Lucy

Experience

•13+ French

•13+ Spanish

•GCSE Spanish (AQA, Edexcel, iGCSE)

•GCSE French (AQA, Edexcel, CIE)

•GCSE Italian (AQA, Edexcel)

• A-Level Spanish (AQA, Edexcel, CCEA)

• A-Level French (AQA, Edexcel)

• A-Level Italian (AQA, Edexcel)

I am extremely passionate about languages and have been working as a languages teacher and private tutor since 2016. I have extensive experience teaching across all key stages (KS1-5) in various London schools, and have worked closely with both GCSE and A Level students preparing for various different exam boards as follows: GCSE French (AQA, Edexcel, CIE), GCSE Spanish (AQA, Edexcel, iGCSE), GCSE Italian (AQA, Edexcel), and A Level Spanish (AQA, Edexcel, CCEA).

I joined the Teach First programme in 2016 and gained my PGCE from UCL Institute of Education in 2017. I worked as a trainee teacher and then NQT at Ark Elvin Academy from 2016 to 2018. I then worked at Central Foundation Boys' School from 2018 to 2021, where I had roles as Lead Mentor for NQTs and New Colleagues, as well as Lead Coach across the school. These roles gave me an invaluable insight into different teaching practices and have enabled me to hugely develop and improve my own teaching style. I now work part-time as a French and Spanish teacher at Notting Hill Preparatory School, enabling me to dedicate plenty of time to private tutoring.

As a result of my various teaching and tutoring roles, I have a great deal of experience working with a wide range of students across different ages, abilities and contexts. Consequently, I am well-equipped to tailor my teaching to tutees' individual strengths and needs.

Biography

I have always been an unabashed and self-confessed language nerd. I started by learning French, Spanish and Latin at school and began Italian ab initio during my first year at university. I am currently learning Portuguese and so I truly understand the skills, knowledge and practice it takes to become a successful linguist having been on this journey many times myself.

I first studied at Nottingham High School for Girls where I took English Literature, Religious Education, French and Spanish at AS Level and continued with the latter three at A Level. I went on to study Modern Foreign Languages (French, Spanish, Italian) at Durham University and graduated in 2013 with a 2.1 and Distinction in Spoken Italian. After working for cultural tour operator Martin Randall Travel for a few years, I joined the Teach First programme in 2016 and gained my PGCE from UCL Institute of Education in 2017. I have been teaching and privately tutoring languages ever since.

Personal Approach

My aim is to make language learning accessible, memorable and enjoyable, creating a safe space where mistakes are embraced and confidence grown. I strongly believe in developing a growth mindset within my tutees, demonstrating that learning from mistakes is an essential part of the learning process.

I always use my extensive bank of teaching resources, past papers and wide variety of audiovisual materials to make lessons engaging and interactive. I both support and challenge my tutees, while ultimately guiding them to success. Tutoring has enabled me to provide bespoke, differentiated support and create a more interactive learning experience, particularly since moving online in response to the pandemic.

I really enjoy the one-to-one dynamic of tutoring: it is an incredibly privileged and exciting opportunity to build a rapport with your tutee and truly get to know them and their needs.

What I do when I am not tutoring

I am available for online tutoring in the evenings and all day Tuesdays.

When I'm not teaching, tutoring or using my languages, you will find me cooking new recipes, listening to my favourite podcasts, practising yoga, travelling, reading and writing. I particularly enjoy writing poetry and short stories as well as watching Spoken Word performances.

Testimonials

''I couldn't recommend Lucy highly enough, she is an excellent teacher with all the formal qualifications you could wish for, but it's the informal ones that make her stand out, she's passionate about her subject, nice, fun, and interesting; she makes lessons enjoyable as well as very productive. (It goes without saying she is very reliable and has all the GCSE/exam etc resources at her fingertips). She has helped our reluctant Spanish-phobic teen gain in leaps and bounds of confidence and skills, thank you Lucy you are an absolute joy to work with! Lucky students to have her.'' (Mother of Year 9 Spanish student)

''Lucy is a fantastic tutor and such a lovely person. She is extremely professional and knowledgeable. Lucy has really improved my daughter's Spanish who has such enthusiasm for her lessons. Her lessons are well structured and her teaching is very clear and easy to follow. I would highly recommend Lucy as a tutor.'' (Mother of Year 13 Spanish student)