Lara

Professional Keystone Tutor

Lara is an English graduate with a love of teaching and academia. She teaches both face to face and online and has taught over 5,100 hours with Keystone since 2016.

Lara is a professional Keystone tutor. This means Lara:

✔ Engages with Keystone's bespoke professional development programme
✔ Works exclusively for Keystone on a fully employed basis
✔ Is committed to tutoring as a career and profession

We believe these factors combine to make a unique difference to the level of commitment we can assure, as well as the quality of teaching that our professional tutors offer.

Lara teaches: Primary (Year 1 - 6) English, Primary (Year 1 - 6) Maths, 11+ English, 11+ Maths, 13+ English, GCSE Drama & Theatre Studies, GCSE English, AS/A Level Drama and Theatre, AS/A Level English, School Entrance Interviews, English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

''Lara explains really well, shares great techniques and provides good material to work on every week for my children to continue to be challenged and develop their English skills.''

Mother of year 8 and 9 students

About Lara:

Experience
Biography
Approach to Tutoring
When not tutoring

Experience

-Primary English, Maths and Science

-7+ English & Maths: public school entrance exams

-8+ English and Maths: public school entrance exams

-11+ English and Maths: ISEB and public school exams, including pre-tests

-13+ English: ISEB and public school entrance exams

-GCSE/IGCSE English (All exam boards)

-GCSE/IGCSE Drama (All exam boards)

-16+ English: public school entrance exams

-A-level English (All exam boards)

-A-level Drama (All exam boards)

-Interview preparation at all levels

-I teach a number of online students who are based in the UK, Switzerland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

-I also have a great deal of experience teaching EFL and SEN students.

Throughout my time as a professional tutor, I have helped a myriad of students to secure places at a number of competitive day and boarding schools. I am extremely familiar with the necessary approach for both face-to-face and online lessons, and have worked with children from Reception all the way up to A Level.

My years of experience with Keystone (undergoing frequent training programmes alongside teaching one-on-one lessons) have not only enabled me to develop a thorough understanding of the various curricula, but have also honed my ability to recognise how best to connect with my tutees - so that they can flourish into independent, enthusiastic learners.

As an avid reader, I am fascinated by words and take particular pleasure in helping students enhance their vocabulary. In terms of pre-tests, I recommend building up a thorough knowledge of the 11+ Maths and English syllabus and focussing as much as possible on comprehension, grammar and cloze procedure and mental arithmetic and word problems. I use a variety of activities to target the time pressured nature of the tests and problem solving.

Biography

Having achieved A*’s in English Literature, Politics and Religious Studies at A-Level at Benenden, I graduated from Exeter University with a 2:1 in English.

After completing my degree I worked for a variety of dynamic travel and health-focused companies. Whilst these roles were brilliant learning experiences, they reminded me of my enthusiasm for academia and prompted me to return to studying, this time from the other side, as a full time tutor.

Approach to Tutoring

I am very enthusiastic about teaching and take an approach that is both structured and flexible. I have a passion for building confidence in my tutees, and believe that this sense of confidence is integral for the development of individuals' independent learning skills.

I consider that making seemingly tedious topics relatable and relevant, within the context of every day life, is the key to sparking children's attentiveness. Although my overall approach varies from student to student, I believe that igniting this excitement is of paramount importance in all lessons.

When not tutoring

As well as being a professional tutor for Keystone, I am a fully qualified nutritional therapist. I spent three years studying at the College of Naturopathic Medicine and now offer appointments online. My business, Lagom by Lara, takes a holistic, balanced approach to wellbeing and allows me to provide nutrition and lifestyle advice to clients all over the world.

When not in front of a screen, I love going to exhibitions and galleries and will seize any opportunity I can to go to the cinema or theatre. I also enjoy practising yoga and going for long walks, both in London and beyond.

What clients say about Lara:

''Lara has been indispensable as he successfully navigated the highly competitive school application processes to gain entrance into his first-choice schools. He thoroughly enjoyed his weekly sessions with Lara and his writing improved noticeably within just a month or two. Her teaching approach is effective and she is patient and professional.''

Mother of 11+ student

''Lara is providing great support to my two children with their English writing skills, preparing my daughter for late entry boarding school application (current status: serious contender) and my son with his overall analysis and writing techniques for the IB diploma programme.''

Parent of Year 11 and Year 8 students

“My son’s improvements are really noticeable. Your lessons are the happiest time for him during the week and English is now his favourite subject. Under your teaching he has progressed a lot and grasped many techniques so thank you very much.”

Parent of Year 9 child studying in New Zealand, online English lessons

''Lara is brilliant and works wonders! We cannot thank her enough for her work with our son. With Lara’s help, our son's English has improved considerably - his vocabulary is greatly expanded and Lara has taught him how to use this effectively to add detail and nuance in his writing.''

Mother of 11+ student

“Thank you so much for helping to bring this miracle! My daughter has been successful with her interviews for both Headington and Badminton, thanks to you.”

Mother of a 13+ interview candidate

“My daughter was very positive about her first session. Lara seems to grasp exactly what she needs so I think it’s going to be a fabulous match. Thank you so much.”

Mother of an A Level student

''Many thanks Lara, my daughter really enjoys the lessons with you and while it is late and the end of her long day, she never says she does not want to do it! Kudos to you!''

Mother of 11+ Student

“Lara has been a joy. My daughter has really warmed to her; she adores her and also trusts her''

Mother of A Level English Student

“Happy news. My daughter received an A* in her English A Level has been given a place at UCL to read English. We can’t thank you enough for all your work with her and helping her believe in herself.”

Mother of an A Level English Student

“We are very happy that my daughter has secured a place at Godolphin. Thank you for contributing.''

Mother of 11+ Student

“Just to let you know the wonderful news: my son has been offered a place at Charterhouse. He is so happy. Thank you for all of your precious help!”

Mother of CE Candidate

''Lara was excellent, very professional. We would definitely like to use her again!''

Mother of a 16+ student

''I just got my IGCSE results back and got two A* in English. I am super happy! I even got slightly higher in language which was a surprise. Thank you so much for all your help!''

Online Singapore student

''I am delighted to share that Dulwich has offered our son a place for September. We are all very happy about this news. He is indeed quite excited. Thank you for all your work and ongoing support throughout the year so far. He has benefited from the confidence you have shown him as well as the work you have done with him to get there.''

Mother of a 13+ Dulwich applicant

“Lara is just brilliant. We are really thrilled with her – she is all the things that we had hoped she’d be and my daughter really looks forward to the lessons and most importantly, seems to have made huge improvements with Lara’s help.”

Mother of 11+ Student

''My daughter loves her sessions with you so I know there won’t be any objection from her about more lessons! I have heard her going slightly off topic with her conversations and you are so good at guiding her back.”

Mother of an 11+ Benenden scholarship student

''Our daughter has done very well and received A*'s in both of her GCSE English exams. I can't thank you enough for all your help and support.''

Mother of a GCSE English student

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