Anna

Experience

- 7/8+ English and Maths and prep school entrance exams

- 11+ English and Maths and public school entrance exams, including pre-tests

- iGCSE/GCSE History (AQA, Cambridge International, OCR)

- AS-Level/A-Level History (AQA, Cambridge International, Edexcel)

- IB History

- AS-Level/A-Level Government and Politics (Edexcel, OCR)

- EPQ support

- UCAS and personal statement support

- Oxbridge interview preparation

- Undergraduate dissertation support

- SEN provision

I am an engaging, patient and empathetic teacher who has spent five years tutoring, three years teaching Cambridge undergraduates, and has one-to-one SEN experience in a primary school.

I have worked as a private tutor since 2017. The bulk of my experience has been with GCSE and A-Level students studying History, Politics and English. I work with students to help them absorb content, develop critical skills, and build their confidence. I am an adaptable teacher and enjoy adjusting to a student’s needs to help them get their desired outcome.

During the course of my PhD, I have delivered one-to-one supervisions, small group seminars and lectures for Cambridge undergraduates taking the general Historical Argument and Practice paper and early modern history modules. In 2020 I worked as a Postgraduate Mentor, running one-to-one and small group study skills sessions for new undergraduates. I have also worked first-hand in the Cambridge admissions system, marking admissions essays and observing interviews.

I also have a wealth of experience working with children. I am fully trained through Keystone’s 11+ programme, and I am undertaking 7/8 + training. In 2022, I worked in a primary school as a Learning Support Assistant to a six-year-old with complex SEN. Focusing particularly on English and creative writing, I used tailored strategies to break up tasks, making the learning process more manageable and reducing the pupil’s frustration. I regularly dealt with challenging behaviour.

Biography

I grew up in London and took A-Levels in History (A*) English Literature (A*) and Philosophy and Ethics (A*) and an AS in Government and Politics (A). I went on to Pembroke College, Cambridge, where I completed a BA in History (First Class), followed by an MPhil in Early Modern History (Distinction), winning multiple awards for academic achievement.

I am currently completing an Arts and Humanities Council-funded PhD – also at Cambridge – on emotions, objects, and the lifecycle in Renaissance Europe. I’m interested in how historians can use psychological and psychoanalytic theory to understand past lives. My research has appeared in prestigious academic journals, and a chapter of my thesis won the 2020 German Historical Society Postgraduate Essay Prize.

Personal Approach

I take a creative, person-centred approach to my teaching. Every pupil has their own learning needs, whether that’s processing a tricky bit of content, improving their writing style, or building confidence in the pressure of timed exams. Working one-to-one means that I can shape my teaching to suit each pupil and their family. It’s my role to create the learning conditions that enable each pupil to flourish, become independent learners, and – most importantly – to take pleasure in their education. While my teaching style is flexible, I always communicate my expectations clearly and work with transparency regarding pupils’ goals and progress.

I particularly enjoy working with children and young people with SEN; who have challenging personal circumstances, or whose needs are not met by the conventional education system.

What I do when I am not tutoring

I’m a writer who specialises in creative nonfiction, represented by the literary agency Greene & Heaton. I’m currently working on a history of my Czech family, their house in the Bohemian mountains, and the European twentieth century.

I never go anywhere without a book of crosswords in my bag.

Testimonials

''Thank you for all your hard work over the last term. Our son has moved on noticeably in this last academic year and we are so grateful to you for your input'' (Parent of 6 year old with SEN)

“Anna has been an outstanding EPQ and History A Level tutor for our son. She really helped identity the gaps and understand his needs, and very quickly I saw a huge improvement in his confidence and writing. She is very kind, flexible and patient and I can honestly say, she has pushed him towards fulfilling his potential in a way his school teachers couldn't” (Parent of A-Level History student)

“Anna is a great tutor: smart, engaging and always well prepared” (Parent of GCSE Politics student)

“Anna was a brilliant tutor for our dyslexic son. She had great strategies for helping him absorb the necessary content and for keeping him engaged with his subjects” (Parent of AS-Level History student)