Lucy

I am an encouraging, engaging and fully qualified English, English Literature, EFL/ESOL teacher dedicated to supporting students reach their full potential , develop their confidence and create a long lasting love of learning

Having been lucky enough to work with students from around the world both as a teacher and Director of Learning for EAL and get to know students’ families and communities has also helped to shape my inclusive, culturally and socially sensitive approach to the materials I use and the content I include in my lessons. My reading lists, materials and content are always reflective of the students I am teaching, their interests, goals and background.

Having been a teacher in various roles and settings for over 15 years, I have been lucky enough to have built up a wealth of experience teaching students from a range of backgrounds and circumstances, with a range of learning styles. This has led me to developed an expert understanding of barriers to learning that many students experience. Overcoming these barriers and stretching students to develop their full potential has always been at the forefront of my teaching practice; helping students succeed whilst also encouraging a love of learning. The method I use to put this at the centre of my teaching philosophy centers on two concepts:
Personalised and targeted lessons,resources and feedback
Positive learning environments
Once these are established and embedded, students will flourish.

As an enthusiastic and dedicated teacher, I have kept my subject and curriculum/exam board knowledge up to date via continuous training. I have a strong and confident knowledge of current curricula at KS3, KS4 and KS5, as well as texts and authors to supplement and compliment them. Having taught exam classes for the last 6 years, I have an excellent insight into skills needed for success in the main exam boards at GCSE and both A Level and IB pathways.
Most recently, I have completed sessions on effective online teaching, diversity in our classrooms and reading lists, updates on metacognition and stretching students to reach grades 8 and 9. I have also current and up to date training in Child Protection & Safeguarding plus a clear enhanced, current DBS clearance (February 2021).

Tutoring Experience

I have over fifteen years of teaching and tutoring experience both in The UK and Italy which has included:
EFL and ESOL teacher and tutor
KS3 and KS4 HW and Supplementary School tutor
SEND and EAL LSA
EAL Director of Learning

In 2015, I gained QTS after completing SCITT and being graded outstanding in a West London mixed Academy. During this time I taught KS3, KS4 and KS5 IB English Language and English Literature. As part of this rewarding role I have proven myself to be an outstanding teacher, as evidenced in my students’ fantastic grades with 6 GCSE cohorts and 2 IB cohorts plus positive feedback from learners, parents and colleagues who have attested to my positive and motivating manner.
No matter what their starting point, my classes achieve excellent results at the end of the two year course with many achieving grades 8 or 9 at GCSE. Thanks to their hard work and my approach, all students achieved positive progress in final GCSE exams and increased self belief. This dedication to my exams classes has meant I have developed a reputation for high expectations and excellent results.

Thanks to my background as an LSA and experience as Director of Learning for EAL and teacher of mixed ability and nurture classes, I developed an expert understanding of how to differentiate effectively. I pride myself on personalising and scaffolding resources, ensuring EAL and SEND students achieve academic progress and a stronger sense of self confidence; especially those with dyslexia, MLD, ASD and BESD.

I have extensive successful experience preparing students for examinations with the following exams and exam boards: EDEXCEL, IGCSE, AQA, WJEC, IB, PET, CAE< TOEFL, Trinity and IELTS and have been an EDEXCEL GCSE examiner for 1 year.

Having embedded Google Classroom into my practice since 2018 and having taught a full timetable to KS3 and KS4 classes online since March 2020, I currently teach and tutor students online. My students range from KS3, KS4 and KS5 in the UK to IELTS, EFL and IB students in Europe and Asia.

Tutoring Approach

Thanks to my extensive experience, my tutoring sessions reflect both the student’s needs and goals. All my students benefit from personalised learning resources, summative and formative assessment, close data analysis and tracking and regular feedback. I pride myself on designing lessons that are engaging, dynamic, collaborative.
My first tuition session will be an initial assessment to ascertain a student’s ability, strengths and any potential gaps plus their goals. It is also an opportunity for me to get to know their thoughts and previous experiences of the subject, who their favourite authors are, which genre of literature they feel most drawn to and where they feel their strengths and weaknesses lie. I am also keen to know their interests outside the academic sphere in order to build a better picture of them and incorporate these interests in my lessons. Where appropriate, I am happy to contact school teachers to gain their input in terms of areas to focus on and skills to develop as well as gaining an understanding of specific curricula.
All my tuition sessions are online and as an engaging teacher, I have worked to incorporate innovative online teaching and learning tools such as Padlet and Bramble into my practice that have resulted in increased student engagement, motivation and achievement.
Whether tuition sessions are focusing on exam preparation and techniques at KS5 and KS4 or to supplement and develop skills across all key stages my sessions are collaborative and personalised to support, stretch and challenge in equal measures.
The aim of my tutoring sessions go beyond grades and assessment results; I want to encourage a love of reading and learning in my students. By creating specific resources and tasks which compliment the prescribed set texts and anthologies, I am able to reflect students' interests and passions, engaging them to share a more personal and detailed response and encouraging them to approach the subject from a different angle. I have found this approach to have a hugely positive impact on students’ self confidence and belief and of course in developing both reading and writing skills.
In such uncertain times, I am keen to create a balance for my students and ensure I focus on their wellbeing via discussions around global and national events when appropriate.
I also provide detailed reports for parents/carers every 6 weeks reflecting progress and future goals.