David

I am fully qualified with a Bachelor’s degree in teaching and 20 years of tutoring experience. My students consistently gain entry to their first-choice schools in the 11+/13+, and also achieve top grades in the GCSEs (see my testimonials for numerous success stories).

Current Availability

• Morning classes Monday to Friday – particularly suitable for international or home-schooled students
• Weekday afternoon/evening classes – limited places remaining

I am highly familiar with the many exam formats at all levels, and have been very successful in helping students achieve their target grades and above in their GCSEs, with many seeing dramatic improvements, jumping from grade 3 or 4 in their mocks, to 8 or 9 in the final examinations.

The vast majority of my students taking 11+ or 13+ entrance examinations are awarded a place (or scholarship) at their preferred school, including St Paul's, City of London, Westminster, Haberdashers', North London Collegiate, Merchant Taylors', Henrietta Barnett, St Helen's, Queen Elizabeth's (QE), Watford Grammar & John Lyon.

Please refer to the many parent testimonials at the foot of my profile to see how happy everyone has been with the quality of my tutoring and the results achieved.

To help my students succeed in their entrance examinations and GCSEs, I teach them how to do the following:

 Comprehension (11+/13+/GCSE)

• Retrieve relevant information from a passage
• Write clear and fully-developed answers to comprehension questions
• Assess how much information is needed to gain the marks for each question
• Recognise and express the nuances of a writer’s language choices
• Learn to work under timed conditions

Writing tasks (11+/13+/GCSE)

• Understand how to use a wide variety of literary techniques in creative writing
• Fully develop characters and settings in a detailed and realistic way
• Use advanced punctuation and sentence forms in all writing
• Handle a variety of writing formats (narrative, descriptive, letter, article etc.)
• Appreciate the value of careful checking

Multiple Choice Examinations (11+/13+)

• Approach multiple choice papers the right way and avoid the pitfalls
• Match answers to the text so as to avoid a hasty, incorrect answer
• Successfully complete all styles of verbal reasoning questions
• Practise cloze & shuffled sentences tasks
• Be aware of frequently-used punctuation and spelling errors

I also conduct mock interviews with students where I prepare them for the wide range of questions they may be asked, and also show them how to express themselves in a natural and engaging manner.

For GCSE students, my focus is entirely on the English Language syllabus and exam, as the grade achieved in this subject is of the utmost importance for progression to sixth form colleges and university; English Literature is not covered in my lessons, being a separate subject entirely. I do, however, teach poetry (unseen and the anthology), as it is both enjoyable, and an excellent way for students to develop a deeper understanding of how writers use language to achieve particular effects.

Tutoring Experience

I have 20 years of experience in teaching, which I began at Harrow College, and I hold the following qualifications:

Level 5 Certificate in Further Education Teaching Stage 3 (Bachelor's degree level)
Level 4 Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists
Level 4 Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) (Grade A)
Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment in Further Education

I also have Enhanced Disclosure (a police check that confirms I do not have a criminal record of any kind).

I am a native English speaker, and, over the years, have taught students of many different nationalities at all levels, ranging from primary to adult.

Tutoring Approach

My role as an English tutor involves careful assessment of each student and the adaptation of my lessons accordingly. I like to take a structured and logical approach, breaking things down so they are easy to understand, and then building them back up again. I find this method to be highly effective with learners of all levels.

I take the time to develop a rapport with my students and boost their confidence in their own abilities so that they gain the autonomy they will need to succeed. Through the use of careful questioning during the lessons, I help them understand that they can find the answers and produce high-quality work themselves (rather than always needing to be told what to do). As students come to realise their full potential, a real change can come about where they strive to do well independently of outside help.

When I start with a new student, I use an array of materials to assess vocabulary, grammar and reading and writing skills. I then approach each lesson on a week-by-week basis, addressing areas of weakness as they arise while following a general plan based on my initial assessment. Generally, my teaching style is very fluid as I do not believe in following a set course that may suit one student but not another.

During the lessons, I use actual past exam materials as much as possible (supported by additional worksheets), so that students are able to become comfortable with their exam format and fully understand what is expected of them. I also like to pitch the material slightly higher than the student's ability, as it encourages them to push themselves further and not remain stuck at a particular level.

Please note

Lessons are all year round, including the summer holidays (allowing 1-2 weeks for vacations), with a four-week break over the Christmas period.