Harriet
"Beyond exams and schoolwork, her enthusiasm for the subject was contagious, making learning feel less like a chore and more like an actually engaging discussion."
A Level History student
11+
13 +
7+/8+
English
GCSE
History
Politics
University Applications
Academic History
University of Edinburgh, History MA Scot (1st Class)
City of London Freemen’s, A Levels: English (A*), History (A), Politics (A)
GCSEs: 7A* 4As
About Me
My tutoring approach is friendly, supportive, and confidence-building, designed to help students feel comfortable, engaged, and excited about their learning. I sincerely understand that every student learns differently, so I personally tailor my lessons to their strengths, challenges, and interests, helping them develop both academic skills and self-belief. While I focus on building enjoyment and curiosity, I also ensure that students hit grade boundaries and understand exactly what examiners are looking for, breaking down questions and essay techniques in clear, accessible ways. I offer flexible tutoring, whether in person in London or online, and adapt my lessons using interactive online resources or more personal, in-depth discussions with reading and working materials, depending on what works best for the student. For older students, I believe that fostering genuine historical, political, and literary interest is crucial in making learning happen, encouraging fascination and deeper understanding rather than just memorisation.
Recent tuition
Prep School, English
This student was a 9-year-old boy, who received in-person tutoring for two years, focusing on reading and writing challenges due to dyslexia and ADHD. To keep him engaged, lessons included relatable topics like insects and wildlife, which sparked his interest. Over time, his reading and writing skills improved, and he gained greater confidence in schoolwork and felt confident to enter secondary school.
11+ Preparation
A student aged 10 was highly creative but struggled with formal writing structure and exam technique, he was an avid reader but often lacked the focus to identify key elements of the comprehension question. We worked on his composition structure, PEE in particular and through practice and having a key approach that made tackling questions easier, his answers became more detailed and insightful and he successfully passed the 11+ entrance exam to his preferred school with an offer and scholarship.
13+ Preparation
A student aged 12 had wonderful analytical and creative ideas but very little confidence in communicating them. In writing, she would hesitate. and second-guess herself which led to short answers that didn’t show off hat she was really capable of. We worked on helping her find confidence in her voice, planning clearly and building her answers step-by-step. We practiced how to explain her thinking without worrying about making mistakes. She grew more sure of herself, and her writing became much more detailed and natural. At the time of her 13+ assessments, she had gained her place at Brighton College, with great feedback about her confidence and thoughtful responses, achieving exactly what we had been aiming for.
Home-school, History, English, Politics
For this 13-year-old student I provided home-schooling with three 2-hour sessions per week, covering a broad range of history and literature, from early Japanese history to Animal Farm and Things Fall Apart. Through holistic education, she showed a dramatic improvement in her writing style and her ability to understand complex issues and political ideas.
GCSE History (OCR)
This student and I worked together for the last few months of the academic year, assisting him move from a 6 to an 8, developing a secure revision structure and understanding the demands the question. His main problem area was how to articulate his ideas into writing, through guidance, practice and support, he developed his own style and methods of attacking these GCSE exam questions, and furthered his study into A level.
GCSE History (AQA), and A level History (Edexcel)
This student (City of London Girls) and I worked for 2.5 years together, fostering a wonderful academic relationship, building her confidence across a breadth of topics, and securing her understanding of source analysis and writing a convincing essay, hitting those higher grade boundaries, achieving both a 9 and an A*.
A level History (AQA)
This student was struggling with source analysis and was working at a grade C when we began tuition in June and continued from September for that academic year. Through structured help on interpretation, argument development, and exam technique, they improved, achieving an A. Their confidence grew significantly, and they understood how to step-by-step tackle those sources that can often be overwhelming.
A level Politics (Edexcel)
This student began tuition after their January mocks, needing support in understanding the breadth of content and organising their notes effectively. Through assisting with building complete and well-structured notes, revision help, and support with exam technique, they developed clearer revision materials and a stronger grasp of key topics. By June, their confidence had grown, and they achieved an A.
A level English (OCR)
This student (attending Guildford High) was on the A/A* cusp and sought in-person support with coursework and exam technique. Through focused guidance, we refined her essay writing, analysis, and exam strategies. By strengthening her understanding of key concepts and improving time management, she gained the confidence to perform at a consistently high level, gaining an A* and furthering her study at UCL.
A-Level Classics, (Cambridge)
This student, needed support with both content, on key texts such as the Aeneid and Odyssey. Through detailed analysis of these epics, we worked on improving her deeper understanding of themes, characters, and literary devices, over the final academic year. This helped enhance her essay-writing skills and deepen their appreciation for classical literature, going on to secure an A.
A level History (Edexcel)
This student and I worked together for two years, focusing on A-Level History and university applications. We refined her understanding of historical concepts, and passion or the subject, and developed strong essay-writing skills. Additionally, I supported her through the personal statement process, helping her build a compelling application that both highlighted her strengths and aspirations.
Hobbies
I have a strong passion for medieval history, which includes reading historical fiction and museum visits. I also enjoy the theatre, particularly opera, for its powerful combination of storytelling and emotion, and craftsmanship, inspiring my approach to literature. I am also a dedicated swimmer, which keeps me balanced and focused. Additionally, I find baking to be a creative and relaxing hobby that really encourages patience and precision, skills I hope to bring into my teaching.
Testimonials
“An amazing tutor! Super friendly, very engaging and creates detailed lesson plans tailored to your needs! She helped me to reach an A* in English Literature, making ‘The Tempest’ far more interesting, sparking my engagement, helping consolidate notes, and providing useful feedback on essay technique.”
GCSE English Literature student
“Harriet was an excellent tutor for my son while he was preparing for his GCSEs. He was struggling with focus and exam technique for English, and we got the impression that school was not providing the structured support he really needed. From the very first session, Harriet made a real difference and her patient, encouraging approach helped him stay focussed, and her well-planned lessons provided the clarity he needed. She worked with him on refining his revision strategies, improving his essay structure, and building his confidence in tackling difficult exam questions. Her ability to explain complex topics in a way that made sense to him was so important. Thanks to her support, he was much more motivated and went into his exams feeling prepared and confident.”
Parent of GCSE English student
“I couldn’t have asked for a better tutor, her welcoming approach made every lesson both enjoyable and productive. Always well-prepared, she tailored each session to my needs, providing clear explanations and structured guidance. With her support, I achieved an A in A-Level History and found the AQA The Stuarts course far more interesting than I had expected, I felt that she brought the subject to life. She helped me develop a more effective way of organising my notes, improving my ability to recall key details and build strong arguments. Her feedback on essay structure and source analysis was invaluable, giving me the confidence to approach more complex historical themes with clarity and precision. Beyond exams and schoolwork, her enthusiasm for the subject was contagious, making learning feel less like a chore and more like an actually engaging discussion.”
A Level History student
