Elisa

I graduated in 2017 with a Double First in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford and I have more than a decade of tutoring experience. My expertise extends across different levels and subjects, with a particular focus on exam preparation (11+, 13+, GCSE, IB, A-levels, and Oxbridge applications). Throughout the years, I have worked with students on a wide range of curriculums to hone their skills and expand not only their knowledge but also their interest and love for the subject. Having won a bursary to attend Wellington College in 2011, I studied the IB and was one of the 0.1% of students in the world to achieve a maximum of 45 points. Some of the distinctions I was awarded for my performances include the Gavin Ewart Poetry Prize, the Verrall English Prize, the Music Essay Prize, the Instrumental Prize, and the Lady Emma Talbot Special Prize. Following a Distinction in Prelims in my first year at Oxford, I was awarded the Casberd Scholarship for outstanding results.


I have always loved working with children and young people, and it’s always incredibly rewarding seeing them progress and achieve the results they were hoping for. I loved my subject at university, and had an amazing experience doing the IB, so I feel a kind of responsibility to return the opportunity I had in encountering wonderful, inspiring teachers who helped me achieve the best results I could have possibly imagined by nurturing not only my academic potential but also my passion for their subject. My teaching style balances a thorough knowledge of results-driven exam techniques and an intellectual curiosity that flows beyond the immediate perimeter of the syllabus - in short, I aspire to make work feel like fun whilst fulfilling all the requirements of the curriculum and making sure that all my students reach their full potential.

Availability: Available for immediate start

Willing to travel: 1 miles

Experience: I have tutored children and young adults between 5-21 years old for various disciplines and qualifications, with a particular focus on 11+, 13+, GCSEs, A-levels, IB and Oxbridge applications. My students have received offers and scholarships from Oxford, Cambridge, Sevenoaks, North London Collegiate School, Westminster, King`s College, Godolphin & Latymer, Francis Holland, Whitgift, Highgate, and Channing, among many others.

What distinguishes me as a tutor is the ability to understand the child`s specific needs, both personal and academic and tailor my teaching methods to fulfill each child`s academic potential and individual goals. I am passionate about teaching and care deeply about my students. Having been raised by a mother who also worked as an educational psychologist, my personal experiences have convinced me that often the best results are not only a question of investing a certain amount of work in preparation but also, as importantly, of building confidence and a good rapport between student and teacher.


EXAMPLE TUITION ASSIGNMENTS

Beatrix, 10
For a few months, I coached Beatrix towards the 11+ entrance exams. With a great talent for creative writing and a very mature understanding of textual complexities, Bea made rapid progress after learning how to give structure to her answers to comprehension-style questions in relation to the mark scheme and understanding the level of detail and the specific literary techniques required in the creative writing tasks. Another area of focus was Verbal Reasoning, where Bea struggled with timing at first. After working out specific methods of approaching each different style of question, her speed and accuracy improved greatly. She got offers from both Channing and Francis Holland.

Milo, 10
Over the course of a few weeks, I worked with Milo towards the 11+ entrance exams. Although very passionate about Maths, English wasn’t Milo’s favourite subject. Responding to Milo’s particular frustration with the inexact nature and seemingly unmanageable nature of the long answer part of the comprehension paper, we worked out a way to make English more like Maths by distilling it down to formulas. From dividing the number of marks to the number of points to be made, and following a repeatable structure of ‘Point Evidence Explanation’, to coming up together with creative writing tasks which contained a specific number of literary techniques, this method captured Milo’s interest by appealing to something he already felt confident in, thus helping him organise his thoughts on paper and greatly improve the quality of his answers.


Hannah, 18
For a few months prior to her IB exams, I helped Hannah with her preparation for HL English, and SL French and Biology. As well as providing her with my own materials which synthesised the syllabus into bite-sized chunks of information, I also suggested mnemonic techniques for memorising large quantities of information, as well as notes-making tips. Specifically for English, I reviewed her coursework and helped her refine her already excellent ideas by suggesting additional reading and asking her challenging questions which helped her clarify the different facets of her argument. I also helped her with her personal statement and interview technique for her Oxford application. She achieved the stellar score of 45 points in the IB and is currently reading English Language and Literature at Lincoln College.

India, 18
I worked with India intensively for four days in the run-up to her IB HL English exams, doing 6-hour long revision sessions. Her goal was to improve her results from a low 5 (the result of her latest mock) to a 6. Over the course of these few days we focused on improving exam technique, teaching her simple ways of approaching the unseen text, and structuring her commentary, so that she could feel confident even when faced with an unfamiliar passage. For Paper 2, we picked the texts she would use carefully and strategically, annotated them, and made detailed plans for how she would answer a wide range of questions. The end goal was to provide her with a precise, structured foundation of knowledge and techniques which would help her feel confident and familiar with any type of question or text she might encounter. This last-minute effort proved fruitful, as she achieved a high 6 and made the offer for her top choice of university.


PARENT TESTIMONIALS

"Elisa worked with my daughter, aged 10, for around four months in preparation for her 11+ exams for English. My daughter said she was exceptionally helpful, and helped her focus on the type of questions she would face in her English exams and methods for improving her writing. My daughter found her patient, considerate and helpful in her approach. What is more, she made the sessions interesting enough that my daughter was able to concentrate and focus for 90 minutes, and come out happy and smiling at the end of each session!"


“Elisa didn`t work with our son Oscar for a long period, however, she achieved great results in a short space of time. She quickly picked up where the previous tutor had laid off. She built a great rapport with him during the very first session and understood immediately why we were tutoring. Our goals were to increase confidence and encourage Oscar to challenge himself, rather than coasting through. He attends an excellent state primary, however, we just felt that some one to one attention would be a huge benefit. Elisa used Oscar`s love of reading to inspire him and helped him to organise his thoughts when transferring them on to paper. She was careful not to overwhelm, but definitely hit these targets. We were always left with a sensible amount of homework and this clearly complimented

DBS Check: Yes