Sian

I’m an examiner and specialist GCSE and A level tutor in geography, government and politics, religious studies/philosophy, history and Spanish. As former Head of Geography at a small tutorial college in the West Country, my primary task wass to get students through their exams with the highest possible grade. I don’t teach students under the age of 15, rather, I’m focused purely on subject content and exam technique.

I have lived, researched and taught in a variety of countries including Spain and Central America. I make regular expeditions to climb volcanos and explore rainforests and I bring all this experience to my lessons.

As an examiner, I can state with some confidence that the latter is often as important as the former and, as I’m also involved with monitoring the quality of exams for one of the three major boards, I can offer unique insight into how exams work and how to gain top marks. I also work as a revision tutor with the national market leader in exam revision courses, leading classes in London during school holidays. In addition, I’ve worked as a postgraduate teaching assistant at a Russel Group university and marked first-year undergraduate geography exams. As a writing mentor to second and third year students, it was my job to offer advice on essay writing; this is a skill not usually taught at schools and it’s something which I teach to all my humanities students.
I’ve been a tutor for very nearly twenty years – it’s important to note that teachers and tutors are not one and the same thing. A teacher has to focus on classroom control, a tutor is more of a coach whose role it is to get the best out of an individual or small group based on a shared enthusiasm for the subject and a desire not to accept second best.
I’m currently coming to the end of studying part-time for a PhD in geography and theology at the University of Exeter. Being a student, albeit a mature one, has increased my empathy with the students I teach. I understand the stress and the pressures only too well and it’s my job, as a tutor, to help you deal with these.
I teach a wide range of subjects: geography and theology are the foci of my academic research but I have an MSc in Latin American politics and have written and researched extensively on the politics of Mexico and Central America where I’ve also climbed and studied volcanoes. History, if course, is an essential component of both geography and political science and I work with students from across the humanities on developing analytical skills. I teach Spanish as I’ve spent a lot of time in Latin America and because my PhD fieldwork is based in Spain so I speak the language to a very high level.
Finally, I have many years’ experience of supporting students with dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD (all of whom have gone on to university).
My lessons are dynamic, engaging and rarely dull and boring. Remember! This is not school and I am not your teacher the learning experience is at its most effective and efficient when both tutor and student are engaged in the subject and, dare I say it, even enjoying it!
Each lesson/programme is designed with the student`s specific needs in mind - whether examinations, business or pleasure: it`s your lesson after all! We use my experience, enthusiasm and knowledge to get the best out of you and, perhaps most importantly, improve your self-confidence. Remember, much as I`d love to, I can`t sit the exam for you!

Availability: Evenings, Monday to Friday.
Saturday mornings.

Come exam times I`m more or less available 24/7

Willing to travel: 30 miles

Experience: Nineteen years in private tuition one-to-one and groups at all levels and ages. Former Head of Geography at tutorial college. Examiner in Geography, RE/Philosophy and History. Specialist revision tutor.