Carrie M

Academic History

Oxford University – BA History – First Class Honours

A-Levels: History (A), English (A), French (A), Spanish (A)

GCSEs: English Language (A*), English Literature (A*), Maths (A*), Statistics (A), History (A*), French (A*), Spanish (A*), Religious Studies (A*), Physics (A*), Chemistry (A*), Biology (A), ICT (A), Design (A)

About Me

I became a tutor in 2012 because of the unique bond it offers between tutor and pupil. The relationship is at the heart of the success of tutoring, which is why I take the time to know each and every one of my pupils, what inspires them and what their challenges are. I tailor every single one of my lessons to the individual child, putting extensive time into planning and researching what works for them. Whilst I am supportive and sensitive to a wide range of needs, I have high expectations of my pupils. I encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning, to set their own goals and develop their own strategies on how they will achieve those goals.

I believe that the most vital skill children need today is critical thinking. For the first time in history, the younger generation have a world of information at their fingertips. The challenge is how to navigate that information, to ask the right questions and draw inspiration from the world around them. My planning and techniques are led by each individual pupil and what motivates them. By instilling a love of learning in my pupils, academic hurdles become much less intimidating, and the process of learning becomes a pleasure rather than a chore.

Recent Tuition

Entrance exam preparation is the core of my work. I prepare pupils for 7+, 11+, 13+, Common Entrance ISEB and UKiset assessments to leading London day schools and boarding schools, teaching English, Reasoning, Maths, French, Latin and History. Recent pupils have gone on to Eton College, Winchester, Marlborough, Dulwich College, City of London (Boys and Girls), Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Highgate School, to name just a few.

Alongside entrance exams I teach English to GCSE and beyond, and provide mentoring, interview preparation and Oxford applications advice.

Below is a snapshot of my recent experience.

Wider Teaching and Mentoring
Summer programme, ages 7 and 5

Two siblings were visiting London for the first time from Saudi Arabia for the summer, and I was employed as a tutor and governess to support their English and create a fun, engaging summer timetable. I planned three sit-down lessons a day — maths and English, then alternating French, Science, History, Geography and Art — with outdoor activities in the afternoon: Go Ape, fort-building in Battersea Park, museum visits and trips to Vauxhall City Farm. The highlight was a series of toy-making workshops at the Museum of Childhood, where the children learnt about and made toys from Victorian England.

Early years entrance,  St Thomas’

I spent the summer holidays with five-year-old twins, providing an intensive (but fun!) programme of English communication, literacy and phonics in preparation for entrance to St Thomas’. They had been brought up in Turkey, had not yet started school, and their parents were concerned about their language skills. We spent every day at the beach, using the environment around us for lesson inspiration — collecting shells and comparing their sizes, shapes and colours, for example. It was a wonderful summer, and the twins settled in well at St Thomas’.

7+, Highgate School

I prepared twin brothers for the 7+ exams to Highgate School. We worked together over two terms on comprehension, creative writing and maths, and I introduced them to the exam techniques that matter at that age: working within a time limit, checking answers, and understanding what a mark scheme is looking for. They approached the exam with real confidence, and both secured a place at Highgate.

Home schooling, age 9

I home-schooled a bright nine-year-old girl for a year while she travelled with her family. I liaised regularly with her school to make sure she was ready to re-enrol the following academic year, but adapted the curriculum towards an inquiry-based approach to develop her critical thinking, encourage curiosity, and build the work around her own interests. As a horse lover, she completed a whole unit on horses: reading and analysing Black Beauty, studying equine anatomy, and exploring the representation of horses in art. I delivered all subjects both face-to-face in London and online while she was travelling.

11+, Dulwich College

This student had been educated in Singapore until the age of nine and, while his English grammar and spelling were excellent, he had very little experience of creative writing. He dreaded reading and it was a battle to get him to write. His parents had high ambitions for him to enter Dulwich College. I supported him weekly for a year, both to build his creative writing skills and to foster a genuine love of reading. He entered Dulwich successfully — and has since chosen to continue with English to A-Level.

11+, City of London School for Girls

This bright girl had plenty of potential, but complications from an operation at a young age had left her with short-term memory loss. Facing 11+ exams to some of London’s top day schools, she was under a great deal of stress and her memory difficulties were badly affecting her confidence. Over the course of a year, I took the time to understand her challenges and developed strategies with her to support her memory and rebuild her confidence. She won a place at City of London School for Girls, her first-choice school, and still uses many of the techniques we developed together in her learning and exam revision.

Entrance exams at 11+ and 13+, Cheltenham Ladies’ College

These two sisters had been educated in the Russian state school system since kindergarten and spoke very little English. In Years 5 and 7 respectively, I was asked to prepare them for entrance to Cheltenham Ladies’ College with just six months before the exams. I drew up a structured curriculum which we followed daily, combining hands-on language support with intensive exam preparation. Both girls entered CLC — and we remain in touch seven years later.

Common Entrance, Eton College

This family had recently been told by the Lycée that their son was a gifted child and that they should explore all options for his secondary education. He had been educated in the French system all his life and was now in Year 5, and his parents were keen to help him fulfil his potential in the right environment. I first guided the family through the best school options for him in the British system and the entrance process for each one, all of which was new to them. I then spent two years preparing him for Common Entrance, designing a learning programme that was ambitious and matched to his abilities. He entered Eton College successfully.

GCSE English Language and Literature

I worked with a student over six months to prepare her for her GCSE English examinations, from predicted grades of 6 in Literature and 7 in Language. Week by week, I supported her in developing her essay-writing: close analysis of language, understanding the author’s purpose, and developing her points fully. Closer to the exams, we focused on time management and on strategies for memorising key quotations and contextual information. In six months she raised her grades to 8s in both English Language and English Literature.

GCSE English Language and Literature

This student transferred from an international school to Alleyn’s at 13+ and arrived in the UK with a phobia of Shakespeare and all things poetry! I worked with him twice a week over three years — including accompanying him on family holidays — to build his confidence for English Language and Literature GCSE. We worked on his essay technique and explored Literature and poetry together to develop his love of reading and language. He achieved 7s in both Language and Literature, and I was delighted when he decided to continue with English to A-Level.

English Language Skills, university entry

I worked with a student to help her achieve her goal of studying business management in the UK. Academically strong and hard-working, at 18 she still struggled with academic reading and writing in English, which is not her first language, and was achieving 6.0 across the board. Over the course of a year I supported her to improve every skill, building her confidence, vocabulary and analytical ability with a particular focus on essay writing. She achieved her target of 7.5 in reading and writing, and 8.0 in speaking and listening.

Hobbies and Interests

I have lived in five different countries in my adult life and travelled to many more. I am passionate about languages, culture, and history and seize any opportunity to discover new places. I also enjoy the creative process of photography; I take photos and developing my own films to record my experiences and engage creatively with the world around me. I like to stay active and healthy by playing tennis, cycling, running, and hiking, spending as much time in the outdoors as possible. On rainier days you can find me curled up with a poetry book, lost in a novel or learning a new language!

Client Testimonials

“L– passed all her exams and has a place at her first-choice schools – City of London School for Girls and Channing. Thank you very much for your help. L– thought you were excellent.”

11+ Parent

“Carrie planned her lessons carefully and wrote detailed monthly assessment reports which showed real insight. We found her to be very reliable and she was so popular with the family she was working with that they extended her stay. It has been a pleasure to work with Carrie and I have no hesitation in recommending her for future work.”

Residential placement

“Patient and dedicated, Carrie seeks to understand the needs of both boys with very different learning styles and customised her approach. The result was outstanding – we are very grateful!”

11+ and 13+ Parent