Sydrah H.

Hi, my name is Aoife, I am 18 years old and currently a first year law student at the University of Leeds (and an aspiring human rights lawyer!). My special subject is English, primarily English literature. My highest academic achievements are my 3 A levels (A* in politics, A in history, B in English literature). I am willing to tutor the English subject to all ages, especially primary and secondary as I believe this is when that extra boost in confidence is so important! My passion for English is reflected in my GCSE grades too - achieving a grade 9 in English language and grade 8 in English literature. I have previous experience with children with SEN needs such as autism and ADHD, shaping my teaching style as one of patience and prioritising clarity without exerting pressure on a student. I personally struggled with confidence in both primary and secondary school, and going through tutoring myself helped with this enormously. My personal hobbies include reading and creating artwork in my free time. I look forward to helping you/your child with English and literacy skills! For secondary school I attended Carr Manor Community school, achieving GSCEs all grade 7 and above. I excelled in humanities subjects, with a grade 9 in both history and English language and a grade 8 in English literature. My academic passion carried on into my A levels which I completed at Notre Dame Catholic VI Form College. I achieved an A* in A level politics, A in A level history and a B in English literature. I have gone on to be accepted to study law at the University of Leeds, a Russell group university. I remain open to constantly improving my skills and developing new ones and therefore significantly look forward to tutoring new students, sharing my knowledge and developing my own. I specialise in English and literacy, hoping to develop the skills of younger students to provide that extra boost in confidence.

I am a dedicated student of Mathematics and Actuarial Science with a strong passion for problem-solving and analytical thinking. I enjoy breaking down complex concepts into simple, understandable steps—an approach I bring into my tutoring sessions. Outside of academics, I have a keen interest in sports including football, badminton, snooker, and golf. I believe that the discipline and strategic thinking gained from sports complement my academic pursuits and enhance my ability to connect with students from various backgrounds. I'm enthusiastic about helping learners build confidence and achieve their goals in a supportive and engaging environment. I am currently studying Mathematics and Actuarial Science at the University of Southampton, where I am continuing to deepen my understanding of mathematical theory, statistical analysis, and their real-world applications. This degree is further strengthening my analytical and problem-solving skills, which I bring into my tutoring sessions. Before university, I completed my A Levels at St Dominic’s Sixth Form College, achieving an A in both Mathematics and Chemistry—subjects I now tutor. My success in these subjects has given me the confidence and insight to support students in mastering challenging concepts and developing effective exam strategies. I completed my GCSEs at Pinner High School, earning 11 GCSEs at grades 9 to 7, including top marks in Maths and the Sciences. This academic foundation has given me a strong understanding of the UK curriculum and the expectations of exam boards. Having recently been through the school and sixth form system myself, I am well placed to relate to students and provide guidance that is both up-to-date and practical. I aim to create a calm, supportive, and engaging learning environment where students feel encouraged to ask questions, tackle their weaknesses, and build confidence in their abilities.

Lower Level: Business Studies, English Literature GCSE: Business Studies, English Literature, English Language A-Level: Business Studies, English Literature Preferred exam board experience: AQA for both English and Business Studies, however, the Edexcel Business Studies course has a lot of crossover and therefore could teach this. Languages: German up to GCSE level. Preferred student age group: Primary Level and GCSE level however would be happy to teach up to A-Level for both subjects. From a young age I had a passion for teaching; setting up my dolls and teaching them about whatever I had learnt that day at school, now I have the opportunity to do that and see the results of what we have gone through. Throughout sixth form, alongside my A-Levels I would tutor the younger pupils and help them gain confidence and find enjoyment in learning. now at University, whilst I no longer have the opportunity to do this I now volunteer at the local hospital organising activity evenings for the patients there. Not only do I meet a variety of people here but it has also greatly improved my organisational skills and challenged my already creative brain to new lengths. When I get the chance to relax I do so by reading. I hope that I can incorporate my love for literature in my teaching to create memorable and long lasting connections through what I teach my students. I hope my passion for teaching can be seen through my lessons and will inspire those who I work with to achieve their personal and academic goals! Up until leaving school at 18 I attended The Priory Academy LSST. Here I completed my GCSEs, coming away with 12 GCSEs securing two 9s in English Literature and English Language. I decided to choose English Literature, Psychology and Business Studies as my A-Level options and completed the two years with an A* in Psychology, an A in English Literature and a B in Business Studies. Currently, I am in my first year at Durham University studying Psychology with an optional module in English Literature.

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.