Oliver K - Tutors - Keystone Tutors

• A-Level Psychology (All exam boards, particularly AQA)
• A-Level Religious Studies (All exam boards)
• A-Level Philosophy (All exam boards)
• GCSE / A Level Italian
• GCSE/IGCSE English
• GCSE Religious Studies
• 11+ English and Maths
• 16+/13+ Entrance Exams

I have specialised experience in the following areas:

• Oxbridge applications and Interview preparation for Psychology (including PBS), Philosophy and Religious Studies
• Personal Statement Support
• Undergraduate and Postgraduate essay support in Psychology, Philosophy and Religious Studies

I have a decade of tutoring experience and have taught students across a wide range of ages, abilities and educational settings. Through Keystone, I have worked with over 150 families and delivered more than 3,000 hours of tuition.

My principal areas of tuition include A-level Psychology, Religious Studies and Philosophy; 11+, 13+ and 16+ school entrance examinations; school and university entrance interviews; UCAS applications; and undergraduate and postgraduate academic writing.

I have extensive experience teaching A-level Psychology and Religious Studies across the major examination boards. I particularly enjoy helping students who understand their subjects but find it difficult to translate that understanding into strong examination answers. My teaching therefore focuses closely on essay structure, evaluation, precise use of evidence, interpretation of questions and effective examination technique.

I have also supported students applying to highly competitive schools and universities, including Oxbridge applicants in Philosophy, Psychology and Religious Studies. At university level, I help students develop research questions, plan essays and dissertations, organise complex material and improve the clarity, structure and coherence of their academic writing.
My academic background means that I am comfortable helping students engage with difficult ideas and develop their own arguments rather than simply reproduce material they have been taught. My psychotherapy training, meanwhile, is especially valuable when supporting students whose academic performance is affected by anxiety, low confidence, perfectionism, procrastination or difficulty coping with pressure. It helps me recognise when a student needs greater challenge and when they need a more gradual, containing and carefully structured approach.

My students have included those seeking the highest examination grades, students requiring ongoing academic support, homeschooled pupils and students with additional educational needs.

I was born in London to an English father and Italian mother and am bilingual in English and Italian. I attended Westminster School before studying Philosophy at the University of Sussex and completing an MA at King’s College London.
I subsequently completed a PhD at University College London, where my research explored the relationship between psychology, religion and Buddhism. My first academic book, The Legacy of C. G. Jung’s Buddha, developed from this research. I remain an active academic researcher and writer, publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals and presenting my work at conferences in the UK and abroad. I am currently writing a second book, which has been accepted for publication by Oxford University Press.

Alongside my academic work and tutoring, I work clinically as a psychodynamic psychotherapist and continue my advanced professional training at the Society of Analytical Psychology in London. This has involved over five years of theoretical study, supervised clinical practice and experience working in mental-health settings.

My academic and psychotherapeutic work complement one another closely. Together, they have given me both a strong intellectual grounding and a sophisticated understanding of the emotional factors that can affect learning, including anxiety, perfectionism, avoidance, low confidence and difficulties with motivation.

My lessons are structured, interactive and tailored to the individual student. At the beginning of tuition, I assess the student’s current knowledge, academic skills and confidence before establishing clear priorities and a realistic plan for improvement.

I use a wide range of activities, including discussion, retrieval practice, essay planning, model answers, interactive quizzes, timed examination questions and detailed work with mark schemes. In essay-based subjects, I place particular emphasis on helping students construct clear arguments, select relevant evidence and develop effective analysis and evaluation.

My psychotherapy training is an important part of my approach. It has taught me to pay close attention not only to what a student finds difficult, but also to how they respond when they feel uncertain, frustrated or under pressure. Some students need greater structure; others need help tolerating mistakes, overcoming perfectionism or becoming less dependent on reassurance. Understanding these differences allows me to adapt my teaching carefully rather than treating every academic difficulty as simply a gap in knowledge.

Tutoring is distinct from psychotherapy, but my clinical experience helps me create a calm, thoughtful and encouraging environment in which students can become more confident, reflective and independent. It is particularly valuable when working with students whose progress is affected by anxiety, low self-belief, procrastination, perfectionism or difficulty managing academic pressure.
I also have considerable experience working with students with ADHD and other additional educational needs. I adapt the pace, structure and variety of lessons to help students maintain attention, organise their thinking and make steady progress without becoming overwhelmed.

I aim to make lessons intellectually engaging and enjoyable while retaining a clear focus on academic progress. I am patient and encouraging, but I also give students honest and specific feedback about what they need to improve. My aim is not only to help students achieve strong results, but also to help them become increasingly independent and confident in their own abilities.

Alongside tutoring, I work clinically as a psychodynamic psychotherapist and continue my advanced professional training at the Society of Analytical Psychology. I am particularly interested in the relationship between emotional life, learning, creativity and intellectual development.

I also remain actively involved in academic research and writing. Following the publication of my first book, The Legacy of C. G. Jung’s Buddha, I have continued to publish articles on the history of psychology, psychoanalysis, religion and Eastern thought. I am currently writing a second book on the Buddhist scholar and psychologist C. A. F. Rhys Davids for Oxford University Press.

Much of my professional life is therefore divided between tutoring, clinical work and writing. I value the different perspective each brings: tutoring keeps me closely connected to education and intellectual development, while my academic and psychotherapeutic work deepen my understanding of how people think, learn and respond to difficulty.

Outside work, I play football regularly for the Old Westminsters and also enjoy tennis, running and skiing. I am a keen jazz listener and pianist and try to practise whenever possible.