TUITION, MARKING & CONSULTANCY
Why private tuition?
A one-to-one approach facilitates personalised teaching and learning. Students can discuss and explore areas which might be more challenging, or upon which they require further elaboration. It is a tailored learning experience, designed to build your
self-esteem and assist you in reaching your full potential. The aim of the tutor
should be to empower you to feel confident about your knowledge in the subject
and - depending on why you are studying - how to apply it practically when answering exam questions. Tutoring can
fill knowledge gaps, inspire discussion, allow for feedback and address vital
study skills. Learning takes place in a supportive environment and allows you to work at your own pace.
Private tuition also enables you to
control how many sessions you want and adjustments can be made as you progress. You may benefit from a block of tuition, or you may feel that one or two
sessions are all that you require. Or you may simply feel that a series of intensive
sessions before an exam would be beneficial. The decision is yours.
Tutors are passionate about their
subjects and they would like you to be too! Learning does not always have to be
about measurable outcomes and some people will study for the sheer joy of it - there are valuable and immeasurable benefits from learning, simply because you love to do so. Tutors will want to encourage critical thinking and reasoning, as well as
analysis, creativity and style. One of the key strengths of private tuition is
that it can address the needs of students in a flexible and expansive manner.
Above all, teaching and learning should be a conversation, where both parties engage with, and gain from, the interaction. All learning should be regarded as a journey.
How will tuition sessions work?
Sociology, like all SHAPE
subjects, requires debate, analysis and the evaluation of arguments. For this
reason, I favour the Socratic method of teaching in supporting students to learn. This is one of the oldest pedagogic techniques, which facilitates
students in gaining a deeper
level of understanding of their subject. The method uses thought provoking question and answer sessions to promote learning, to engage
students in analytical discussion and to aid critical thinking skills. Students
who are actively involved in sessions, have a tendency to learn more efficiently
and effectively.
Of course, if is also important that
knowledge is given to students, particularly if they are new to sociology. Where appropriate and helpful, power points will be used to display information
and useful links supplied. The topic for each session will be discussed in
For those interested in learning
more about the Socratic Method, my blog post provides an overview
Do you only offer one to one sessions?
Put simply, yes! I want to be
able to provide students with individual attention and empower them to recognise what they can achieve. It is much harder to do this is in a group setting.
Do you offer in person sessions?
Yes, I may be able to offer these to local students. I do not, however, offer a peripatetic service.
How do I arrange a session?
Complete the contact form,
indicating the service required. I will aim to respond within 24 hours of
receiving the form.
Do I have to book a series of sessions?
No, you can have ad hoc sessions. This means that you can book a session when you feel you need extra support and guidance. Some
students, for example, will only want help in the run up to an exam and with
exam technique.
How do I pay and when?
Payment is required in advance of
sessions, either by bank transfer or via cheque (7 days in advance). If tuition is 'in person' I can accept cash, on the day, prior to the session commencing. Please see Methods of Payment & Cancellation Policy under Tutoring Services.
Will I be given homework?
Yes, this can be arranged if you
have chosen to pay for a series of sessions. Work will be set so that, you can
consolidate what you have learnt and can practice skills of analysis and
evaluation. Work should be returned in good time, so that it can be discussed within the next session.
Which technology platform do you use and what happens if the technology doesn't work?
I use Microsoft Teams. Unfortunately, there may be the odd occasion
where the technology fails. If this happens, it may be possible to switch to
another platform or, alternatively, we can reschedule the part of the lesson which has been lost.
Can you provide email support?
For students who book a
series of five or more sessions, I can provide some limited email support between sessions,
free of charge.
Do you cater for all exam boards?
The sociology specifications are
similar in content across the various exam boards. What differs, is the manner
in which the questions are asked and how they are marked. My preference is for the
OCR and Cambridge exam boards, but I am equally happy to tutor to the AQA and WJEC specifications. I can also cater for the Access to Higher Education course, sociology pathway.
Do you offer a marking service?
Yes. I can mark individual pieces of work and/or completed past examination papers. Work will be returned with a grade and, if required, comprehensive feedback. I will aim to complete this within two weeks, but a tighter time frame can be negotiated. Marking can provide an invaluable means of measuring progress; recognising strengths; addressing weaknesses; learning to work within time frames and fine tuning exam technique.
Taking invigilated mock exams is also a critical way of obtaining predicted grades for university applications and will assist in providing evidence for an academic reference, if this is required.
Can you provide guidance and feedback on personal statements/structured questions for UCAS?
Yes. I can provide guidance and feedback on your personal statement (or the new styled questions, which are being introduced in 2025) to assist you in creating a concise, well-structured and, most importantly, relevant statement, which will help capture the attention of admissions tutors at your chosen universities. I can either review a drafted personal statement or, we can have an initial discussion during which I can guide you through what you need to include and which you can then use to craft into a personal statement.
Can you provide an academic reference for UCAS?
In order for me to provide an academic reference for a UCAS application (including the new styled version, which is being introduced in 2024), I would need to have been tutoring a student regularly for at least a year. I would also require an invigilated mock examination to have been taken and marked by me, in order to give a predicted grade. Additionally, evidence of academic ability in your other two A Levels would be required and this can also be obtained by taking formal mock examinations.