I am a self-confessed geek, with a liking for puzzles and popular science. I ran a cypher and puzzle club at my last school and love quizzes, cryptic crosswords and a variety of Science fiction and detective stories.
I was born while my father was on sabbatical in London. My first passport was issued when I was only six weeks old so that he could return to his role as a professor of Comparative Religion in Toronto. When I was four years old, we moved to Oxford, where I have lived, on and off, ever since.
I was always fascinated by Maths and Physics; they became my favourite subjects at school, and so it seemed natural that I should eventually study both for my undergraduate degree. Still wanting to go deeper down the rabbit hole I switched to Applied Maths for my Masters degree.
Looking around for a job, I almost fell (as so many at the time did) into working as a computer consultant. After several years there, working on some large multinational projects, I realised that what I really wanted to do was teach. So I retrained as a Maths teacher – a decision that I have never regretted.
I taught at a large, local comprehensive school before moving into tutoring of small groups and individuals. This has given me a broad experience of students from many backgrounds with differing needs; from students re-sitting foundation GCSE to undergraduates needing to brush up on Maths skills, and almost everything in between. I have taught Secondary Level, IGCSE and A level Maths extensively but also I have drawn on my experience to Tutor GCSE A level Physics and A level IT.
Once my daughter was born, I worked part time until she started school at which point I moved to a full time teaching position in a girls’ private school. This proved to be a challenging role; but also cemented my view that teaching is most effective when it is providing the right tools for each individual to learn. I have had a particular rapport with those students who have special needs and have worked closely with their learning support teams to understand and motivate them.
I look forward to sharing my passion for Maths with you and helping you to reach your potential.