Apollon
"Apollon played a pivotal role in my UCAS applications for Medical School, which resulted in me securing a place at the University of Cambridge to study Medicine. His guidance during the application process was invaluable, he helped transform my Personal Statement, prepared me for my interviews, and coached me for the Medical School entrance exams."
Successful Cambridge University Medical School Applicant
11+
13 +
7+/8+
Biology
Chemistry
Maths
Medical School Admissions
Oxbridge Applications
Physics
Academic History
Master of Laws in Law and Legal Practice (LL.M), BPP University
• Classification: Distinction
• Dissertation: “Is English Law right to persist with the notion of a Quistclose trust?”
B.A. Medical Sciences, St Hugh’s College, University of Oxford
• Classification: Second Class, First Division (2.i)
• Thesis: “Induction of anti-HIV antibodies in rabbits by SMA.TTTPk complexes”
• FHS Research Essay: ‘mRNA: from Obscurity to Prominence’ (OUSEK Prize for Final Honours)
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
• A Levels: 2A*, 3A
• GCSEs: 13A* (School Record)
About Me
Tutors have the privilege of getting to know each of their students individually, understanding their exact academic needs and designing a personalised approach to help achieve their goals. I always tailor my tutoring style to suit the student, taking into consideration their strengths and weaknesses, and importantly, their goal with the subject. When we first start working together, I assess the current level and discuss with the student and parents their aims with the subject. I am a strong believer in active learning, which means I encourage active participation and engagement from students, rather than lecturing where possible. Active learning helps keep the sessions interesting and is a more effective way for students to learn concepts and content. This involves having discussions, engaging in problem-solving exercises, and exploring practical applications of the subject matter. Connecting theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios is a great way to stimulate students and help boost understanding, especially when the subject matter can appear abstract.
I think creating a positive and comfortable learning environment is very important, and students should feel able to ask questions and express their concerns. Checking in with your student periodically and adjusting the pace and style based on the progress and their feedback is also important to ensure the tuition is achieving the maximum effect. Positive reinforcement boosts confidence and motivation of students and creates a more positive learning environment. Acknowledging and praising effort and achievement is an effective way to create a cycle of positivity and encouragement. I will always try to incorporate spaced repetition and building on previous concepts if the tuition is over extended periods of time, as it is the most effective strategy to commit information to long term memory and ensures students do not forget concepts and information learned earlier in the year.
Lastly, I believe in having empathy and patience with my students. Learning can be challenging, and students can struggle with certain aspects of lessons. It is therefore important to me to ensure I am empathetic to this, and be as patient as each student needs, understanding their issues and taking the time to ensure they are resolved before moving on to new sections.
Recent tuition
I have prepared students for 11+ and 13+ examinations. I also prepare students for university admission, including UCAS personal statement support, interview preparation and Oxbridge specific entrance exams. I prepare students for medicine applications including medical school selection, interview preparation and entrance exams (BMAT, UKCAT).
Below is a snapshot of my recent tuition:
8+ Preparation
I began tutoring this student after he achieved just 27% in his 7+ entrance exam for a leading Independent day school in London. I began working with him, creating fun and engaging sessions designed to rebuild his confidence and cultivate a love for learning. By gradually introducing homework and encouraging a focused, productive mindset, I transformed his approach to Maths. Within a year, he was able to secure a place at a top Independent school, having achieved an outstanding 82% in his subsequent exam. The family has asked me to continue mentoring him to ensure he remains engaged in school and maintains his position at the top of his Maths class.
Homeschooling, Maths and Science
I have been homeschooling a student who is taking time out of mainstream education to focus on his Chess career. Balancing his demanding training and travel schedule, I ensured he stayed on track with the National Curriculum for Maths and the three Sciences. Through flexible and tailored teaching, not only did he keep up with his peers, but I also advanced his Maths skills to a year ahead of his age group. He was recently accepted into a top independent school, where he will begin his GCSEs next year. The unique circumstances highlight the importance of a flexible and individualised approach to every student.
Greek Language
I taught Greek language to this student over several years, helping her develop strong speaking, reading, and writing skills. Due to our sessions and her hard work and dedication, she was ready to sit her exams in Year 9, and I am very happy to share that she achieved a ‘9’ in her GCSE. Concurrently, I also taught her younger sister, who is now preparing to take her GCSE in Modern Greek.
Science GCSE
I was approached by a lovely family to help their son, an autistic student in special education, with his Science GCSEs. His school was not able to provide sufficient academic support and had advised the family to not attempt the GCSEs. After discussing the options with the family, we decided to pursue the GCSEs despite the school’s recommendation, and I took charge of his education across all three Sciences.
Drawing on my extensive experience with SEN students, I tailored the sessions to meet this student’s unique needs and learning style, creating a highly effectively work environment that was calm and supportive. Beyond all expectations, he managed to achieve a ‘7’ in Biology, a ‘7’ in Physics, and a ‘9’ in Chemistry. His success has been life-changing for him and his family – he is now set to join a mainstream school for sixth form and is hoping to fulfil his dreams of attending University.
Chemistry and Physics GCSE
I tutored a student ahead of his Chemistry and Physics GCSE exams. When we began working together, he was significantly behind in his classes and was on track for a low pass. Over several months, we worked intensively, often scheduling early morning sessions to accommodate his boarding school’s busy timetable. Through this intense effort and tailored support, he achieved an ‘8’ in both subjects, which was a remarkable improvement. He is now studying A Level Chemistry and is on track for an ‘A*’ grade, much to the amazement of his teachers.
Biology and Maths GCSE
This student requested last-minute, intensive tuition for her Biology and Maths GCSEs. We worked hard over the Easter break and during the summer exam season, plugging the major gaps in her knowledge and helping her to build confidence for the exams. Through focused sessions and emphasis on exam technique, she improved by 2 grades in each subject, comfortably exceeding her predicted grades.
Biology iGCSE
For the past 18 months, I have been teaching Biology iGCSE to twins based abroad. When we started, they had significant gaps in their knowledge after transitioning to the British curriculum. We worked through these challenges, and both achieved A’s in their recent mock exams. Now, I am focused on guiding them towards securing A* grades in their upcoming summer exams.
Chemistry A Level
Having received an ‘E’ grade in his Chemistry A Level mock examination in January, this student urgently sought tuition to improve his grade and meet his first-choice University requirement of an ‘A’ grade. Over six months, we worked together through weekly sessions, with additional intensive lessons during the Easter break. Starting with the basics, we systematically built his understanding and confidence across the syllabus, topic by topic, week by week. He ultimately achieved an ‘A’ grade in the A Level exams and is now studying Engineering at his top-choice University.
University Applications
I was asked to support a student with his University applications, which targeted top Universities for highly competitive courses. Crafting a good application was crucial, so I helped him perfect his personal statement, ensuring the content and structure were faultless. For his Oxford interview, we conducted intensive preparation, covering a wide range of potential topics and practicing techniques to navigate challenging, unfamiliar questions with confidence. I am very happy to share that he was awarded a place to study at Oxford University.
MA University Application
This student sought my assistance for her application to competitive U.K. Universities for a Master’s Degree. After discussing her interests and academic strengths and weaknesses, I helped her shortlist the best courses that aligned with her goals, were ambitious but realistic to gain a place at. I then worked with her to refine her Personal Statement, ensuring it presented her academic record and achievements in the best possible light, to maximise her chances of success. I am delighted to share that she was accepted onto her first and second choice courses.
Hobbies
I actively engage in a variety of hobbies and interests. These vary from sports, to music, to building computers in my spare time.
I regularly play hockey and squash and tennis. I played hockey at a highly competitive level in junior competitions, winning the England Hockey Nationals twice, and captaining the Kent County Hockey team. More recently, I have really enjoyed playing social hockey while at Oxford University, playing with my college’s mixed team in the College Cup. I started playing squash when I went to University and now play at a competitive level in local competitions.
I enjoy reading in my spare time, exploring new topics, including fiction and non-fiction, and staying on top of latest developments in my areas of interests, especially in science, specifically immunology and vaccinology.
I am a keen musician, having achieved Grade 8 in Cello and having sung in the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. At University, I was a choral scholar, leading the bass section of the College choir, and I continue to sing and play cello.
I also like debating, both in formal competition and socially, and find it’s a great way to discuss ideas and learn new things about a variety of topics, especially philosophy, current affairs, and politics!
Testimonials
“I am delighted to provide a glowing testimonial for Apollon, who played a pivotal role in my UCAS applications for Medical School, which resulted in me securing a place at the University of Oxford to study Medicine. His guidance during the application process was invaluable, and his belief in my potential was a major boost to my confidence and helped me believe in my potential. He helped me transform my personal statement, offering guidance on structure, content, and refining the grammar and syntax, all while retaining the character and accurately portraying me in the best possible light. In terms of interview preparation, Apollon recommended useful reading materials and exercises to practice and analysed past interview questions and conducted mock interviews. In our mock interviews, he made the questions and subject matter progressively more difficult, to emulate the experience in highly competitive medical school interviews, which made the real interviews feel familiar and less intimidating. It would have been very difficult to do the Oxford interview without Apollon’s preparation. Thanks to his expertise, I also excelled in the BMAT entrance exam, which is a crucial component for the admissions process. Ultimately, I secured a place at the prestigious University of Oxford to study Medicine, and I am forever indebted to Apollon for this. I wholeheartedly recommend him to any aspiring Medical student and anyone applying for highly competitive University places.”
Oxford University Medical School Application
“Apollon taught our daughters modern Greek language on a weekly basis over several years. We were impressed by Apollon’s sense of enthusiasm and flair in getting the children to engage in learning this complex, difficult language. Not only was he inspiring the pupils during the lessons, but he was also managing to transmit the willingness to complete their set homework in the week too. Apollon had an exceptional ability to communicate the demanding material of the lesson to each child at their own pace and in their own style. In the parents’ evenings, he was eloquently communicating with us too, to help us understand our children’s progress, so that we could assist them with their preparation and participate in their learning. Throughout the terms and the years, he helped making their Greek education interesting, stimulating and, importantly, fun. As a result, our girls progressed to achieve their GCSE certificates, a source of great pride for them and our family. I have no doubt that we owe a great deal to Apollon’s skill and exceptional talent in teaching and coaching the challenging language to our young daughters. We would recommend him to others wholeheartedly; his intelligent thinking, creativity in solving problems and unique ability to connect with people make him a great tutor.”
Parents of students studying modern Greek
“I am happy to write this testimonial for Apollon and recommend his services to anyone looking for an able and committed tutor. Apollon helped me with my academics during Sixth Form and with my UCAS application to Medical School. With his tutoring, I attained top grades in A level Sciences and Mathematics, which I am extremely grateful for. He helped me select a strategic and balanced list of Medical Schools to apply for, sharing insights about each one that I would not have known, and helped me prepare for the UKCAT and BMAT entrance exams. My application was highly successful and I obtained a place at Cambridge University to study Medicine. I am very grateful to Apollon for all his help and know he will be an asset to anyone looking for an outstanding tutor to help them with their tuition and University applications.”
A Level Sciences and Maths & Cambridge University Medical School Application
