Whetstone Tutors and Whetstone Tuition

Personal Description:
Certified professional language teacher with more than 35 years of experience, MA in Teaching Foreign Languages (Russian, English and German) and in Linguistics. Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). I've been teaching languages since I graduated from the university, starting with teaching at schools, then colleges, universities, blue chip companies (i.e. Johnson & Johnson) as well as giving face -to-face and on-line private tuition, which all in all comprise the students' age range 9 - 75.

Teaching Experience:
I love teaching, it has been my life's work. For me it's more than just a profession, it's a state of mind and soul, when you as a teacher and a person want to constantly grow and develop, open new doors and look into new cultures. It isn't just for self-development but for sharing with students and carrying them with you. I can help you to learn Russian with confidence, step by step, at your own pace. I'd like to share the knowledge of Russian with you and to open the door to this huge world of Russia.

I've worked as a senior teacher at Kazan State University, one of the oldest and biggest universities in Russia.

Tutoring Approach:
I have mastered a wide range of methods which affords me to be quite flexible in teaching and to make each lesson a tailored one where the main principal is to simplify things, not to complicate them. I will help you to learn, step by step, at your own pace.

My priorities are my students' confidence and convenience while studying, and their satisfaction with the final results. That's why I'm so very proud to say that my students have achieved many of their goals, whether it's just a simple trip to Russia or passing their exams, living in bilingual families, helping their companies to strengthen relations with Russia and even working and living in Russia.

I provide my students with all the necessary materials as well as offer free interactive games that they can play after lessons to increase their vocabulary.

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Personal Description:
For over a decade now I have worked with a diverse range of students, engendering a passion for learning as well as producing tangible results. I prefer a flexible and dynamic approach crafted from an understanding that we are each upon a unique learning pathway according to our particular styles, aspirations, aptitudes and needs.

"Thank you very much for the great work you did with my daughter Sophie. She progressed from a 'C' grade to an 'A' grade in the space of 6 months and I would have no hesitation in recommending you to friends." - Billy, Bangor

Teaching Experience:
"The learning exercises were always set around my interest areas, making tuition both fun and effective. Following my sessions with Andrew, I have developed a more concise way of communicating. My writing now has more flow, which helps me say what I need to say." - Neil , Newtownabbey

I'm passionate about nurturing the potential of each student with whom I have the privilege to work. With over 8 years experience as a Learning Coach with countless individuals and groups, Diploma in Life Coaching as well as a successful university graduate (1st class hons in Philosophy) and additional Masters research degree in Developmental Psychology, I previously taught at Secondary school and most recently trained nursing professionals to pass their IELTS exams.

I am also a regular public speaker and workshop leader in the private health sector, delivering courses in areas from stress-management and communication skills, to self-care and personal development.

Tutoring Approach:
"Andrew was very professional in his approach to tutoring. My daughter gained confidence in her ability to understand her subject and to recall information using association techniques which proved very useful in her examinations."
Grainne, Randalstown

This coaching-based approach I take has proven highly successful. I approach each student and the sessions with an open mind to learn what I need to be of support.

Combining motivational coaching techniques, I offer a uniquely engaging, personally attuned service. The first lesson typically consists of a complimentary educational assessment (usually 30 minutes) to help identify key areas for improvement . All results can be shared with the parent/guardian. Based on this initial assessment, a 100% individual and tailored programme of learning is created. While encouraging the student to adopt high yet realistically achievable targets for their own education, I am also sensitive to the level of each student and what he or she is ready to adopt.

3 EXAMPLES OF HOW I HELP FOR LITERATURE-BASED TASKS:

1. Working from the question to the answer: appreciating and understanding key requirements of a question, and any relevant marking criteria.

2. How best to structure and qualify sentences so that the answer is complete and accurate.

3. Most effective study / revision / exam techniques such as mind-mapping, worked answers, memorising.


AREAS COVERED / WHAT TO EXPECT

My specialist subjects at all most levels are literature-based and the human sciences particularly philosophy, religion and ethics. Alongside these, I also specialise in 'study skills', offering a very personalised, tailored approach that incorporates motivational coaching on exam and essay skills, ensuring maximum value for investment of your time, money and effort.

**Upon request I am also able to provide emotional literacy around life skills such as: motivation, communication, self belief and concentration.

"I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for tutoring Philip this year; he adapted well with you as his new tutor and enjoyed your approach to teaching.
"I would have no hesitation in recommending Andrew as a tutor. I found him to be polite, courteous, reliable, and accommodating."
- Doreen, Ballyclare

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Personal Description:
When I have free time, I like to go to the cinema and play badminton. I also like travelling and discovering different parts of the world.

Teaching Experience:
I am a qualified teacher with more then seventeen years of experience of teaching which spans nursery, foundation, primary and 11-19.

I am presently second in charge in science at a secondary school and I teach chemistry, biology and physics across KS3 and KS4.

I have passed a Chemistry postgraduate course. This has improved my subject knowledge to be able to teach chemistry to 'A' level. I also can teach biology to 'A' level.

Tutoring Approach:
Before I begin to tutor, I will assess what level you are currently working at. I will also speak to you in depth about what you do and do not understand about a topic.

I will then take you through the topic at a pace that you feel comfortable at. You will be set homework to test your understanding. In preparation for exams, you will be given ideas for revision that will help your style in learning and pass papers to prepare for exam format.

Your contribution to what you need is important and you are invited to express what help and topics you feel you need to cover. As a tutor I am here to help you succeed.

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Personal Description:
I am British, Married with two children (Grown up) both are employed after their Master Degrees.

I was graduated from Newcastle University followed by various professional qualifications A Chartered Engineer with Fellowship. I served in the British Merchant Navy for many years. While I was working in West Africa I engaged in teaching voluntarily (in my free time) English Maths and Science, to children of all ages. This made me interested in teaching. Soon I realised that this was what I wish to do after ending my career overseas. In 1998 I ended my career overseas and decided go in to teaching. In 1999 I took up teaching as a full time private tutor which I continue up to date.
I am a registered Tutor of Fleet Tutors, which is one of the most reputed private teaching agencies in the Country and I was elected as the best Tutor of the Year. I am also a registered Tutor of Abacus Tutors In Berkshire and UK Tutors.

Teaching Experience:
Full time Private Tutor (mainly one to one but occasionally group) from 1999 up to date. I set very high standards and my students have always been achieving very high grades (A and A*) in all the subjects been taught

Tutoring Approach:
Initial assessment followed by structured and tailor made teaching programme to suit and meet individual needs. All lessons are kept in line with what is taught in the school and in line with the National Curriculum. Progress of the pupil is repeatedly tested by regular home work and monthly mini tests. Parents are kept well informed through out the course of studies.
Substantial amount of revision and past paper questions are done prior to the examinations. No of mock tests are carried out to ensure that the pupil is fully prepared to achieve highest grades in the Exam. Nearly all my pupils over the years have continued with me until they entered the University of 1st choice. I have quite often prepared the students successfully for entrance exams for top schools such as Eton, Harrow, Cheltenham, Wickham Abbey Wellington, Kendrick etc ......
Short Profile
Masters Degree in Engineering from Newcastle University, is an experienced (over 15 years) full time Tutor who specialises in tutoring
Maths English and Science in KS2 Level,
11+ in Maths, English and Science.
13+ tuition in Maths and two sciences Physics and Chemistry
Maths, Physics and Chemistry at KS3 and GCSE level,
Maths at AS and A2 levels, Physics at AS and A2 levels and Further Maths in AS and A" levels.
University 1st Year Maths
I also possess experience with teaching and tutoring dyslexic students and has had some experience with autistic students

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Personal Description:
I teach students from the ages of 6 to 16 and pride myself on getting to know each student well and taking the time and effort to tailor each session to their learning needs.

I feel its important to motivate students and help increase their confidence. I specialise in preparing for the 11+ Medway and Kent test and am able to provide tutoring for Maths, Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning for the 11+ . I have a a high success rate and am happy to provide references on request. My approach is relaxed (but with a focus on exam technique) and I believe that learning should be an enjoyable experience.

Teaching Experience:
Teaching children from ages 6 to GCSE level Maths Age 16. I also specialise in preparing children for the 11+ test in kent and medway, teaching subject verbal reasoning and non verbal reasoning.

Tutoring Approach:
I enjoy the challenge of improving children's learning in any way I can. I use an informal teaching method which encourages the child to gain confidence and better self esteem i aim to help children to build confidence and the ability to solve problems. Use of text books, computers and previous exam papers. Friendly, knowledgeable tutoring with a patient tutor

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Personal Description:
I am a motivated, organised and friendly young woman. I love working with children and I am passionate about sport. I want to become a teacher and I am currently working as a classroom assistant at a high school. I am mainly in maths supporting foundation and higher curriculum at key stage 3 and 4 . I received an A at maths at GCSE and understand the curriculum fully. I studied Sport Science with Coaching at Northumbria University. I have had substantial experience in numerous schools and with a range of departments. I am very capable of working one on one with children and also with groups of children.

Teaching Experience:
I have had work placements at Haydon Bridge High School teaching P.E to ages 13-18 for a period of 6 weeks, then assisting various classes for 75 hours over 4 months. I undertook several roles; teacher, clasroom assistant, organiser of fixtures and one on one tutor. I also returned to Haydon Bridge High school as a volunteer, assisting in P.E lessons.
I am currently emplyed as a classroom assistant at Queen Elizabeth High school. My main role is to work with one or two children with Special Educational Needs within the classroom supporting their learning. I may also have to work with a whole class, supporting all the children. It is vital for my role that I understand and can teach the curriculum, as I may have to work outside the classroom with the child and will need to tutor them in that subject area. The majority of the students I am currently working with have made progress since I have been put with them and other students are asking to be placed with me or for me to put on revision sessions for them.

Tutoring Approach:
Every child is unique. They each have their own way of learning and have different abilities in a variety of areas. This can not always be addressed within a school environment, as it can be difficult to differentiate the topic which is being taught to a large number of pupils. I understand that each child will work at a different rate therefore my rate and style of teaching will alter to suit the student. I believe that tutoring is about guiding a child to find their own way towards an answer and not making them follow your way as they may not understand the process which you have followed. I can also comprehend the amount of work which students are having to complete weekly, thus I would not supply them with a large workload alongside their normal studies.

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified Industrial Engineer from University College Galway, Ireland (1978)
I qualified as a secondary school teacher from King's College London (2000).
I have worked as an IT developer for many years.
I have worked in Hamburg and speak fluent German.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked in inner London state secondary schools for ten years.
I have taught mathematics at Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 to pupils over the entire ability range.
I have taught Pure, Statistics and Mechanics to A-Level pupils
I have also tutored extensively over a number of years.

Tutoring Approach:
Most pupils are focused on a particular examination and I never lose sight of this fact.
However, I like to demonstrate how mathematics is applied in the real world.
I am especially interested in using software such as Cabri, Autograph, Microsoft Excel etc to demonstrate mathematical points.
I have considerable knowledge of online both free and subscription mathematical websites.
This helps pupils between lessons to either prepare for a future lesson or build up confidence in topics already covered. I have extensive experience of KS3, KS4 and KS5 examination systems.

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Personal Description:
I am a very experienced and enthusiastic Teacher and Tutor of Economics to A Level, living in Cardiff.

Teaching Experience:
I am currently teaching the full WJEC A Level Economics course at two leading Independent Schools. I teach part time at each, and have done various freelance work with other schools in person/online, and have tutored students privately for many years. I am currently an Examiner in Economics.

Tutoring Approach:
Tuition at your home (Cardiff area) or online via Google Meet.

We will cover any areas causing difficulties, as well as working through past papers. I have lots of resources, and pay particular attention to exam technique and understanding how to meet the marking criteria when answering questions. I have resources accessible online through Google Classroom.

My tutoring sessions are 50 minutes each. I am happy to set and/or mark extra work as part of the service.

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Personal Description:
I have B.Sc in Biochemistry and completed my Masters degree from Kingston University in Biomedical science with Management studies.

Teaching Experience:
Teaching Experience:

I have taught science in a secondary school as a science teacher. At present I tutor primary and secondary school students, with focus on GCSE exam preparations. I have 10 years of experience of tutoring within the UK.

Tutoring Approach:
Good communication and interaction is the key to understanding and learning. I make sure that my students understand the topic before proceeding to the next one. I provide the students with the right materials for studying which includes exam style questions.

For students preparing for their GCSEs, we work hard on learning how to answer exam questions. Techniques and skills on how to ace the questions are taught which are key to getting more marks in their GCSEs.

I am willing to travel to you but travel costs would need to be covered (£5 per trip)

If you wish to book a group session for two or more students/multiple subjects then please contact to discuss rates.

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Personal Description:
My name is Kay and I have 21 years' experience as a tutor in all of the following subjects and levels:

1) English at Primary level (Years 1 to 6), KS3 , GCSE (Language & Literature) and A level Literature.
2) Maths at Primary level (Years 1 to 6).
3) 7+, 11+ , 13+ entrance exams.
4) History at KS3 and GCSE level.
5) Piano - from Grades 1 to 5 , as well as learning for pleasure
6) Singing -from Grades 1 to 5., as well as learning for pleasure
7) Guitar- from Grades 1 to 3, as well as learning for pleasure.
8) Music Theory- from Grades 1 to 5.

I am now offering tuition on Zoom/Skype during the Lockdown.

I also have 26 written references from parents, for students of various abilities, across all these subjects and levels.
I have an English-related degree (in History- which included some English modules within the degree), and I have a Level 1 City & Guilds Teaching Certificate in English.

I also have a proven track record of improving student's grades, regularly improving them by 1 to 2 grades, often in less than 1 year's tuition. For example, in English, I recently tutored a student at GCSE level- he had been predicted C grades in both Language & Literature, but after just 8 months' tuition with me, he achieved an A in his GCSE English Language exam and an A* in his English Literature exam. This is typical of my success over the years as a tutor.

I use National Curriculum Resources for all tuitions. Furthermore, I have great experience tutoring all abilities from the gifted and talented to those with Learning Disabilities (I have regularly taught students with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Asberges).

I can either travel to the student's home or they can come to me. I am available to tutor on all evenings of the week, Monday to Friday, as well as in the daytime.I tutor through most of the School holidays, providing the opportunity for students to put in extra revision during these periods.

Teaching Experience:
As a full-time tutor, I have built up an extensive knowledge of the National Curriculum and the various exam boards.
I have also built up a wealth of National Curriculum Resources for English, Maths and History : my 3 main subjects.

For English, I have resources covering the following: Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar , Phonics, Vocabulary, Sentence structure, Comprehension and Creative Writing.

For Maths, I have resources from the very basics: Number Bonds and Counting up and down at KS1, to the 4 operations & main topics : for example Fractions , Decimals and Percentages at KS2 . Also, I have books for Gifted and Talented Maths students at the top of KS2 level.In addition, I have an extensive resource base of past exam papers in all subjects and levels.

For History, I have National Curriculum Resources for the various exam boards and plenty of past papers.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a firm believer in making students feel at ease in the lessons, and in offering plenty of encouragement during the tuitions to build the student's confidence in the subject I am teaching.

I generally teach a topic to a student , and then set practice questions for the student to attempt based on my teaching.I am open to setting homework for the students, but always liaise with the parents as to whether they want their child to have any and if so how much.

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Personal Description:
Since 1995, I have been teaching mathematics. About 3 years ago I moved from London to Canterbury and have been teaching at Canterbury Steiner School as well as Canterbury FE College. I have many years experience delivering the Mathematics GCSE and A-level courses. I consider it an integral part of the course that the students develop their exam techniques during the course.

Teaching Experience:
I have about 20 years experience teaching GCSE annd A level mathematics. I also have several years experience teaching maths to primary school children.

Tutoring Approach:
To engage my students I always aim to create an inspiring, supportive and dynamic teaching environment. This motivates the students to enjoy the course and to feel confident enough to express themselves during the lesson.

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Personal Description:
NATIVE SPANISH TEACHER

Born and raised in the centre of Spain, my Spanish is flawless, which is beneficial for my students comprehension. Teaching Spanish since 2015, adults with excellent results and older teenagers to pass the exams more than well.
Not only do I teach Spanish by the book, but also the Spanish spoken in real life with the clues you need to understand and be understood; slang and everyday colloquial words and expressions.

Teaching Experience:
- Spanish for beginners/survival
- Advance Spanish
- A-levels (AQA, Edexcel,)
- IGCSE (CIE, Edexcel)
- IB Standard and Higher level
- Modern Languages Admissions Tests (MLAT)
- DELE and SIELE exams from A1 to C2
Experienced in marking A-LEVEL exams as well as examiner for speaking tests.


************* IF YOU ARE AN A LEVEL STUDENT PLEASE KEEP READING **************************

Expert in A-LEVEL EXAMS (AQA, Edexcel) I am successfully experienced in training my tutees to pass the exams confidently and more than well.
In my lessons my students are provided

- the proper book (according to their exam board)
- audios
- listening and reading worksheets
- topical tests
- Exam style listening/reading/speaking questions
- Past Papers

INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROYECT: I help to understand how to go about, giving ideas to get the student started, carrying out, organize the research and preparing the presentation.

Guideline about ORAL EXAM: practice the delivery and timing, anticipated the questions the student might be asked and prepare the possible responses.

I also offer enthusiasm, commitment and endless patience. ^_^




PLEASE CONTACT ME TO CHECK MY AVALABILITY as the one shown sometimes it is not quite accurate.
LESSONS TAKE PLACE IN MY HOME OR ONLINE.

Tutoring Approach:
I use structural methods and materials appropriate for instruction success above all interactive activities. Likewise, I provide Spanish text book as well as workbooks, Spanish Business book, exams, etc depending on your goals. Also, I plan the lessons according to the work of my students, taking into account their shifts and time or classes, designing and composing thematic study units. I adapt my tuitions to my tutees according to their needs and abilities.

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Personal Description:
Hi, my name is China and I am a London based Artist. I have been an Artist for over 10 years now, winning competitions, exhibiting in London Galleries and creating commissions for clients. My practice is focused is on realism and I have ventured into other avenues of creativity such as scenic painting, storyboard drawing and restoration.
Despite gaining a BA Hons in Fine Art: Painting at Wimbledon College of Art, I feel my skills have not come from the educational system. I am mostly self taught with a couple of additional training workshops at atelier Schools such as the Academy of Realist Art and Edinburgh atelier of Fine Art.
I am able to achieve hyper realism and my most valued pieces are usually portraits, but I have experience in abstract paintings as well as landscapes and still lifes.

Teaching Experience:
I am a professional portrait and figure artist. I specialise in a variety of mediums including pencil, pastel, and oil painting. I have been teaching for 5 years to private students varying in different ages ranges from 8 years old to 70 years. These lessons have been either just for fun as a hobby progression, to help students for creative degrees, or for groups in workshops.

Drawing is amazingly fun and therapeutic and if we don't have the tools to connect the dots, we can find it frustrating and stressful. I am here to show you how to connect the dots so you can draw confidently on your own.

I am available for group hire as well as private 1-to-1's and I can adapt my teaching style to suit your needs.

Usually, I like to go through the fundamental basics with students so they have a good grasp of basic tools before we learn about anything else.

These lessons include:

* Shading
* Materials
* Negative space
* Line direction
* Shapes
* Perspective

Once I feel the student has grasped these, we can begin to apply the theory to drawing things such as:

* Portraits
* Architecture
* Still Life
* Botanical
* Animals

I primarily teach adults however I am open to helping children too if they are passionate about drawing and have good concentration. I believe everyone is entitled to learn to draw and sometimes we just need a helping hand to reach our goals.

For some background information on my training, I have a fine art degree from Wimbledon College of Art, and I have trained with many masters such as Fernando Freitas and Coung Nygun. I now sell commissions both figurative as well as animal art and I often exhibit in galleries around London.

Tutoring Approach:
My method of teaching is always catered to the student's needs and abilities. For example, if a student is a beginner and they want to learn how to draw realistically, I would show them how to understand the principles before we try to draw straight away.

To understand nature, we must understand how to see in order to translate that onto our paper.
If a student is more advanced, we will look at what really inspires them and how we can push their abilities by looking at the finer details, whether that is refining a good drawing to become more realistic, the equipment quality, or the tiny nuances in the line direction that need tweaking. We should always keep pushing ourselves and learning from what we do so I fully encourage people to embrace their mistakes and enjoy the process over the finished result.

Topics I cover are value scale, shapes, portraits, figures, life drawing, still life, feet, hands, hair, fabric and much more.

I also provide an option for a ready made drawing kit with all the equipment you need to start or enhance your drawing practise including a hardcover sketchbook, 4 pencils which are staple in my lessons, and a putty rubber which is good for controlling the removal of pencil.


I teach between the hours of 8am - 6pm Mon-Fri allowing people to have lesson's in their lunch break, before work, and however your schedule suits you!

You may be wondering if online learning is for you as I fully understand the differences and anticipations of online as apposed to in real life. Having taught throughout the whole pandemic online with a thriving community and many students have stayed with me since, I would encourage those who are against it, to try online in their trial session and then further lessons can be discussed as to whether they are best suited online or in person which has travel costs.

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified barrister practicing in Northern Ireland.

In 2015 I graduated from Queen's University Belfast with an undergraduate degree in Law with Politics. In 2017 I graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies from Queen's University Belfast again, before being called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in September 2017.

Teaching Experience:
I was part of the teaching team for both European Law modules at Queen's University Belfast for four years. I helped deliver both the European Constitutional Law module to students of all levels in the first academic term, and the European Internal Market Law module in the second term. I also private tutor a number of students every year in these two modules both locally and in the mainland UK.

I also provide group and 1:1 tuition for the Institute of Professional Legal Studies entrance exam. I have an excellent success rate and have tutored over 200 students for the exam over the last number of years. I cover all aspects of the exam including criminal law, civil law, and land law, along with the necessary maths and english skills to pass the exam. Fees for this tuition will vary.

Tutoring Approach:
Tuition is tailored to the need of the student.

For IPLS entrance exam tuition students can choose between 1-1 tuition or online group tuition classes.

For European Law, many students will attend for weekly tuition which covers all aspects of the module before completing a number of past papers together. I teach students how to approach an essay question and a problem question, how to structure their answer and how to apply their knowledge to achieve top results.

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Personal Description:
A qualified teacher with enhanced DBS status, I work with students at primary, secondary and further education level and am qualified to Master's degree level. With my highly personalised learning programmes, we work together to ensure rapid progress. Students quickly benefit from the enjoyment and confidence that results from finding success in the subject, whatever challenges students are currently experiencing with their learning. I have a personal love of lifelong learning and consider it a privilege to share this with my students. When I'm not teaching, I am studying French and Italian. I also love walking, cooking, playing the piano and painting.

Teaching Experience:
I am a qualified teacher and work with children and adults of all ages and with a wide range of abilities, including a wide variety of educational needs. I hold a Master's degree with distinction in addition to my qualified teacher status and Bachelor's degree. Tutoring is provided from my dedicated, fully-equipped classroom and I hold enhanced DBS status and full insurance. Having worked in the classroom since 2014, I am experienced in providing highly specialised learning tailored specifically to the needs of each individual learner. I am a member of The Tutors' Association and undertake regular CPD to ensure that my teaching is evidence-based and incorporates the recommendations of current practice.

Tutoring Approach:
I offer a highly personalised program of learning to enable my students to make rapid progress towards their learning goals. We work together to identify areas of need and implement a tailored, goal-oriented plan to ensure that learners are developing their skills quickly and enjoying the resulting confidence and motivation boost. Tutoring sessions are carefully constructed using a combination of learning approaches to ensure an optimal learning experience and maximum progression.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August 2024:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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:
10 years of teaching experience. (Italian History, Geography Culture and Tourism)
25 publications ( Italian Military History)
IWM London volunteer
Partnerships:
Italian Army and Navy
British Archaeological Reports
After The Battle
Accademy of St. Marciano
Italian Sociery of Military HIstory
National Geographic Channel ( Series Nazi Megastructures)

Teaching Experience:
10 years of teaching experience. (Italian History, Geography Culture and Tourism). High schools, academies, training schools

Tutoring Approach:
professional approach by means of slides, books and notes.
Modern and effective teaching methods

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi, I'm Johnette and I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a post-graduate teaching qualification in Secondary Education. I have over ten years teaching experience in bilingual, state and international schools.

Teaching Experience:
I've been teaching KS2 - A levels History and Geography, Humanities and English as a Foreign Language in classroom and online settings (majority of my students are from Asia, the Middle East and Europe). I used to work in a secondary school in England and have a full DBS/ police check. I'm also a CIE History Assessment Specialist/ Assistant Examiner.

I'm offering tailored lessons to help you or your child learn History and/or Geography on all specifications (eg. CAIE, IB, Edexcel International, AP) as I have a thorough knowledge of the requirements for all of these. I can help you learn the content, give exam techniques or if you just want someone to chat with/ practice your oral English with! I'm available to mark exam papers for IGCSE- A levels History and Geography.

I have a proven track record including helping my students achieve the highest marks for Cambridge International Examinations IGCSE History in the whole of China (in June 2010 and June 2016 examinations).

Tutoring Approach:
I enjoy teaching students of different ability levels and cultural backgrounds and take pleasure in making the subject interesting for my students. When teaching, I aim to provide a stimulating and interactive learning environment. I plan my lessons with care to make sure that I've included appropriate activities and exercises for the students' level by using a variety of teaching strategies and methods to support the engagement of all learners (including making provisions for students with learning difficulties by differentiating activities that are suitable for the different learning styles). I also like to help students achieve their full academic potential and get them inspired about the world around them.

Subjects