Stephen

I am currently in my 21st year of teaching at secondary schools throughout the Yorkshire and Derbyshire areas. I have a wealth of experience teaching children with a variety of educational needs – stretching the attainment of higher ability children, while securing the progress of children with SEND needs and those who are struggling academically. I tailor each of my tutoring sessions according to the requirements of each student, slowly building their confidence through encouragement and challenge. I also like to inject a little humour into each tutor session, explain conceptual difficulties by using cultural analogies that I believe the student will relate to, as well as checking for understanding at regular intervals. I tend to keep the writing to a minimum during each session (i.e. jotting down a few bullet-points on how to answer a particular exam question or annotating a poem), but sometimes ask the student to attempt a written piece of work in their own time, for me to later mark, measure progress and give feedback on.

Availability: From 28th April, 2025.

Willing to travel: 5 miles

Experience: History is my degree specialism. However, in recent years I have predominantly taught GSCE Language and Literature (the latter is a finely-tuned and well-oiled specialism). To add to my English credentials, I am a poet, who has had over 90 poems published in various journals and online magazines. I am also very well read, and continue to read or listen to audiobooks daily. In terms of the KS4 English Literature syllabus, I have vast experience teaching Anthology Poetry (particularly the ‘Power and Conflict’ poems), Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, An Inspector Calls, Lord of the Flies, Blood Brothers and A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I am also familiar with the texts Never Let Me Go (Ishiguro is one of my favourite authors) and Animal Farm. I am more than confident of teaching any GCSE text that I have not taught before, given adequate preparation time. Indeed, throughout the 2024-25 academic year, the private tuition I have taken on has been solely focused on GCSE English Literature. As for History, despite the subject being a broad church, I am completely confident of delivering any GCSE or A-Level syllabus. The same goes for GCSE Religious Education. This is due to the wealth of subject knowledge I have built up over many years, alongside paid AQA Examination marking.

DBS Check: Yes