Nektaria

Experience

Since joining Keystone Tutors, I have had the following successes with my students. All of them have been online lessons.

-I have tutored 2 students for the 13+ entrance examination in English for Harrow. One is currently studying there and one has received a firm offer.

-I tutored a girl for 13+ English and she is now studying at Wycombe Abbey.

-I tutored a boy for 13+ English and he has received a firm offer from Brighton College

-I tutored a girl for 11+ English and she is now studying at Stowe.

-I have tutored 2 students for the IELTS English Language examination and both students are currently studying in UK universities.

-I have tutored a boy for the 13+ examination in English and he is currently studying at Eton College.

THE SELE SCHOOL – Head of English Faculty (09/10 – present) – Hertford, Hertfordshire – Permanent Teacher Year 7 to A-Level. Responsible for induction of new staff. Overall responsibility for KS3, KS4 and KS5, administration, budget, Gifted and Talented provision, Entry Level Certificate and Functional Skills in English.

CREST GIRLS ACADEMY (formerly JOHN KELLY GIRLS TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE) English Faculty - Brent, London – Permanent Contract

Head of English (09/02 – 08/10): English – Year 7 to A-Level. Responsible for hiring and induction of new staff. Overall responsibility for KS3, KS4 and KS5, administration, budget, Gifted and Talented provision, Entry Level Certificate in English, running of Intervention and Easter Revision courses and Summer Literacy School. Subject Co-Tutor for beginner teachers. Co-founder of the Theatre Society. Also taught French at Year 7.

Second in Department (09/01-08/02): Taught English - Year 7 to A-Level. School Newspaper coordinator. Responsible for KS3 and daily administrative tasks. Organised assemblies, trips and displays. Entry Level Certificate in English Coordinator, S.W.A.N.S. representative, Booster classes and Summer Literacy School teacher.

Secondary School Teacher (09/00 – 08/01): Taught English - Year 7 to GCSE. Taught Year 9 French. School Newspaper Coordinator for Gifted and Talented students.

ST ALBANS TUTORS – Independent College – Part-time GCSE English tutor (2005-2006) Ran Easter Revision course (2007). Individual tuition of male and female students from local schools such as St Albans Girls School and St Albans School (Boys)

TOP TUTORS LTD. (London) – Part-time English and French tutor (2005 – 2010) Tuition for 11+ examinations, GCSE and A-Level. Tutored male and female students from Haberdasher Aske’s School for Boys, Mill Hill County School, Henrietta Barnet, JFS, Watford Grammar School, and others.

MOUNT CARMEL R.C. GIRLS SCHOOL - Islington, London – maternity cover (03/00 – 07/00) French and Spanish Teacher- Taught French at Years 7, 8, and 9. Taught beginner-level Spanish to students in Years 7 and 10.

IONION LANGUAGE SCHOOL (Patras, Greece) – English Teacher (10/98 – 05/99) Taught English as a Foreign Language to adult students preparing for the University of Cambridge Advanced and Proficiency Certificates, and T.O.E.F.L. exams

SHAKESPEARE LANGUAGE SCHOOLS (Varda, Greece) – English Teacher (09/96 –06/98) Taught English as a Foreign Language to students 7 to 16 years of age, from beginner levels to classes preparing for the Cambridge Lower and Proficiency English Certificate

FRONTISTIRION NEKTARIA VAKALOPOULOU (Greece) (1996-1999) Set up and ran my own business, teaching French and English as a Foreign Language in the village of Manolada, Ilias, to 30 students ranging from 9 to 16 years.

EXAMINER MARKING EXPERIENCE

University of Cambridge International Examinations Board – Part-time (2010-present) Examiner for IGCSE in English Paper 2 Reading and Writing

International Baccalaureate – Part-time (2009 – present) Examiner for Diploma A2 Internal Assessment and Higher Level Paper 2 in English

Edexcel – Part-time (2009 – present) Examiner for Functional Skills Reading

AQA BOARD – Part-time (2003 – present) GCSE Assistant Examiner for English (Specification A)

QCA – Part-time (2004-2008) KS3 Assistant Examiner for English Writing (SATS) and Team Leader (2007)

Biography

As the eldest of 5 children, I have always been encouraged to strive for academic and personal excellence. As a child growing up in Toronto, Canada, I was obsessed by reading literature, creative writing and playing the violin. My family’s move to a little village in Greece at the age of 15 was a life-changing and life-enhancing experience. I returned to the big city to complete my university education and was lured back to sunny life in Greece where I worked as an EFL teacher as well as setting up my own small language school in my village. After meeting my husband, a fellow EFL teacher, we moved back to his home-town, London, and I started teaching in a challenging inner-city school. As my confidence and expertise grew, I gained promotion quickly and was able to lead my faculty in creative and forward- thinking initiatives which were a model for the rest of the school. After moving to Saint Alban’s, Hertfordshire, six years ago, I soon embraced the ‘self-sufficient’ lifestyle and have started growing a large proportion of my own fruit and vegetables and have started keeping poultry. This helps feed my other passion – creating delicious home-cooked meals. My future plans are to have my own allotment and to start beekeeping.

Personal Approach

I enjoy getting to know my students and weaving their personal interests into my lessons so as to engage them. Humour and frequent praise are indispensable tools as well as clearly articulated learning outcomes and high expectations. My lessons often use a list of 'success criteria', 'model answers' and self and teacher evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. I encourage reflection and independent thought through targeted questioning and scaffolding of the learning so as to allow my students to reach their 'eureka' moment (which is always very exciting!).

What I do when I am not tutoring

I am an English teacher and Head of Faculty at The Sele School in Hertford, Hertfordshire, I work on my MA in English Education and I do exam marking for various boards.

I also am a volunteer Sunday School teacher for my church, and I enjoy gardening, chicken keeping, cooking lovely organic meals for my husband, friends and family, as well as exploring the countryside with my trusty dog, Milo.

I am hoping to switch to part-time teaching so that I can do more work from home. I am particularly keen on getting involved in online tuition!

Testimonials

"We just received a guaranteed place offer from Harrow over the weekend, so relieved and happy! I truly believe the sessions my son took with you have notably improved his English (he is getting really good marks at school now) and he definitely enjoys it more." (Mother of online pre-test student)

Nectaria is patient, very structured and clear and has identified our son’s weaknesses with an impressive work plan. (Mother of 13+ English online student)

Anandi Thakrar – Henriette Barnett School, London

This is just to say that Nektaria has been teaching my daughter since year 9 and in my daughter’s own words “Nektaria is simply the best”.

When Nektaria started teaching my daughter she immediately identified her strengths and weaknesses and has since then build up sound skills in my child and in particular analysis of language and essay writing.

Nektaria is fully conversant with current teaching skills and she knows exactly what and how to teach.

My daughter who will be sitting her GCSE this summer (2011) and has been predicted an A* in English Language and English Literature, and says that this is due to Nektaria‘s teaching.

I would not hesitate to recommend Nektaria as a tutor.

Mrs V Thakrar

Nidya Sooriya– Enfield County School, Enfield, London

Murelli Sooriya– Ashmole School, Enfield, London

Subject: Reference

Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 18:03:02 +0000

Nektaria tutored my brother and me since we were in year 9, up until we did our GCSE’s. Nektaria is passionate, energetic and hugely likeable as she has a very positive morale. She is very committed and dedicated in ensuring that her students achieve their best and excel and this is made easier for her by her likability. She is able to provide all the up to date, latest resources available. In our opinion every student would benefit from someone as passionate and helpful as Nektaria in their studies.

Kind Regards,

Nidiya Sooriya

Ashwin Singham – Haberdasher Aske’s Boys’ School, Hertfordshire

Subject: RE: request for reference

Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2011 17:14:03 +0000

My son is studying at Haberdasher's Boys' School in Elstree. He was an average student in English prior to seeking Ms Nektaria's help to improve his standard of English Language and Literature. Ms Nektaria has been helping my son for nearly three years bringing his standard to between A and A* in English. My son is now very confident and the school is very pleased with his knowledge of English. This is entirely due to Ms Nektaria's good teaching and guidance. Ms Nektaria has the necessary skills and qualifications. She is a true professional who is very flexible with her timing and her attendance has been very prompt. Ms Nektaria has given lot of confidence and guidance to my son from which he has benefited. I am glad that I got in touch with Ms Nektaria in time to provide help to my son.

D Singham