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Julia

Julia

Julia has taught Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation for almost 25 years. Her approach is patient and happy and she tailors her approach to each student. Julia tutors part-time alongside teaching at Tudor Hall.

Julia teaches: 13+ English, 13+ Latin, GCSE Classical Civilisation, GCSE Classical Greek, GCSE Latin, AS/A Level Classical Civilisation, AS/A Level Classical Greek, AS/A Level Latin

''Julia is an amazing teacher who imparts not only her incredible breadth of knowledge and experience but more importantly a lifelong passion for the subjects.''

Parent of GCSE Latin and A-level Class Civilisations student

About Julia:

Experience

I have 24 years’ experience of teaching years 7-13. At A level our classes tend to be small, and I have delivered several courses 1 to 1. I have taught GCSE Latin and Ancient Greek, and A-level Latin and Classical Civilisation. I have used OCR and AQA at A-level and GCSE, and Eduqas at GCSE.

I have taught individual students Latin GCSE on a one-to-one tutorial basis, when their secondary schools did not offer it.

The school I have taught at since 2001 regularly sends students to Oxbridge to read Classics, and our results have been consistently excellent. In the last 8 years of Latin GCSE, we have never had lower than 80% grades 7-9, and results analysis shows that, on average, Latin GCSE gives a value added (VA) of +2 grades for our students.

At Oxford I taught Latin poetry to undergraduates in groups of around 8, and ancient Greek to two individual beginners.

Biography

I attended the Atherley School (an all-girls independent that sadly no longer exists), and then Itchen College where I took A-levels in Latin, English, and History, and Russian GCSE. I gained a first class degree in Classics from Reading University.

I followed my undergraduate degree with post graduate studies at the University of Oxford, where I was awarded full AHRC funding. I gained an MSt in Latin and Greek Languages and Literature, and embarked upon a DPhil in Christian Latin. By some act of serendipity the research wasn’t what I had hoped it would be, so I applied for a teaching post at Tudor Hall School, where I have taught Latin, Classical Civilisation, and Greek ever since. In the last 5 years I have also taught years 7 and 8 English.

Approach to Tutoring

Learning can only take place when the learner is happy and settled, and it is the tutor's job to create an atmosphere that is comfortable but also purposeful. I am patient and happy to go at the student's pace, to ensure clear understanding. I use humour in my lessons, and have a variety of strategies that I employ. I am also interested in the theory of learning, and am always keen to try new techniques and ideas.

In language work, I like to have the learner try and puzzle out translations, giving help as and when needed. The satisfaction that be gained from finding something difficult but working away at it and getting it correct takes time, but is much more beneficial in the long run. For lessons on the set texts I enjoy wide discussions around the literature, looking at the author, as well as the political and historical contexts. I have taught GCSE and A-level Latin for over twenty years now, and I am very comfortable with the exam board's requirements for both language and literature papers. I also like the learner to have a broad general understanding of the ancient world, which will help them with other academic subjects as well as supporting their general knowledge.

When not tutoring

Having been full time all my career, I will be part time from September 2025, working on Wednesday and Friday. I want to keep teaching the subjects that I love and I am looking forward to taking on new students in a tutoring capacity alongside my school job.

Outside of teaching and tutoring I love to read, and to continue my research into Vergil's Aeneid, which I hope to turn into a book at some point. I have also kick-started my rusty Russian by attending weekly lessons with a friend.

What clients say about Julia:

"Ms Thorn was my tutor since year 9, and taught me for my final two years for my A level in Classical Civilisations. I found that Ms Thorn’s passion for her subjects was matched only by her genuine care for her students, to whom she frequently gave up her own time to support, not out of obligation, but from a genuine desire to see us succeed. It was because of Ms Thorn’s wide breadth of knowledge, guidance, and patience, that I was able to achieve the grade that I did."

Previous A-level Class Civilisation student

"Mrs Thorn is an excellent teacher. She's very enthusiastic around teaching and is always willing to listen and help me if I have a problem, and she is patient and understanding."

Current student in year 11 GCSE Latin

"Mrs Thorn is a great teacher who always makes time for her students. She goes above and beyond to help you understand concepts and genuinely cares about your progress in Latin."

Current student in year 13 A-level Latin

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