Leo Education
Celia
English Teacher
I have a BA (Hons) in English Literature (2:1), MA in Film (Distinction) and PGCE in Secondary English all from the University of Newcastle. I have also studied at the University of Leiden as part of the ERASMUS scheme.
I have over twenty years’ teaching experience in top UK independent schools (including St Paul’s Girls’ School, Charterhouse and Abingdon) and international schools (Dulwich College Shanghai, Wellington College Tianjin and Repton Dubai). I am a former head of English at Durham School and Wellington College Tianjin, as well as having been Head of Year 13 at Repton Dubai. I have examined IGCSE English Literature, IGCSE English Language, A Level English Literature and IB. In my role as head of English I have set and marked 11+ and 13+ entrance exams, as well as setting the school pass-mark for Common Entrance. I have marked 11+ and 13+ entrance papers in over ten UK independent schools. I have extensive experience of teaching IGCSE English Language, IGCSE English Literature, A Level English Literature and IB SL/HL English A and B. As a former 6th form tutor and Head of Year 13 I have significant experience of supporting university applications (including Oxbridge and Ivy League applications). In my thousand hours of online tutoring experience to date I have guided students in their preparations for entrance exams (including 11+, 13+, UKIset, ISEB-pretest, Common Entrance and interviews) and public examinations (IGCSE, A Level, HPQ, EPQ and IB English).
My tutoring style is very much rooted in a partnership with the student and their family. I like to get to know what the student’s personality, interests and ambitions are and then to use these to tailor my lessons to help them develop their confidence in their own voice as writers. Having spent four years living in China and Thailand, and having travelled extensively in Asia, I like to use examples that are linked to a student’s own city or country where possible. For students applying to UK boarding schools I try to link their enthusiasms to their intended schools whereas for exam class students we might focus on exam technique in more detail.
My teaching style is aimed at putting the student at ease and building their confidence. I like to see tutoring as being like coaching where the student is guided or steered to the point we would both like them to be at. I expect my students to work hard and be ambitious for themselves, as well as to try to be open about any difficulties they might be encountering so that I can help them. I like my lessons to include lots of discussion as this helps students to contribute at school and to build confidence for interviews.
