Hi- I'm Henry and I am a French student at the University of Oxford with a strong academic background in languages, literature and humanities (including 4 A* grades at A level & EPQ, and 10 grade 9s at GCSE).

I would say I offer tutoring for four different kinds of student (which are outlined in the paragraphs below)

• As someone with a passion for academics, I would be delighted to provide support for more students further along in their studies, particularly those looking for help in French (GCSE and A level) and university preparation, (particularly for humanities applicants and students considering Oxbridge). As a current undergrad going into my second year, the A-level and GCSE exam period is fresh in my mind; I have not forgotten how genuinely difficult this time is for students, especially those juggling revision with University applications and studying subjects like French with harsh grade boundaries and comparatively fewer resources. I am also fortunate to still possess all my notes and revision tools which helped me go from being rather despondent with French at GCSE, to securing a high A* grade at A level (including full marks in 2/3 papers). Additionally, as a Languages/Humanities student at Oxford, I have not forgotten just how daunting the application process can be. My personal experience applying to Oxford, having to tackle much literature I considered 'above my paygrade', and speak about it fluently in my PS/interview, well positions me to advise students looking to apply for humanities subjects in this competitive space.
• I also offer tutoring for students learning English as a second language. I possess both the perspective of a native (British) English speaker and a language learner; through my study, I have developed a good understanding of grammar and phonetics which well positions me to clearly explain key concepts which come intuitively to me to non-native speakers. I spent some time working with students of all ages and abilities (from A1-C1) in an International language school, looking to improve their English conversationally, professionally/academically, or for IELTS exams, and am more than happy to offer support for all of the above!
• For younger students (KS1-3 / up to 14 year olds in year 9), I am an experienced tutor offering support in core subjects. I have training in tutoring the 11+ and 7+ exams (including verbal and non-verbal reasoning), as well as equivalent entrance exams for independent schools (including those taken at 13). I have tutored students who faced particular challenges with literacy, numeracy, VR, & NVR, (including those with Special Educational Needs ranging from moderate to severe), as well as those aiming for top places at competitive grammar and independent schools. Having been successful in entrance exams in both state and private sectors, and with my dad being the headmaster of a high performing, selective state grammar, I have an in depth personal perspective on the curriculum and place high value on education. This, alongside my professional training at an in-person tutoring organisation, allows me to deliver effective, highly relevant tutoring for younger students of a range of abilities.

My formal tutoring experience and training comes from my work at Explore Learning, where I supported students across different ages and abilities in English, Maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and 11+ preparation. I worked both in person and online, helping students build confidence in a friendly, supportive but professional learning environment. As part of this role, I completed training in safeguarding, SEND, behaviour management, phonics, 11+ and entrance exams, and I also hold a DBS certificate. This gave me a strong foundation in adapting lessons to different needs, using scaffolded explanations, and creating a safe environment where students feel able to ask questions and make progress. One of the most rewarding parts of tutoring has been seeing how a positive relationship with a student can change their attitude to learning, especially when they begin to feel more confident and independent.

I also have experience in language-learning environments. At The Celtic English Academy, I worked with non-native English speakers of different ages, backgrounds and levels, which gave me useful experience supporting EAL/ESL learners in both teaching and administrative contexts. My own experience learning French is also central to the way I teach languages. I began as a complete beginner and found the language daunting at first, but I am now studying French at Oxford at an advanced level. Because of that, I understand both the early frustrations of language learning and the techniques needed to progress towards fluency, accuracy and confidence.

Alongside formal tutoring, I have also supported younger students privately with A-level work and university preparation, including cousins and friends from the year below at school. I can help students applying for humanities subjects broadly, not only French or modern languages. I have shared my own A-level resources, helped students find wider reading and university-level material they might not otherwise know about, and used my school and university network to build resource banks for subjects I did not personally study. I can also advise on revision strategy, exam technique, workload management and prioritisation, drawing on the methods that helped me achieve 10 grade 9s at GCSE and 4 A* grades at A level, including EPQ.

My approach to tutoring is structured, flexible and confidence-focused. I want lessons to feel clear and purposeful, but not intimidating. I usually begin by working out what the student already understands, where they are getting stuck, and what kind of support will actually help them move forward. By scaffolding, I mean breaking a difficult task into smaller, more manageable steps, then gradually removing support as the student becomes more confident. For example, I might first model an answer, then guide the student through a similar one, then ask them to try independently with prompts, before eventually expecting them to complete that kind of task on their own. By adaptive teaching, I mean changing the pace, explanation, task type or level of support depending on the student in front of me. If one explanation does not work, I do not simply repeat it more slowly; I try to find another route into the topic. This might mean using a worked example, a visual explanation, a whiteboard, a discussion, a checklist, a sentence starter, or a more exam-focused task. My lessons are interactive, with plenty of questioning, shared whiteboard work, guided practice and feedback. Where useful, I can also give feedback on independent work completed outside the lesson, such as essays, translations, speaking answers, personal statements or revision plans, and I keep track of progress so that lessons build towards clear goals. For A-level students and university applicants, I place strong emphasis on workload management, prioritisation and active revision. Most GCSE and A-level students have been told many times that they should revise “actively”, but I think the harder question is what that actually means for their subject. I can help students turn vague revision into specific, useful tasks, such as timed essay plans, grammar drills, quotation banks, speaking practice, translation correction, mark-scheme analysis or targeted wider reading. Some of my own A-level subjects and units were not especially well resourced online, so I had to learn how to revise independently, build my own resources and work out what was actually useful. I can help students do the same by sharing my own notes and methods, pointing them towards better resources, and adapting revision strategies to the way they learn best. For EAL and ESL students, I adapt lessons according to how they want to use English. A student preparing for academic study may need help with essay structure, formal vocabulary, grammar accuracy and reading comprehension. Someone preparing for IELTS may need focused practice in speaking, writing, listening and exam technique. A student using English for work may need emails, presentations, interviews or professional vocabulary, while someone focused on everyday fluency may need pronunciation, conversational confidence, idioms and natural phrasing. My current study of French also includes linguistics, including IPA, phonetics and how grammar works, which helps me explain language more clearly rather than simply saying what sounds right or wrong. For younger students, I focus on building confidence and a more positive relationship with learning. I know that children often decide very quickly that they are “bad” at a subject, when really they may just need the right explanation, more practice or a calmer environment. I use modelling, prompts, worked examples and gradual independence so that students are not just given answers, but taught how to approach questions themselves. My aim is for younger pupils to leave lessons feeling more capable, more curious and less afraid of making mistakes.