Tate

Below is a snapshot of my recent tutoring experience.

11+ Maths (City of London School for Girls)

I worked with a Year 6 student who required additional support in Maths while preparing for highly competitive 11+ entrance examinations. Although she had previously been told that she was very strong at Maths, she had begun to feel less confident when comparing herself with the high academic level of her peers. Over the academic year, we identified gaps in her knowledge, revisited key concepts and gradually introduced more challenging problems. I focused on strengthening her underlying mathematical foundations first before extensively working on exam technique, showing clear working, checking answers and managing time effectively. Her improved mathematical understanding contributed to her successfully receiving offers from multiple leading independent schools, including her target school, City of London School for Girls.

11+ and 7+ General Tuition

I worked with this family for over three years, providing consistent homework support to two siblings at different stages of their education.  With the eldest student, I primarily focused on English, helping them develop stronger written expression, comprehension skills and confidence when approaching unfamiliar texts. With the younger sibling, I focused on early literacy, reading development and phonics, adapting activities to their age and ability to make learning engaging and accessible. As the students progressed, I also supported their extracurricular musical development through additional piano lessons. This allowed me to build a strong, trusting relationship with both children and provide continuity across their academic and extracurricular learning.

Year 8 Maths (City of London School for Girls)

This student needed particular focus on their problem solving skills in Maths. They struggled with multi-step and unfamiliar problems and would lose confidence when their first attempt was unsuccessful. We focused on breaking questions into smaller steps, identifying key information, explaining reasoning and checking answers. Over time, the student became more confident approaching challenging questions with a clear strategy rather than immediately asking for help. Their confidence and overall attitude towards maths improved significantly.

13+ Dulwich College

I did intensive exam preparation for this students 13+ entrance exam for 3 months. They needed particular support with Non-verbal and Verbal reasoning therefore looked at improving their problem solving skills and critical thinking. I ensured to focus on materials that were bespoke tailored to Dulwich College as their main target school. Due to the short time period we had to work together, I also ensured to prioritise exam technique and how to optimise their time and accuracy, as well as familiarising themselves with the exam conditions and format. They successfully secured a place for their first chosen target school.

Music GCSE (Edexcel)

I tutored a GCSE Music student who was particularly strong in performance but was disinterested in the academic and coursework aspect of the exam, he therefore needed additional support with the written components of the course. I tailored each session around his learning preferences, breaking theoretical and analytical concepts into manageable sections and using a combination of listening exercises and written practice. I ensured to engage this student as much as possible and ensure he saw value in increasing his musicality not just through performance, but also through analysis and academia.
The student achieved an exceptional 119/120 in his composition and an A* overall in GCSE Music, demonstrating significant success across both the practical and academic components of the course. I also assisted in deciding what A-level subjects would be best suited for his interest and his future, this student trusted me to be a mentor for not just his academia but helping make long term decisions for higher education.

A-level English (AQA)

I worked with a student who wanted intensive revision sessions approaching their A-level English exam. They were a bright student aiming for an A*. Their writing ability was strong, but they needed assistance with retaining infomation from memory for the exam. My main approach was to support new ways with their revision technique, how to consolidate what they had already learned rather than overwhelm them with new infomation. They surpassed their target grade of an A, achieving an A* and continued to study English at University.

Homeschooled Music A-Level (AQA)

I homeschooled a student with dyslexia, teaching Music A-level. As their primary Music A-level teacher, I provided comprehensive support across all areas of the course, designing structured lessons consistent to a formal A-level programme. This students written skills were not strong, and they struggled with timing the exam. However, I could tell her ideas and answers were strong through verbal discussion. I therefore used verbal discussion and listening activities to allow the student to try articulate their musical understanding before translating their ideas into written responses. Resources were adapted where appropriate to make key information more accessible and reduce unnecessary cognitive load. I helped them apply for extra time for their exams due to their dyslexia. They achieved incredibly high marks with an A* overall, allowing them to apply to attend a Russell Group University.

English (University of Oxford Admissions)

I supported a high achieving student preparing to apply for English at the University of Oxford, providing tailored admissions preparation. The focus was on developing the intellectual independence and interview technique for one of the UK’s most competitive English Literature admissions processes. I conducted Oxford-style mock interviews, using a tutorial-style approach rather than simply rehearsing predetermined answers. I challenged their interpretations, encouraging them to think aloud and demonstrate intellectual flexibility.

Over the course of our sessions, the student developed a significantly more sophisticated approach to discussing unfamiliar material and defending their interpretations. The student was subsequently successful in gaining admission to study English at the University of Oxford, demonstrating the effectiveness of the intensive preparation and academic mentoring provided.

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