Dan

My name is Dan. I am a recent graduate from the Future Academies SCITT and the University of Sussex, where I achieved my QTS and PGCE respectively to teach history. I most recently worked as a history teacher and UCAS co-ordinator at a secondary school in one of the most deprived areas of London, helping to raise standards and promote social mobility. In 2020, I graduated from my MPhil at the University of Cambridge (Emmanuel College) in Medieval History, achieving a high distinction in my thesis and overall. I also completed my undergraduate degree at Cambridge (Queens'), achieving a double first.

My subjects, therefore, are History and Classical Civilisation, and I can also offer help with the Oxbridge admissions process, of which I have extensive experience. I am very enthusiastic about all aspects of history, ancient, medieval and modern, and am very excited by the idea of helping students to find their own passion for this wonderful subject. I am young, approachable and friendly, and also have an up-to-date knowledge of the GCSE and A-Level syllabus. I have also tutored English at GCSE Level.

Tutoring Experience

Over the last two years, I have gained extensive experience teaching secondary school pupils of all ages, from Key Stage Three right the way through to A Level. During this time, I have received cutting-edge training on cognitive science, enabling me to truly understand the mechanics of cognition and memory.

I am able to bring this formidable knowledge to bear as a personal tutor alongside my career as a history teacher, helping students to encode powerful knowledge which will help them succeed in their classrooms and beyond. Having worked both in state academies and leading private schools such as Brighton College, I am able to bring the highest expectations, tempered with an acute awareness of how students learn, to bespoke courses of tuition in History and Classical Civilization.

Whilst my teaching experience mainly revolves around History, my tutoring experience has centered on Classical Civilisation. With these two distinct yet mutually complementary knowledge sets, as well as my academic attainment at the highest level, I am able to provide learning experiences of singular richness and depth.

My current role as UCAS co-ordinator at an academy in north-west London involves extensive knowledge of the UCAS applications process. This built upon my previous experience as a Personal Statement Tutor, over a number of years, at BHASVIC, an outstanding Sixth Form College in Brighton, where I did my A-Levels. This involved empowering and giving support to students who are interested in applying to Oxbridge, also editing personal statements and giving advice on pre-interview preparation. I have also worked as a singing and drama teacher at Performer's Club, giving children performing confidence. I have worked as a tutor at various schools tutoring aspects of the University Admissions process, particularly the Thinking Skills Assessment.

Tutoring Approach

I believe that it is crucial to create tailored tutoring programmes that will help students of all ages to further understanding of and confidence in their chosen period and topic. With this in mind, I offer a discounted pre-tutorial session in order to get to know my students on a personal level, which will help in producing lesson plans which cater to their individual interests and needs. Building up a friendly working relationship with both parents and students is crucial in offering such tailored tutoring experiences. I am young, friendly and easy-going, but also advocate an in-depth approach to tutoring which involves the student engaging critically with their reading. I am very familiar with the A-Level history and Classical Civilisation courses.

I believe that it is important to teach, alongside course content, the necessary skills (source criticism and essay writing skills) from an early stage, in order to give my students the vital tools to succeed not only with examinations, but with any future study or work that they may be planning. I am also a prolific writer and am keen to instil a similar zest for learning and writing! For those seeking advice on the admissions process, especially for Oxbridge, I can offer personal statement help, advice, and interview practice.