Ria

I enjoy tutoring for the challenge of adapting myself to the needs and the learning style of the person I’m teaching and for the reward of seeing their improvement.
I have an excellent grasp of my subjects with a degree in History and French (Language and Literature) from Oxford University and an A* in all A-levels and GCSEs.
I also feel very enthusiastic about coaching students for both Oxbridge and general university admissions. In just one or two sessions, I can help students produce a very compelling personal statement. I received offers from Kings College London, University College London, Durham and Warwick alongside Oxford so I am confident that I can help you make a strong application.

Tutoring Experience

Having spent my year abroad teaching in two French Lycées, I am used to adapting my teaching style and pace to the specific needs of my students. I have extensive tutoring experience, having previously worked with clients from GCSE to degree-level. My experience working with younger children was an institutional setting: I helped children at Botley School in Oxford improve their literacy skills during my last year of university.

I have an enhanced DBS certificate.

Tutoring Approach

My aim is to help students achieve their desired grade by improving their reading, analytical and essay-writing skills. Personal statements often incorporate similar skills to those used in secondary and university-level exams and coursework.

All the same, I try and adapt my teaching methods to the specific level and qualification that the student is working towards and to their individual needs. Here is an example of my tailored approach (an excerpt from a message to one of my clients who needed help with A-Level exam preparation):

Doing well in History A-level requires a thorough knowledge of the information in the course textbooks, which should be organised into logical, digestible chunks suitable for revision and for attempting exam questions. If your daughter is aiming for higher marks, then some additional reading beyond the textbook (as a source of additional evidence and for deepening understanding of key concepts) is also useful. At this point, your daughter can put herself in a strong position by simply scanning the pages covered in class at the end of the week, noting down key dates, figures and vocabulary (and definitions). This need not take a long time: 10 minutes per topic should suffice as there is plenty of time during revision periods to flesh out timelines and notes. Where I can help your daughter comes in at the stage of answering exam questions. I can help her present all that she has memorised in a discriminating and persuasive way that is specific to the question at hand. The weakness that many candidates encounter is failing to tailor their response to the question, simply regurgitating what they have learnt, i.e. describing history, rather than analysing the social, political and economic factors at play and their relative importance. Before all of this analytical work can take place, your daughter needs to develop her individual reading skills. When she takes notes she should ask herself which information is important (i.e. which questions does this information relate to?), which pieces of information can be linked together and what conclusions can be drawn from the given information.

I am also able to help primary school children with literacy and comprehension, drawing on professional experience as well as my own experience passing the 11+.

I am a good planner, can work under pressure, and can express myself clearly. I think that these skills are of benefit to all students. Learning works best in a relaxed atmosphere, which is best facilitated by understanding what works best for an individual student. For example, some students like intermediate deadlines to be established between lessons so that they will not leave work until the last minute. Other students benefit from reading and analysing exemplar materials rather than jumping straight into writing. I am able to adapt my approach because I ask my students what they think would be most useful!