Jp A.

Hi there! 😊 Thank you for reading my profile! 

I am a Biology, Chemistry and University Admissions specialist, also providing support in study skills, scientific essay writing, and effective revision techniques. 

I have been a tutor for over 5 years and in this time have provided 3000+ hours of tuition, from small state schools in Wales to private schools such as Eton to students who are preparing for 11+, 13+, GCSE and A Level/IB examinations in Biology, Chemistry and Maths. 

Additionally, I have also tutored students in preparation for their (Oxbridge) University Applications in Bio-related disciplines providing support with personal statements, interviews and entry exams, having success with numerous students gaining offers and entry to their first choice Universities.

Academic Background

Between the ages of 11 and 18 I studied at St Paul's School, Barnes obtaining 4 A Levels (Biology, Chemistry, Maths & Physics) after which I achieved a 2:1 in my Masters in Biochemistry at Oxford University, completing a lab-based Dissertation on fatty acid transporters in the heart, funded by the British Heart Foundation. 🧬

Failings of the Current Education System

Having recently finished my academic journey, I have seen first-hand some of the failings of the current education system and the limitations imposed on students and their learning, whether it be the out-dated rote-learning system for preparing for examinations or the insistence to only follow a set syllabus. This has been further exacerbated over the past few years during the pandemic, with online learning causing many students to fall behind.

In the pandemic, after many years of frustration surrounding the limiting nature of our outdated Victorian-style education system I self-published a book on Amazon entitled: 'What's the Point of School: How the Current Education System is Failing to Prepare Students for the Real World ' advocating for Educational Reform in the UK, appearing on BBC Radio London to 1 million listeners to voice my concerns. 📻

With this in mind, my primary goal as a tutor has been to inspire students to enjoy learning to achieve their personal goals and apply this knowledge to real world concepts: in my sessions I answer questions from students that their teachers may state are 'not on the syllabus' (often code for they don't know) and encourage more of a boost in critical thinking and HOW to learn effectively over a base lecturing approach of set material simply to pass examinations. This is a method similar to that of tutorial-based learning at Universities such as Oxbridge.

These skills are vitally more important for the 21st Century and can be used in life beyond the academia bubble, in the real world, where we spend the vast majority of our lives.

University Admissions

While at Oxford I was a Year Representative for two years and was an Interview Runner (Helper) for three years and in the course of these activities have been part of meetings while at Oxford discussing the admissions process. Therefore I have valuable insights into how best to prepare and succeed in University admissions interviews. Additionally I have helped pupils from the ARK schools foundation with mock Oxbridge-style interviews based on my own questions and pre-reading to support those who have been asked to interview who are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Therefore, using my own experiences and knowledge of the academic system can provide students with the tools to best prepare them for University admissions and then make their offers in their exams. 🎓

Extra-Curriculars and Interests

During the pandemic, I volunteered as a First Aider with St John's Ambulance service over the COVID-19 pandemic for a year (April 2020 - April 2021) in various London hospitals in both COVID wards and in A&E, allowing me to help 'on the front line' and put my scientific and first aid knowledge into practice.

My hobbies and interests include playing the piano, writing my own music and reading books on financial literacy, Forensic Science, Criminal Law, Chemical Pharmacology and Business Development. I am also a huge Marvel fan and enjoy travelling abroad with friends and playing the PS5 in my spare time. 🎮

My tutoring style is student-dependent because I have learned that each student undertakes a unique journey, and the joy in teaching arises from finding the best method to teach a pupil. This includes finding the best approach to create a fun and interesting way to cover gaps in their knowledge, such as going over challenging exam questions, perfecting exam technique and then seeing how a student progresses and improves over time.

In terms of how I approach my sessions, I am quite relaxed in sessions and interactive throughout. I am always happy to cover greater detail in certain areas if students wish to know more, and allow students to make mistakes through learning - everyone improves through making mistakes as these are steps towards progress, ensuring mistakes are made in our sessions and areas of weakness improved upon, so that mistakes are not made in mock/real exams. Additionally providing me a heads up before sessions of desired session topics allows me to prepare better resources such as quizzes for the session.

Indeed, the best aspect of tutoring is seeing a student smile or light up when they make a connection between what they are learning and a real world phenomenon they have an interest in, or when they ask an interesting question and have a complete reply that inspires them to want to know more about a certain topic, and not just to pass an exam! I have found this method to be especially beneficial with neurodivergent students who may struggle to stay focused for a whole session if it only involves exam question preparation.

My sessions are 55 mins in length, this is because I often have back-to-back sessions and this provides time to prepare for upcoming sessions and write lesson feedback reports after each session.

Additional Support

As well as the tutoring sessions, students can always reach out either for help with homework set during the sessions if they would like, school work and exam technique preparation. 

Particularly before exams, I have found that boosting a student's confidence can be half the battle towards a great performance and this motivates and propels them to achieve their goals both at school and beyond. I believe in my tutees and wish them all to succeed!