Arif

Academic History

BA History, University of Oxford, Congratulatory First-Class

IB 43/45: HL Mathematics (7), HL Economics (7), HL History (7), SL English Literature (7), SL Physics (7), SL Arabic (6), TOK+EE (2)

IBMYP (GCSE equivalent): Design (6), Geography (7), History (7), IDU (7), Personal Project (7), French (6), English (7), Biology (6), Chemistry (6), Physics (7), Mathematics Extended (7)

About Me

I principally teach History and Maths for IB (HL/SL), A-Levels and GCSE. I also have extensive experience preparing students for Oxbridge applications (particularly the TSA / HAT / LNAT / HAA / Interview Preparation), as well as teaching English. I’Ve worked with many students with SEN requirements, including ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy and dyslexia.

My approach to tutoring is tailored to the individual needs of each student. A big part of this is meeting students on their terms: I take time to understand how they think and how they naturally approach problems, and then we build strategies from there – rather than imposing a standard framework or expecting them to adapt to one “right” way of working.

For students aspiring to achieve top marks, my approach integrates the teaching philosophy of Oxford into my lessons. Practically, this means an emphasis on how the student should think and approach a problem, rather than rote learning content – allowing a student to excel in answering the toughest questions in school papers. For students who struggle with engagement or have specific needs, my approach focuses on building engagement and interest, as well as explaining concepts in ways the student can understand.

Recent tuition

GCSE Maths (1)

I worked with a student with dyscalculia and ADHD who was struggling with GCSE Maths at Foundation level. I worked with her by explaining the problems in unique ways that made sense to her, such that she was able to apply these methods to novel questions. I also tailored my teaching to ensure she always felt comfortable and minimised her anxiety, as it gave her the confidence to cognitively answer the questions. Because topics were explained to her in ways that made sense to her, the student was able to enjoy Maths, giving her the enthusiasm, drive and ability to solve complex questions.

GCSE Maths (2)

I have also supported an autistic student with GCSE Maths. Her main goal was to achieve a pass. By working at her pace and using approaches that matched her thinking style, she steadily built confidence and skills and went on to pass her GCSE. Over time, she also began to genuinely enjoy our maths sessions, which was a really important part of her progress.

GCSE Maths (3)

I helped a student on-track to achieve a 6 in GCSE Maths attain a 9 in his final examinations. This was achieved by targeting the student’s weaker topics systematically, as well as trying to understand the root of the blockages which made him find these topics difficult. By doing so, I helped I helped him grasp these complex topics with confidence. We also prepared extensively on exam technique. This includes efficient ways to check, looking out for common traps set in GCSE questions and time management.

GCSE History

In preparing an SEN student with dyslexia for GCSE History, I ensured that she enjoyed the topics so that she would be engaged and her mind would not wander in lessons. This meant not always shutting down thoughts that would be considered digressions, as doing so would risk losing her drive and engagement. We also worked a lot on her writing, being able to structure her historical ideas in ways that achieves marks according to the GCSE mark scheme. This is helped by the fact that I am also an examiner for GCSE and IB history. As a result, she received 2 grades above the mark she was expecting.

IB Mathematics Applications and Interpretations HL

I taught a student on this subject, including preparing the IA, for two years. He was a high-achieving student who felt that achieving a 5 would make it difficult for him to apply to universities which required 6s or 7s in HL. We focused on the higher-level questions and thought of ways to think creatively to meet the demands of these questions, as memorising formulae stops a student from achieving top marks. As a result of my help and his hard work, he was able to achieve a 7 and currently studies Mechanical Engineering at Warwick.

IB History

I helped a student in his history Extended Essay for the IB about Germany’s invasion of Russia in 1941. I provided support, recommended books and articles, comments, and reviews throughout the process. I also suggested ideas and worked with him to come up with a strong argument. We also worked on essay writing technique, as well as the reflection which constitutes a large part of the extended essay. He achieved an A for his Extended Essay despite being initially predicted a C.

IB Economics

I helped a student with her IB Higher Level Economics tuition, focusing especially on microeconomics and on navigating the exam paper to score highly on the longer questions. My approach emphasised equipping her with the conceptual tools needed to grasp the often abstract and challenging concepts within economics, paired with exam technique aimed at effectively ‘playing the mark scheme’. She was initially working at a level 4, but through regular tuition, we raised her performance to a level 6 in her mock exams. This improvement resulted in a predicted grade of 6, enabling her to apply to her dream university.

Oxford Admissions and HAT

This international student successfully gained admission to the prestigious Oxford University’s history program. This achievement followed comprehensive preparation for the admission interview and HAT examinations, in which I had the opportunity to provide guidance. By understanding how professors mark and what they want to see in a successful essay, I was able to add a lot of value to his essay-writing technique and ability to write persuasively. He expressed appreciation for my tutoring, acknowledging the significant role it played in his accomplishment.

Cambridge Admissions and TSA

This international student was offered a place for Land Economy at the University of Cambridge. I helped prepare her for her admissions interview and the Land Economy entrance exams (TSA), where was had many sessions together. By understanding the ways questions and are asked, and finding strategies for solving logic problem which worked for her, she was able to score high enough to interview. She recognised and appreciated the vital contribution my tutoring made to her successful application.

HAT

I prepared a student for the HAT exam for admission to study at the University of Oxford. His essay-writing style initially lacked the nuance and depth of analysis to achieve marks that would allow him to interview. We worked on improving his writing style organically, by supplying history articles in academic journals and working on his writing style. I marked over five practice essays for him, giving feedback and noticing his improvement. He managed to secure an interview at Oxford as a result.

LNAT

I prepared a student for the LNAT admissions test. We focused on answering the critical thinking questions and the essay. For the critical thinking, we practised how best to understand problems, identify assumptions, and create conclusion – working on the nuance between seemingly similar questions. For the essay, I prepared him by teaching him how to essay-write persuasively, and focused on the style given the range of topics one can answer on the LNAT. As a result, he scored a very high mark on the test and was able to secure a place studying law at Oxford.

HAA

I prepared a student for the HAA. We worked on his historical-critical analysis, and how to approach extracts as a historian. Although he was a very strong candidate, his history at course lacked any emphasis on source-critical methods, and was prone to taking information at face value. We thoroughly worked on this, and his essay-writing technique. I gave feedback and marked over five of his practice papers, with great improvement over time. I also familiarised him with academic articles that I read at university, to gain an understanding of how academic historians write – in a manner markedly different to publicly available history books.

Hobbies

Travel, football, and music are just a few of my passions outside of work and academics. I recently went backpacking across Southeast Asia for two weeks, starting from Jakarta and exploring Lombok, Bali, and Vietnam. The trip was a cultural revelation and an adventure I won’t forget, meeting many fun and interesting people along the way.

I am also an avid fan of football, supporting the Scottish team, Rangers. I have played midfield for my school, Lady Margaret Hall, and Accuracy. I prefer five-a-side because it gives me more time on the ball. Inspired by the Alcaraz vs. Djokovic Wimbledon final this year, I have also started to play tennis again. I used to play four times a week until I was thirteen, and I am excited to get back into it, despite a very noticeable drop in skill level.

I am also a foodie at heart. I’ve been told I make good fried rice and katsu curry, and there’s nothing like the satisfaction of cooking a meal from scratch, even if it turns out not as good as I envisaged.

Testimonials

“Hi Arif, I managed to get through to interview [History at Oxford]. Thanks for the support, I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for marking the papers in your own time – it must have also taken you a while. The HAT question was on Central Asia in the 20th century. It was an unexpected time period but the academic articles you provided earlier helped me frame and write a strong response.”

Oxford Admissions Student