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John

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John
John
Tutor
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
Feedback Score:
+4
Member Since: 10/01/2017
Last Login: 6 months ago
Response Rate: no data
Expected Response : no data
Not available to contact

My Qualifications

Masters
Oxford University
Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL)
Distinction  (2021)
Graduate Diploma in Law
City University London
Law
Distinction  (2016)
Masters
Oxford University
English Literature
Distinction  (2013)
BA
Oxford University
English Language and Literature
First Class  (2012)

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Information about John

I am a former student of Merton College, Oxford, where I studied English for BA (First class) and MSt (Distinction). My secondary school was Watford Grammar School for Boys.

I have been teaching, independently and while attached to the university, since 2013. Unlike many tutors, this is my full-time job, and I wouldn`t want any other.

I want to make high-quality personal tuition affordable for as many people as possible. Please see below at the bottom of this section, and the Online Experience secton, for reduced-fee options.

For GCSE English students: I run a structured course of study which covers the same ground as face-to-face tuition at a fraction of the total cost. The results of this in recent years have been exceptional. I`m happy to share further details.

I`m based in Rickmansworth/Croxley Green. I`ve lived in Herts since I was a kid. Nowadays I spend a few days out of the week practising in London, and Oxford, where I teach while attached to the English Faculty in an Educational Research role. I`ve put a little more about my academic life below.

The feedback you see below represents only a small sample of my former students.

Please get in touch with inquiries about sessions for the subjects listed on this page, for essay writing and exam skills, or for preparation and advice for secondary school, university and Oxbridge admissions. I`ve been through it all...

The subjects I took for A-level (2009) were English Literature (A), Maths (A), History (A), and French (A).

And for GCSE: 11 at A* inc. French, German, Geography, History and Religious Studies.

I am certified fluent in French (DALF C1). I also have Italian and Latin.

I have also passed through the academic stage of legal qualification, having obtained a Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction), the equivalent of an undergraduate degree, from City University London.

When I’m not tutoring, I work on academic research in the field of literature (Shakespeare and contemporaries) and European languages (including Latin). I also love travel, hiking, and trail running (running up and down muddy hills in the cold).

Availability: I am available at daytimes, evenings and weekends.

Reduced rates are available for students willing to take up tuition partly or wholly online (up to 20%).

I offer an introductory, meet-and-greet session for longer-term prospective students which is free of charge. I don`t think first contact should be rushed.

Willing to travel: 10 miles

Experience: My specialism: helping students at all levels with structured writing.

This is a unique and important skill - knowing how to shape an essay is just as important as knowing what to put in it. It is also a skill which I think schools and universities often neglect.

There is a dangerous myth that it can’t be taught, that you can either write well, or you can’t.

My view is that good essays can be reduced to a few simple techniques for setting out ideas clearly and in appropriate language.

Many (though not all) students who contact me feel confident with content they need to grasp, but, having received inconsistent or confusing advice from teachers and tutors, struggle with exam technique and written expression.

I aim to prove that academic writing is best kept simple.

I have extensive experience helping students draft and revise coursework, tutorial essays, proposals, literature reviews, academic presentations and dissertations in a number of disciplines. I am very familiar with the conventions of all of these exercises.

Amongst others, in recent years I have supported students studying for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in: English, Film Studies, History, Art History, Architecture, Modern European Languages, Marketing, Economics, and International Relations.


Being in a one-on-one tutorial is very different to being at school. I have no doubt that it is by far the best way for anyone to improve their understanding of a topic. People are social animals – we’re engaged by conversation, and we’re much better at memorising what we discuss than what we read (particularly in dense academic writing).

But for modern exam syllabuses it’s rarely enough to just repeat rote-learned information. Tutorials are valuable because they focus in on individual students as developing thinkers with individual attitudes and ideas. They are set up to allow students to identify their strengths and weaknesses, focus on areas of improvement and develop their skills (communication and expression, interpreting text, building essays).

A well-managed tutorial gives the student space and time to think critically on the spot, and to voice and develop a personal response. Unfortunately, modern schools and universities are, generally speaking, not set up so as to be able to give students the individual contact time needed to bring students along as confident, independent thinkers and speakers. It is my experience that for many academics research takes priority over teaching ‘obligations’.

The easy part of my job is explaining ‘the material’ or ‘the facts’. I’ve taken all of the exams before (by now, you might say, many times over).

Passing exams and getting the grades – these are important things. Often they’re priority number one, and the reason why I’m called in to help. But examiners love confidence. If students are confident in their power over the material, the examiner will be confident in their power. This is as true for GCSE students as it is for undergraduates. So I put confidence- and skills-building at the centre of my approach.

That is the challenging part of my job. I think that the extent to which a teacher can encourage self-assurance and intellectual independence in students… that is the difference between an experienced and committed tutor, and the many, many tutors who drift in and out of the profession.

To build this confidence, I try in tutorials to create a relaxed and informal environment. The best tutorials feel a lot like natural conversations, so I ask students to respond naturally and feel assured in their instincts (which are usually right anyway).


Tuition is a serious financial commitment. I can make the most impact when I`m brought in well in advance of deadlines, and seen regularly.

I`ve thought carefully about the right level for my fees. I`ve tried to pitch them at a fair level which reflects my experience and track record, but remains affordable for as many people as possible. I would also however stress that:

1. An introductory session is free of charge for those who require a tutor on an ongoing basis. I do this so that everyone can meet in a relaxed environment, but also an encouragement to students (and parents) to take the time up front to talk through everyone`s hopes for tuition, and establish the best way of integrating our work together with school/university work.

2. There is no additional charge for reasonable preparation, marking and travel time. No two students can be given the same tutorials. They are tailored not only to the syllabus the student is following, but also to their strengths and weaknesses. This requires a lot of "off-the-clock" preparation and planning which, in the interest of transparency, I don`t believe should be charged for. This sets my approach apart.

3. My time also means my resources. I have collected a wealth of resources over the years eg. past exam papers, mock exam papers, comprehension exercises, reading lists, academic journals, electronic language learning resources etc. I have written many of these myself. These are part of the service.

There are also alternatives to regular face-to-face tuition. Please mention in your contact with me on this site if any of these might be you preferred approach:

1. Online tuition (Skype etc.). Voice or video calls work as well as face-to-face tuition. This option helps me with my availability, and saves me travel time and cost. I’m happy to reduce my fees to reflect those savings.

2. Essay feedback (email). Some students, who feel broadly happy with the material, but look for help with writing and exam technique or coursework, find it most useful to exchange work by email, and receive detailed comments and recommendations. An hour of my time for this would come at a significantly lower rate than the numbers quoted here.

3. Referrals. I run a generous referral fee-reduction scheme. Please ask me for details if you feel you might know anyone who also requires tuition.

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Feedback For John (4)

We have a total of 4 review(s) for John.

Caroline (Ms)
03/03/2021

5/5 Rating

My son started tuition with John at the end of Year 10, at that time he was predicted a level 4 in GCSE Latin and by the end of Year 11 he was predicted Level 7 . He achieved Level 7 in Latin GCSE. John is a professional tutor, he is friendly and helpful - lots of positive reinforcement a very good tutor, highly recommended.


Mahvash (Mrs)
11/10/2019

5/5 Rating

Really happy how John has started off with my son for his GCSE Educas. His guidance and resources are helping my son gaining confidence in his answers.


Gill (Mrs)
17/09/2017

5/5 Rating

We are very glad that we found John. He has been an excellent tutor for A level English - stimulating, patient and very willing to go the extra mile to fit in with our requirements.
He is also an excellent Maths tutor - IGCSE standard - and has been very flexible with his time.
I would not hesitate to recommend him.
Thank you John!


Randa (Mrs)
20/02/2017

5/5 Rating

John was really helpful, full of support and had an extensive knowledge.
Thank you so much.


John
John
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