Sarah Ann Mather

I tailor my lessons to the individual, so no lessons are the same.

I am very creative and employ creative strategies that aren’t used in the classroom. This can include use of music/songs for the younger children, offering skill based and real life examples to link English to the real world for the older students/adults.

I make my lessons relevant. When I first meet a student, I ask them (or parents/guardian) what they want from the sessions and we plan them together. I link to individual need and get the children involved.


For those doing GCSE/A Level/ Functional Skills exam prep, I make it relevant to their lives. For example, if someone is studying plumbing or beauty, I start by making text analysis relevant to their life. For A Level (e.g. English Literature), I begin by focusing on the interests of the students before working on exam content. This is different to how they learn in school/college as it becomes relevant and interesting. It’s important to be able to analyse and work in a fun way prior to jumping to exam content.

I also use colour coding for visual learners and make resources for the students and tasks to complete. For primary children, tasks may involve something in their every day life (e.g. in a supermarket or related to a hobby such as writing about a trip to the supermarket and extending it). Tasks are always marked and explored together in the next session.

I am a firm believer in personalised learning, which in the classroom, is not always full able to take place due to pressure on teachers and schools. However, with my tutoring, personalised learning is the centre of my practice.

I have experience of helping students with additional needs and helping them to reach their full potential and beyond. Moreover, I am level 3 BSL (British Sign Language) and level 4 Makaton so offer differing communication methods for those who need it.