Holly R
"Even at just six years old, our daughter looks forward to every lesson, a true reflection of how engaging and enjoyable Holly makes the learning experience."
Maths and English tuition
11+
7+/8+
English
ISEB
Maths
Primary
Academic History
Durham University, 2014-2017:
BA (Hons) 2:1, Primary Education with QTS (awarded outstanding)
About Me
Having taught numerous pupils, I am excellent at tailoring learning so that it is differentiated to suit numerous different learning styles. I believe that no two children are the same; therefore, learning should be adaptable and most importantly fun. As an educator, we are there to provide the tools children need to learn, but the art of teaching is to involve children as much as possible in the learning process avoiding too much teacher talk. Having been exposed to many different schemes, I favour those that are more practical and accessible including ‘Talk 4 Writing’ which I have successfully integrated at the school where I teach across all year groups. This is something that I use when teaching English as a way to model successful writing. Ultimately, the best teachers show you where to look, but do not tell you what to see.
Recent tuition
I have prepared children for 7+ and 11+ examinations including Notting Hill and Ealing High School, Wetherby Senior, Bute House, Garden House, City of London and international schools in Shanghai.
Maths and English, 7+
For one year I tutored a girl in English and maths in preparation for the Bute House 7+ exam. Specifically, she needed support in independently reading the exam paper so that she could confidently apply her knowledge to the question. During the sessions. gaps were addressed in learning. These included understanding vocabulary in word problems and work on times tables. In English, we focused on answering comprehension questions by practising scanning a text to get to the answer quickly. As a result of tutoring, the student successfully gained entry to Bute.
Maths and English
I tutored this student in English and maths. We worked on these subjects over a three year period. She has dyslexia and struggled with retaining information from lessons taught weeks before. During her two weekly sessions, we recapped learning and built on this to ensure that she did not forget the key concepts. This spiralised method of teaching helped her to build confidence.
English and problem solving
I tutored this student in writing and problem solving. We worked on these areas over a one year period. In English, the student had excellent imagination; however, English was not her first language so she required help with spelling and structure. By shared writing and looking at model examples of successful non-fiction and fiction texts, she was able to apply such techniques into her own writing. In maths, she required support with word problems involving two steps. I recognised that there was a gap in her knowledge of mathematical language so we worked on this in our sessions. The student went on to gain entry into Fudan International school in Shanghai.
English and verbal reasoning, 11+
I tutored this student in English comprehension and verbal reasoning. We worked on these areas over a one year period. She was a high-achieving student who enjoyed the subjects, but required more support in answering the questions with speed and efficiency to avoid missing out questions in the exams. After sitting the Consortium 11+ exam, the student received an offer to Francis Holland, which was her first choice.
English and verbal reasoning, 11+
I tutored this student in English comprehension, writing and verbal reasoning. We worked on these areas over a one and a half year period. He did not have a love for the subjects and required support in how to answer questions efficiently, ensuring key details were included in his answers to gain maximum marks in exam. In verbal reasoning, we focused on specific questions he found more challenging, and over time, his scores in practice papers greatly improved. After sitting the ISEB exam, he gained entrance to attend Maida Vale.
Maths, 11+
I tutored this student in maths including mental maths, problem solving and reasoning. We worked on these areas over a three year period. The student needed specific support with her gaps in the areas of fractions, measurement and multiplication. We went back to ensure she had an understanding of the basic fundamentals before looking at more complex concepts. This helped the student gain confidence and she was then able to answer exam questions with much more enthusiasm and motivation. After sitting the Consortium 11+ exam, she gained entry to Notting Hill and Ealing, her first choice.
Hobbies
Outside of teaching, fitness is a passion of mine and I especially enjoy running and spinning. I have taken part in many charity runs and half marathons. Additionally, I enjoy travelling, particularly in Europe and try to explore new countries whenever the opportunity arises. More recently, I have taken up water colouring as a way to relax.
Testimonials
“Our daughter’s 1:1 sessions with Holly transformed her ability in maths. She benefited so much from Holly’s guidance. Her calm and patient manor helped to reassure our daughter that she was more able than she believed and Holly helped her to love the subject again. After sitting her maths SATS exam, our daughter ended up going into a strong maths set in year 7. We are so grateful for Holly and we could not recommend her more highly.”
Year 6, Maths, SATS
“Our son, who is 10 years old, has gained tremendous benefits from Holly’s sessions. She quickly identified a gap in his understanding of vocabulary and addressed it in an engaging way, ensuring he not only understands word meanings but can also apply them to improve his writing. Holly puts so much into each session and our child consistently learns and retains so much.”
Year 6, English and verbal reasoning, ISEB
“Holly is everything you could hope for in a tutor—organised, professional, and kind. She goes above and beyond to accommodate our frequently changing schedules, ensuring our daughter never misses her weekly math and English sessions. Even at just six years old, our daughter looks forward to every lesson, a true reflection of how engaging and enjoyable Holly makes the learning experience.”
Year 1, English and Maths
