In English I focus on building a core set of transferable skills: analytical ability, vocabulary and prose, structure, memorisation, and exam technique.

Writing: I help students fine-tune their prose through targeted writing exercises — improving technical vocabulary, removing colloquialisms, strengthening sentence construction, and, for more advanced students, mastering argument threading and signposting.

Analysis: I teach students to examine language laterally and articulate its effectiveness. For example, we might spend ten minutes examining an everyday object and writing down everything it could symbolise — developing generative, creative thinking that then feeds directly into essay writing.

In Maths I identify five core areas of weakness — say angles, geometry, fractions, algebra and ratio — and address each one systematically from the ground up using targeted exercises.

I use a variety of methods to explain each topic — bean counters, a deck of cards, real-life problems — before prioritising retention. I am a firm believer in spaced repetition: consistently threading previous topics back into each session so that knowledge is properly ingrained over time.

From the first lesson I establish what the goals of our sessions are, setting concrete, achievable targets. I build an atmosphere of communal activity — using "we" throughout, because I believe the tutor and the student are a team with a shared goal.

Despite the rigour of preparation, I maintain a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere in class. I do not lecture or scold. My aim is for every student to leave each session feeling more capable and more confident than when they arrived.