Jenna

I have a First Class (hons) degree in Psychology and an MA in Education. I have 13 years of teaching experience and for the last 9 years I have worked as Head of Psychology at an independent school in Somerset. I have examined for AQA Psychology at both GCSE and A Level, for the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge International Examinations at A Level and for the University of Exeter on their Masters in Education programme. I am an accredited trainer for CIE and have delivered courses to other psychology teachers both in the UK and internationally. I also worked as an Educationalist at the Royal College of Physicians for two years delivering the RCP/UCL Post Graduate Course in Medical Education to Doctors which has given me a thorough grounding in educational theory. While in this role I was appointed as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and as an Honorary Lecturer for UCL Medical School. Most recently in May 2023 I completed 100 hours of training in functional neurology for teachers which has given me further insight into the challenges faced by neurodiverse learners and how to support them both inside and outside of the classroom.

From September 2023 I am moving from a teaching to focus fully on my tutoring business. I work flexibly to accommodate the needs of my family and prefer to work in evenings and at the weekends although I do have some daytime availability. I mainly work online but I can work with local pupils face-to-face at an additional cost. I can teach pupils on a one-to-one basis, or in small groups to harness the advantages of collaborative learning.

Tutoring Experience

For the last 9 years, my department has consistently been in the top 10% of departments in the country in terms of value added (the progress that pupils make from GCSE to A level). For example in 2022, 6 of the pupils predicted B grades on the basis of their GCSE performance achieved A* grades. My pupils make significant progress due to my attention to detail, focus on examination skills and specific feedback on assignments which encourages them to close the gap between where they are and their aspirational grade. High numbers of my pupils go on to study at top institutions.

I enjoy tutoring on a one-to-one and small group basis. I have experience of tutoring pupils at both A Level and degree level, and most recently have been appointed as an online tutor for Harrow School's Lumina tutoring programme, providing online, subject-specific, one-to-one tutorial sessions for children and young people who are looked after (CLA), also known as children in care.

Tutoring Approach

I have a genuine passion for the subject of Psychology including Research Methods which can often be a challenging area of the course for pupils and teachers alike. I taught this as part of my role as an Honorary Lecturer for UCL Medical School, so I have a thorough grounding in the area. I like to share this enthusiasm with my tutees and encourage them to develop their own intrinsic motivation for the subject.

I identify both the strengths and weaknesses of my tutees and work on both of these to develop their skills in all areas. I cover gaps in knowledge and skills content adhering to the specification. When tutoring for exams I look to build examination confidence through the use of past papers and my experiences as an examiner to ensure that my tutees develop a thorough knowledge of how examinations are marked. I set work and give specific, individualised feedback as well as highlighting common pitfalls made by pupils. My approach is friendly yet professional. I set high standards for myself and my tutees.

I ask my tutees to work hard, I expect full commitment from them to their tutoring sessions in terms of their attendance, engagement and their approach to work between sessions. This allows them to achieve their best possible grade. I track progress, and keep parents fully informed with regular updates.