Mary-Rose P - Tutors - Keystone Tutors

• 13+ English
• GCSE English
• A Level English

My interest in education began during my time at university where I spent a summer as a volunteer teacher at a school in Eswatini. I started the Teach First programme in 2013 in order to pursue my passion for education and set myself a new challenge. During this time I had to educate myself about different curriculums taught at the school and develop expertise in planning lessons, marking and behaviour management with extreme rapidity in order to succeed and ensure that all my pupils made progress. After achieving a grade of Outstanding for my teaching in my first year, I took on the role of mentoring a new member of the department in my NQT year. I was also a form tutor and enjoyed developing pastoral relationships with both students and parents.

During my time at Garden International School, my practice developed a great deal in order to ensure that I was able to stretch and challenge the most able, as well as support all the different learning needs of such a diverse range of students. The department and school allowed me to experiment with new ideas in order to develop students and this in turn made me a more adaptive and diverse practitioner. I was also responsible for overseeing and directing the key stage 4 English curriculum including parental communication and accountability for the results of the cohort. As well as making changes to the way we set and marked coursework in order to increase consistency and the quality of feedback, I also led the department to develop and implement a skills based curriculum at key stage 4 and managed the collaborative planning of all units.

On my return to the UK, I spent several months as a curriculum builder for a company providing online curriculums to schools and built detailed units on Macbeth, 1984 and The Crucible before moving to Abingdon School to return to the classroom. I particularly enjoy the rigour which I am able to bring to my teaching at Abingdon where I have taught students from across the age range, but have been especially proud of my results at A level where 70% of my students achieved an A* and 90% A*/A, and at GCSE in both Literature and Language, more than 50% of our students achieved a grade 9.

I was born and grew up in Gloucestershire where I spent my childhood. After taking A levels in Biology, Psychology and English Literature I went on to study English at the University of Edinburgh where I also took modules in Classical Literature and History of Art.

After graduating I worked in lifestyle management in London for 4 years where I helped clients with a diverse range of commitments like property management, travel and events. I then embarked on the Teach First programme where I qualified as a Secondary English teacher after 2 years at a very challenging school in south London.

In 2015, I moved to Kuala Lumpur with my husband to teach at Garden International School where I spent 5 years, and became head of key stage 4 (GCSE) English. My first 2 children were also born during this time.

After returning to the UK in 2020 I became an English teacher at Abingdon School. Since my third child was born in 2022, I have become part time and teach there 3 days per week.

Having started my teaching career in 2013, I have taught in a variety of different settings and have encountered a vast array of different students and learning styles; I therefore, have a huge range of techniques at my disposal in order to engage each individual student.

My passion for the subject and developed understanding of best practice pedagogical approaches, along with a good sense of fun, runs through my teaching style. Both my experience as a teacher, and also as a mother, help me bring a patient and nurturing approach to my relationship with each student.

I am currently working 3 days a week as an English teacher at Abingdon School. I enjoy reading, visiting art galleries, practising yoga and travelling with my husband and 3 young children.