I’m a qualified, highly experienced and successful teacher of KS3, GCSE, A Level, IBAC, Oxbridge students and adult learners. Based in Darlington with many local tutees, I also have online students from schools across Britain and in British schools in Europe. I have vast experience at all levels and with all abilities and was an A level examiner for many years. I tutor because watching students' confidence grow is the best feeling in the world.

Fully qualified: Department for Education number 92/36276 Fully vetted: DBS Enhanced Certificate number 001698348531 Highest standards of professionalism: The Tutors’ Association membership number 54731965 Highly experienced: Oxford University graduate with many years' experience classroom teaching and tutoring students of all ages and abilities

I have 26 years' teaching experience in settings including a state grammar, a successful comprehensive, a highly selective independent school and, for the last fourteen years of my classroom career, in one of the most successful and inclusive sixth form colleges in the UK. As well as knowing the state and independent schools in my local area very well, I have built up a steady stream of word of mouth referrals in a variety of schools nationwide and in Europe. Since 2020 I have provided a busy online tutoring service that is consistently oversubscribed.

Everything I do is centred on the needs of the individual student. Tutoring gives me the luxury of getting to know them, the way they learn and the challenges they face, very quickly. I push students hard but in a way that minimises their anxiety. I'm flexible, friendly and responsive. My priority is to build a relaxed rapport with each tutee and to encourage them to keep reflecting on what's working and what we need to adapt. Often stress about results, or nervousness about thinking for themselves, is holding them back at school. Tutoring gives them the chance to start enjoying the subject and to become the independent thinkers that success in English requires.