Samantha
"We have seen great progress, and my daughter’s confidence has grown with every lesson."
11+ Preparation
11+
13 +
7+/8+
English
French
Maths
Primary
Academic History
Institute of Education: Primary PGCE with French
University of Bristol: BA (Hons) English 2:1
A Levels awarded at Esher College: English (A), French (A), History (A), Classical Civilisation (A)
GCSEs awarded at Kingston Grammar School: English (A*), English Literature (A*), Mathematics (A*), French (A*), German (A*), Latin (A*), History (A*), Chemistry (A*), Physics (A), Biology (A)
About Me
I am a friendly and approachable tutor with thirteen years of classroom and tutoring experience. I firmly believe that building up the self-esteem and confidence of a student is fundamental to unlocking their potential. I prioritise getting to know each individual student and tailor my approach according to their personality, learning goals and confidence levels. Building up a strong rapport with a student is fundamental, and this allows me to strike the right balance between support and challenge during tutoring sessions.
When I first start working with a student I carry out an initial assessment to identify their strengths in the subject, as well as any gaps in their knowledge or skills. I then make a clear, individualised plan to work on closing these gaps, which I adapt dynamically as we go along. I cater for all styles of learners through engaging and varied activities. I provide ongoing feedback to students to celebrate their successes, and to let them know what their next steps are. I always ensure clear communication between myself, the student and parents in order to make sure that everyone is on the same page.
Recent tuition
Year 2 Maths
I worked with this student over the course of a year with a particular focus on word problems. Whilst she had solid number skills and could carry out calculations with good accuracy, she struggled to apply this knowledge to problem solving questions and used to give up very easily. We worked on breaking down the question into manageable steps using a range of strategies to help which included role play, use concrete materials and pictures. Over time, and with lots of practice and encouragement, she gained a greater sense of independence and trust in her own ability to tackle this style of questions during class and in tests as well.
8+ admission to Sussex House
I worked with this student intensively over the course of a few weeks prior to his 8+ exam. After assessing his English, Maths and Verbal Reasoning, I identified that he particularly needed a boost with his English skills in the areas of comprehension and composition. To help him with his comprehension skills we worked on reading the question carefully, using context clues to figure out the meaning of vocabulary and also answering in full sentences with sufficient detail. To support him with his composition we worked on planning techniques to come up with a well-structured plot, as well as using interesting vocabulary and figurative language throughout his pieces. His confidence and skills increased in both areas and he sat his exam with a much greater sense of self-belief in his abilities.
Year 4 English for Tiffin Boys, 11+ admission
I am currently working with this student to prepare him for his 11+ English. We began by broadening his interest in reading books of different genres as he only really liked graphic novels when we first met. This change has been absolutely fundamental to improving his comprehension and creative writing skills as he has so many more reference points to draw from now. His parents have said that our sessions have made a real difference to his confidence and enjoyment of the subject.
Year 6 English
I worked with this student for six months with a particular focus on his creative writing. He found it difficult to think of ideas for written compositions and often grew frustrated that he couldn’t focus during independent writing tasks because of his ADHD. We worked hard on tools to support him with the planning stage, as well as strategies to work through his emotions when he felt stuck and down on himself. He went on to begin Year 7 with a greater sense of confidence in his abilities.
Year 5 Maths
I worked with this student over the course of one year. She has dyscalculia so we spent a lot of time going over fundamentals such as place value, number bonds and times tables. We also celebrated her success on topics such as shape and space to boost her self-esteem. This all gave her more confidence to try to apply her knowledge to trickier problems, and she went into Year 6 with far more tools and strategies at her disposal.
French Scholarship for St Paul’s
I tutored this student over the course of six months. He was very high-achieving and he wanted the challenge of going for an academic Scholarship. We worked on covering many new grammar points, as well as broadening his vocabulary range to increase his capacity to engage with current affairs in French. We also focused on the key exam skills of comprehension and composition. He was successful in gaining his Scholarship and received a special mention in French.
13+ admission to Mill Hill
I worked with this student over the course of one year, with a particular focus on speaking exam preparation for his French Common Entrance exam. He has dyslexia and remembering different tenses and word order was tricky for him. I supported him by identifying topics he felt comfortable with, and by building up his confidence with speaking through games and activities that made the process more fun. He went on to pass his CE French with a much higher mark than he had expected.
Hobbies
I like to keep active and particularly enjoy yoga, swimming and hiking in the great outdoors. I like the way these activities keep me in the present moment and challenge me to push myself too. Reading novels, watching films and seeing plays are also favourite pastimes as I enjoy all different forms of storytelling. I also love exploring museums and galleries as I enjoy encountering new and interesting ideas in beautiful buildings!
Testimonials
“We couldn’t recommend Sammy highly enough. She is a clear and engaging teacher who has been helping my son with his French oral preparation. He always feels comfortable practising his spoken French and Sammy is always very encouraging. Her professionalism, subject knowledge and ability to keep the sessions fast-paced yet fun have helped my son make great progress. I am extremely pleased with the improvements he has made since working with Sammy.”
Parent of Year 8 student
“Sammy has brought out the best in our daughter while helping her prepare for the 11+ exams. She is very engaging and has a knack for spotting gaps in knowledge, which she targets during the sessions. Sammy takes the time to explain difficult concepts clearly and carefully. She has excellent subject knowledge and is always very encouraging. We have seen great progress, and my daughter’s confidence has grown with every lesson. Most importantly, she really enjoys the learning experience.”
Parent of Year 6 student
