Clare

Experience

* 11+ (Kent Test) Preparation

* 18 years experience of tutoring primary school children

* EAL Tuition to children all over the world

* Teaching in primary schools:

* 4 years in KS1 (Reception, Year 1, Year 2)

* 7 years in KS2 (Year 3, Year 5 and Year 6)

I have 11 years of experience as a classroom teacher in mainstream primary schools in England. I have worked in the Foundation Stage and both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, which has included teaching children with a wide range of SEN. Throughout my my teaching career I have tutored children of all ages, from 3 up to 17, both in London and Kent, where I am now based. This has predominantly been in English, as I have an English Language and Literature degree. However, I have also taught children primary level Maths, helped by my extensive knowledge of the National Curriculum, and the wealth of resources I have accumulated as a classroom teacher. I have also helped children prepare for the Kent Test (11+), and in the last year I have been tutoring children in English speaking, reading and writing from all over the world on Zoom.

Biography

I am a qualified teacher and have been working as a tutor for 18 years. After graduating from the University of Manchester in 2000 with a 2:1 in English Language and Literature, I worked in sales for a few years before deciding to do a PGCE. I obtained a Primary PGCE from the Institute of Education, University of London in 2004.

I started tutoring primary school children in English in London whilst teaching full time in Kensington. I moved to Maidenhead and for several years I tutored GCSE and A-Level English students whilst looking after my young children.

I am now based in Kent. I returned to teaching in 2016 after a break and also resumed tutoring primary school children – primarily helping Year 5 students prepare for the Kent Test (11+). I am now working part time in a junior school, and tutor children both face to face and online. I have many students from around the world who are learning how to write, read and speak English.

Personal Approach

Whilst I love teaching in the classroom, I really enjoy tutoring as it enables me to form strong relationships with my students. My main aim is to make my sessions as engaging and exciting as possible – a philosophy I adopt when preparing every lesson I teach at school! I prepare for every session thoroughly, drawing upon resources I use in the classroom to make the lesson as interactive as possible.

Building confidence is key with younger children, so I do this through a warm, empathic, and nurturing approach. I aim to build resilience in a positive and inspiring atmosphere. My many years of experience both in the classroom and tutoring has ensured that I am able to adapt my teaching style to suit the individual. Through tuition, I aim to inspire a lifelong love of learning.

What I do when I am not tutoring

When I'm not teaching in the classroom or tutoring, I love running, mixed martial arts, yoga, watching cricket and cooking – I have a small catering business and sell food at local farmer’s markets.