Paula

Hi, I'm Paula. I am a primary school teacher with 18+ years of experience teaching a broad age range across the primary curriculum. I also tutor online and teach English as a foreign language (TEFL certified). My particular areas of strength are assessment, reading, writing, grammar & maths, especially in Year 6. I have an excellent record of achievement in consistently producing high results at the end of key stage tests (SATs). I have a creative approach to teaching and have a real passion for teaching and learning. I am adaptable in my approach, drawing on a wide variety of teaching styles to cater for a broad range of abilities.

Tutoring Experience

Alongside whole class teaching experience, I have also tutored numerous children on a 1-to-1 basis and in small targeted groups within the school setting. This has mainly consisted of booster sessions to build confidence and reinforce strategies to prepare for SATs or bridge the gap when moving to the next year group. Outside of school, I am currently tutoring pupils in their own homes. It is so refreshing (and rewarding) to work with so many different age groups, with my youngest students in Reception and my eldest in Year 6! I just love the variety. Being an experienced classroom practitioner, you can rest assured that I have a sound working knowledge of the UK National Curriculum and I can identify the next steps in learning in order to tailor future lessons to move your learner forward - whether they are 4 or 11.

Tutoring Approach

One of my strengths as a teacher and a personal tutor is assessing the needs of my pupils. Knowing what a child can already do and feels confident about is vital so that you can establish a positive starting point and therefore build on existing success. Self-belief is crucial to the learning process and my aim is to nurture trust, developing a good rapport with each pupil whilst also being sensitive to his or her preferred learning styles. When a child is ready to take risks (working outside their comfort zone) and make mistakes but learn from them in a constructive way, you know they are ready to aim high and realise their potential. Remove the barriers to learning and success follows!