Natasha

Experience

- 7+ English and 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

- GCSE English Literature and Language (All exam boards)

- GCSE History (AQA and OCR)

- A-level English Literature and Language (All exam boards)

- A-level History (AQA, OCR and Edexcel)

I have several years of experience teaching young people, specifically helping with close reading and poetry skills, as well as creative writing and debate. I have taught a number of 11+ students both face to face and online, and I have experience teaching English at GCSE and 11+ levels to students with English as a second language. In addition to this I have completed Keystone’s in-depth 7+/8+ and 11+ training programmes and have a wide range of resources. I can help students work towards specific exams and goals or provide confidence boosts in the subjects I cover.

Biography

I was born and raised in central London, and I was educated at South Hampstead High School (GDST), where I first began my tutoring journey; I obtained A* grades in all my A Levels (History, English, Latin and Classical Civilisation.) I went on to study English and History at the University of York, with a year abroad at the University of Copenhagen. I graduated with a First class degree with honours.

I have extensive experience as a writer, receiving several awards for both my poetry and prose, including a residency at Christ's Church, Oxford. I discovered my love for tutoring early in my academic career, being offered chances to tutor both in senior school and university. Since graduation I have begun to teach full-time at Keystone, as well as writing my first novel.

Personal Approach

I like to emphasise the interdisciplinary skills of reading, writing, and argument that are valuable across humanities subjects. One of the things I value most about one-on-one teaching is the opportunity to share my passion for my subjects with my students, and encourage the same passion in them. By giving students the tools they need to engage with the material on a deeper level, the aim is not only to improve grades, but to help them love the subjects they are studying.

I also particularly focus on ways I can increase the student's engagement with the material, whether that be by reading poetry together, finding an interesting primary source, or doing a creative writing exercise. The emphasis is on transferable skills that make exams less daunting, and working to fine-tune my curriculum to what the student needs to excel.

What I do when I am not tutoring

I am an avid reader and writer. I love to spend my evenings curled up on the sofa with my lurcher and a good book. When I'm not reading, writing, or editing, I run tabletop games for my younger brother and his friends (Dungeons and Dragons is a personal favourite), as well as exploring heritage sites and drinking far too much tea.

Testimonials

'Natasha tutored my son in English for his 11+ exams, and she was instrumental in helping my son get into the school of his choice. She had an intuitive sense of how to communicate with and inspire him, and we couldn't be happier with his progress.' - Mother of an 11+ student