Richard - Lechlade tutor





Richard's profile picture

Information About Richard:


Personal Description:

I am married, and live in Gloucestershire with our two Chocolate Labradors. Prior to teaching, I worked in advertising and then recruitment for 10 years. I have been teaching for the greater part of twenty years.
I am an avid reader, and keen amateur actor.
I speak basic - and extremely rusty! - French and German.
My other interests include tai chi and kung fu, yoga, weight lifting, and juggling.



Teaching Experience:

I have worked in education since 2003, initially in the primary sector and since 2007 in secondary. My initial experience was as a Teaching Assistant, working with children with special educational needs, including one to one teaching of pupils with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Between 2003 and 2007, in addition to working in both primary and secondary schools, I tutored English and Maths at KS2 and KS3.
I took my PGCE in English and Drama in 2007, and taught full time secondary English Language and Literature at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 for 10 years. I have been an English tutor for KS3, KS4 and KS5 - both face to face and online - since 2019, working with students aged 11-18.
In my last school, where I taught for 10 years, I started and ran the Debating Society, the Mock Trial, and was also involved in a number of educational trips abroad.



Tutoring Approach:

My approach is open and relatively informal. I feel that tutoring works best when a relationship is established between myself and the student - they should feel free to ask questions, raise issues, and discuss any aspect of the work that interests them. It's very different to being taught in the classroom: in addition to individual attention, it also offers the opportunity to read and study texts not on the curriculum which can augment and strengthen the school syllabus. English is essentially a skills based subject. Although there is a lot of content to learn at both GCSE and A level, students benefit from being able to access and flexibly use the techniques needed to study and criticize. Reading, debating, and discussing a variety of texts enables the student to develop and apply these skills in lessons and exams.

Tuition is available in English Language and Literature for all secondary years, including GCSE resits. I can also tutor pupils preparing for the 11+, and scholarship entry in Year 7 or Year 9. Tutoring sessions are specifically geared to the student's individual needs, and may include functional literacy, close discussion of a set text, exam revision, and past papers. We can follow a specific syllabus, with the flexibility to focus on any particular aspect of the curriculum if so desired, or study more organically, choosing interesting and challenging texts that offer the opportunity to learn effectively while developing a strong set of English skills.



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Qualifications:

  • BA (Open)
  • PGCE, University of Gloucestershire
  • Certificate of Natural Sciences (Open)
  • A levels in English, French, Latin, German

Further Information:

Availability:  Weekdays (all times)
Types of Tutoring:   Travels to you / From their home / Online
References Supplied?   Yes
Current DBS/CRB Check?   Yes
Additional Languages Spoken:   German, French