Jessica

Experience

• A Level/IB History: AQA, CIE, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC

• A Level/Pre-U: History of Art: AQA, Edexcel, CIE

• A Level/IB/Pre-U History: AQA, CIE, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC

• GCSE/IGCSE English & History: AQA, CIE, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC

• 11+/13+/14+/16+ English, History, History of Art: ISEB and public school entrance exams for a range of schools including Winchester, St Paul's and Westminster.

I began my career as a tutor working with A-level and undergraduate university students who needed extra help with History, History of Art, English, Italian, Latin and essay-writing in all subjects. As well as classes in more traditional settings, some of these lessons took place in museums and galleries where students could apply the knowledge and skills that we had learned.

I continued these private lessons whilst teaching undergraduate students History at the University of St Andrews, composing and delivering weekly lessons, marking coursework and preparing them for exams. Outside of the classroom I worked one-on-one with students who needed extra help with particular topics, more complex reading and essay-writing.

Since leaving St Andrews I have tutored more than 1,500 hours for Keystone, teaching students from primary to postgraduate level History, History of Art, English and writing and communications skills across topics.

Biography

I grew up in Cornwall and completed my secondary schooling with A-Levels in History, History of Art, Art and French. As an undergraduate, I studied History of Art at the Courtauld Institute, before taking an MA in Cultural and Intellectual History. After working in the antiquarian book trade in London, I did a PhD in History at the University of St Andrews, where I also taught undergraduates. I spent a year as a fellow at the British School at Rome (British Academy) and published my first history book, on the Inquisition, in 2020. I have worked for Keystone since 2018.

Personal Approach

My teaching approach is based on two principles: engagement and method.

Engagement: Students learn more quickly and energetically if they are interested in the topic or skill that they are trying to master. Therefore, I assess each student not only on their academic abilities but also their motivations and personality and adapt my lessons accordingly. This drives my students to learn during our time together and long after our lessons have finished.

Method: All subjects and skills can be mastered with a methodical approach and consistent work. For this reason, I plan individual lessons and programmes of study with clear short and long-term objectives. With a clear plan, my students and I can track and celebrate our progress as we go as well as identifying any areas that need extra work. This approach produces clear academic results and demystifies challenging subjects and skills, building confidence and resilience.

What I do when I am not tutoring

When I am not tutoring I am researching, writing or lecturing on the history of religion and politics, predominantly in the early modern period. I publish my work in academic journals, history magazines and some popular magazines. My first book, on the Roman Inquisition and the early Jesuits, was published in May 2020 and I am currently writing a popular history of papal Rome. Occasionally research and speaking engagements take me from my home-office to conferences and archives abroad, though never for very long.

The rest of my spare time is devoted to my naughty Jack Russell, Ludo.

Testimonials

"I have nothing but praise for Jessica and her tutorage. She has been incredibly focused on addressing my specific areas of challenge as well as strengthening my overall historical skills. She is always punctual, organised and helpful." (A Level History Student)

''Jessica has been a fantastic support to my son with both his Personal Statement and EPQ, thank you for putting us in contact with her.'' (Mother of EPQ Student)

‘’Thank you so much for arranging Jessica who has been fantastic. My son and I were delighted with her guidance and input and he now has a Personal Statement he is really proud of. Thank you again. I will be recommending Keystone Tutors to my friends! (Mother of A Level Student)

‘’Jessica is just brilliant! She tests, gives tasks and exercises and then checks. My son has got 83% in History exam. He has not only gained confidence but really enjoyed the lessons.’’ (Mother of Year 9 Student)

'First of all, I wanted to say how pleased I am with your teaching! He is loving it and thriving, I can tell! He is getting recognised at school by his new history teacher for his work and energy so thank you. I can tell you are doing an amazing job with him.'

Mother of a 13+ History student.

'Jessica is an amazing teacher we are delighted with her. Her knowledge, her attitude, her diligence, her interest, her focus and her analysis are all very much appreciated.'

Mother of an A-Level History student.

'Jessica is a wonder.'

Mother of an EPQ student.

'I just wanted to let you know that my daughter got 9 in her GCSE History. She is thrilled. Thank you so much for all your help.'

Parent of a GCSE History student.

'Just wanted to let you know that my son received a predicted grade of A* from his history teacher at school for his UCAS application.'

Thank you so much for all the help and guidance you have given my son. He wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without your guidance.'

Mother of an A-Level History student.

'Just to let you know that my son has gained a double scholarship to St Albans School...For the academics he came in the top 3-4 of all scholars in his results. I have no doubt, at all, that Jessica has greatly contributed to his success with her excellent tuition. We are ecstatic with the result and forever grateful.'

Parent of a 13+ History student.

'I just wanted to thank you for all that you have taught me over the past few months! You’re the best history tutor a student could ask for.'

A Level History student.

'I have been so impressed with the quality of your suggestions and speed of the response. Thank you....I am quite good at benchmarking - I think that your work is amazing.'

Parent of a Pre-U History student.

'Just a quick email to let you know that Jessica is phenomenal. She knows her stuff and best of all demonstrated a sensitivity to my weaknesses and has a clear strategy on how to help me improve. I thoroughly enjoyed my sessions, plus I have learned so much already.'

A Level History student.

'George was absolutely delighted with his results! He got a comfortable D3 and he is on his way to Edinburgh. Thank you for your support.'

Parent of a Pre-U History of Art student.

'I am waxing lyrical to anyone who cares to listen about how productive our first session was on Tuesday! It was super meeting you and I look forward to learning more from you over the coming weeks and months.'

A Level History student.

'Thanks Jessica! I think you did a sterling job...Listening to him engage with you was great...You are the right one for us!'

Parent of a 13+ History scholarship student.

'The first History lesson seems to be a success, my son was up beat and positive about his lessons with Jessica this week and his future exams...He is thrilled with Jessica.'

Parent of a Pre-U History student.

'My son truly enjoyed & benefited of his hour with you today. Thank you for your comments and report, they are very accurate and helpful...I find your analysis and strategy to work with him excellent and I am sure with your help he will improve very soon and be on top of his history course work.'

Parent of an A Level History student.

'Thank you so much, Freddie was incredibly pleased with how the lessons went.'

Parent of a Pre-U History student.

'Dr Dalton is a really patient tutor. She stops to explain every tiny question during lessons, which ensured that I did not have any problems in the next lesson. She would also use various approaches, e.g. taking real life examples, to make things clearer. In addition, since I am not an English native speaker, she explains any advanced words and phrases to me as well as speaking a bit slower so that I can understand the course better.'

A-Level History student in China.

'...very patient, professional, and willing to go an extra mile in fixing our children’s problems.'

Parent of a GCSE History student.

'Thank you very much for your report. I think you are really on track with Nicolas. Nicolas never complains at all about tutoring, so I think he is enjoying it, which is definitely the first step in becoming a better writer’

Mother of an 11+ English student.

'We have had three lessons with Jessica now. I think she is an excellent tutor.'

Mother of an 11+ English student.

'I write to express my thanks to you for your help to my daughter with her history study... she has told her dad and me for many times that the knowledge and skills she learned from you are absolutely helpful for her further study, so we are really grateful for your patient guidance.'

Mother of an A Level History student.

'Jessica is just brilliant! She tests, gives tasks and exercises and then checks. My son got 83% in the History exam. He has not only gained confidence but really enjoyed the lessons.'

Mother of a 13+ History student.

'My tutor Jessica Dalton was excellent too and has really helped me to immerse myself in the module by ensuring I push myself to do my best and providing an enjoyable learning environment within the tutorials.'

Undergraduate student at the University of St Andrews.

'I thought my tutorials were very engaging. Our tutor Jessica Dalton was very good at facilitating the discussion and brought in a lot of outside knowledge and primary sources for us to look at together. Her feedback was also very helpful and thorough.'

Undergraduate student at the University of St Andrews.

'Yesterday I received answers from all of the schools. I was accepted at both Charterhouse and Bryanston! At Charterhouse I was even given one of the Headmaster’s Leadership scholarships...Thank you again to much for your help, I really do feel like it helped me and strengthened my applications a lot.'

16+ English student.