Jamie Smurthwaite

For most of my students, I will use the Bond series of maths, English and verbal reasoning text books to assess where the gaps in their learning are. I will then go off-book to teach them everything they need to know about each particular sub-topic. This approach has served me well for over a decade, as it allows my lessons to be catered to my student's individual strengths and weaknesses, rather than being a set weekly programme. This approach has been key to me helping my students to excel in their Key Stage 2 and (optional) 11+ exams, as well as helping to boost their self-condidence and work ethic (which is often what makes the biggest difference to them long-term). For English, I also put a big emphasis on creative writing, as I believe there is no better way to develop exceptional written language skills. My teaching style is usually quite chatty and informal, as I aim for the learning to be enjoyable wherever possible.