Phil

I am the Head of Physics in a north London independent secondary school, with over 20 years' experience of helping students develop confidence and skills in Physics. I studied Physics at Oxford and did my PGCE at the Institute of Education, London.
I still love learning about Physics by studying it, reading about it, watching films and videos connected with it and, most of all teaching it. There is nothing more satisfying, as a teacher, than helping someone have that 'penny-drop moment', when it all starts to fit into place.
I have three teenagers myself and so I understand the pressures that children face, both from a teacher's and a parent's perspective. As a form tutor to Year 12 and 13 students I also have vast experience of them navigating young adulthood, the university application process, and advising students on their next steps in life.
I know my students would say I am an empathetic and caring teacher, and that I treat them with respect and understanding.

Tutoring Experience

I have nearly 25 years' experience as a Physics teacher in secondary schools. I have been in my current job for 19 years. In this time I have taught hundreds of students GCSE and A level Physics, with excellent results. I have taught a very wide range of abilities and I pride myself at being able to help all my students make progress and achieve the best outcome they can.
I also prepare students for university admissions exams and interviews, particularly for Oxbridge and Imperial, and oversee this provision in my school.
I am an examiner - a Team Leader (I mark the markers) - both at GCSE and at A level. I also work as a content reviser, when new papers are being written. This all means I have an exceptional understanding of the exams process and requirements, and this helps me help my students enormously.
I have some experience as a private Physics tutor, but countless experience of giving bespoke, personalised, one-to-one support to individual students over my career.

Tutoring Approach

I believe that all students can improve, given the right guidance and support. Often the only thing missing is confidence, not ability, and so I help students see that they do have knowledge and skills, and teach them how to apply them more effectively.
I also know that there are strategies students can use, which are backed up by educational research. These strategies are simple to understand and to use. Physics is a simple subject in some ways (many people disagree with this statement!) and so a simple approach is needed: identify what you know and what you don't; work on your weaknesses; keep coming back to things; practise decoding problems to get better at decoding; practise recalling information to get better at recalling; practise analysing problems to develop your skills of analysis; seek and use feedback to get better at responding to feedback. Small, achievable (yet challenging) steps lead to progress, improved confidence and improved outcomes. I strongly believe that everyone can learn, that everyone can make progress.