James

I am a fulltime professional tutor with 12 years of experience ranging from the pre-test at 11+ through to supervising postgraduate students.

Academic Background

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) Geology and Physical Geology degree. As a postgraduate I decided to pursue an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience. My research was undertaken at a Cambridge University research group and focused on Arctic reservoirs. I most recently studied Executive Leadership at Said Business School, University of Oxford.


Career

After finishing university, I worked as a geologist for an upstream oil and gas consultancy. Since leaving the oil industry, I have worked as a professional tutor, mentor, and academic advisor both in the UK and abroad. I help run and advise a £30m mining & gas investment fund.


Results

All of my university students finish with at least a 2.1.
99% of A-Level & GCSE students with an A/A*.
99% successful entrance at 13+ Common Entrance.


Accreditations

Fellow of the Geological Society.
Corporate member of The Tutors Association.
Individual member of The Tutors Association.
Corporate member of Nasen.
Up-to-date enhanced DBS certificate.

I currently reside in Windsor, Berkshire, but I am willing to travel internationally.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to drop me a message.

Availability: Throughout the day and evenings - 7 days a week. In person or online.

Willing to travel: 50 miles

Experience: Over the last 12 years I have tutored over 100 students on a long term basis and a handful of students on a short term basis. In addition to teaching geology, geography, maths and the sciences, I teach study skills for exam/revision techniques which I can incorporate into a normal tutoring session or at a separate time. Over the last three years, I have taken students on day long field trips ranging from the geology on the Isle of Wight - to the sedimentology in and around Kimmeridge Bay. This is extremely important at university level and can be very beneficial at A level (with a parent/guardian present) so as one can see geology rather than just read geology.

I will help you with coursework or dissertations, be it at GCSE, A level or at University. Since 2012, all of my students have gained at least an A in their GCSE and A level coursework.

Please ask me about the intensive school entrance exam course that I offer on an international basis.

I offer international tuition services, both in the short term and long term, via the internet and in person, having recently worked in France, Switzerland, Channel Islands and the Middle East. If your require international tuition, I can arrange a bespoke programme tailored to your needs.

My professional specialties lie with 3D seismic interpretation using Petrel and Landmark, petroleum sedimentology, reservoir modelling and petrography.


Below is a small selection of tutoring that I have covered over the last few years:

BSc Oceanography
MSc Petroleum Geology
BSc Hydrogeology and aquifer geology
PhD mapping with Arcgis and geological support for engineers
MSc environmental and climatic modelling
MSc and MSci in geology, engineering, geophysics (exams, coursework and thesis/dissertations)
Undergraduate degrees in geology, geophysics, geography, palaeontology, engineering (exams, coursework and thesis/dissertations)
A level geography and geology (exams and coursework) ***I have taught extensively, AQA, OCR, WJEC and EDEXCEL geography & OCR and WJEC geology***
A level maths
GCSE geography (exams and coursework)
GCSE maths
GCSE science
KS3
Entrance exams (7+, 8+, pre-test at 11+, 13+ common entrance)

In addition to my private tutoring experience, I`ve worked extensively with university groups and taught at schools in London between 2012 and 2018.
I am a member of Nasen and have experience with supporting children and young people with special or additional educational needs.


Below is a list of the results my long term students have received over the last few years.

2020 - A level - 3A*s, 5As, 1B
2020 - Successful entry to Wellington & St Edwards
2019 - GCSE - 6A*
2019 - A level - 5A*s, 2 As
2018 - GCSE - 8 level 9s, 5 level 8s and 2 level 7s
2018 - A levels 5A*s, 6As, 1B
2018 - PhD
2018 - BSc (Hons) Geology 1st
2018 - BSc (Hons) Earth Science 2.1
2017 - A level 9 A-A*s and 1 B
2017 - MSc Petroleum Geology - Distinction
2017 - BSc (Hons) Geology - 1st
2017 - BSc Petroleum Engineering 2.1
2017 - BSc Aquifer hydrogeology 1st
2017 - BSc - Paleontology 1st
2017 - BSc - sequence stratigraphy, geophysics 1st
2016 - Common Entrance and ISEB - 6x Wellington, Harrow, Eton, Lambrook and Bradfield
2016 - 12 x A level Geography and Geology students - 11 A-A*s, 1 B
2016 - GCSE - Geography - 4 A-A*s
2016 - MSc - Geography - Distinction
2016 - MSc Biofuel research
2015, 2016 - MSc - Environmental and climatic modelling
2014, 2015 5 Geology and Geography A level students. 4 A`s, 1 B
2015 - phD - Arc Map paleoenvironment modelling
2015 - University MSc Geology - Distinction
2015 - University geology 1st year - 2.1
2014, 2015 - University post graduate geotechnical engineer - Distinction
2014, 2015 - University geology 3rd Year - 1st
2013, 2014 - 2 A level geography tutee A
2013, 2014 - A level geology tutee from grade C-A
2012, 2013 - A-level geography tutee from grade D - A*
2012, 2013 - A-level geology tutee from grade B - A* and into Oxford University


Recent fieldwork:

Chamonix, France. Snowpack analysis, avalanche education
Huesca and Ainsa, Spain. The regional tectonics and stratigraphy of the Central Spanish Pyrenees with regards to petroleum systems
Wessex Basin (UK) - Petroleum Systems
Kilve, Watchet, Hartland Quay, Bude and Millook Haven (UK) - Petroleum systems
Whitecliff Bay, Alum Bay (Isle of Wight, UK) - High resolution sampling of The Reading, Old Haven and London Clay Formations for carbon isotope excursion analysis. Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM)
LA, Lone Pine, Bishop, Death Valley and San Clemente (USA) - How tectonics, climate and source area lithology influence the type and evolution of geomorphological features in arid/semi-arid continental settings
Whitecliff Bay (Isle of Wight, UK) - Dissertation entitled `The Sedimentology and Micropalaeontology of the Reading and London Clay Formations, Whitecliff Bay, Isle of Wight`
Lisdoonvarna (Ireland) - Limestone platforms, coastal geomorphology and geochemistry
Dartmoor (UK) - Geophysical Analysis (EM31 - ground conductivity surveying, magnetic surveying, self-potential surveying and EM16 - VLF surveying)
Aínsa (Spain) - Geological mapping
St Ives (UK) - Geological mapping and coastal geomorphology
Cheddar Gorge, Kilve and Dartmoor (UK) - Regional geological development


My approach to tutoring:

I am very adaptable and can alter my teaching style to match the students way of learning. Whether your needs include practical work, diagrammatic based learning, past paper tests, syllabus based learning or you are looking to improve your revision/exam techniques I will work with you to create a tailored study programme to help you achieve the highest grades possible.

I will provide all learning materials (past papers, syllabus, research articles etc). I have access and full use of the largest online journal archive, so I can provide reading and teaching based upon very recent research which helps further ones learning even at the pre-university stage.