Lucy N - Tutors - Keystone Tutors

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“Lucy is an exceptional Modern Languages teacher whose guidance and expertise played a pivotal role in my successful admission to Balliol College at Oxford University.”

Parent

13+ French
GCSE French
A Level French
Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT)
Oxbridge Preparation

I have taught for over 20 years, encompassing the full age range from 11 - 18. When at Radley, I was very involved with the process of marking and standardising Common Entrance exams, and as Head of MFL and French at Wycombe Abbey I wrote, marked and standardised the 11+, 13+ and 16+ entrance exams for French. I have experience of a range of exam boards through my teaching and examining, including ISEB Common Entrance, CIE IGCSE, Edexcel IGCSE, AQA GCSE, CIE International A level, AQA and EDEXCEL A level.
I have been a private tutor throughout my teaching career, and have very successfully tutored pupils from Year 8 to Oxbridge. I have delivered intensive Easter revision courses for GCSE at a local school. I have also tutored adult learners.

Born in Cambridge, raised in Buckinghamshire, Somerset and Norfolk, I returned to Cambridge to study for my undergraduate degree, then moved back to Buckinghamshire in 1999 after time spent living and working in Paris. French has been a lifelong passion, and my Belgian exchange partner whom I first met at the age of 12 is godmother to my now 32-year-old son – a great advertisement for the benefits of school exchanges!
After completing my degree at Cambridge University, where I studied French and Spanish, I qualified as a professional translator with the Institute of Linguists, and worked freelance for 11 years, specialising in the fields of medical and legal translation. This fitted in well with having young children, but it was also a fairly solitary career, so I qualified as a teacher, gaining my PGCE with the Open University in 2004. Since then, I have worked as a French Teacher and as Head of French in two grammar schools, a boys' boarding school (Radley College), and I have recently taken early retirement from Wycombe Abbey, an academic girls’ boarding school where I was Head of MFL. I was also Head of PSHE for several years at Radley. Tutoring has always been a part of my life, and putting together a bespoke, personalised programme for each of my tutees is something that I find particularly rewarding. I love teaching both individuals and classes, and I am also deeply interested in the craft of teaching all kinds of learners, so continuing professional development has been hugely important to me, as I learn more about how to teach different types of learners.
I have three adult children, all of whom are fluent French speakers, and one of whom is a Deputy Head Academic in a top Prep School in London. After more than twenty years leading French departments, and latterly a large MFL department, I have stepped away from the classroom in favour of the increased flexibility of tutoring and examining (I have been a GCSE and A level examiner for many years).

“Lucy provided me with invaluable private tutoring, which went far beyond the conventional classroom experience. Her dedication to my success was evident in the meticulous interview preparation, extensive poetry and prose analysis, and comprehensive grammar work in French that she tailored specifically to my needs. Her ability to break down complex language concepts and literary nuances made the subject not only accessible but also fascinating. Lucy's personalised approach to teaching enabled me to gain a deep understanding of the French language, and significantly boosted my confidence in facing the rigorous Oxford admissions process.”

Parent

“Lucy is an extraordinary teacher. I can say confidently that I would not be where I am today without her. She is extremely thorough, resourceful and warm. She goes above and beyond for her students – Lucy happily took time out of a what I know was a very busy schedule to practise with me every morning for a month before my A level oral exam to ensure I felt confident. This is but one example of many.”

Parent

“We want to thank you for working with xxx this weekend despite such short notice. Not only did xxx learn a lot in these two hours, but he also enjoyed the lessons with you very much. Thank you for sending lots of useful advice yesterday and today.”

Parent

“Lucy has helped so much. She has been an outstanding tutor, and xxx has increased in confidence, and found the lessons incredibly helpful.”

Parent

High expectations, humour and warmth characterise my pedagogical style, whether in the classroom or online. As an interested and very skilled user of technology, lockdown teaching allowed me to enhance and broaden my skillset, and I now find online one-to-one teaching particularly rewarding and successful.
I particularly enjoy the bespoke approach to tutoring, where every individual lesson reflects the personality and particular needs of the pupil.

When not tutoring I love cooking and baking, I am a keen runner (half marathons rather than marathons!), dog-walker and reader. I am also the PCC secretary for my local church. I am currently learning Italian as my son recently married an Italian. It has been a wonderful incentive!