS.

11+ - I worked with Olivia in preparation for her Common Entrance exams on all papers (English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning) as well as interview practice. Olivia is now attending North London Collegiate School (her first choice) but I also prepared her for entrance to Highgate School for Girls, City of London School for Girls and Queen's College.

Primary Help - Worked with brothers Teddy (7) and Alfie (10) mainly on English and Maths but across all subjects generally to improve knowledge, confidence, spelling and vocabulary.

7+ I worked with Inigo on in preparation for his 7+ exams in Maths and English. Inigo is now attending Dulwich College.

7+ Currently working with Ari (5) towards his 7+ exams.

English for Foreign Learners - Helped 8 year old Augustinos (Greek) with reading and homework to improve English, as well as taking him on educational trips around London.

Voice and Elocution - Helped Law Student Amar (20) with speechmaking and projection for use in debating.

SEN - worked with Dean (20), a law student with dyslexia, upon exam preparation and practice.

Communications Coaching - I am a trained communications coach and have worked with over 100 clients one-on-one from Public Speaking, Interview Technique, Accent Clarity and Communication Techniques.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that the key to effective tutoring is strong communication. My approach is entirely student-focused: together, we'll figure out the most productive way to work and make the most of our time. While I always come prepared with a plan, I'm flexible and responsive - if something comes up, we can address it right away.

Above all, I aim to make our sessions enjoyable and something to look forward to. I ensure that lessons are practical and engaging. Even if we're tackling a subject you find daunting, I welcome the challenge of helping you discover a way to enjoy it.

If you have any questions or specific requests, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm here to help!

I am happy to give a 10% discount to online tuition.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a passionate, enthusiastic, and supportive tutor who genuinely enjoys helping students build confidence and achieve their full potential. My teaching style focuses on keeping lessons engaging, interactive, and tailored to each student's individual learning needs. I strongly believe that when students feel encouraged and understood, they are much more motivated to succeed.

As a qualified GP-based pharmacist with experience in both healthcare and education, I bring patience, empathy, and excellent communication skills into my tutoring sessions. Over the years, I have continued to develop professionally, completing postgraduate studies including my Independent Prescribing qualification and postgraduate training in Primary Care Practice. Alongside my clinical career, I remain passionate about mentoring and supporting young learners academically.

Having graduated from University College London (UCL) and completed further postgraduate studies at the University of Bath and the University of Hertfordshire, I understand the challenges students face and aim to create a positive learning environment where they feel comfortable asking questions and developing confidence in their abilities.

I was honoured to receive the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's "Pre-registration Pharmacist of the Year 2017" award, which reflects my dedication, work ethic, and commitment to excellence, qualities I also encourage in my students.

I tutor primarily from home, where I have access to a large whiteboard and a wide range of up-to-date learning resources, including materials tailored to the current GCSE 9-1 curriculum and exam-style questions. I also offer lessons online and at suitable local venues such as libraries.

My goal is not only to help students improve academically, but also to help them become more confident, independent learners who enjoy the process of learning.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 10 years of experience tutoring Maths and Science up to GCSE level, working with students from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities, including children with additional learning needs. Over the years, I have developed a patient, supportive, and adaptable teaching style that helps students feel comfortable and confident, while also encouraging focus, discipline, and academic progress. I believe creating a positive and encouraging learning environment is key to helping students reach their full potential.

As a mother, I also understand the importance of tailoring teaching styles to suit each child's individual needs and learning pace. Teaching and supporting my own children has further strengthened my patience, creativity, and ability to make learning both engaging and enjoyable.

Alongside private tutoring, I have experience working within educational settings, including teaching at an Arabic school, volunteering as a Maths assistant within the community, and supporting children within a primary school environment. I have also worked at Kumon and First Class Learning, teaching Maths and English to children of various ages and abilities. These roles helped me develop strong techniques to keep students motivated, engaged, and focused throughout lessons.

In addition to tutoring school students, I have extensive experience mentoring and supporting trainee pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists preparing for their GPhC exams and clinical practice. Through my own professional journey as a GP-based pharmacist, independent prescriber, and primary care clinician, I am able to provide practical guidance, exam support, and mentorship to pharmacy trainees navigating both the academic and clinical aspects of the profession.

My professional healthcare career has further enhanced my communication, mentoring, and interpersonal skills, allowing me to build strong rapport with students and support them in developing both confidence and independence in their learning.

Tutoring Approach:
I tend to use a variety of methods when teaching, depending on the child and their needs, focusing on their age and what their syllabus requires. I am capable to do quick summarised revision sessions, as well as long term lesson plans. Either way I ensure that the student is always given homework and stays revising. If appropriate I also do small mastery tests at the start of each lesson which consists of a five minute recap test, so the student is required to have revised the previous lesson well. Obviously if they struggle with the homework or mastery test, then the lesson plan's pace is adjusted to meet the child's level. This helps to ensure that the student masters each topic before moving on to the next.

Subjects

Personal Description:
A computer science graduate and former software engineer that got out of the 'rat-race' in 2001 to develop my own coaching business. In addition to business and personal success coaching I also run a very successful Academy teaching martial arts, self protection, and personal development to students of all ages based in my home town of Dursley in Gloucestershire.

I also teach photography, I have a distinction from the Royal Photographic Society, and spend much of my working time as a professional photographer too, focused mainly on teaching others, both individuals and group workshops.

Teaching Experience:
General:
In my former career as a software developer I was also responsible for writing technical documentation and running training courses worldwide. I'm very comfortable with planning, organising and delivering courses up to a very high standard.

Personal Success / Life Coaching

Having successfully escaped the rat-race to pursue my own goals it's fair to say I've learned a lot about personal development. I now share this experience with a number of private clients for success coaching / personal development and business coaching to help them with motivation, goals and productivity in their own careers.

I've completed a number of courses and seminars with world-class coaches such as Anthony Robbins and I am an accredited Elite Performance Coach, specialising in coaching individuals to help them achieve their maximum potential in achieving their personal, academic or career related goals.


Photography:

As a photographer I have been teaching now for more than ten years, I teach individuals from complete novices right up to those with aspirations of Royal Society distinctions. Indeed a number of my students have been awarded distinctions from the RPS. I also teach workshop sessions and presentations to groups, camera clubs / societies etc.

Martial Arts/Self Defence:

I'm a high-ranking martial arts instructor (6th degree black belt with nearly 40 years experience) and have been teaching now for around 30 years.

At my school in Dursley I have students of all ages from five years up to those in their sixties's. I teach courses and seminars to groups of all sizes. I've taught in schools, worked with police and youth groups etc. I often teach private lessons to individuals, both from my own school and those with no prior experience. It goes without saying that I have a current DBS, first aid and am fully insured. I can offer 1-1 coaching in person or online consulting to school owners, or motivation/mindset for those looking to take their training to the next level.

I have a current DBS (CRB) check and can provide references relating to all aspects of my coaching.

Tutoring Approach:
Friendly, informal and always tailored to the specific needs of the individual.

Happy to chat about your individual requirements prior to booking so please get in touch with any questions :-)

If you're looking for photography, business or personal development coaching I'm happy to chat on the phone, skype or obviously to meet in person (I do charge travelling if you're not coming to me).

Self defence coaching obviously needs to be in person, and there are minimum training requirements to ensure we can cover enough basic skills. Please note the rates listed on here are for individual one-to-one coaching only, but please get in touch if you're interested in discussing group seminars/workshops etc.

When teaching from home my minimum booking is 1h. For any booking on-site at your location I have a minimum booking of 2 hours, plus travelling charged at 50p/mile pre-agreed based on google maps.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a Clinical Psychologist with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. My doctoral research used machine learning methods and a network approach to investigate treatment outcomes in psychological therapies for eating disorders, and this work has been published in a high-impact scientific journal.

I have experience and knowledge spanning multiple areas of psychology and human biology, including scientific writing, research design and planning, inferential statistics, and applying psychological theory to real-world practice. I am passionate about data-driven approaches to researching treatment outcomes and enjoy sharing this enthusiasm with the students I tutor and mentor.

I offer tutoring in human biology up to Highers/A-Level and Psychology up to Doctoral level. Whether you need support for your child in preparing for exams, help navigating undergraduate coursework and tricky statistics, or mentorship while writing your doctoral thesis, I would be delighted to help.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring since 2014, working with students of all ages and abilities. I am particularly experienced in supporting students with specific learning difficulties and other forms of neurodivergence, adapting my teaching style and pace to suit each individual's needs.

In addition to tutoring, I am experienced in providing mentorship to undergraduate and postgraduate students. This includes developing effective study skills, supporting dissertation and thesis planning and writing, and guiding aspiring psychologists through the application and interview process for the Clinical Psychology Doctorate (DClinPsy).

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is collaborative, structured, and tailored to the individual. I believe that effective learning happens when students feel supported, understood, and appropriately challenged. I take time to understand each student's goals, strengths, and areas for development so that sessions are purposeful and aligned with their needs.

Drawing on my background in psychology, I use evidence-based learning strategies to strengthen understanding, critical thinking, and long-term retention of material. I aim not only to help students master content but also to develop their confidence, independence, and academic skills.

I adapt my teaching style and pace depending on the student, whether that means breaking down complex statistical concepts into manageable steps, refining academic writing through structured feedback, or building exam technique through guided practice. For students with specific learning difficulties or neurodivergence, I incorporate strategies that support organisation, processing, and confidence.

Ultimately, my goal is to create a supportive and motivating learning environment where students feel empowered to ask questions, think critically, and reach their full potential.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a self-confessed geek; I love reading and learning about new ideas. I love teaching as I get to pass on my passion for learning to my students.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked with young and vulnerable adults since 2009 and have watched students flourish with the right help and reassurance. I have a range of experience in delivering private tuition from level two to degree level. I teach in the State Sector which I greatly enjoy as it allows me to share my passion learning with my students. Previous to my career as a teacher, I worked as a Study Facilitator at the University of Lincoln helping students adapt to the demands of academic life. I have an excellent track record of helping students to meet and exceed their target grades.

Tutoring Approach:
My philosophy towards teaching and learning is that everyone should be given the individual encouragement and support they require to reach their full potential. This is based on experiences I have had both as a student and a tutor. I understand that each learner is unique and I tailor my tutoring style to meet each individual learners needs. I have high expectations of my learners and they make strong progress in their studies and achieve excellent results.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a positive and highly motivated Teacher, who believes in providing support for pupils to gain the key skills necessary to reach their full potential and to be successful. I am knowledgeable and passionate about Psychology, Health & Social Care and Child Care and Early Years Education courses. With my knowledge on memory I have an excellent record of supporting students with revision and exams and enabling them to go onto their GCSE, A'Level, vocational level 2, 3 or 4 courses and desired university courses. I provide high quality support for students with coursework on vocational courses in order for them to achieve their potential and to go on and be successful in their chosen careers.

Teaching Experience:
Psychology Teacher AQA GCSE & A Level also OCR, ED EXCEL
Health and Social Care level 2 & 3, GCSE & A Level (vocational and academic)
Psychology Units on Foundation to Higher Education courses
Child Care levels 2 & 3 GCSE and Vocational level 3
Child Development and Early Years Education Level 3 with practicing knowledge of applications of outdoor learning
ACCESS to HE / Nursing/ Midwifery

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring for exams is to focus specificly on the paper that the student is sitting. The content, how to answer exam questions, memory techniques, revision tips, taking into account all learner styles.


I love Psychology, Health & Social Care and Childcare and Education and really enjoy teaching these subjects so my enthusiasm motivates my students. I typically teach within schools but tutor one to one and also small groups either face to face or electronically. My teaching methodology tends to focus upon the needs of the student/s but would always begin with gaining an understanding of the students current knowledge and any gaps in learning. This ensures they are completely up to date on their understanding of the subject. I work in line with the current specification of what the student is learning and revising for or creating coursework for. I set work for students each session to complete for the following session and give them feedback to ensure they are progressing each time. This is measurable and graded. I also look at tasks they have been set by their school/college and support them with planning so they fully understand the requirements that are needed to gain the best grades they can achieve. I ensure I am available throughout the week with some online support via email and can be contacted via skype also at an additional cost.

Study skills tutoring: I provide this as an agreed package where I am your child's 'exam buddy' for a period of time. This involves me supporting your child through a stressful time in their lives. I help them to plan their time and create revision timetables, plans, resources and so on. I would check in with them on agreed days/ times via skype to see how they are doing with their studies and revision on the lead up to exams and assessments and help to support them through this. I provide this for students working towards any assessments such as 11+, GCSE's A'Levels and any other level 2 or 3 courses. This is a holistic educational support service for a fixed period. My Pug 'Tiggy' often joins in with the skype for younger students which can support them in keeping it fun and interesting and help them to stay on target. I also include anti-stress resources, stress busting techniques, basic mindfulness skills, breaking down stress barriers worksheets, tips and discussions. The study skills/ exam buddy package is charged at a rate dependent upon requirements.

I provide face to face tutoring and skype tutoring with email support throughout the agreed period.

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:
Hi!

I am a second year Cambridge Medical Student with a history of achieving strong academic results, having secured a First Class in my most recent examinations.

Over the years I have been able to hone the skills necessary to perform well in exams, targeting my responses to what examiners are looking for and I am looking forward to being able to share these essential tools to my tutees.

I enjoy playing the piano and clarinet and I am an avid runner. I also enjoy a bit of rugby from time to time!

I look forward to working with you :)

Teaching Experience:
I have over 7 years of tutoring experience with excellent results. I have seen significant improvement in the confidence and ability of my tutees to perform well under exam pressures. Many of my students have gone on to achieve A's and A*s in their public examinations - a testament to the effectiveness of my tutoring approach.

Tutoring Approach:
I am strong believer that education should be personalised to each individual. As a result I start all my tutoring sessions with understanding what you want to gain from this. Do you want to go over difficult concepts? Or would you rather have an outline of the techniques used to get those 7/8/9/A/A*. Through this I am able to tailor our sessions to ensure that you are getting the most out of our time. I often set short tasks to be completed outside of the sessions so that we are able to identify weak points and document the progress that is being made. All resources from tutoring sessions are kept in a shared notebook so you have access to them whenever you need them.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have been teaching the Humanities subjects since 2005 and specialise in History and Geography. I have taught in secondary schools, colleges and online (small groups and 1-1). I love helping students to get to grips with all the different aspects of the Humanities subjects and consider it a real bonus for my students to, not only succeed in exams, but also to learn to love the subject. I take a collaborative approach to teaching and think it is vital that the student and I work together to get the best out of the sessions. I live by the coast and spend my free time hiking and reading.

Teaching Experience:
Qualified 18 years ago.
Worked in secondary and FE as a History and Geography teacher.
Experience as a Head of department.
15 years experience as an examiner and moderator, 13 at a senior level.
Registered examiner with Edexcel, AQA, OCR and CIE

Tutoring Approach:
A personalised approach, working together to find the best path forward to success

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Salvia and I am a native English speaker with a deep committment to teaching. Languages are my special interest - I enjoy learning them as much as I enjoy teaching them! I have an enthusiastic and playful approach to teaching, with a focus on facilitating your growth and improving your confidence.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 20 years of experience teaching and tutoring in a variety of situations - in primary and secondary schools, universities, after school programs, and online. I have held many different positions with the schools and educational companies I have worked for, including head of department, senior teacher trainer, private personal tutor, and classroom teacher. I have taught all ages and ability levels. I am experienced in ESOL and well as teaching native speakers.

My students get consistently high results on their exams: GCSE, A-level, IELTS, TOEFL, and more.

I have taught and tutored several languages as well as music, although my speciality and focus nowadays is English language and literature, reading and writing skills, and helping students learn how to study effectively.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is entirely student centred. Our first session is a FREE 20 minute meeting in which I explore your linguistic needs and determine how best to support you. I will then develop a personalised, adaptable curriculum, just for you. Each student is different and has different needs and best ways of learning. I will meet you where you are and create a programme personally designed to support you in your language goals.

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Personal Description:
Hello. I am Harjot, a specialist Mathematics, Aptitude and Critical Thinking coach. I focus entirely on preparing candidates for high-stakes, timed exams where rapid calculation, spatial logic and speed strategy make the difference between passing and failing. Having personally cleared 12 elite competitive exams, served as a Government Bank Manager and worked as an engineer, I know exactly what it takes to beat the clock under intense pressure. With over 10+ years of teaching experience, I bridge the gap between abstract mathematical concepts and practical, real world execution.

Teaching Experience:
I bring a wealth of diverse academic and professional teaching experience. I have served as a University Lecturer, delivering structured, high-yield quantitative principles to advanced students. In my 10+ years of teaching experience, I have successfully guided students across multiple specific streams: standard school excellence (11+ Grammar, GCSE and A-Level Maths), Armed forces entrance filters (Royal Navy/Royal Marines DAA, RAF CBAT and Army AOSB) and high-tier professional screenings (UK Civil Service Fast Stream, UCAT reasoning subtests, Arctic Shores Assessment and corporate graduate scheme psychometric testing).

Tutoring Approach:
My approach eliminates slow, traditional, long-form formulas. Instead, I focus on equipping you with powerful non-calculator shortcuts, rapid mental arithmetic tactics, and systematic elimination frameworks. We don't just study the material-we study the exam architecture itself. Your first 30-minute trial session is entirely free. During this time, we will evaluate your baseline speed, target your specific exam board or assessment constraints and construct a personalized, step-by-step roadmap to achieve maximum marks in minimum time.

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