Ealing Tutors and Ealing Tuition

Personal Description:
Hello! My name is Maria and I am an experienced tutor with 8 years of experience in helping students of all ages excel in English and Spanish. I am fluent and CEFR certified in both languages. My personalized coaching approach allows me to quickly identify your strengths and weaknesses and provide targeted support to help you build confidence and achieve your goals. In addition to my expertise in exam preparation, I am also highly skilled at teaching conversational Spanish. With my guidance, you will be able to confidently communicate in the language in no time.

Teaching Experience:
more than 8 years teaching experience working in classrooms and online.

Tutoring Approach:
My personalized coaching approach allows me to quickly identify your strengths and weaknesses and provide targeted support to help you build confidence and achieve your goals. In addition to my expertise in exam preparation, I am also highly skilled at teaching conversational Spanish. With my guidance, you will be able to confidently communicate in the language in no time.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Head of Spanish in a top London school. I am a native speaker and a very strong linguist with a lot of experience in different countries, including International Schools. I am from Spain and I have a solid career as a teacher as well as a Leader. I have worked in teaching since 2009 in Spain, France, Singapour and United Kingdom.
I am flexible to adapt the lessons to the necessities of students to achieve the best outcomes. Differentiation is the key of success, I am also an expertise in how to play the exams to get the best possible results.
My academic record is impeccable. I have studied three degrees in one of the most prestigious and old universities in the world (Salamanca) and did my Master's degree in a Russell Group University (Bristol, UK) also,I completed an NPQML for leadership in Education. My GCSE and A Levels were predominantly A* and A.
I have been described as a hardworking, friendly, warm and enthusiastic person and teacher who gets on very well with students, therefore they do not take tuition as something tedious and boring, but an opportunity to a fresh approach to the language. I love teaching Spanish.
I have excellent references that show the happiness of students and parents also a robust record in improving students work and exams results. Please do get in touch as my availability is limited.

Teaching Experience:
I have thousands of hours ' experience under my belt tutoring Primary, KS3, GCSE, AS, A LEVEL, IGCSE and casual learners …specially in Spanish but I have a lot of experience teaching Latin, French and English as a Foreign Language too. Every experience has helped me to become proficient as a linguist. I have taught pupils from the best schools in the UK: Latymer Upper School Alleyn's Boys, JAGS, Dulwich College, City of London Girls School, UCS Hampstead, Wimbledon High School, City of London and Putney High school are just some examples.
I always had a fabulous record of excellent results in my key exam groups and all of my lessons have been graded as Outstanding by Ofsted. I am an external examiner of EDEXCEL, AQA and IGCSE Spanish (GCSE, and A LEVEL), so I know exactly how the exams are from inside, or how to prepare the students to obtain the best qualification possible. I Have turned many Ds and Cs into A and A*, this proves my ability to boosting not just results but also students' confidence.
I tailor the lessons depending on the student's neccesities and learning style, including a lot of differentiation and new challenges. My resources are authentic and specifically designed according to the students' expectations and weakeness. I know excellent exam techniques that help student to become confident on how to face the exam to be able to aim for the highest marks in GCSE and Alevel. Students who I have taught have been always extremely pleased with my services.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a Languages lover and I try to pass this on at all levels. Students often seem to lack self-confidence in their approach to languages, and this is somewhere I am able to help.
I tailor the lessons according to the student needs and teach depending of the person learning style. I have plenty of experience differentiating the content to enable students to access it. I have also experience teaching students with any special educational needs such dyslexia or any other cognitive need.
With the recent major overhaul of GCSEs and A Levels, it is a great challenge for schools to cover all the course content in class and prepare students thoroughly for the external examinations. With large class sizes and often a lack of individual speaking practice, pupils can lack confidence and not achieve their full potential in their exams or lessons in school. This overwhelm students and could stress them as they may find they have not had enough time or opportunities to prepare themselves for the Speaking Exam or writing skills.
It is, essential to review past papers and study the specific requirements for a given exam; however, this is not everything, and I believe that there are some more general principles which help across the board. For example, writing techniques, translation, and of course motivation and focusing in grammar will help to achieve the best possible outcome.
Regarding A level, I know perfectly how to help students to obtain the highest scores in their exams as I am an external examiner who marks A level exam for Edexcel and AQA.I have attended numerous workshops for films and literature, besides my knowledge obtained from my Journalism degree and Spanish schooling.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a secondary school humanities teacher from Australia. I am very passionate about making learning enjoyable and fun, engaging students in new experiences and supporting inquiry learning.

Teaching Experience:
I have experience across a variety of education settings, from home schooling to secondary schools. I have successfully supported students with physical, psychological and learning disabilities. I have taught in countries where English is the second language and developed a greater understanding of verbal and non verbal cues.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in supporting inquiry, building knowledge upon what a student already knows and facilitating students in building knowledge links with new information.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Experienced Tutor (GCSE, IB/A-level and Degree) with 3 degrees obtained with scholarships in Science and Engineering at a top European institute, currently teaching Maths & Science at MathysicsTutor Kingston.

It has been satisfying to be able to help students and career changers to lift the grades, raise the confidence and discover the joy of learning through private tuition journey.

Besides tutoring, I am a Geoscientist with more than 10 years of experience in research and operation. As a Geoscientist, I combine advanced Maths, Physics and Geology in order to discover oil and gas within the earth.

The skills and experiences that I have acquired in the energy industry have enabled me to bring to students not only the knowledge and essential skills such as creative thinking, critical thinking and problem solving in the academic context but also the experience of applying those skills to the real-world problems in the science and engineering sector.

I was a teaching assistant during my academic years. Since graduating from IFP School in 2009, I have tutored people in my social circle. Since 2016, I have tutored students and career changers at various levels and from a variety of backgrounds.

Teaching Experience:
I have experience of private tutoring GCSE, IB & A-level and University students from a variety of backgrounds with a firm knowledge of the optimal motivating and engaging approaches for each age group, with great satisfaction rate.

My private tutoring methods have enabled many pupils to successfully get into a variety of top schools listed below. I am able to assist students in boosting their confidence, reaching their full potentials and stretching their abilities whilst maintaining high academic performances.
In addition, my private tutoring style is aimed at building problem solving skills, improving accuracy and speed, providing remedial work for those struggling as well as making study interesting and engaging.

40% of my students come from referral.

I have tutored university students from Imperial College, Edinburgh, SOAS, Kingston, Leeds and City universities in Maths, Geology, GIS and research/dissertation preparation.

My GCSE & IB/A-level students have come from following schools among others:

King's College School Wimbledon
Whitgift School Croydon
Tiffin School Surbiton
Tiffin Girls Kingston
ACS Cobham
Kingston College
Kingston Grammar
Hampton School
Sutton Grammar
Esher college
Coombe School New Malden
Surbiton High school
Wimbledon High school
Lady Eleanor Holles Hampton
Box Hill School Dorking
Royal Russell School Croydon
Nonsuch High School Cheam
Grey Court School Richmond
Twyford Church of England High School Acton
Royal Grammar School Guildford
Esher High School
Ursuline High School Wimbledon
Whitgift School Croydon
Latimer school Hmmersmith
St Dominic`s Sixth Form College Harrow
Notting Hill and Ealing High School
International School of London Ealing
Moulsford Preparatory School Oxfordshire
St John's Beaumont School Windsor

Tutoring Approach:
Every student is different and that is why private tutoring approach must be tailored to each individual. Upon discussion with students and their parents, I offer a customised SMART tuition plan: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

Core part of my private tutoring approach is to go over each topic to ensure thorough understanding of the concepts which is followed by variety of questions to consolidate the learning.

Assignments and homework are an integral part of my private tutoring approach as key to success is effective practice.

Subjects

Personal Description:
LEADING BY EXAMPLE

I like to lead by example so I took a City & Guilds Functional Skills Maths exam in April 2023 and passed. Now any prospective learners who choose me to help them, can feel confident that I have up to date knowledge to help them with their Maths exams.

I TEACH:

* Functional Skills Maths Entry Level 1
* Functional Skills Maths Entry Level 2
* Functional Skills Maths Entry Level 3
* Functional Skills Maths Level 1
* Functional Skills Maths Level 2
* GCSE Foundation Level Maths (Grades 1-5 / E-C)

Teaching Experience:
WHERE WILL YOUR LESSONS TAKE PLACE?

Your lesson will take place at your nearest London public library so just include the post code in your message when you request a lesson and I'll travel to you.


WHEN CAN YOU HAVE YOUR LESSON?

You can have your lesson any time between 8am and 8pm Monday - Saturday. Please note: I do not work on Sundays.


HOW MUCH WILL YOUR LESSON COST?

£20/hour

HOW CAN YOU BOOK YOUR FIRST LESSON?

- Just send me a message and I'll reply within 24 hours of receiving your message. Thanks.


WHAT DO YOU GET AT THE END OF YOUR LESSON?

- I will email you a summary of what you have learned to ensure that you get the most out of your lessons.


WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR YOUR LESSON?

- A simple A4 notebook
- A simple pen
- A simple calculator

Tutoring Approach:
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SILLY QUESTION

Just remember: there is no such thing as a silly question and it's never too late to learn something new. Asking questions is how we all learn and progress. I asked a lot of silly questions and now I'm in a position to help other people so it works!

Your maths lessons / tuition will take place at your nearest London public library.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have been a lecturer for the past 20 years at both college and university levels. Educated at the universities of London and Birmingham, I am an experienced tutor, teacher, lecturer and author of articles, reviews and a recent book. An historian by training, I am also interested in literature, politics and cultural studies.

My experience of education was incredible, but it might not have been were it not for the motivation and support that I received from a number of outstanding lecturers. It was their example that led me to start teaching and I have found that helping others to learn and achieve academic success gives enormous job satisfaction.

I believe every student has unrealised potential and that with the right approach, all can succeed. I am flexible and believe in helping my students to find a learning style which suits them and enables them to succeed. I have a lot of energy and enthusiasm and besides teaching and writing, my interests include keeping abreast of current affairs, playing cricket and listening to world music.

Teaching Experience:
I tutor a variety of subjects at a range of levels including GCSE, AS, A Level, and Degree in addition to adult learners requiring support. I have experience of teaching students from a variety of cultural backgrounds. I have mentored post-graduate students and proof-read theses and dissertations.

I have over 20 years experience teaching and have taught in classrooms and universities in the United Kingdom and abroad. My students come from a wide range of different age groups and backgrounds and I pride myself on helping all of them to succeed. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a faculty member of the Foundation for International Education, London and the New College of the Humanities, London. My previous posts have included Programme Director at Birkbeck, University of London and Director of Academics at the Foundation for International Education, London.

Tutoring Approach:
One of my main aims in tutoring is to stimulate an interest in learning, by making the topic as relevant in contemporary terms as possible. Most of the subjects I tutor, from History to Religious Studies have current and on-going social consequences. I have found that making an otherwise dry topic of relevance to a student awakens an interest and desire to learn more. It is those inspirational moments when students become aware of the linkages between what they have read, and what is going on around them that makes tutoring particularly satisfying. This coupled with a growing ability to think critically, usually translates into enhanced coursework grades.

My approach to teaching is based on two fundamental bases. The first is that it is absolutely essential to find contentment in the learning process. This may not come through the actual material that needs to be learnt and it is up to the tutor to inspire in the student the self-assurance to succeed. As your tutor, I will lay down the learning structure and will cement this through detailed lesson plans. The second basis is that supervised practise testing is very important. This needs to be followed by a thorough assessment of the results, in order to understand where improvements need to be made, in both knowledge and approach.

At the younger end, I create a fun learning environment and aim to enhance originality, conscientiousness and self-assurance in the child's ability. In the longer term, I concentrate on problem areas which may have been skated over in class. For more senior students and adult learners, the same principles apply in terms of tailoring lessons to the individual. I mix core concepts with more general study skills and encourage each student to find their own way of independent learning. I am a patient, hard-working and open individual who strives to get the best out of each student and help them achieve their learning objectives. As your tutor I will be available outside of teaching time to answer questions by email and phone, there will be no extra cost for this service.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Paolo is an Italian songwriter, composer, and stage director based in London.

He has independently composed, produced, and released solo albums, as well as soundtracks for theatre productions and songs for other artists. Beginning his music career in 1992, Paolo is also an accomplished singer and guitarist who has performed across Europe and collaborated with numerous international artists.

His unique writing style has evolved over years of traveling, literary studies, and ongoing poetic exploration, which earned him first prize in poetry at the Pirandello Stable Festival in 2012.

Paolo's theatre and cinema career began in 1998. Alongside intensive drama school training, he spent seven years honing his acting and directing skills at the Teatro Regio di Torino, working under renowned directors Franco Zeffirelli, José Carlos Plaza, Ugo De Ana, Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, and John Cox.

Since 2002, he has written and directed numerous plays, including The Bald Soprano by Ionesco, The Trojan Women by Euripides, and A Doll's House by Ibsen, staged in various UK venues.

Throughout his career, Paolo has taught Italian Literature, Humanities, Music, and Geography in primary and secondary schools and academies. He holds an MA in Humanities and Arts from the University of Turin, a Diploma in Classical Guitar from Trinity College London, an MA in Archaeology from UCL, and is currently pursuing PhD research at Cardiff University.

He is the founder of a website dedicated to his archaeological research, and, a video-audio production company.

Paolo recently published the book for beginner guitarist and a collection of his poems; both books are available on Amazon.

Teaching Experience:
I qualified to teach:

- Italian Language and Literature, Archaeology, and Humanities (Geography, History, and Religious Studies up to GCSE Level).
- Classical, Acoustic and Electric guitar lessons up to Grade 8 and DIplomas (Trinity College, ABRSM, RockSchool).
- Piano, Bass guitar and Singing lessons up to Grade 6 (Trinity College and ABRSM).
- Music technology, sound design and audio editing tuitions and workshop on Cubase (v. 7 to 11) and Logic Pro X .
- Music theory, songwriting classes, and private tutoring for GCSE students who need extra help are also available.
- Adobe Premiere and Photoshop for video and photo editing (beginner and intermediate).
- Italian grammar and literature up to A-Level and for adult learner.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe anyone can achieve excellence with the right motivation. While exam success is important, I emphasize the joy of learning itself, sparking curiosity and passion in my students. My teaching approach blends exam preparation with fostering creativity and confidence in a supportive environment, where students feel free to explore and grow.

Since starting my teaching journey in 1998, I've taught Literature, Humanities, Music, and Drama in Italy, and since 2015, I've been teaching music in UK schools. I offer personalized lessons in guitar (up to Grade 8 and Diplomas), piano, bass, singing (up to Grade 6), and music technology, including Cubase and Logic Pro. Whether it`s music theory, songwriting, or GCSE/A-Level tutoring, I tailor my teaching to each student`s unique style, always ensuring a fun and engaging atmosphere for optimal learning.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a former Head of Science with over ten years teaching experience in schools with an additional thirteen years of experience tutoring students privately.

I offer my clients a solid, comprehensive, and responsive tuition experience, in all the sciences, together with mathematics covering all the English and international examination boards (this includes, the International Baccalaureate syllabi).

My services have assisted many students over the years to improve their grades and gain the confidence needed to succeed in examinations. I also work well with special needs students; and those students looking for more control over their own education.

Teaching Experience:
To date, I have accumulated over twenty-three years of teaching experience in: biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics from primary school level straight through to A-levels. This includes extensive experience working with special needs students - particularly, those on the Asperger syndrome spectrum.

Tutoring Approach:
My lessons typically are one hour long and one-to-one. Whether teaching on-line or in person, I always take into account the student's current depth of knowledge and aim to build from there to create a personalised enjoyable interactive learning experience.

I do support my lessons with friendly targets, progress assessments to help develop student subject/learning strengths and address weakness. I do provide plenty of homework weekly to consolidate learning and help identify areas for further learning.

Advice and support on examination techniques is routinely incorporated into all of my lessons (and homework) to match the required specified syllabus undertaken by each student. This includes good support with English and Maths literacy - to get students solidly prepared for their examinations.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Native Italian speaker from Sardinia, Italy. A natural linguist with a Ph.d in English language and literature with extended experience teaching both Italian and English. Course developer for Defence Academy of UK from 2014.
Freelance translator with Oxford University Press on Venture 1 and 2 series for the Italian market in 2015. Fluent in Italian (mother tongue) and English. Doctorate in English & foreign languages in 2003. Former tutor for Oxford University Adult Programmes and Oxford Tutorial College. Former section leader for Italian at New College, Swindon - growing the department to over 100 students. Programme Leader for 'Destination Italy' course at Marlborough College from 2009.

Teaching Experience:
I've taught Italian for 23years at all levels, experienced in exam preparation for Gcse and A level. Currently working as private tutor and for Defence Academy in the UK.
My philosophy over my 23 years in teaching is to produce Italian and English lessons that excite and inspire. I have an enthusiastic style and my lessons are delivered using a variety of the latest language learning techniques. I constantly train and update my learning and I am relentless in seeking new and varied materials for reading,listening and writing languages.

Tutoring Approach:
Lessons are individually tailored and will include speaking, listening, reading and writing. Use of variety of textbooks and media resources. I am used in preparing for exams, so grammar becomes important, but I also have conversation classes for holiday language. Lessons are highly prepared and atmosphere is relaxed.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an Italian engineer and professional actor living in London, and teaching has been a central part of my life for many years. I currently tutor Mathematics, Italian, and Drama, working with students of different ages and abilities.

Alongside my engineering degree, I trained as an actor at the Birmingham School of Acting, where I developed advanced communication, pronunciation, and presentation skills. I am also a certified Results Coach, and I integrate coaching tools into my teaching to help students improve confidence, organisation, and motivation, as well as academic performance.

I have studied and worked across Europe and have extensive experience supporting students from international and multicultural backgrounds. I combine analytical rigour with creativity and clear communication, and I believe that with the right guidance, structure, and encouragement, every student can improve.

I take my responsibilities very seriously and always aim to create a calm, supportive, and effective learning environment where the student's progress comes first.


EDUCATION
--------------------
August 2025 - October 2025
Results Coach - Coaches Academy 2025 (Robbins Research Int.)

March 2023 - July 2025
Mastery University Graduate, Robbins Research Int.
Leadership Mastery Graduate, Robbins Research Int.

October 2023 - September 2024
Meditation Teacher, Certified by Accademia Dhyana, Lumera Institute.

October 2020 - June 2021
Certified Gyrokinesis® Instructor.

September 2008 - May 2011 Birmingham, United Kingdom.
BA (Hons) Acting, Birmingham School of Acting.
Awarded the Sir John Gielgud Bursary 2010.

since February 10, 2010 Bologna, Italy.
Member of the Guild of Engineers of Bologna,
as Chartered Engineer, certified by the University of Bologna (December 15, 2008).

2000 - December 21, 2007 Bologna, Italy.
MS in Environmental Engineering (mining field), University of Bologna.
MS Thesis: "Experimental Study on Friction between Saline Ice and Steel" - UNIS, Norway.
Final grade: 100/100.

Spring - Fall 2007 Longyearbyen, Norway.
University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), department of Arctic Technology.
- Arctic Offshore Engineering (graduate course AT-327).
- Thermo-Mechanics of Ice and Snow, and Loads on Structures (graduate course AT-323).

2003 - 2004 Reykjavk, Iceland.
University of Iceland, Geotechnical department. Erasmus exchange program.


PUBLICATIONS
------------------------
M., Marchenko, A., Hyland, K. V., 2008. Experimental study on friction between saline ice and steel.
Proc. 19th IAHR Symposium on ice, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vol. 2.

Teaching Experience:
Teaching & Coaching Experience
"The foundation of good education starts with relationship building - Marco did this exceptionally well."
- WorldStrides Program Leader

-------------------

Private Tutoring - Mathematics, Physics, Italian & Drama
2000 - Present | UK & Europe

I have over 20 years' experience tutoring students of different ages, abilities, and cultural backgrounds, from primary school to university level. I support both long-term academic development and targeted exam preparation (GCSE and A-Level), combining subject expertise with structured learning strategies and coaching tools.

A recent example includes preparing a Year 11 student for GCSE Maths and Physics (Higher level). Through a clear, motivating, and exam-focused approach, the student progressed from Level 5 to Level 7 in both subjects, successfully accessing A-Level pathways. Parents highlighted my ability to quickly assess learning gaps, build trust, and increase confidence, motivation, and independent study skills.
Full written references available on request.

My tutoring approach emphasises:
- Clear structure and exam readiness
- Step-by-step problem solving
- Confidence building and independent thinking
- Calm, professional, and reliable delivery

-------------------

Italian Language Teaching - UK & International Students
2011 - Present | London & Online

Since moving to London, I have taught Italian to a wide range of learners, including students, professionals, and casual learners. Lessons are always tailored to individual goals, such as conversational fluency, exam preparation, accent reduction, or cultural immersion.

Feedback from Italian language students highlights my patience, clarity, and ability to build confidence and enjoyment in learning. Students consistently report improved fluency, stronger pronunciation, and greater confidence using Italian in real-life situations.
Selected testimonials available via my professional website; references available on request.

-------------------

Teaching Assistant - Early Years & Special Needs Integration
Feb - Sep 2008 | Reykjavík, Iceland
Kindergarten "Sólborg"

I worked as a teaching assistant in a kindergarten with a dedicated integration programme for children with special needs, particularly hearing impairment. In addition to daily classroom support, I designed and led weekly English language sessions using games, music, and movement. This experience deeply informed my inclusive, student-centred approach to teaching.

-------------------

Founder & Program Designer - Coaching, Movement & Embodied Learning
Jan 2021 - Present | LL Morandi & Morandi | London & Hybrid

I am the founder of LL Morandi & Morandi, a coaching and education project focused on results-oriented coaching, embodied learning, and effective communication.

I design and deliver:
- One-to-one coaching
- Group programmes
- Experiential workshops

My work integrates professional coaching frameworks, movement-based learning, mindfulness, and performance pedagogy to support clarity, confidence, motivation, and sustainable performance. This coaching background directly enriches my tutoring practice, helping students develop effective learning strategies, organisation, exam confidence, and self-leadership skills.

-------------------

Educational Leadership & Group Facilitation
Tour Director | WorldStrides | UK & Europe

Alongside my teaching and coaching work, I have extensive experience as a Tour Director for WorldStrides, leading and supporting student groups in international educational contexts.

Program leaders consistently highlight my ability to build trust quickly, communicate clearly, manage group dynamics, and respond calmly and creatively to challenges. Feedback frequently references strong relationship-building, empathy, professionalism, and genuine care for students' wellbeing - qualities I bring into every teaching and tutoring relationship.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe effective teaching starts with strong relationships, clarity, and trust. A teacher can make a real difference in a person's life - for better or worse - and at its best, teaching can be a source of inspiration that helps students discover confidence and even enjoyment in subjects they once found difficult or unapproachable. When students feel understood and supported, they engage more fully and make faster, more sustainable progress.

As a private tutor, I work one-to-one, which allows me to tailor each lesson to the student's specific needs, learning style, and goals. Every student is different, and there is no single method that works for everyone. My role is to understand how each student learns best and to adapt my approach accordingly.

I begin with an initial session to assess the student's current level, identify learning gaps, and clarify objectives (for example exam requirements, confidence-building, or long-term improvement). From there, I design a clear, structured learning plan, combining subject expertise with coaching tools to support focus, motivation, and effective study habits.

Each session is carefully prepared in advance and structured to:
- Build understanding step by step
- Encourage active participation and independent thinking
- Develop confidence and exam readiness
- Reinforce learning through practice and feedback

I expect commitment from the student, and I support this by creating a positive, calm, and encouraging learning environment where questions are welcomed and mistakes are seen as a natural part of learning.

My aim is not only to help students improve academically, but also to equip them with strategies, confidence, and self-belief that stay with them well beyond the subject itself.
-------------------

'My goal is always measurable progress, achieved in a way that feels supportive, motivating, and sustainable.'

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Ed. I am the Director of a private tuition company which has been providing impactful private teaching and tutoring services in a multitude of subjects across Common Entrance, GCSE, A-Level, IB and University.

We take pride in helping students to expand their minds, talents and skills, allowing them to reach their full potential. Our one-on-one tutoring brings a wealth of professional experience and expertise to those who strive to excel.

We offer personalised academic support, available in-person and online, to help students improve areas of difficulty and focus on exam techniques and preparation, helping them to succeed in attaining qualifications to their highest ability.

Please reach out and contact for further enquiries, look forward to hearing from you.

Teaching Experience:
Director, leading a team of tutors to support across a wide range of students including Common Entrance, GCSE, A-level, IB and University level - Present

Tutored a variety of subjects at different levels from primary schools, Common Entrance, GCSE, A-level, IB and University.

Offered service on giving academic advice as well as interview techniques for Oxford, Cambridge and other top schools and universities in the UK, US, Europe and Asia.

Tutoring Approach:
The approach is simple and effective. The general framework is to go through general concepts that are fundamental to student's understanding on the subject through the use of simple examples. I will then reinforce the message and encourage students to work on more specific and challenging problems.

Confidence is key and it is vital that my tutees are constantly motivated and encouraged in order to self-develop both at an academic and personal level.

We strive to make lessons as interactive as possible. We understand the different learning needs of different students. We will always be flexible with our teaching style and method and we are here to help you succeed.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have been teaching secondary school science since 2002. I have a wide experience across the age and ability range and prepare all lessons with learning style and individual differentiation in mind. I have been a private tutor since 2006 and worked with ages 7-16 across a wide range of subjects to equally great success. I prefer to tutor in the tutee's home as this is where they are most comfortable and therefore in a mindset ready to learn. I also work and mark GCSE exams and moderate controlled assessment.

I have been a highly successful 11+ expert tutor for 16years with a wealth of experience with a variety of exam boards, grammar and independent schools exam settings.

Teaching Experience:
Secondary Science and Maths teacher 2002-present day
Private tutor with various clients 2006 - present day
GCSE Sciences controlled assessment moderator for 2009-present day
GCSE Sciences examiner 2006-present day
Highly qualified and experienced Head of Faculty

Tutoring Approach:
I like to make activities fun and active to engage the student and also include an aspect of repetition to check learning and embed learning into long term memory to help prepare for future exams.

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Michael and I teach private one to one drum kit lessons to people of all ages, in and around the Yorkshire area. I have been playing the drum kit for over 20 years and started playing at the early age of 11. Since then I have been in many bands and performed in many venues in and around the Yorkshire area.
After studying music at school in Scotland and forming my first band I soon found myself addicted to the drum kit. I decided I wanted to further my skills by getting private drum kit lessons which helped me gain my Standard Grade/GCSE and Higher Grade/A-Level in Music. I then furthered this by studying a BTEC in Popular Music at Huddersfield Technical College and a BA (Hons) in Popular Music at the University of Sheffield. I have also recently completed my PGCE in Life Long Learning at the University of Huddersfield and hold QTLS with IfL.

Teaching Experience:
I had my first teaching experience when I was 16 years old at a music workshop during the summer holidays where I was involved in teaching groups of people how to play the drum kit within a band setting. At the end of the workshops each group that had formed had to perform their songs to the public.

Since then I always had a desire to pursue my teaching and in 2006 I started teaching at Rhythm Inc Music Tuition in Barnsley. Initially, I only had a couple of students that I would teach in my spare time between my job and other commitments. However, more students started coming and having only started with a couple I soon had enough to become self-employed and put my all into my teaching.

In 2007 I started teaching at Take 2 Music Academy in Birdwell, Barnsley and at Rockem Music in Rotherham. I have taught at other private music schools and in local schools in the Yorkshire area. I also have experience delivering group workshops within both private and local schools.

Currently, in 2012 I opened my own teaching studio based in Wakefield, and continue to teach at Rhythm Inc Music Tuition in Barnsley, Take 2 Music Academy in Birdwell, Barnsley and at Rockem Music in Rotherham. I have recently completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Lifelong Learning and hold QTLS with IfL (Institute for Learning)

I am fully CRB and DBS checked and currently have a 100% pass rate for students sitting their graded exams.

Tutoring Approach:
Lessons are taught on a one to one basis using two drum kits, one for the student and one for myself. Choice of electric of acoustic drum kits. Lessons are taught at the students own pace and involves practical work.

GROOVES
Learn all styles of drumming such as Rock, Blues, Latin, Metal, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Funk, etc.
Learn drum grooves from songs including your own favourite songs.
Learn how to improvise on the drum kit to backing tracks including soloing.
Learn all grades from the Rockschool or Trinity Guildhall syllabus.
and more…

TECHNIQUE / TECHNICAL
Learn hand and foot techniques
Learn all 40 Rudiments and how to apply them to the drum kit
Learn syncopation and independence studies including Accented Studies
Learn Time Keeping exercises
and more…

GENERAL MUSICIANSHIP SKILLS / THEORY / AURAL SKILLS
Learn how to hold the drum sticks correctly
Learn how to read drum notation including sight reading
Learn the drum kit voices
Understand note values and rhythms
Learn how to play a drum part from Ear and identify rhythms
and more…

SONGS
Learn songs from the graded syllabus
Learn songs of own choice
Learn recommended songs
and more…

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a Malaysian who can speak English, Chinese, Cantonese and Malay Language. I have completed my undergraduate degree in Food Science and Nutrition before working as a home tutor for 1 year. Currently, I study Msc in Nutritional Science at University of Nottingham.

Teaching Experience:
1 year teaching experience starting from Sept 2015 to Sept 2016 where I used to teach Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Mandarin.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly tutor and patient in teaching. I guide my student patiently and slowly if they find it hard to understand the topic.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm a 40 year old part time teacher of geography. I have been teaching geography for 19 years. I have experience of teaching ks3, GCSEs and A-Levels. I'm passionate about helping students to learn about the world we live in. I have a proven track record of making significant improvements to students exam preparation and ultimately their final grade outcome.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked in three school in my 19 years, each time leaving for promotion from head of geography to head of faculty, to assistant head. Now that I have found children I work part time which gives me the best of both worlds. I have experience of teaching and tutoring at GCSE and A-Level in all major exam boards (AQA, OCR & Edexcel)

Tutoring Approach:
I find the best approach is to listen to the student in what they believe are their strengths and areas for development. Then through a range of diagnostic assessments I help identify the gaps in their knowledge, understanding and skills. I then use a variety of resources, relying heavily on past exam questions to quickly bridge those gaps and widen and deepen subject knowledge.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Experienced Tutor (GCSE, IB/A-level and Degree) with 3 degrees obtained with scholarships in Science and Engineering at a top European institute, currently teaching Maths & Science at MathysicsTutor Kingston.

It has been satisfying to be able to help students and career changers to lift the grades, raise the confidence and discover the joy of learning through private tuition journey.

Besides tutoring, I am a Geoscientist with more than 10 years of experience in research and operation. As a Geoscientist, I combine advanced Maths, Physics and Geology in order to discover oil and gas within the earth.

The skills and experiences that I have acquired in the energy industry have enabled me to bring to students not only the knowledge and essential skills such as creative thinking, critical thinking and problem solving in the academic context but also the experience of applying those skills to the real-world problems in the science and engineering sector.

I was a teaching assistant during my academic years. Since graduating from IFP School in 2009, I have tutored people in my social circle. Since 2016, I have tutored students and career changers at various levels and from a variety of backgrounds.

Teaching Experience:
I have experience of private tutoring GCSE, IB & A-level and University students from a variety of backgrounds with a firm knowledge of the optimal motivating and engaging approaches for each age group, with great satisfaction rate.

My private tutoring methods have enabled many pupils to successfully get into a variety of top schools listed below. I am able to assist students in boosting their confidence, reaching their full potentials and stretching their abilities whilst maintaining high academic performances.
In addition, my private tutoring style is aimed at building problem solving skills, improving accuracy and speed, providing remedial work for those struggling as well as making study interesting and engaging.

40% of my students come from referral.

I have tutored university students from Imperial College, Edinburgh, SOAS, Kingston, Leeds and City universities in Maths, Geology, GIS and research/dissertation preparation.

My GCSE & IB/A-level students have come from following schools among others:

King's College School Wimbledon
Whitgift School Croydon
Tiffin School Surbiton
Tiffin Girls Kingston
ACS Cobham
Kingston College
Kingston Grammar
Hampton School
Sutton Grammar
Esher college
Coombe School New Malden
Surbiton High school
Wimbledon High school
Lady Eleanor Holles Hampton
Box Hill School Dorking
Royal Russell School Croydon
Nonsuch High School Cheam
Grey Court School Richmond
Twyford Church of England High School Acton
Royal Grammar School Guildford
Esher High School
Ursuline High School Wimbledon
Whitgift School Croydon
Latimer school Hmmersmith
St Dominic`s Sixth Form College Harrow
Notting Hill and Ealing High School
International School of London Ealing
Moulsford Preparatory School Oxfordshire
St John's Beaumont School Windsor

Tutoring Approach:
Every student is different and that is why private tutoring approach must be tailored to each individual. Upon discussion with students and their parents, I offer a customised SMART tuition plan: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

Core part of my private tutoring approach is to go over each topic to ensure thorough understanding of the concepts which is followed by variety of questions to consolidate the learning.

Assignments and homework are an integral part of my private tutoring approach as key to success is effective practice.

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.

*

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.'

*

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.'

*

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.'

*

A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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:
Hola!

I'm a qualified spanish teacher as a second language with experience teaching in London for the past six years. I offer one-to-one lessons and discounts for small groups (bring a friend to learn spanish in an entertaining way). We can arrange a place that suits you (your house, your workplace,...) or do them online. Unfortunately during these days I can not travel far from home, so unless you live in south London we might have to arrange online sessions.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching spanish for adults for the past six years. That includes one-to-one lessons and small groups. I can give lessons to any level (beginner, intermediate, advance), adapting the course to your specific needs. Focus on general spanish, pronunciation, conversation, grammar, official exams preparation (DELE), business spanish...

Tutoring Approach:
I always try to make lessons fun and engaging, focusing on the aspects that the student wants to improve. I am very passionate about the spanish culture and I use it every time I have a chance in my lessons. I think a balance between conversational and grammar sessions is the key to improve the student's confidence.

Subjects