Katherine Be

Academic History

PCGE (Primary) from the Institute of Education, University of London in 1988

BSc from the University of Reading in Psychology in 1987

Recent tuition

I have a proven track record of helping students secure places in highly academically selective schools at 7+, 9+ and 11. Recently, pupils have passed 11+ to prestigious London day schools including: Westminster Upper, St Paul’s Boys, City of London Girls, JAGS, Alleyn’s and St Olave’s Grammar. Children have also passed the 11+ to boarding schools including Wycombe Abbey and Sevenoaks.

Year 4 English and Maths

This student had the most fantastic and vivid imagination, writing exceptional stories in English but had a block about mathematics. He was a prolific doodler and I allowed him to doodle all over his maths work, as a way to aid his concentration. Expectations of what he would achieve in each lesson were far less than for the other children and because of this, he started to relax in class. Giving him the freedom to learn at his own pace paid off and he soon caught up with the other students.

Year 4 English and Maths

This student was not performing at the level suggested by her scores in national tests. She lacked self-belief, was very quiet in class and seemed nervous in most lessons. I embarked on a programme to build her confidence, by giving her small responsibilities in class alongside praise at every opportunity. Her self-belief grew and as it did, so too her performance in English and Maths improved. She rose from being one of the weakest to one of the strongest academic performers in the class with a strong sense of self and of what she could achieve.

Year 5 English and Maths

This student did not seem to flourish in a mainstream classroom, though it was evident that she was a bright and able girl. I allowed her to interpret certain tasks and activities in her own way and made allowances for her style of learning. Having been given the freedom to express herself as she chose, she soon managed to adapt her learning style to suit that of the class and was brought back in line with the other students. She continued to grow in confidence and her results rose dramatically.

11+ Preparation

I worked with this student in Year 6 preparing for 11+ entry to South London Grammar school. He arrived at the school in Year 6 and found it difficult to settle and make friends. Academically, he was an able student, but his challenging behaviour made it difficult for him to gain the most from the learning environment. We worked closely together to develop strategies to help him socially and this in turn enabled him to become a happier member of the class. He settled, started to thrive and excelled at his 11+, being offered a place at a top London Grammar School at 11+.

11+ Preparation

This student in Year 6 was preparing for 11+ entry to St Paul’s and Westminster Upper. He was performing right at the top of the class academically but needed extra lateral thinking and extension activities to really challenge his thinking. I put together a series of extra lessons for him to ensure he stood out above the crowd. It paid off as he was offered places to both schools.

Hobbies

I have walked the length of the River Thames and covered over 200 miles of the Southwest Coast Path. The Royal Opera House in London is my favourite venue and I watch the ballet as often as I can. Reading is a great hobby and I particularly enjoy historical fiction. While not working, I spend time with my three adult daughters, one of whom lives in Vietnam so she provides the incentive to visit South East Asia as much as possible.

Testimonials