Melanie

My students regularly go from D/E in Year 12 to A/B in their final exams.
Best results ever: U to an A* in a year. Full marks on all biology papers - for two students in different years. An A* in biology taken independently outside school in just one year. But more importantly, numerous students achieved two grades higher than anyone had predicted.

I have a doctorate from Oxford in English Literature and a Natural Science degree from Cambridge, where I specialised in Biology. I have 16 years of experience as both an English and a science tutor and can offer students a solid grounding in all aspects of of the subjects. For biology, I teach AQA, Edexcel A, Edexcel B and OCR routinely and have helped students through CIE. For English, I have mainly taught AQA and OCR.

English
In English, I specialise in two types of tutoring. Depending on pass grades at GCSE, I can offer a structured approach to English literature students, focusing on basic grammar and textual analysis. In the past I have helped students to move up five grades, from E to A, largely by going back over core skills and by teaching them how to analyse written text in quite a formal way.
I help students to produce eye-catching essays which will impress the examiners. Whether they are hoping for a C grade or an A*, every candidate can improve their score by honing their essay skills. It`s simply a matter of knowing how to structure the answers and write analytically.

Biology
Biology A level is probably the most demanding and unforgiving of all subjects. The specification is vast and every exam question is compulsory, so students must understand all aspects of the syllabus and be able to apply their knowledge quickly and accurately. This is tough, and means that every paper is as much a comprehension exercise as a test of factual information. I provide an individually-structured learning programme tailored to each of the three major specifications: AQA, Edexcel A and B and OCR. I take students through all the theory that they will but I also expect them to do questions for themselves. Success comes through hard work in Biology and sadly there are no short-cuts.

Oxbridge:
It is always a pleasure, and a challenge, to teach Oxbridge candidates. At Oxford, I was lucky enough to observe the admissions procedure for several of the colleges. I know what the admissions tutors are looking for, and, though I cannot guarantee success, I can give would-be undergraduates the skills they need to tackle the entrance tests and interviews with confidence.

Availability: Weekdays and weekday evenings

Willing to travel: Home Only

Experience: Trained as an undergraduate tutor at Oxford University
I have over fifteen years of tutoring experience at A level in both English literature and Biology