Nicole

I am a fully qualified Primary School teacher that makes learning fun. Having achieved a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in 2015, I have experience teaching in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 across all Primary school subjects with a strong background in English, Maths & Art. With a BSc in Psychology, I understand that children learn in different ways and therefore, I am able to adapt my teaching style to suit the needs of diverse groups of children.

Tutoring Experience

My last year of teaching was within Year 6 - the year of the dreaded SATs exams. The changes in 2014 National Curriculum require primary children to cover aspects of Maths and English previously only covered in secondary school, so I am fully aware of the high demand of children in KS2. For example the Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar test is now one of the tricker papers that children are required to sit and I know what it takes to master this. I believe teaching grammar can improve writing, spelling and reading overall. If there are particular areas within English or Maths that your child would like to focus on, I specifically target whichever aspect of learning he or she is having troubles with. Or likewise, if they feel they aren't being challenged, I can also help them reach their full potential.

Tutoring Approach

When I was at school, I found it difficult to keep up with the fast pace of the lessons and always felt too embarrassed to ask questions in front of the class. As someone who has been on both sides, I understand how some children with such large class sizes can almost get lost in the crowd. I was lucky to have a tutor to help strengthen my subject comprehension, boost confidence, and build important learning skills that I still use today. I truly believe that a 1-1 experience is priceless especially for those children who may not always feel comfortable asking questions in front of his or her peers. With all the children I teach, I aim to create an atmosphere where your child feels comfortable and confident in asking any question - perhaps your child hasn't quite grasped long division or is confused about what a subordinate clause is and the class won't be revisiting it until nearer the exam time; I am here to bring clarity and reinforce that learning.

Furthermore, I have strong knowledge and skills within Art, Design & Textiles. I currently do a lot of my own paintings and create clothes and in the past I have run sewing lessons for children. If this is something your child would like to focus on then I am also happy to help. I cover most aspects of Art, including how to explore your ideas and plan your projects. We can look at how to experiment with different techniques and materials and eventually progress onto the more academic stuff, like evaluating work.