Hebden Bridge Tutors and Hebden Bridge Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a certificated Senior Chinese Language Teacher with IPA Certification. I have taught adult individual students as well as children in groups. I have lived in Beijing, Tianjing, Xi'an and Shenzhen and am well travelled throughout the rest of China. It would be a plus to choose me if you are interested in Chinese architecture, gardens, business culture, or different kinds of Chinese food, as well as Chinese calligraphy. I have lived or travelled in many countries in Europe, America, Africa, Asian and Oceania. So, with my international background, I am comfortable with a diverse range of people.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught adult individual students, individual children and children in group. One of my adult student is an university researcher. I have taught him spoken and written Chinese for several years. My children students liked my class very much. Sometime, I taught language together with sports for children.

Currently, I am teaching in a community school in Manchester. My students are 12~13 years old, a group of 24 boys and girls. They like the Chinese language class and asked many questions about Chinese language and culture. Every weekend, I teach a 7-year old girl and her father at the same time. They are learning Mandarin listening and speaking. I really enjoy teaching them all.

Tutoring Approach:
I taught Chinese language in different ways according to my student's needs. I would like to know my student's language aims and time he or she will have to spend before we start to work together. I taught my university researcher student with listening, speaking, reading and writing all together, from begining. For another student, I taught her spoken language through discusing daily life and Chinese cultural topics she was interested in. Sometimes, I taught my children students Chinese language through yoga postures and games, which they liked very much.

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Personal Description:
Bonjour! My name is Samantha and I am from Bordeaux, a region famous for its wine. I am a qualified and experienced teacher. I have been living in the UK for many years and, after working in different roles in the educational system, I decided to undertake a French teaching qualification. The course was really stimulating and learning about pedagogy was particularly interesting. I have enjoyed teaching ever since.

Teaching Experience:
I have over ten years experience teaching on a one to one basis as well as small group from the very young to adults face to face or online. I am familiar with the curriculum for French GCSE and A Level.
I also teach University students, supporting them with grammar and conversation.
I have experience teaching French to adults from basic knowledge for holidays up to advanced level.

Tutoring Approach:
I tailor lessons to what the student requires. I respect each student`s pace of work and way of learning and try to help them to fulfill their potential.
I make lessons interesting, stimulating and adapted to my clients' needs.
I am aware that tutees have different learning style and therefore I offer a variety of exercises.
I use different materials such as videos, images, magazines, music and the latest Course books from L'alliance Française as well as my own creation.
I empathize with my students because I had to learn English myself. Therefore, I know it can be difficult to learn a foreign language and even frustrating at times but also very rewarding. That is why, I make students aware of their progress on a regular basis.
I love teaching and I have had some very good feedback from my students. I am a friendly, patient and approachable person.

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Personal Description:
Hi! I'm Nick, a 46 yr old graduate of Oxford University, where I studied French and German, and a postgraduate of the University of Manchester, where I obtained a Masters and Doctorate in English. I currently teach GCSE English in my institution, and also work in a university part-time.

At the moment I prefer online teaching, which I can do via Zoom, Skype or maybe other platforms.

Teaching Experience:
I always really enjoy teaching individual pupils at GCSE and A-level. I've had some great results in the recent exams - very proud of my pupils doing well, privately and at my school, and feel that I helped them achieve their best. I'm now looking to take on some more.

I have been teaching English in Higher Education since 2004. During this time I also taught an A-level student English on an individual basis, as extra preparation for Oxbridge entry - the student gained a place at Oxford. I've also taught two summer schools for visiting American students at the University of Manchester, and a first year university student privately last year.

I've been doing online teaching also over the last six months - there are real benefits!

I have experience with AQA syllabuses in French GCSE and English (Literature) GCSE and A-level (Gothic and Pastoral), and also OCR French.

I also worked for some years in the retail/hospitality sector, where I was an induction trainer, and had some involvement with NVQ assessment.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe the most important thing in teaching is to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, where students are not afraid to ask any questions. I like to avoid overt formality, and make the teaching as enjoyable as possible. I'm very encouraging and positive, but within this will always offer constructive criticism when it's needed. I make sure sessions end with clear goals about what students need to do to improve - clear and achieveable goals, that I will check your progress with. I enjoy teaching a great deal, and will push you to achieve your very best.

For under 16s, I have a programme for teaching English, French, and German. This includes conversation, grammar, composition, and working with literature suited to the pupil's age range. It's flexible and pitched to any age and ability between 11 and 16.

I can offer teaching remotely - which I prefer at the moment.

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Personal Description:
Pioneering & Unique Methodology Guaranteed to Support You to Master Chinese ASAP!

Enjoy a FREE 1-Hour Trial!

As a professional and creative native Chinese teacher, I have over 10 years of experience showcasing skilful teaching abilities in successfully teaching Chinese to support a diverse array of students.

I am deeply passionate about my work, dedicating myself fully to teaching and my students. Consequently, I have effectively instructed Chinese and derive significant fulfilment from the strong recognition received from my students. Back in China, I taught English at a university and was recognized as an Excellent Teacher.

My ultimate objective is to facilitate students' mastery of Chinese in the most efficient manner possible. To achieve this, I have designed innovative and unconventional teaching methods that allow learners to engage with and acquire the language while maximizing their satisfaction and success.

I offer extensive tuition for all ages and proficiency levels.

The courses currently available include: HSK (Levels 1-9), HSKK (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced), GCSE Chinese, Chinese for kids and primary school students, Chinese for adults, Chinese for A Levels, Chinese for university undergraduates, travel Chinese, and business Chinese.

Here are some examples of the courses -

BEGINNER'S MASTERY COURSE (20 hours): Ensure an excellent command of the Chinese pronunciation system, including challenging tones; learn 300-400 commonly used words and 10 fundamental daily conversational scenarios.

GCSE ELEVATION COURSE (in the shortest or necessary timeframe): Assist students in boosting their scores from Fail/C to A/A*.

A-LEVEL EXCELLENCE COURSE (in the shortest or necessary timeframe): Assist students in attaining A/A* grades to facilitate their path to university degree studies.

BUSINESS SPEEDY COURSE (20 hours): Ensure effective and fundamental communication with Chinese business partners to establish a solid working relationship and project an impressive corporate image.

INTENSIVE COURSE (2 hours per session; not recommended for children): Helps students acquire 40-50 Chinese words in just 2 hours (ideal for exam candidates with time constraints; I've crafted this distinctive teaching method to guarantee that students can learn 40-50 Chinese words by the end of a 2-hour session).

I Utilize Various Teaching Skills and Techniques to Address Individual Needs -

Each learner is unique and absorbs information in their own way, so I apply various teaching strategies and techniques tailored to each individual. To illustrate my approach, I categorize learners into children and adults. Children typically have a limited attention span but are drawn to games, stories, songs, and rhymes, so I incorporate interactive activities of this nature into the classroom. This approach helps words and sentences to be absorbed more easily and naturally, keeping the children fully focused and engaged. Colourful flashcards are both enjoyable and effective. After providing guidance and demonstrations, I encourage young learners to creatively construct their own phrases and simple sentences. The children enjoy this process and perform exceptionally well.

To maintain motivation and inspiration among adult learners, I encourage and support them to take charge of the class. I help them engage in various thinking and communication exercises after they've understood the theoretical information and knowledge. I deliberately guide students to use the target language by incorporating it into daily activities and familiar environments as language resources. This approach sparks curiosity, prompting learners to construct sentences that reflect real-life situations.

Teaching Experience:
Below are some testimonials from my students -

"Ning has been, not only an absolutely extraordinary teacher, but an incredible mentor. To nurture an environment where one can practice Chinese in comfort and without feeling judged takes tremendous skill - and Ning achieves it with effortless ease. From the first lesson, her dedication and commitment were apparent. She creates a plethora of extra resources outside of lessons to aid the individual's needs. The well of experience and knowledge she brings to the table are unmatched, and that coupled with her mastery of English has formed a very rich and diverse environment for learning. She is a true linguist and her passion for language-learning is infectious.

It is fair to say I arrived to her lessons not knowing an ounce of Chinese, not even that 'nǐ hǎo' meant 'hello'. Ning somehow took that and fostered an environment for learning that resulted in my achieving a 100% in my first HSK examination. However, It is safe to say that Ning's lessons go beyond HSK. She teaches you true Mandarin. Her in-depth explanation of grammar structures and idioms will provide you an understanding of Chinese so rich that confidence in speech will be the natural result. If it is real understanding and professional teaching you seek, then Ning is the absolute best choice of tutor. I could sing her praises until I am red in the face!!! I am very thankful for all that she has done to help me."

- Eli


"If it wasn't for Ning and her constant support and patience, I would have probably given up on learning Chinese at university!
 
I have gone from not being able to string a Chinese sentence together to achieving a 2:1 on my final exam, all in the space of 6 months.
 
Ning goes above and beyond to ensure that learning material is tailored to individual needs of the student, suiting all abilities. Her supporting and encouraging nature makes learning much more enjoyable and I highly recommend her to anyone."

- Aishia


"Our daughter is studying Chinese at degree level and we were concerned about how unhappy she felt, her confidence had been battered and she was on the brink of leaving the course and dismayed at the thought of sitting her January exams.

I found a selection of 4 tutors who were available to support our daughter and her learning via Skype, Ning immediately stood out by her interested and enthusiastic approach to my enquiry, she was the only tutor that researched the particular University course, the modules and the learning requirements.
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It was immediately apparent how Ning goes above and beyond as she is genuinely passionate about her students and their learning.

Ning was originally asked to support our daughter through her revision period to her exams (5 weeks) however the change in my daughter and her thoughts about learning Chinese was incredible.

I could see that Ning's approach was patient, restoring some of her confidence, helping her understand what she was learning and helping her achieve the grades she was happy with.
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Over the last 6 months I have seen that Ning is very flexible, committed, reliable and ensures that all lessons are specific to our daughter and her stage and style of learning.

She spends time preparing work in between lessons and sets work that is relevant and applicable to the direct course. Ning is quick and efficient in reviewing work, sets homework and learning materials, she provides accurate, supportive and encouraging feedback and even increases her time with my daughter around her exams (even when she is on holiday!).
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Because of Ning and her support she made our daughter believe she could do it and her end of year exams were graded as a 2:1. She is looking forward to moving to Taiwan for her year study in August, Ning continues to provide lessons helping her to prepare to move and further increase her confidence to face her new course and life in Taiwan.

As parents I am extremely grateful to Ning, impressed by her commitment and enthusiasm and would highly recommend her to support students at any level and look forward to her continuing to support our daughter through the rest of her degree. Thank you Ning!"

- Mr & Mrs Diment (Aishia's parents)


"Ning rekindled my love of learning Chinese and she was friendly and really easy to chat to, and I really enjoyed my lessons with her.

She never made me feel stupid if I found something difficult. She was always really well prepared for my lessons and told me what I needed to do and to bring, and she always had everything that she needed.

She had loads of good ideas to help me learn. She worked really hard to help me do well.
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I got an A in my GCSE Chinese after I'd been learning with Ning for only six months; a year later I got 266/300 in HSK3 and 77/100 in HSKK."

​ - Delilah


"Ning has been brilliant at taking my daughter through GCSE Mandarin.
 
She made a careful plan to take my daughter through the syllabus, taught her really well and thoroughly, and is very supportive and encouraging. I could trust her completely.
 
My daughter so much enjoyed learning Mandarin with Ning that she has decided to continue lessons with her to take a higher qualification in Mandarin."

- Kate (Delilah's Mum)


"I got an A* on my reading and listening, an A on my writing and a B on my speaking. So overall, I got an A!!! Thank you so much for your time and patience, Ning. I'm over the moon with my results!"

​ - Caitlin


"When arriving into the UK from Hong Kong, our daughter took the decision to progress her Mandarin studies through to GCSE level. She had not been on a GCSE curriculum in Hong Kong, so this was a difficult task for her.

The school was unable to provide a Mandarin tutor for the two year programme. We located and contacted Ning, who provided one hour, one-to-one tutelage per week over the two years. She struck a good relationship with our daughter right from the start, being very patient though also setting challenging but realistic tasks for completion between lessons.

Ning also helped with the arrangements for sitting the GCSE, as the school needed some reminding in this area.

Throughout the two years, Ning did not miss a single appointment. She always arrived on time, but often stayed longer.

Our daughter gained A grade overall in GCSE Chinese. She would not have been able to do this without Ning.

Thanks Ning!!"

- Andy (Dad of Caitlin)


"Ning, I got an A!! Thank you so much for all that you helped me with (it was more than just Chinese in the end). I really couldn't have done it without you."

- Niamh
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"You are an absolute super-star tutor, Ning - thank you so much. You have helped Niamh more than we could have imagined in (GCSE) Chinese, her confidence and learning in general."

- Bonnie (Mum of Niamh)


"Ning is an exceptional tutor, I have made more progress in a few months than I had in years before she took me under her tutorage. She is methodical, yet flexible in her approach providing me with exactly what I need. There is always additional effort prior and after the lesson to produce specific materials and focus on areas of weakness which results in tangible, and speedy improvement which excels any expectations I had going in. Add to this the fact Ning is very friendly and (importantly in my case) patient I am finding my lessons an absolute delight!"

- Christopher


"Of all the mandarin tutors our children have had, they believe that Ning has been by far the best.
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Ning is a friendly, supportive and responsible tutor. She engages well and creates an excellent relationship with both our 6 & 11 year olds.
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She customises work according to their needs and standard. She makes learning fun, particularly with our younger child, whilst ensuring an intellectual direction for our eldest.
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She has led our eldest to achieve an excellent standard in his first ever mandarin test (YCT). Helping him achieve an excellent 180/200 after only 1 year of lessons, Ning has shown significant effort in preparing for everything relating to the test.
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The children learn many new words in each session; Ning records their speech and sends it to us. This also allows us to share with family and friends abroad; leading to compliments on how well they are doing. It is great to keep everyone updated. We feel proud of them, following the excellent feedback.

Our children show obvious improvement each week. It is clear that they understand more, using more complicated mandarin words and sentence structures. This helps to show us what an amazing job she has done.
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Our children have clearly become more confident and understanding in their mandarin over our first year with Ning. We look forward to further improvement moving forward.
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We are delighted to have found Ning and most importantly, that our kids are enjoying their time learning with her.
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We couldn't be more satisfied with her professionalism, teaching skill and overall service provided. We truly couldn't have asked for a better tutor!"
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- Niki (Mum of Ethan & Violet)


"I began studying with Ning in January 2019 with no prior knowledge of Chinese. Three weeks later I took a Chinese proficiency test and placed at mid-novice level (the test was aimed at people who had 120+ hours learning time, I had eight hours under my belt). She was focused on making sure I got as many marks as possible for that test, emphasizing vocabulary and listening comprehension. I wanted to do well for myself, but I also wanted her to be proud of me.

Ning has been instrumental at helping me understand grammar and syntax through everyday scenarios I am likely to encounter overseas, while at the same time increasing my vocabulary.

Her classes are tailored and goal-specific. Ning puts a lot of thought into her teaching materials, so much consideration that I don't want to disappoint her with my homework. She is patient; my accent is really bad and she gives me language and reading drills to improve my pronunciation, as well as lots of opportunities to revise what I have learned in previous classes through exercises.

I would recommend her to anyone who wants to study Chinese, whether they are starting from scratch or building on what they already know. She is a great teacher."

- Riazat


"I have been studying mandarin with Ning for the past year. I am an advanced mandarin speaker having studied since 2007 - both in China and in the UK.
 
I rate Ning's teaching extremely highly and would be delighted to recommend her to other fellow students ...

... I've had approximately 10 mandarin tutors since I started learning mandarin and I rank Ning as one of the very best. If you're looking to learn about the Chinese language and culture, then you couldn't go far wrong."

- Eleanor


"Holding the attention of my eight-year-old son for any length of time is a feat of Herculean proportion.
 
How Ning manages to keep him focused for an hour is astonishing and highlights her remarkable gift for teaching. 
 
The lessons strike the perfect balance between being factual and fun, meaning my son happily sits down for his weekly session. I would highly recommend Ning."

​- Lucia (Anthony's Mum)


"From a parent's point of view, our son looks forward to his lessons with Ning and is totally engaged during them.

Ning has given him the confidence to communicate with Chinese speakers, when the opportunity arises.

We are so proud of him, due to the fact that in a short period of time, Joe has been able to hold brief conversations in Chinese."

- Brennan & Beatriz (Joe's Parents)


"I've been having lessons with Ning to prepare myself for moving to China for a job. As a complete beginner I felt totally overwhelmed by the prospect of beginning to learn such a notorious language! However, Ning's lessons have helped me to feel comfortable (and even enjoy) tackling pronunciation as well as basic vocabulary and sentence structuring.

Ning is friendly and helpful in her teaching style which makes for a comfortable learning environment. It is clear that she is aware of my individual progression as lessons are individually tailored to my learning preferences, difficulties and interests.

From my experience, I would 100% recommend Ning as a Chinese tutor for anyone looking for helpful and professional tuition."

- Chris

Tutoring Approach:
I offer a comprehensive tuition across all age and level ranges. The current courses are: GCSE Chinese, HSK(Levels 1-9), HSKK (Basic, Intermediate and Advanced), Chinese for kids and primary school students, Chinese for adults, Chinese for A Levels, Chinese for university undergraduates, travel Chinese and business Chinese.

Below are a few examples of the courses:

BEGINNER'S MASTERY COURSE (20 hours):
Guarantee excellent mastery of Chinese pronunciation system, coupled with tricky tones; 300-400 highly frequently used words and 10 basic daily conversational scenarios.

GCSE ELEVATION COURSE (within the shortest or required time):
Support learners to elevate their scores from Fail/C to A/A*.

A LEVEL EXCELLENCE COURSE (within the shortest or required time):
Support learners to achieve A/ A* to pave their way for further university degree learning.

BUSINESS SPEEDY COURSE (20 hours):
Guarantee primary and efficient communication with Chinese business partners to build a strong working relationship and reflect an impressive corporate image.

SPEEDY COURSE (2 hours per session; not suitable for kids):
Support learners to grasp 40-50 Chinese words within 2 hours (perfect for exam takers with a limited timescale; I have developed this unique teaching technique to ensure learners can master 40-50 Chinese words/characters at the end of a 2-hour session).

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Personal Description:
I am 40 year old Property Lawyer based in the Cheshire area. I have over fifteen years experience in private tutoring. I am fond of reading, debating, eating and discovering new things. I am quite lively, not too difficult to get on with, very ambitious but also with an equal dash of a patience. I am a massive fan of education and self development. I tend to be never too far away from reading a book or learning something new to further myself.

Teaching Experience:
I have over eleven years experience in private tutoring having taught students as young as eight years old to adult learners covering a wide variety of modules, assignments and exam boards within Government & Politics, Law, History and English. In recent years I have worked closely with public tutoring centres and across the Manchester area. I am confident that my experience, approach to tutoring and methods have been substantial in helping each student to progress onto the next stage of their education and beyond. I offer my collective experience, professional and patient approach to any potential tutee who desires to take me on board and achieve their aims.

I believe I can approach any teaching scenario and offer the required angle to ensure success for student and or parent alike.

Tutoring Approach:
I tailor my approach to each unique request made and scenario presented. I like to begin with an informal but analytical conversation with the student, parent or both in order to assess strengths and areas where we can develop a plan of action. I aim to take each stage step by step until both you and I are satisfied that we are confident in understanding and coherently explaining the information or context of the material at hand. I am professional in my approach but highly understanding and patient. Most importantly any work set during the session will be wholly relevant, comprehensible and creative in order to match your needs.

I incorporate digital media where required. I do provide PowerPoint presentations for some subjects, when needed, with an interactive projector for lessons and presentations. Presentations can be sent via email at any time as well.

*For any LPC students I can also tutor and instruct in Property Law and Solicitors accounts too.

* For any Northern Ireland students, I can also teach the equivalent of the LPC.

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Personal Description:
Hello! I work in Research & Innovation at the University of Surrey where I help academics (Lecturers and PhD students) make a positive difference with their research, such as build start-up businesses. Previously, I was a Research Fellow designing spacecraft structures having finished my PhD Mechanical Engineering. I have written numerous technical papers and presented them at conferences across the world: San Diego (US) x2, Toulouse (France), Kyoto (Japan) and Melbourne (Australia) - I love travelling!

I am 30 years old, originally from Stoke-on-Trent and have been DBS checked (since 12th January 2014) for my previous STEM Ambassador role whilst studying in London.

I am also Managing Director & Co-Founder of an insect-based nutrition startup.

I have a [Merit] MSc Space Science & Engineering, University College London and [1st Class] BSc Astrophysics, Aberystwyth University, Wales.

I love and strongly believe in the STEM subjects because they're interesting, incredibly fulfilling and enable us as individuals to understand and contribute to all parts of society.

I enjoy energetic and competitive sports such as badminton and rock climbing, was Men's 2nd Team Badminton Captain and Vice President, play pool/snooker, read, draw and knit.

Teaching Experience:
I have tutored A-Level and IGCSE Physics, GCSE and KS2-3 Mathematics to students aged 10-17 through UKtutors over the past 8 years across London and Surrey. Most recently, I successfully improved a Physics student's D grade to the targeted B over the course of 3-4 months (1hr/wk)

I have tutored undergraduate Mathematics and Engineering classes in University of Surrey e.g. numerical methods and advanced materials stress analysis

I have coached badminton in University of Surrey's Club and previously to secondary school pupils as part of the 5x60 Dragon Sports Programme in Wales during my undergraduate studies

Tutoring Approach:
Over the first lessons we identify the current situation - what we're happy with, what we're not so happy with - look at the course syllabus, as this varies across regions and examination boards, and we focus on what we can improve to yield the most valuable outcome. Everyone learns differently and I tailor my tutoring accordingly by providing the most enjoyable and effective experience possible. I enjoy and prefer tutoring informally and am always open and happy for feedback and suggestions

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Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified secondary school teacher. I have obtained my Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in French and Spanish, from King's College, London in June 2006.

Currently teaching in an independent school for boys in London, I am a native speaker and have been teaching secondary languages for over 15 years in both state maintained and independent sector.

I am also an Edexcel GCSE/IGCSE examiner and know the inside outs of the French GCSE expectations. I have taught the AQA syllabus too, as well as A level French (Edexcel and AQA).
This is an exciting opportunity for me to tutor motivated students and help them achieve their full potential.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching for several years, have had the opportunity to work in leading independent schools (Saint Paul's boys School; Lycée Français Charles De Gaulle (French Lycée), City of London school), and in the state maintained sector.

I am very familiar with common entrance examination requirements and experienced in preparing students to pass such selective entrance tests..
My experience as a MFL teacher provides learners with the best and most adequate support to meet the GCSE and A level requirements and pass with flying colours!

Tutoring Approach:
My most relevant skills are:
 An in-depth knowledge of French grammar, literature and culture gained from my own education and experience in France as a native speaker.

 Experience of preparing groups of pupils for their French A-level.
 A track-record of preparing pupils successfully for exams (GCSE and A-level).

 Experience of planning, preparing and delivering good quality lessons with a variety of resources, responding to the range of learning skills and abilities.
 Knowledge of the new examination requirements for language examinations at A-Level.

 Experience of tutoring pupils who are having difficulties in developing their language skills or assimilating new knowledge to enable them to overcome these and achieve high academic results.

I am confident that I can be an asset to your examination preparation/ languages learning.

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Personal Description:
I am a highly motivated, extremely organised self-reliant, conscientious and enthusiastic individual with the drive and ambition to achieve the highest standards possible within both my professional and personal life. I have a strong work ethic, and the ability to work effectively with the minimum of supervision or as part of a team.
I am fluent in English, Chinese Mandarin and Chinese Cantonese and possess excellent written and oral skills in English, Chinese Mandarin.
I am Enhanced DBS certified and can supply supporting documentation on request. (Online New DBS Update Service registered).

Teaching Experience:
Education
• 1997 - 2000: Baoji Weili University, China
Certificate in Secretarial Studies and Administration - Passed
Equivalent to O/A Level of Subjects:
Chinese, Maths, English, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography -Passed

Professional, Occupational or Skills Training
Certificates in Education
• KCSIE & Legislation 2024 Update Course for Staff & Volunteers
• Administration of Medication
• Adverse Childhood Experiences & Trauma-Informed Practice
• Appropriate Adult
• Asthma Awareness for Educational Settings
• Bereavement and Loss
• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• Child-on-Child Sexual Violence, Abuse and Harassment
• County Lines
• Domestic Abuse
• E-Safety (including online safety)
• Educational Visits
• Emergency Response Strategies for Staff (not SLT) & Volunteers
• Equality Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• Fire Safety Awareness
• Fire Warden / Marshall
• First Aid Basics
• Food Safety & Hygiene Training (Level 2)
• Forced Marriage
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Health & Safety
• Honour Based Abuse (HBA)
• Infection Control in Children and Young People Settings
• Introduction to the Safeguarding Thematics
• Knife Crime & Serious Violence
• Lone Working in Educational Settings
• Managing Slips, Trips & Falls in an Educational Setting
• Misogyny and INCEL Awareness
• Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness
• Policy in Practice
• Prevent Duty for Staff and Volunteers
• Risk Assessment
• Safeguarding & Child Protection for Staff in Regulated Activity
• Safeguarding & Child Protection for Staff not in Regulated Activity
• Safeguarding Legislation
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
• Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People
• Working at heights
• HM Government - Prevent awareness Course
• HM Government - Prevent referrals Course
• HM Government - Prevent Channel or Prevent Multi-Agency Panel (PMAP) Course
• The Open University - Understanding Autism
• First Aid
• Certificate of Safeguarding Training
• +ProActive Approaches
• OLT - Level 1 Attachment and Trauma
Certificates in Interpreting
• Certificate in Community Interpreting
• Certificate in Interpreting for the NHS
• Certificate in Mental Health Interpreting
• Certificate in Health and Safety, Security, Confidentiality, Equality & Environment
• Certificate in Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults
• Certificate in Legal & Court Interpreting Date
• Certificate of Interpreter Training Course(below) successfully and completed
Interpreting Skills and Strategies, Interpreter Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Practices
Customer Service and Conflict Resolution, Continued Professional Development ,Bespoke Interpreting System
• Certificate in Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk Training for Interpreters
• Certificate in Mental Health Awareness Training for Interpreters
• Certificate in Health Interpreting Language Assessment
• Certificate in Telephone Interpreting
• Certificate in Awareness of Child Abuse and Neglect - Core V7.3
• Certificate in Safeguarding Training Level 2
• Certificate in Introduction to Public Service Interpreting (CIPSI)
• Certificate in knowledge around the risks of radicalisation and the kinds of support available to those at risk

Work Experience
2025 - Present: Helm Academy
• Assist the classroom teacher in planning and delivering lessons that meet the needs of students with SEN.
• Provide one-on-one and small group support to students, helping them engage with the curriculum.
• Foster a positive and inclusive classroom atmosphere that encourages student participation.
• Support the development and implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
• Monitor and track student progress, providing feedback to teachers and parents as needed.
• Help create resources and materials to enhance the learning experience.
• Collaborate with teachers and other staff to ensure a cohesive approach to student support.
2023 - 2025: Optical assistant - Costco Leeds
• Helping customers find the perfect products tailored to their lifestyle and requirements
• pre-screening examinations
• Ordering and dispensing of glasses and contact lenses
• Providing aftersales support through repairs and adjustments
• Relevant operational and administrative tasks associated with the running of a store
• Support other colleagues within the stores to develop their knowledge and skills
2013 - 2023: Self-employed Interpreter
Pearl Linguistics (2013 -2017) Leeds City Council (2017-2023) Languageline Solutions (2018-2023)
• Accurate and precise interpreting of Chinese Mandarin and Cantonese to English and vice versa.
• Clear and concise communication with medical professionals ranging from consultants and doctors to other
healthcare providers such as nurses, physical/occupational therapists and their support services
• Working with the highest levels of professionalism, integrity and sensitivity at all times, whilst maintaining
appropriate levels of confidentiality.
• Constantly working without direct supervision but helping to facilitate appropriate care for patients in very
traumatic and emotive situations.
2005 - Present : Chinese Language Tutor
• Teaching of the Chinese language in both oral and written format to both adults and children.
• Working to ensure that students are competent and confident in the use of the Chinese language in a broad
range of personal and professional situations.
• Working to an accredited syllabus to ensure that recognised qualifications may be obtained by the students.
2000- 2005: Secretary - Xingyuan Group Co, China
A large Hong Kong based company specialising in hotels, industrial complexes and apartment sales.
• Provide first rate secretarial support to senior management in a busy office environment
• Use a variety of software packages to produce professional correspondence and documentation for a range of
executive clients.
• Devising, developing and maintaining office systems.
• Attending meetings and taking accurate minutes and providing high quality representation of events to very
tight schedules
• Managing and maintaining budgets.
• Liaising with internal and external customers of all levels
• Achieved employee of the year 2003

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is to ensure that the adult and the pupil receives the highest standards of teaching possible. It is about working hard and always trying to improve upon previous success. I am always patient with my students and tailor my approach to their individual needs, varying my teaching style to avoid the student becoming bored and making sure they fully engage with the subject.

I always instill in adult and children the belief that they can make a difference to their lives through education and that it could broaden their options and give them the future that they desire.

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Personal Description:
I am an experienced tutor and A level and GCSE teacher with over 31 years experience.
I have had a lot of success with my private tutoring, having helped many students achieve the grades they need to gain entry to the university courses of their choice - including medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry.
I have helped students in all the main exam boards including AQA, OCR, Edexcel and Eduqas.

I have excellent communication skills and a very approachable manner which quickly puts students at ease.

I am married and have four children, three of which have passed through A levels so I know what it is like as a parent and teacher.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught in a secondary and sixth form for 25 yrs teaching GCSE and A level Biology and Psychology as well as being a sixth form tutor. I also have supported students applying for medicine, Dentistry and veterinary course with support with personal statements, interview practice and BMAT and UKCAT.

I have been tutoring Biology and Psychology for over 20 yrs with great success with students from both the state and private sector. I have helped students from Collyer's; The Weald School; Steyning Grammer; Seaford College; Worth School; Farlington and Reigate Grammer to name a few.

My subject knowledge is very good being educated to BSc (Hons) in Biology and MSc in Psychology

I am very flexible and will either tutor in my own home or am happy to travel to you.

Tutoring Approach:
My main focus has been tutoring and teaching A level Biology and more recently Psychology.and have been very successful in helping students of all abilities to improve their grades to allow them to make their next step in their education.

My strengths are that I have very good communication skills and put students at ease allowing for the greatest progress to be made.

I focus on two main areas. Firstly in breaking down theory areas to make it understandable. I get students to learn key words and use revision spider diagrams to see the overview of difficult topics so they don't get lost in the theory. Then I use these spider diagrams to help them select accurately the correct theory areas to answer exam based questions.

Secondly I focus on exam technique, deconstructing questions to focus on how to structure an answer and then to select the correct theory to use in the answer.

I can offer a selection of services.

A) simple tuition: focusing of understanding specific areas as the student needs

B). Tutoring programme: setting up and organising a tutoring programme for several lessons that will cover, systematically, a larger area of the subject.

C). Revision programme: creating a revision programme with the student and managing the students revision programme in the subject (s). This will take the student up to the exam.

I Include setting and marking exam based H/W's.

I also include revision material and workbooks as well as past paper packs with mark schemes.

I have been very successful with students from those wanting to take up Medicine, Veterinary or Dentistry courses, to those who just want a pass to everyone in between.

I do face to face or online sessions

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Personal Description:
Hello
I'm moving to North Somercotes, Lincolnshire late August and will be taking on new students to start ready for the academic year in September.

As an experienced tutor, specialising in Primary Education and Secondary Education. I have experience in teaching Maths and English for all abilities including S.E.N.. My experience also includes 11 plus, both CEM and GL. Which would be particularly relevant for those students sitting the 11 plus in Buckinghamshire and entrance exams for the Bedford Schools.

I work with students providing a supportive environment where areas of possible weakness are identified and strategies developed ensuring the students self esteem, confidence and love of learning are enhanced.

Teaching Experience:
5 years experience within the education system at secondary schools, working as past of the senior leadership team. Have tutored adults and children, to improve confidence and self esteem, reinforce knowledge, to meet national curriculum expectations, successful completion of the 11 plus and entrance exams, S.E.N. and English as a foreign language.

Tutoring Approach:
Hello

As an experienced tutor, specialising in Primary Education I have experience i teaching Maths and English for all abilities including S.E.N.. My experience also includes 11 plus, both CEM and GL. Which would be particularly relevant for those students sitting the 11 plus in Buckinghamshire.

I work with students providing a supportive environment where areas of possible weakness are identified and strategies developed ensuring the students self esteem, confidence and love of learning are enhanced.

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Personal Description:
Tutor for the last five years specialising in maths and physics from primary to A-level. My typical student is in year 9-11.

I use Teams, Zoom or other method for online tutoring.

Extensive experience with special educational needs students, I also work as a teaching assistant in local schools .

A keen outdoor person, I enjoy the countryside, walking, cycling and cricket. Have been secretary to my local primary school's board of governors, secretary of my local cricket team and volunteer for local environmental organisations.

A couple of my most recent endorsements:-

"James proved himself to be a reliable, punctual, and a very supportive tutor. My daughter is in her final year of A levels and studies Further Mathematics which is a very detailed subject and requires a high level of skill. James is a brilliant mathematician with a high skills set and knowledge of Further Maths he quickly helped her gain confidence and she overcome difficulties within the subject. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her lessons with James and we are hopeful for a high grade in the subject when the A level results are out in August. I would not hesitate to recommend James as a tutor to other parents. Thank you, James,". 30th January 2020.

"A lot of the time was spent on English/ English literature covering the GCSE course work. My son initially struggled with the English literature, but James always took time to make it interesting. This certainly helped him develop his skills. The English language part required a lot of essay writing which he was not keen on. However, by the end, he was writing answers to questions James set for homework as he got the hang of what was required." 3rd June 2020.

Teaching Experience:
I use Teams, Zoom or other method for online tutoring.

While I'm a tutor, I'm also a supply teacher in my local area high schools principally for maths, physics and other subjects as required.

Experience as a tutor in the last five years with students varying from primary age through GCSE (KS-4) to further maths and A-level. Have also worked with mature students at college studying for HND and university maths.

Special educational needs (SEN) students worked with including those on the autistic spectrum (ASD), Asperger's, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dyslexia as well as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance).

Within schools have worked with ILP (Individual Learning Plans) for students with special educational needs.

Other topics I have tutored to GCSE level include English, geography, science, chemistry and biology.

Tutoring Approach:
All students are different, so I strive to find what interests the student and work from there. An engaged student is a keen student.

It is important that the principles are understand because all else flows from this. I use examples from the students' course work and life situations to focus on what is important to the student, to put things in a language that they can understand. This can be through explanations, sketches, diagrams etc. When this happens and the light goes on, there is great satisfaction that the student is taking an interest in the subject.

Online tutoring provided via MicroSoft Teams and other means as required.

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Personal Description:
I am passionate about languages and enthusiastic about teaching language. I teach Italian and English as a foreign language to all levels and learning purposes. Before being a teacher I was a student myself and I understand how difficult can be to learn a foreign language. My lessons are tailored according to my students' needs, learning styles and personalities.

Teaching Experience:
I am a qualified teacher specialised in Modern Languages (PGCE with QTS). I have been teaching and tutoring for several years. I had the opportunity to teach in different contexts, cultures and to different ages and levels. I have taught Italian to individual students and corporate clients with different language requirements and purposes. I have also conducted a preparation course for Italian GCSE and A level exams in schools across London. Previously, I taught English (EFL) to high school students and to primary school teachers in Italy. Courses included preparation for Cambridge English language examinations.

Tutoring Approach:
Some students come to me feeling unconfident and generally struggle to remember grammar rules or vocabulary, some others may not feel confident to express themselves. This is why I ensure my lessons are always motivating and fun!
I use a communicative approach where my students take active part in the lesson through understanding, thinking, eliciting and producing. My role as a teacher is to guide them through their learning process, considering their learning styles and personalities and making sure they always feel comfortable and engaged. Some activities I use include role plays, games and situational activities. Finally, one of my main goals as a teacher is to enable my students to enjoy the
experience of communicating, thinking and reacting in a foreign language.

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Personal Description:
I am currently attending Cardiff University, where I have just finished my first year, studying Accounting. I am currently offering tutoring in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, until October.

I thoroughly enjoying helping people progress and sharing my love of learning! I pride myself on my enthusiasm and my approachable, relaxed nature.

Regarding what I am able to teach -
I currently am offering 11 plus tutoring as well as A Level Mathematics.
I offer C1, C2, C3, C4, S1 and S2 Mathematics modules, across all boards, as well as Biology A level topics, also across all boards. The exam board I took my own exams in was OCR MEI (for Mathematics) and OCR A for Biology.

I am aware the A Level syllabus has now changed from modular to linear, and have tutored a Year 12 student doing Mathematics under the new course. The content is very similar to previous years - it is just the style of the exam that has changed!

Teaching Experience:
I have taken on a number of leadership roles, both in school and in my freetime. I ran House Art, an intraschool competition, during Year 13, and held the rank of Corporal for the last few years of my time as a cadet as part of St John Ambulance.

Prior to going to university, I tutored two students in A level Mathematics (EdExcel and MEI OCR), who both achieved Bs, and one student in A level Biology (who achieved an A). While I have been in Cardiff, I have also been tutoring two students in A level Mathematics (both Edexcel).

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that a good teacher is vital for A level subjects such as Maths and Biology - otherwise it is easy to become lost in class and fall behind, which is where I hope to help! I am open to working with students in different ways depending on their requirements and how they work best, whether this involve helping with homework questions or teaching topics from scratch. I endeavor to establish a connection with students and am always contactable by text or email for help with questions or queries, over the week.

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Personal Description:
My name is Rajindel. I am a fully qualified ESOL and RE secondary teacher. I have been in education for over 15 years. I have experience with different ages and my passion is teaching ESOL to any learner who requires help and support with the English language. I can teach IELTS English, ESOL courses to adults and children, Cambridge First Certificate, Functional Skills English, English at primary and secondary level which is KS1, 2 and 3 and I also teach general English to improve ones language.
My teaching method is initially teacher centred then predominantly student centred. Teaching methods can include paper based tasks, use of a tablet for English games, puzzles and listening tasks, question and answer tasks and having a natural conversation with the student is the best way to improve a students natural fluency.
My teaching methodology would depend on the individual student and what they need. I would adapt my teaching methods to suit the needs of any student.

Teaching Experience:
I have got masses of experience. I have been teaching and giving private lessons in ESOL and EAL for over 15 years. I have taught a wide range of learners from young children to adults. I have taught students as young as 7 years up to students in their 50's.
I taught in Hungary in Eastern Europe for 2 and a half years, whilst there I taught a number of private students English. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching abroad as my skills were enhanced.
I have taught students and have experience of working in secondary schools, colleges and adult centres. I obtained very good results whilst teacher ESOL and students achieved their E2, E3 and Level 1 results bar a few exceptions. The primary student I taught received positive feedback from her teacher at school saying she really improved in her writing and spelling.
At present I am working in a school whereby I am teaching students from 14-16 years EAL. My learners come from all over the world.
I have taught English to primary children and adults in Wolverhampton.
I am also fully qualified in teaching RE to secondary students. I have also been an Edexcel Examiner and Team Leader for the Religious Studies paper each summer for over 10 years now, this keeps me in the loop with Religious Studies and what questions come up each year.
I am proud to say I have established strong rapport with all my students in classes and privately. I am warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring who loves to inspire others.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a fully qualified ESOL / EAL teacher. I am also a fully qualified GCSE RE secondary teacher. I have been teaching for over 15 years now.
My lessons are very varied and engaging. I make sure the student has a wide variety of tasks. My students have been from as young as 8 years old to adults.
My teaching methods are varied too. I teach to the needs of the particular learner and make sure they have tasks suited to their auditory, kinaesthetic and visual needs. My lessons are always varied with tasks covering spellings, learning new vocabulary, reading and comprehension, grammar, speaking and writing tasks.

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Personal Description:
Experienced, qualified and patient tutor of Spanish in Cambridge.

I offer Spanish tuition to students of all ages and abilities, including preparation for GCSE oral and written examinations.

Whether you are studying Spanish at school, for business fluency or simply for travel and leisure I can provide a structured learning approach which is also fun.


About me:

I am originally from Argentina and have spent 10 years living and working in Spain, Germany and the UK.

I am a qualified Teacher of Spanish as a Foreign Language from the Cervantes Institute in Munich and have taught Business Spanish to companies in Germany, as well as a teacher at La Dante and Cactus Language Schools in Cambridge.

I am happy to teach at your home or other suitable locations around Cambridge.

I have a full current DBS check.


Please contact me and I will be happy to provide more information.




Maria

Teaching Experience:
WORK EXPERIENCE
TEACHING SPANISH
11-2018 / currently // Spanish Teacher. Individual and group classes for adults. La Dante European Cultural Centre, Cambridge, UK.
• Grammar, pronunciation, composition, spelling, vocabulary, and dialogue.
• Exercises and correction.
• Creation lesson plans.
• Preparation activities in the classroom.
• Organization of teaching materials.
• Language improvement and reinforcement tasks.
• Student evaluations

09-2017 / 03-2018 // Spanish Teacher for business. Individual and group classes for adults. Kunz & Kunz Haus, Munich, Germany.
• Speaking, listening, reading and writing in a business context.
• Business communication tips for International travel to Latin America.
• Spanish technical language in sales and marketing and customer service.
• Business rules and regulations in Latin America.

01-2017 /06-2017// Spanish Teacher. Individual and group classes. Schülerhilfe, Munich,
Germany.
• Grammar, pronunciation, composition, spelling, vocabulary, and dialogue.
• Exercises and correction.
• Student evaluations.

FINE ARTS
02-2014 / currently // Teacher and Art Assistant. Artist Joaquín Fargas and Maimóides University
• Teaching educational workshops about Art, Science, and Technology in primary and secondary schools and in universities.
• Supporting and solving conceptual research projects to students and artists.
• Art Research for art projects.

Tutoring Approach:
I'm a teacher that's trained in identifying problems specific to the way yours Spanish and adapt the lessons to turn those weaknesses into strengths! I take each of the skills needed in the exam, look at how the skill works, why it's important, start with simpler examples before working up to exam level examples.

Through this step by step approach, we work together to build up your confidence for not only the exam, but also for a life afterwards using Spanish more naturally day to day. I will never rush you through any of the skills and only move onto the next part of the practice. Your pace matters as I'd like you to enjoy the classes, and not just learn from them.

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Personal Description:
I am a friendly, passionate and enthusiastic French Tutor. I like to assess each client's individual needs and then tailor the sessions to achieve them. I like to make the learning interactive and fun and I am a very patient tutor.

Teaching Experience:
I have successfully tutored French for the past 16 years. I have extensive experience with students looking to improve their GCSE and A Level grades, adult learners either seeking to gain conversational French or who require a deeper understanding of the language and primary age children who are learning French for the first time.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to assess each individual client's needs and tailor the learning to achieve their goals. I use a variety of learning material and I like to positively encourage clients in their lesson in order to improve their confidence and understanding. Additionally I always have a calm approach to my lessons, so that clients can maximise their learning, without feeling under pressure. I also like the sessions to be fun.

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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.

*

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:
I am an enthusiastic teacher of Physics with 17 years` experience. I enjoy hill walking and off road cycling. I am married with a son living away from home. I specialise in teaching A Level Physics and Cambridge Pre-U and have experience with all examination boards and with both A and B specifications.

Before becoming a teacher I had a wide experience of industry and also worked in two university departments: Trinity College Dublin as a Physics Lecturer and Durham University as a Computer Science lecturer.

Teaching Experience:
I have spent most of my career in industry and left to train as a teacher in 2003 years ago. I taught KS4 and KS5 Physics at Emmanuel College and was Head of Physics at Barnard Castle school. Since my partial retirement I have taught Physics at Durham High School for girls in 2019 and 2020. I have now retired from full time employment and am available throughout the working day and in the evening to provide online tuition.

Tutoring Approach:
I always aim to build a warm and friendly relationship with my students. In my online lessons I typically spend about half the time reviewing the subject material and the rest of the time in working through questions with the student. I use an online whiteboard and send a copy of the notes from the session to the student. I generally supply additional work to be completed for the next session, although this is optional and depends on individual needs.

Subjects