Tutor Profile

Fiona

Private Biology and Chemistry Tutor in Bath

I am an experienced biology and chemistry teacher/tutor who has loved science since starting to study it at secondary school and I thoroughly enjoy helping people understand these subjects and to achieve their full potential in their exams. I taught in Oxfordshire for 12 years, including being Head of Biology for 6 years, and then tutored full time for 5 years before moving to south Bath at the end of 2017, where I have continued tutoring in person and also online via Zoom. I enjoy teaching and tutoring science at all levels and it is wonderful when a student understands something for the first time or simply becomes more confident in their own understanding, wants to learn more and can achieve their goals in the subject.

Teaching Experience

I have been a full time tutor since January 2013 and have successfully tutored biology and chemistry for GCSE (most exam boards and for both Double and Triple award), IGCSE (Cambridge and Edexcel), A-level (most exam boards including international specifications) and European Baccalaureate exams with my students making excellent progress in their overall understanding, gaining confidence in their abilities and their exam results showing improvement. With many students I have also given advice on revision techniques, time management, stress management, subject choices and university applications as I see my role as more than tutoring the subject for the exams, as other factors can have an important impact on their success. I am comfortable and experienced with tutoring at the parental home, at my home and online. I have been a qualified teacher for over 25 years, teaching science at KS3, chemistry at GCSE and AS-level and biology at GCSE and A-level in state schools.

Tutoring Approach

Tutorials will take an individual approach based on the student’s needs and learning styles and there will be regular discussions with the student and their parents on what the student needs to achieve their goals. My aim is for the student to enjoy their learning so that their understanding of the subject improves to give them the confidence they need to meet their full potential in their exams. I cover subject knowledge, concepts, study skills, revision skills and exam techniques, and monitor their progress throughout lessons. I prepare each session so that the activities suit the individual tutee and the syllabus that they are studying. I have packs of prepared worksheets for most chemistry and biology A-level and GCSE specifications and prepare more when required as well as access to many exam questions. I like to give regular homeworks, especially at A-level, as this allows more accurate monitoring of their progress and allows independent written work to be assessed and improved on.

Qualifications

PGCE in biology teaching

PGCE · University of Cambridge · Pass · 2000

QTS

QTS · University of Cambridge · Pass · 2000

Biochemistry (Hons)

Bachelors · University of Edinburgh · 2:1 · 1994

Reviews

Feedback
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First Tutors

Thank you Fiona for tutoring Hattie in her Chemistry A level. Your considerate and generous approach gave Hattie the skills and confidence she needed to tackle some of the trickiest aspects of the course content , and your guidance on her study approach really helped during revision. She was delighted to achieve a B !

Tutor response

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. Hattie was wonderful to work with, hence many of our tutorials overrunning every week, and I was so happy to hear that she achieved the B grade and gained entry to her university course of choice. I wish her all the best in her future studies.

First Tutors

Fiona tutored my daughter for just under a year for A-Level Biology. Fiona was very helpful and is very knowledgeable concerning the A-Level Biology curriculum. She has a large array of resources which helped to further my daughter's understanding of the course content. Fiona provided detailed and informative feedback on my daughter's homework and is brilliant at explaining difficult aspects of the course in a clear way. Fiona challenged and pushed my daughter in her preparation for both her mocks and final exams and always took a keen interest in her progress. I would thoroughly recommend Fiona.

Tutor response

Thank you so much for your kind words Angela. Your daughter was fantastic to work with and I wish her all the best for the future.

First Tutors

Excellent communication with lots of advice and help for me (the parent). Homework is marked and feedback provided each time. Son is enjoying his lessons.

Tutor response

Thank you so much for the lovely feedback. I am glad your son is enjoying the tutorials; I am too and I hope that by us working as a team he can achieve his true potential in his GCSEs.

First Tutors

Fiona was a good tutor, very engaging, positive and encouraging. Fiona created a structured learning environment with regular feedback on the homework set. Our daughter enjoyed learning with Fiona, which kept her committed to the sessions and definitely improved her grade.

Tutor response

Thank you so much for your kind words Glyn. I enjoyed working with your daughter as she was engaged and organised with her work and willing to improve. I am so pleased with her final A-level result - a big improvement from where she was this time last year. Thank you again.

First Tutors

Fiona is an extremely dedicated tutor who has immensely helped me with A-Level biology. The resources she provides have been tailored to tick all the boxes for the content you must know. I feel far more relieved (although still nervous) going into year 13 as Fiona has an extensive knowledge on Biology and teaching.This has been able to provide me with relevant context which helps improve and further my understanding in my biology specification. As well as being very capable as a teacher, I am grateful for Fiona as she continues to create a very comfortable, judgement free learning environment where I am not scared of asking questions. Thank you for making Biology a subject I thoroughly enjoy!

Tutor response

Thank you so much Sana for your wonderful feedback. You are lovely to tutor as you are a hard working and dedicated student who wants to understand the biology as well as achieve excellent results. I look forward to working with you over the next year.

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Tuition onlineTuition at tutor's homeDBS checkedTuition at student's home (Travels up to 20 km)
  • This tutor has an average feedback rating of at least 4.75/5 from 20 or more reviews.
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