Criccieth Tutors and Criccieth Tuition

Personal Description:
i am an easygoing and articulate person. i am well educated with a degree in journalism. i like volunteering and help people. i have a level 3 certificate in interpreting. french is my first language. i am a mother of three.originally from the democratic republic of congo .i came 4 years ago in the united kingdom to seek asylum, and i am now settled here. i like reading, cinema and political discussion and also intellectual game. i sat up a community group for african women . the group provides information, advice and training to african women. and since i am in uk i have done lot of volunteer works from admnistration to translating and interpreting.

Teaching Experience:
i have a little experience in teaching. altgouht i have a diploma in teaching .the only time i taught was during my work experience

Tutoring Approach:
a good tutor has a very good knowledge of the subject as well as qualifications. he has to be capable to deliver the subject in an understable and simpliest way for that a good communication skills is needed. in the same time he has to be responsive to his students demands and needs. tutoring means also to give attention to each student and try to help them when they are facing some difficulties . a tutor has to up date his subject to meet the standard

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Personal Description:
I am Argentinian from Buenos Aires and have been living in the UK for 16 years. I have a good level of experience teaching a range of age groups and in different settings, as well as a good command of both languages.

Teaching Experience:
I have a first certificate of in English qualification from the Cambridge Board as well as a secondary school diploma in education. I have taught Spanish at the Korean Institute for two years, with students ranging from 5 year olds up to adults. I spent three years teaching Graphic Design, Aesthetics and Art History to students aged 18 and older at the University of Buenos Aires, and also offered tutoring in English classes to adults, as well as English conversation classes.

I have an MA in Art History from Birkbeck University and did several courses on painting and illustration. I've been a practising artist for 15 years.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a wide experience, having taught individuals and groups, provided structured lessons as well as less formal conversation classes and used these skills across a range of age groups.

I am an enthusiastic, hard-working person and passionate about the importance of learning different languages. I see this as the best way of extending people's worlds and ideas.

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Personal Description:
I am a Japanese national who has completed eight Japanese language beginners courses (10 weeks each) as a language instructor at colleges based in Liverpool and Manchester. In a formal course review exercise, I received excellent ratings from my college students with respect to the various teaching components of the course.

I am adept at recognising how best to target my teaching approach, particularly with respect to students who have little or no knowledge of the Japanese language using my fluency in verbal and written English and Japanese.

My teaching experience includes 18 months as a language instructor to college students in Japan, in one-to-one, and group teaching as an employee at a language school. In addition, I was employed in the Japan university sector as a translator of English to Japanese and vice versa, and as a business translator involving UK and Japanese companies. I therefore have language teaching experience acquired over several years in various settings.

My doctoral degree is sociology-based supporting the teacher-student interaction for making solid progress in learning.

Teaching Experience:
100 weeks in beginners Japanese at language colleges in Liverpool and Manchester
12 months providing English language instruction to college students in Japan
18 months English-Japanese language translator at a Japanese University
12 months in organising and translating and interpreting for two Japanese cultural exchange trips
Over 10 years in translating and interpreting various Japanese/UK business people
Online tutoring for 4 years both in groups and individuals. Full HD video camera/microphone and Zoom/Skype.
UK-Japanese business language interpreter and translator
Multiple students taught in private sessions from a wide background that includes, teachers, business professionals, university and college students, and other backgrounds.

Tutoring Approach:
I can provide personal tutoring and group tutoring as required in a large classroom specially set-up for teaching with an approachable and friendly style to engage students in fully comprehending an unfamiliar language. Tuition is provided in verbal and written Japanese using language props as an aid to understanding, with textbooks and specialist Hiragana teaching materials. I have excellent whiteboard writing skills and I am comfortable at teaching in both formal and less formal surroundings. Tuition can be arranged on a regular or irregular timetable according to the needs of the particular student(s).

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Personal Description:
I am a Dr. in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) and a chartered Engineer. I have lectured at University levels on Science and Engineering subjects. I have extensive knowledge including the patience, empathy and tenacity to delivering an outstanding knowledge transfer process for my students to assimilate and understand their respective subjects. I have tutored students at all levels including GCSE, A level, and University level and they have passed excellently well with remarkable outstanding results. I am an enthusiastic individual with excellent communication skills in teaching and always do my best to help my students come out in flying colours,

Teaching Experience:
I have tutored students in different subject areas and they have been successful in their subsequent examinations. I have also lectured at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle. My experience in lecturing and tutoring has enabled me to be efficient and consistent in delivering good and standard explanation in different subject areas.

Tutoring Approach:
I ask my students of any problem areas and i start my lessons from there. I teach them the fundamental basics of the subject to help them understand the easy approach to learning and being successful in the subject area.

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Personal Description:
Equipped with an ACCA and ACA - Kaplan Financial London & BSc in Accounting and Finance, I consider myself a problem solver which has given me an edge over others and has made me confident. Possessing strong working knowledge of real world accountancy & finance has conceptually made me very clear with the subjects of listed professional bodies.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching different types of students on different levels since 2008 and my fundamental objective is to get them through decently.

Post exam qualified experience has enabled me to evaluate students' understanding on particular subjects and then deciding the level of approach.

My students come from different walks of life.
From Domestic to International, Privately funded/State funded, Students include from top 10 accountancy firms: PWC, KPMG, EY, Grant Thornton etc...

University students covered from the following institutions:

UCL
LSE
Kings College
Queen Mary
Warwick

Tutoring Approach:
Students who are novices would be given attention from the basics & those who are familiar with the concepts and need a little push, would be moved directly on to past exam papers and examination kit.

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Personal Description:
Hola! Eleven years as a Spanish Tutor and actually working for five years as an A-Level Spanish Support Teacher and academic tutor at one of the most prestigious and exciting schools in UK. I am approachable with a good sense of humour. Always positive and love playing golf whenever I have spare time.

Teaching Experience:
I have eleven years experience as a Spanish private tutor and actually working sice 2019 as an A-Level support Spanish teacher and an Academic Tutor at one of the most prestigious and exciting Schools in England.
Spanish GCSE students when they "upgrade" to A level Spanish they do not realise how big is the step. From " I have 1 father, 1 mother and 2 brothers" to "Why do I have 2 parents and why am I only child or have 2 brothers".

Tutoring Approach:
I am able to break down complex concepts and instructions into smaller, more manageable steps. I am supportive and able to motivate and encourage the students throughout their studies.

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Personal Description:
With over 90 dissertations completed with a specialist in Qualitative Research (Critical Discourse Analysis, Grounded Theory, Thematic Analysis, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Heuristic and Relational Analysis) all achieving 2/1's and above I can offer complete support.

I also provide essay support for students, teaching content style, how to research, reference and build an argument to achieve a good 2/1 with quick results or for the student who wants to learn about critical analysis and logic a more comprehensive support to gain a 1st.

I also provide exam preparation and support for those who have anxiety and need to prepare well ahead for the examination. As a trained therapist I adopt a person centred style to achieve results.

Teaching Experience:
My teaching experience is extensive, having taught at Kings on the Medical Course for a number of years, Birkbeck and SOAS as well as South Bank University. Currently I teach on the Masters Course and have supervised numerous dissertations to a high level. My expertise is in qualitative methods where I did one of the first phenomenological Doctorates looking at the lives of male substance users, whilst working with them therapeutically.

I currently work with students to do qualitative dissertations ranging from Kings, UCL, LSE, Goldsmiths, Queen Mary's and City Universities. I can work all the way up to Doctorate level and have worked with four counselling psychology students, two criminology, one Sociology and a Psychology student. At Masters level I have worked with law students, nurses, Social Workers and Sociology students.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is drawn from Bruner, Vygotsky and Rogers, based upon scaffolding the student to build their confidence and expertise so they begin to develop their own expertise. Within an exam for example students require a deep knowledge of understanding of what is required and therefore need support to be able to do this. Essay writing requires a different set of skills, such as being able to research a topic and move to building an argument. For many students this requires considerable scaffolding at first.

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Personal Description:
Привет! Hello! My name is Nailia. I am a native Russian speaker as well as a passionate language tutor. Since 2009, I have been teaching English, French and Russian to students of all ages (0+) and abilities. As part of tutoring, I successfully prepared candidates for Russian State exam in English. More recently in 2016, I have been working as a French teacher in one of the top 5 schools in Moscow. Learning Russian might be challenging as the pronunciation is different and reading Cyrillic takes time to get used to, yet it opens a whole new world to you and I can't wait to help you explore it!

Teaching Experience:
Having gained 13 years of teaching experience, I am able to adapt and be flexible to students with different abilities providing them with material most suited to their level. I am able to accommodate different needs from helping pupils study for specific exams to educating children whose parents wish for them to become familiar with languages at an early stage as well as adults who simply want to explore a new language!

Tutoring Approach:
The first lesson is vital for understanding the student's needs and determine their ability. This is normally done by tests, speaking or engaging games - depending on age. Afterwards, I like to go straight into the teaching process bearing in mind the student's and parent's request. I use different course books throughout the lesson.

Depending on the language level, I may suggest reading, watching films or listening to music to get the grips with understanding the language as well as some grammar exercises to consolidate the knowledge. The learning is very friendly and authentic but still includes tests to obtain results wanted.

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Personal Description:
I am a freelance tutor, theatre director, producer and workshop leader based in London. Having graduated in Drama from the University of Bristol in 2012, I have been working for a range of different professional and youth theatre companies since.

As a director, I have worked on numerous plays and musicals with adults and children. I am currently director of a new musical at The BRIT School which will have a 3 week run at Southwark Playhouse this year, recently directed for Youth Music Theatre UK and am developing 2 new musicals. I am the co-founder and director of the theatre company OddFlock. I am also an Associate and Resident Director on West End productions, including the Olivier Award winning In The Heights (Kings Cross Theatre & Southwark Playhouse), the recent adaptation of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 (Menier Chocolate Factory and Curve) and American Idiot (Arts Theatre, West End).

In producing capacities, I have worked for the Battersea Arts Centre, Crow Theatre, Youth Music Theatre UK, Finborough Theatre and the Artsdepot.

Teaching Experience:
I currently am Drama teacher at Stagecoach Highgate, teaching 6-16 year olds. I have also previously taught LAMDA examinations of all grades.

As well as working with a varied range of youth theatre companies (including national company Youth Music Theatre UK and Chickenshed), leading workshops, I was also Drama Department Head of a US summer camp for three years. I also have worked on professional shows in town, which has included getting performances out of young people (aged 8+) and adults. My work directing at The BRIT School sees me developing the skills of 18-19 year olds.

The analytical skills that I have picked up and utilised in my Drama training is also directly relatable to English Literature, with knowledge of approaching and understanding varying ranges of texts.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly and approachable tutor, who will tailor lessons to each student's individual ability. I encourage individuals to develop skills that they are able to apply to future work, not just the task at hand. I value the opinion of my students and am keen to inspire them to find enjoyment from their studies.

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Personal Description:
I have been a teaching assistant for 5 years, working with a range of abilities as well as within a variety of year groups.

Teaching Experience:
I am currently working in year 6 and have experience teaching SAT's booster groups and have good knowledge of the year 6 curriculum. I can offer tuition in maths, reading comprehension, writing or spelling and grammar including practice of SAT's style questions and any other areas where the pupil may struggle. I can also offer preparation for entrance exams including maths, English (reading and writing) and also verbal reasoning.

Tutoring Approach:
I am patient, friendly and approachable as well as encouraging and willing to work through any difficulties the pupil may have by taking an individualistic approach to the pupil's learning.

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Personal Description:
I am a Dr. Working in clinical setting for last 3 years in the UK.

Teaching Experience:
Has experience of teaching medical students as well as undergraduates.

Tutoring Approach:
Friendly and cooperative .

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Personal Description:
I'm French living in England. I studied 5 years in an engineering school in France. I learned science, communication, and project management through marketing courses, management courses and a lot of personaI developpement.
I'm actually based in Reading.

To speak about my personality, I'm playing rugby since I am 9, I love drawing and I used to play guitar in France.
Since I am in England I'm working in a restaurant and I travel around the country during my days off.

I look forward to speaking to you and to share my knowledges with you.

Teaching Experience:
I have hard skills in self directed learning for I learned English in 4 years by myself and with the help of many tools of self directed lear ning. Taking me as a tutor means that after few hours you will be able to learn by yourself with real learning targets to reach and useful ressources.
I was coach of a femal team and a male team as well for 2 years in my university so I can understand how people learn according to their personalities.

Tutoring Approach:
About my approach to tutoring, I will evaluate your level during the first courses and find the right courses for you according to your difficulties.
Little by little I will give you some exercice and tools about self directed learning as well as ressources in order to improve your french when we don't have courses together.
Moreover, I will let you choose subjects you want to work in and adapt my courses, so that apprenticeship stay a pleasure for you.

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Personal Description:
I'm looking forward to taking on some new students!

I have a very strong grasp of English, as shown by my first class degree in English language and literature from Oxford University. I also work as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader, often helping writers for whom English is a foreign language. Because of my background, I am particularly good at teaching English for academic purposes, and teaching writing skills, but I will be happy to focus on whatever you want to learn.

Teaching Experience:
In 2019, I graduated from a CELTA course (Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Since then I have also taken courses in Teaching English Online, and How to Teach IELTS. In summer 2019 I taught at International House and Oxford Intensive School of English (OISE). I also started teaching freelance 1:1 in that year. In 2020 and 2021, I was employed as an Assistant Professor at Heriot-Watt University, teaching an online pre-sessional course in English for Academic Purposes. I did a similar job in 2022 at Coventry University.

Tutoring Approach:
I will ask you about your learning needs so I can plan and prepare lessons to suit you.

I particularly enjoy communicative and task-based teaching, where you learn by speaking and listening, reading and writing about things that are important to you, and you practice for real-life activities using English. I can help you gain the vocabulary, grammar, and skills you need for all this.

I can take students from all around the world. While the pandemic continues I will be teaching online only. (Otherwise, I would also teach in person, in Bristol, UK).

I teach adults (age 18 and above).

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Personal Description:
Hello, my name is George and I am a PhD student settled in Durham during term-time. I am passionate about teaching children and grown-ups of all ages in a manner that is both educational and enjoyable for the students by incorporating their hobbies and interests in their education. I have been a private tutor for a year, but I have always been eager to help people whenever in need. I have been tutoring mainly in English grammar and foreign languages such as German and Russian, but I am also interested in teaching subjects such as history, sociology, critical theory, and humanities in general. I have taken education related modules during my BA, and I also possess a Developing Your Potential certificate for education after completing a series of online courses.
In case you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. I am more than happy to teach online, especially in the given circumstances, but if this were not the case, I would be happy to drive up to 30 miles from Durham during term-time. I am available any time of the day, including weekends, unless specified otherwise.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a personal tutor for English grammar, German, and Russian for two years now. I have been teaching my students regularly once a week, and I have received positive feedback for my teaching methods, as well as my approach when helping to improve my students' language levels.
I possess a "Developing Your Potential" certificate, which I acquired after attending online courses that related to teaching. The courses included lessons on the British curriculum, as well as advice and skills on how to approach with children with disabilities such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism. These courses have helped be gain an understanding and insight in the ways I should approach students with special needs, and I see it as a very important skill as a person who supports the right for equal opportunities in education.
I also taught in classroom environments while taking modules in education during my Eramus+ exchange studies in Sweden. This has helped me gain experience working with pupils in primary schools, which also helped me familiarise myself working with more than one student as well.

Tutoring Approach:
I usually teach a student once per week, but if it is necessary, I am willing to top it up by teaching the same student twice a week even. I also offer the first lesson at half price as a an introductory lesson.
My lessons usually last an hour, but I am also happy to top it up to two hours, with a 5-10 minute break, upon request.
Any cancellations or changing of schedules should be noted within 24 hours at least.
I am also more than happy to teach more than one student at the same time within a "classroom style setting" online, given that the students are doing the same subject at a more or less equal level.
I am available every day, including weekends, and I am flexible with time as well.
At the end of every lesson, I will always give homework to students and expect them to do it until our next lesson. I am however tolerant in unforeseen circumstances, or if any other personal issue arises.
At the beginning of every lesson and after checking the homework, I shall ask short questions related to previous lessons. Thus, I expect students to learn and take notes from every I teach on their own initiative, although I will remind this every now and then.
As a tutor, I am also aware that time is very valuable for every lesson. This is why I ensure that no lesson will be wasted by teaching topics already known by the student.
Finally, I also like to make my lessons fun and entertaining, as I have always found this the best way to learn. This is why I will offer the students the freedom to choose which topics to discuss that would fit with their interests or hobbies, as well as offering them tasks that would make learning more entertaining as well as educational.

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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.'

*

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

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

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

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

Speaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading

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

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

Writing

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

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

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

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

Why study English?

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

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Personal Description:
Hi! My name is Kathryn and I am a primary school teacher and mummy to two young children. I have been teaching for 9 years and my specialism is Early Years, although I have plenty of experience across the primary age range. I am hoping to do some online tutoring on the side of my day job. I am able to work evenings, weekends and occasional weekday hours. Looking forward to hearing from you and your little ones!

Teaching Experience:
I achieved a BEd in Primary Teaching with specialism of Early Years at Chester University in 2011 and achieved Qualified Teacher Status in 2012. I have always been in a permanent job role and worked my way up to become and Early Years Leader. I am currently teaching in Year 3 and have experience across Foundation Stage, KS1 and KS2.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to build up positive working relationships with children and their families and get to know the learning styles of individual children. I then deliver my tutoring in a way that meets the needs, abilities and interests of the children. This ensures we get the most out of the time we spend together in a session and enables children to work towards their full potential.

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Personal Description:
Hi, I'm Momoka from Hokkaido, Japan. I love traveling and have been to 31 countries. I'm also interested in learning languages. I can speak English fluently, make small conversation in Khmer (Cambodian language), read French (beginner level).

Teaching Experience:
I used to teach Japanese in Cambodia for one year. I used "みんなの日本語" and taught mainly N4/N5 level.
I passed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test and am a qualified teacher.

Tutoring Approach:
My lesson is flexible. (Reading, speaking, writing, Anime language, JLPT, etc…) Just let me know your goal and how you want to learn.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Dedicated and academically accomplished tutor with over a decade of experience teaching Mathematics, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering across secondary school, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels, as well as delivering software workshops. Renowned for simplifying complex concepts, designing tailored curricula, and fostering student engagement through interactive, student-centred teaching methods. Brings practical industry insight from over five years as a Manufacturing Engineer in the automotive sector-most recently at Jaguar Land Rover-enhancing the relevance and application of engineering principles in the classroom. Passionate about inspiring learners and advancing STEM education through innovative pedagogy and real-world context.

Teaching Experience:
KEY SKILLS
• Mathematics & Physics Instruction
• Mechanical Engineering Principles
• Curriculum Design & Lesson Planning
• Concept Simplification & Visualization
• Student Engagement & Motivation
• Assessment Design & Constructive Feedback
• Software Proficiency: MS Office, Minitab, COMFAR, CATIA, Abaqus, DEFORM
Teaching Experience
• Lecturer for Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering courses, KNTU, 2016-2020
• Lecturer for Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering courses, NIT, 2014-2016
• High school lecturer in Mathematics and Physics at Secondary School, ADIB, 2013-2015

Tutoring Approach:
1- Learner-Centered Philosophy
I prioritize understanding each learner's unique needs, strengths, and goals. My approach is adaptive, aiming to build confidence and independence in the learner.

2- Diagnostic and Goal-Oriented
I begin by assessing the learner's current level and identifying gaps or areas for improvement. Together, we set clear, achievable goals to guide our sessions.

3- Interactive and Engaging Methods
I use a mix of questioning, real-world examples, and active problem-solving to keep sessions engaging. I encourage learners to think critically and ask questions.

4- Feedback and Reflection
Regular feedback is key. I provide constructive input and encourage learners to reflect on their progress, helping them take ownership of their learning journey.

5- Supportive Environment
I foster a safe and respectful space where learners feel comfortable making mistakes and learning from them. Patience and encouragement are central to my style.

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