Having retired from full-time teaching in 2017, John has over 25 years’ experience in tutoring pupils for GCSE and A levels in English, History and Politics. He was also a Tutor in Arts subjects with the Open University for 40 years.
John is a keen writer and has written for numerous newspapers, including the Times Educational Supplement, Times Higher Education Supplement and The Independent.
Through his wide experience of teaching in universities, colleges and schools, mainly in Britain, but also in Australia and Jamaica, John brings a wealth of knowledge to his lessons. Five years ago, he took a mature gap year, visiting 14 countries and working on a scheme for women and girls from poor backgrounds and castes in India. He wrote a travel book about his experiences, which included a bungee jump in New Zealand!
'My tuition centres around three key elements: knowledge (there is no substitute for not knowing your stuff); study skills (especially essay writing and text analysis); and most importantly, making lessons enjoyable and interesting. Like any practical skill, achievement comes with practice of the correct methods and approach. I set a plan for every tutorial and note a summary of what we have focused on. I also set manageable homework tasks for all my pupils to ensure we are on the right track.'