Qualifications & Experience

I qualified in 2008 with a Batchelor degree in Physics (1st Class Hon.), a Postgraduate Certificate of Higher Education (2019) and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2012. I work for the University of Sussex part time teaching level 3/4 Physics & Maths modules. During the summer months I help run workshops for international visiting students studying Introductory Physics. Part of this includes training and mentoring the new tutors in the teaching team. 

I have been Enhanced DBS checked.

I began teaching at the University of Sussex for the School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences in 2007, tutoring and lecturing a combination of level 3 and level 4 modules across the school including Physics Laboratories, Mathematics, Further Maths, and Physics.

Having been asked by several friends to help them or their children through GCSE exams over a number of years I decided in 2008 to develop private tutoring from a hobby into a more formal business and have since helped many students study for their Maths, Physics and Combined Science exams in a range of levels including Common Entrance, Key stage 3 SATs, GCSE, A LEVEL & US SATs.

Previously, I worked as a teaching assistant in an Eastbourne secondary school and completed a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course (2011) for Mathematics teaching. In 2022 I started working as an A Level group tutor for a charitable group called The Access Project that works with high-potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing tutoring and intensive support to help them get into top universities. 

I am passionate about helping students to enjoy learning Maths and Science, whatever their level or ability; and also about helping them grow in self-confidence and study skills. I use a combination of exploration and practice to develop a student’s ability to break down problems into manageable steps and develop to be able to work independently. If a student is working towards a particular examination, I use a combination of topic practice and past papers to give them experience of answering exam questions. I generally set some homework, appropriate to their level of study, to check they have understood the topics covered and can solve similar problems unsupported. I try to take a fun and positive approach to learning that allows a safe place for students to ask the questions they may not have managed to ask during school lessons. I encourage problem-solving-resilience by a process of helping the student to work through a problem and supporting them to figure out the correct approach for themselves. This cements understanding of concepts far better than just being shown what to do.

Depending on the level the student is working at, I use a variety of props and diagrams to visualise the concepts involved, and a variety of online maths and physics tools to demonstrate key ideas, graphs and calculations. I have a range of cameras to show demonstrations from a variety of angles. With one-to-one, in-person online tutoring I am able to share screens, solve problems live on screen and allow the student to show their work on the screen which I strongly encourage. It helps me to see the level they are working to and where they need specific support to move on to the next stage. It is important to me that students come through their education in a balanced way to achieve the next step in life, whether that is getting into college, moving on to university, finding an apprenticeship or a job. I strongly encourage students to set and work towards a realistic goal for their next stage in life. I very much believe in having a holistic approach to studying and work-life balance. 

I have experience of teaching students of all abilities, from those that simply want to pass their GCSE maths and get into college, to those wanting to extend to achieve top grades at A level. I have also worked with students that have a range of learning challenges such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, anxiety and autism. I believe everyone can achieve some level of maths and science ability. I don’t guarantee exam results – to some extent that depends on the student taking ownership of their learning and engaging in the process, but I do offer every encouragement to do this positively and effectively and support them to achieve their targets and goals. Students that are engaging well often improve between 1 and 3 grades per academic year with tuition to support them.

Each student is different and has different needs and approaches to study. Get in touch for a chat about what this would look like for you and how I can help you.

I'm based in the north of Brighton and I am happy to see local students in-person at my house but more often students enjoy working online and parents like the flexibility it offers. Many parents initially worry that online sessions are less personal or feel this would be a reduced experience, however, there are many benefits to working online and in a one-to-one session it is just as personal experience as working face-to-face. It is also a skill most people need to be familiar with in the workplace and at university. 

Increasingly, university interviews, job interviews and meetings are conducted over the internet. Online sessions will develop key skills and confidence using online platforms. With a small and inexpensive graphics tablet/pad students can write on the on-screen-whiteboard and engage fully in the sessions. I can see their work as directly as if I was sitting next to them. All the resources I could need are instantly to hand and I can adapt or change topics during the live sessions, which is especially useful if a student has had a problem with a topic in school that day.  I can deal with it straightaway so they go to their next class feeling much more confident. Use of a desktop or laptop computer is recommended for online sessions.

Online, I work with students from all over Sussex and some from London and further afield. Online tutorials are convenient and it is much more time and cost effective. The choice of session times can be much more flexible, I don't need to plan journey times and it avoids the need to charge extra for travel expenses. However, if you do feel in-person sessions are essential I am happy to discuss this with you. Cost will depend on whether the student can travel to me, if I need to travel to them, and the travel time required. I have had some students for whom in-person really has been best and others where online has meant they could concentrate better with fewer distractions. Each student is different and I aim to tailor the sessions to give each student the best experience I can. 

Get in Touch  for a chat about what type of session would work best for you and arrange an online taster session.

Standard hourly rate for online sessions is £45. Teaching time will be for 50 minutes, allowing 10 minutes for establishing connection and settling down at the start of each session and for setting homework and keeping notes at the end. I offer one free online taster session to meet the student and parents together and parents/carers are welcome to join at the start or end of  sessions, or to call me for a catch up at a more convenient time. I am usually easiest to reach during the morning as I tend to be teaching after 3pm. Sessions cancelled at less than 48 hours notice or where the student forgets to attend will still be charged.

Block bookings - weekly sessions

Students booking in for weekly online sessions in a half-term-block (5 to 7 weeks) can benefit from a reduced rate of £40 per 1 hour session provided,

1. the sessions are booked and paid for in advance at the start of each half term

2. held at a prearranged, regular time each week which is reserved for the student

3. fulfilled within the Half-term-block/period

I find this works best for most students. It provides routine and allows time for them to do the homework and send it back to me before the next session. With reasonable notice (48 hours) and good reason, the occasional session may be swapped to a different time within the half-term-block. Reduced rate sessions cancelled by the student/client at short notice, or if the student forgets to attend, or where a replacement session cannot reasonably be arranged, are not refunded or transferred to the next half-term-block. I always do my best to make sure all sessions are fulfilled within the period. 

Fair practice

I do my best to offer a regular time that suits the student's schedule so the need to cancel is rare and, should a change of time become necessary, to offer opportunities to make up sessions at weekends or during the half term or holidays immediately following the block. I will refund or make up in the next block any session for which the reason the session didn't go ahead was due to me or an issue with internet connectivity that was not the fault of the client. However, if you find you are needing to swap more than one or two sessions in the period, I will review the time of the regular sessions with you to avoid or reduce the number of swaps required. If the student is unwell and/or you need to cancel at short notice I will do my best to offer a catch up session within the half-term-block or the holiday immediately following the block if I have availability but if this is not possible the session will still be charged.

In-person Sessions

In-person sessions will be costed on a case-by-case basis depending on location, travel expenses, time required for travel and printing expenses. These start from £50 per session. Please call for more information.