Martyn

I am a retired schoolteacher, and now work as a private tutor, offering tuition in English. I read English at Clare College, University of Cambridge, and have a BA and MA from Cambridge. Later, I was seconded from the school where I was teaching in East London, and took a one-year full-time taught MA, at the London University Institute of Education, in Media and Film Studies for Education (passed, with distinction). I also have a PGCE, and annually updated Enhanced DBS (the old CRB) certificate, July, 2023.

Availability: I am available 09.00-19.00 (weekdays), and 09.00-18.00 at the weekend.

Willing to travel: Home Only

Experience: Before retiring, I was a head of department at a girls grammar school, in Kent. Before that, I taught at a high school; and before that, for twelve years, I taught at Brampton Manor, a London mixed comprehensive, in Newham. While teaching in London, I also taught two EFL evening classes at West Ham College. While in London, I was `on exchange`, in Singapore, teaching Cambridge Overseas (as it then was) GCSE English at Singapore Chinese Girls School.

While teaching in Kent, I was an examiner, working for AQA, at various times marking GCSE and A Level English Literature and English Language and Literature. Before giving up the marking of public examinations, I was promoted to senior examiner, for A Level English Language and Literature.

I charge £35.00 an hour, for GCSE students (KS4), and £30.00 an hour for KS3 students; £40.00 an hour, for A Level and university students. I can also offer, as needed, two hour lesson (which some have found useful, especially close to public examinations). All fees are payable on the day of each lesson, in cash, or by direct transfer, on the day of the lesson, or the next day. I see most students once a week, but some, more often.

Most of my students are working towards the GCSE, or IGCSE, English and English Literature and English Language examinations, or the GCE and IB English Literature examinations. I have helped students writing their UCAS Personal Statements, and worked with students preparing for the BMAT (the English test taken by students applying to read Medicine at Oxford, Cambridge, and some other universities), and the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment), taken by those applying to Oxford or Cambridge to read a range of Arts and Humanities subjects. I have also worked with a number of university students: I helped one final year Drama student (Ben, from EastEnders!), and one final year English student. I have worked with two second year Media Studies students; a second year Geography student; a student in her last year of a Criminology degree; post- graduate English student; a post-graduate mature student, taking an MA in marketing; a mature student taking a Photography degree; an Open University mature student.

DBS Check: Yes