David

I am a recently retired secondary school teacher and Head of Physics with nearly 30 years’ teaching experience and current (enhanced) DBS certification. I have a Cambridge University physics degree and a PGCE. In addition, I have been tutoring privately for most of my teaching career. As well as offering face-to-face teaching at your home, I also offer very effective online tutoring through Zoom at a lower cost. (Note: you will need a plug-in graphics tablet and pen for this, but if you don't have one, an entry level one is around £50).

Physics, whilst a wonderful and fascinating subject, is also full of pitfalls. Concepts can easily become confused, leaving students with their confidence in tatters, not sure whether anything they write down is correct!

This is where using an experienced tutor can make all the difference. A recent graduate, who doubtless finds the subject easy, may not be the best placed to explain it to those who don’t. As a tutor who has also taught for many years, I am likely to have come across most conceptual problems before and therefore I have a good chance of fixing them and restoring the student’s confidence.

Being a former teacher and Head of Physics also means that I am able to:
• communicate abstract ideas to others,
• offer a full range of explanations and tips to find the most effective for each student,
• point out the most important areas and potential pitfalls in a topic,
• recognise the conceptual errors in a student’s understanding,
• advise on effective study skills and revision techniques,
• pass on an in-depth knowledge of how the examinations system works,
• be patient and understanding!

I really enjoy seeing the sense of relief in a student’s face when they finally start to believe that what they write is correct, rather than just hoping for the best.

Tutoring Experience

I am a fully qualified teacher with nearly 30 years’ teaching experience including 20 years as Head of Physics.

Over my teaching career I have taught both OCR and AQA A-level syllabi and, of course, I have also built up a wealth of experience in helping students across a wide range of abilities.

I am a current A-Level physics examination marker.

I have been tutoring for many years and have also run revision courses in the school holidays. Although I have tutored students for GCSE and Common Entrance examinations, I now only tutor A-level physics.

Tutoring Approach

What we do in the tutorial is not set in stone, however most students value a methodical and thorough revision of topics already covered, help with examination technique, and of course fixing any current difficulties that they may have had in class.

Tutorials are generally one hour long and delivered in a regular weekly timeslot although obviously there is some flexibility in this when other commitments crop up (on either side). In the holidays I am able to do sessions more regularly than once a week if requested.

I have access to a wide range of practice questions, computer simulations, explanatory sheets and other resources. For face-to-face tutorials, paper copies of materials will be provided as part of the lesson price.

In hiring a tutor you should be confident that your specific needs are being listened to and will be addressed. You should also be able to rely on the experience and professionalism of the tutor. I have a solid track record in preparing students for A-level Physics and I look forward to hearing from you.