Jacob B.

Hi! My name is Oliver, but everyone calls me Ollie, and I have been studying Politics at the University of Warwick since September 2023. I did A-Levels in my home city of Liverpool. I love my subject and I love teaching children as I have done before working at Kumon. I play instruments with my favourite being the drum kit, and I love playing board games with people! I also sometimes go skiing with my family. I completed my A-levels in Mathematics, Psychology, and Politics at the Liverpool Blue Coat Grammar School in 2023 and am currently studying Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. I am experienced in teaching both English and Mathematics from ages 4-16 at various levels, as I have done so for Kumon for a number of years before and during lockdown.

My name is Mark Sean A. Manubag, and I hold a degree in Chemistry. For the past two years, I’ve been teaching and tutoring high school and college students, mainly in math, chemistry, and physics. I love making complex topics feel simple and approachable for learners at different levels. As a teacher, I am patient, supportive, and goal-oriented. I believe in guiding students step by step until they feel confident in themselves. One of my strengths is breaking down difficult concepts into clear, relatable ideas. Seeing students progress—from struggling on quizzes to celebrating their own achievements—is what inspires me to teach. My teaching style is interactive and student-centered. I enjoy connecting lessons to real-life examples, whether through cooking, music, or everyday situations, so that learning feels both meaningful and fun. I’ve found that when students can relate to a topic, they learn faster and remember it longer. Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading, exploring different genres of music, and learning languages. At the moment, I’m studying Italian, which helps me stay in touch with the challenges of being a learner myself. That perspective allows me to connect more deeply with my students and encourage them to see learning as a lifelong skill. Teaching, for me, is about helping students discover their own potential. I want my learners to not only improve their grades but also develop the confidence and curiosity that will benefit them well beyond the classroom. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. During my studies, I gained extensive training in laboratory instrumentation, including GCMS, FTIR, AAS, and UV-Vis, and completed internships with the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Philippine–Japan Active Carbon Corporation. My undergraduate thesis focused on the spectrophotometric determination of phenolics from plant extracts, which strengthened my background in analytical chemistry. After graduation, I successfully passed the Philippine Licensure Examination for Chemists in September 2014. Alongside my academic journey, I began working as a freelance tutor between 2012 and 2014, supporting high school and college students in mathematics, chemistry, and other sciences. Many of the students I taught came from institutions with advanced science and math programs, while others needed help building foundational understanding. Through one-on-one lessons, I developed a teaching approach that emphasized patience, step-by-step guidance, and real-life applications, helping students not only grasp concepts but also build confidence in their own abilities. This tutoring experience deepened my passion for education and showed me the impact of making complex topics simple and engaging. I take pride in seeing students’ progress—from struggling on exams to achieving strong results. Teaching continues to be a meaningful part of my career, complementing my professional work as a chemist by allowing me to share knowledge and inspire curiosity in the sciences.

Hello! My name is Samantha, and I have just finished a PhD in History and Politics at the University of Cambridge. I wrote a dissertation on nineteenth-century Italian political thought and successfully defended it with no corrections recommended. I have been a university teacher (for both History and Politics) since 2023 and a tutor for schools and private customers since 2020. I also have direct experience with university admissions, having run Politics interviews at the University of Cambridge. As a teacher and tutor, I have found it very rewarding to use my expertise and enthusiasm to help students do well in their courses, become excited about what they are learning, and grow in confidence. I offer tutoring in the following areas: - GCSE (or equivalent), A-Level (or equivalent), and university-level History and Politics. These are the subjects to which I have dedicated my past ten years of university experience. - GCSE (or equivalent) French. I have practised this language for more than a decade through independent learning, university study abroad programmes, and school and university qualifications. - GCSE (or equivalent) Geography. This was a subject in which I obtained an A-Level. - Supplemental qualifications, including the EPQ. - University applications and university entrance exams, including the HAT. I can help students (including those with SEND) with content, exam technique, and essay writing, and I have many resources available to ensure that I can provide specific guidance on all exam boards, exam questions, and topics. I also favour an active learning approach: while I can provide material (such as individualised PowerPoints or revision sheets) and go through the content to aid understanding, I always encourage my students to answer questions throughout the session and practise real exam questions at home. I believe this approach promotes independent thinking and exam preparation while also providing an environment where they can improve. I am very flexible and shall tailor my lessons to each student's needs. My current availability is shown on the calendar, so please consult it to see when I am free to tutor. I update my calendar frequently as changes occur. I also make a point of offering flexible booking options, as I know not everyone's schedule (including my own) is the same each week. Academic CV: - 2021-26 - History and Politics PhD at the University of Cambridge, with extra courses in French, Italian, and German. - 2023 - Visiting Doctoral Researcher in History at the EUI, Florence. - 2019-20 - History MA at the University of Nottingham, with extra courses in French and Italian. - 2016-19 - History BA (Hons.) at the University of York, with extra courses in French and German. - 2018 - Summer School in History at Sorbonne University, Paris. - 2014-16 - A-Level History, French, Latin, Geography, and the EPQ. - 2012-14 - GCSE Biology, Chemistry, Classical Greek, English Language, English Literature, French, Geography, History, ICT, Latin, Mathematics, Physics, and Religious Studies.

Hello! I'm a tutor for GCSE Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Curiosity is so important to me - seizing opportunities wherever possible and always willing to try out a diverse and novel range of experiences. I also apply this mindset to the world of academia. I'm a strong believer that learning across disciplines teaches you one of the most important skills: understanding how someone else thinks. If you've had to deconstruct complicated concepts in a variety of subjects you quickly become adept at understanding where a person is getting stuck. I meet you where you're at. No skipping forward. We identify the gaps. Fill those gaps properly. And build from there. There are very few students who lack ability, they've just not had something explained to them in the right way yet. Another big part of my job is building confidence. Learning how to trust your own judgement and rationale. How to ask the right questions. How to stop panicking and second-guessing yourself during exams. You already have the knowledge, you just have to realise it! I studied Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics at A Level and AS Level - so the subjects I tutor are ones I've lived and breathed through exams myself, not too long ago. I know the syllabuses well. At GCSE, I achieved 13 A*s across a broad range of subjects including Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Language, English Literature and Geography, among others. I was also awarded a prize for Citizenship and Academics as Best in Year. Outside of the classroom, I've always looked for ways to stretch myself - whether that was competitive debating, mentoring other students, or delivering weekly talks to school students and hospital staff linking science and medicine with real-world issues. I also earned Gold (Best in Year) in a UK Mathematics Trust-style competition. More recently, I've applied that academic foundation to some pretty varied things - from building mathematical models to address housing challenges, to achieving a top ~0.02% award in an international essay competition.