Helena S.

Hello! I’m Zahra Ayyaz. I am an experienced educator with an MBA and over 8 years of teaching experience across schools, academies, and online platforms. My passion lies in empowering students through interactive and engaging learning methods, ensuring they not only grasp concepts but also develop critical thinking skills. Subjects I Teach: Lower Level: Maths, English GCSE: English, Maths, Biology, World History, Sociology, Business A-Level (IB): English, World History, Sociology, Business Higher Level: English, History, Business Core Subjects: English | History | Business Exam Board Experience: Pearson Edexcel, AQA, OCR, Cambridge, International Baccalaureate (IB) SEND (Special Education Needs and Disability) Experience: I have extensive experience working with students with Autism, Down syndrome, and ADHD, tailoring my teaching strategies to accommodate their unique learning needs. My approach focuses on patience, adaptability, and encouragement, ensuring that every student feels supported and confident in their academic journey. My Teaching Philosophy: I believe education is more than just acquiring knowledge—it's about building confidence, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong love for learning. Whether it’s analyzing literature, exploring historical perspectives, or understanding business dynamics, I strive to make lessons engaging, thought-provoking, and relevant to real-world scenarios. Beyond teaching, I am passionate about fitness, yoga, and socializing. I strongly believe that physical and mental well-being go hand in hand, and a balanced lifestyle contributes to clearer thinking and better decision-making. Welcome aboard! Let’s make learning an exciting and enriching experience. 😊 I have a strong academic foundation with a focus on business, finance, and social sciences, shaping my ability to teach with depth and real-world application. GCSE (2013): Included Biology A-Levels (2015): Business and Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree: Double majors in Marketing and Finance MBA: Specializing in business strategy, leadership, and financial analysis Teaching Experience My teaching journey began during my bachelor’s studies, where I worked as a teaching assistant and provided private tuition in English, Maths, Biology, Business, and History. I then formally entered the education sector, teaching at schools, academies, and online platforms, with a focus on my core subjects: English – Strengthening analytical, writing, and communication skills Business – Connecting business theories to real-world applications History – Encouraging critical thinking and historical analysis With 8+ years of experience, I specialize in student-centered learning, exam strategies, and fostering critical thinking. My goal is to empower students with knowledge and confidence, preparing them for both academic success and real-world challenges.

I help KS3 and GCSE students build real confidence in Spanish — not just memorise vocabulary for the next test, but actually understand and enjoy the language. For the past seven years I've guided teenagers through reading, writing, speaking and listening, with lessons built around exactly what they're examined on (AQA specification). Before tutoring, I worked as a journalist — and it shaped how I teach: I break grammar down the way I'd break down a complex story, clearly and without jargon, always checking it's landed before moving on. My students consistently see their grades and their confidence grow together, because in my experience the two go hand in hand. 🎓 Certified ELE (Spanish as a Foreign Language) Tutor ✍️ Experienced editor for blogs, magazines and social media — which is exactly why my students' written Spanish improves fast 🏫 Former Assistant Professor, with solid classroom and academic experience 🌱 I specialise in building self-confidence, especially with students who feel anxious about exams or believe they're "just not good at languages"

I have worked as a lecturer at De Montfort University for over 15 years. I hold a PGCE in further Education, an MA in English Language Teaching, and a BA honours in English. I taught English for Academic Purposes at university. This enabled me to develop various teaching approaches at different levels of English usage. I have also taught KS3-KS5 in the UK and abroad during which I have been observed several times and demonstrated that I was outstanding. I have used various teaching aids ranging from pictures, flash cards, to a variety of IT techniques. I have also used peer interaction and assessment to develop learners. Teaching at university enabled me to teach presentation skills. This has enabled me to do the same during training, coaching and mentoring sessions with colleagues. I have mentored a number of tutors. In my experience as a university lecturer I have used a variety of online platforms to teach students during the Covid-19 pandemic. I began my journey into English in 2002 when I did a BA (hons) in English at Demontfort university. Following this I did an MA in Children’s Literature in 2005 due to my immense love of reading. However, it was only when I landed a job at a resources centre that I decided to specialize in teaching and so I did a PGCE in education and an MA in English language teaching both in 2007-2009. I absolutely love teaching since then - as cliche as it sounds it is truly my passion and the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I love my students and to see them excel truly makes me content. I’ve been told that I have a gift for building a rapport with learners and I to feel this is something that comes naturally to me because as a student I myself struggled with being misunderstood and branded as a ‘bad student’. I feel as a result I can relate to students and their struggles more easily. I’m also very patient and an excellent listener.

I'm a Mathematics and Data Science graduate of the London School of Economics, and I now run a startup that uses machine learning in drug discovery, so I put the maths I teach to work every day. I studied Maths, Physics, Computer Science and Chemistry at A-level, earning an A* in Maths, and I'm a two-time gold medallist in the National Physics Olympiad. I tutor Maths, Physics and Computer Science from GCSE through A-level, and I also prepare students for university admissions tests and Oxbridge applications. Having recently sat these exams myself, I know exactly where students get stuck. My approach is patient and diagnostic: I find the gap, rebuild from there, and focus on real understanding and problem-solving rather than memorising. Most of all, I love helping students go from dreading a subject to feeling confident and capable in it. I attended St Paul's School, where I took A-levels in Mathematics (A*), Physics (A), Computer Science (A) and Chemistry (A), along with an A* EPQ in electrical and systems engineering. At GCSE I earned seven grade 9s, including Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Science, and four grade 8s. I then studied for a BSc in Mathematics and Data Science at the London School of Economics (LSE), with coursework spanning machine learning, optimisation, real and complex analysis, probability and statistics, graph theory and algorithms. Alongside my degree I completed Harvard's CS50 and an MIT course in mathematics for finance. My specialisations are Maths, Physics and Computer Science at GCSE and A-level, and preparing students for university admissions tests (STEP, TMUA and ESAT) and Oxbridge applications. I'm also a two-time gold medallist in the National Physics Olympiad, which is exactly the kind of problem-solving these entrance exams reward.