Hello, I'm Kathy and I run The Cambridge Tutor Service.

I earned a BA, an MA and a PGCE from the University of Cambridge and went on to enjoy a successful career as a classroom teacher before setting up as a private tutor in 2014. That classroom experience still shapes how I teach today: it gave me strong organisational skills, a solid grasp of what examiners are looking for and, along with experience of marking for an exam board, real insight into how the best grades can be achieved.

I tutor students working towards their English GCSE, IGCSE, A Level and International Baccalaureate qualifications and am familiar with the content, formats and expectations of all the major exam boards. My students are based all over the world - currently I work with families in the UK, China, Dubai and Spain - so I'm used to adapting my teaching to different curricula, time zones and starting points.

No two pupils are the same, and no two lesson plans are either. Some students I work with are aiming to exceed the targets set by their school; others have lost confidence in English completely and need to rebuild it from the ground up. I've supported students managing exam anxiety; students with dyslexia and visual stress; and students who simply needed someone patient enough to explain a tricky concept a different way. Whatever the starting point, my approach is the same: understand how a student learns best, meet them there, and give them the tools - and the confidence - to keep improving.

Lessons are delivered online, mostly over Zoom, using interactive tools that allow students to annotate texts, highlight key details and take notes in real time. Every session is saved and shared as a PDF, and I follow up afterwards with notes and tailored practice tasks, so learning continues after the lesson ends.

I'm proud of the progress my students go on to make. It's common for pupils I work with to move up more than one grade boundary beyond school predictions: some have progressed from higher-than-average predictions to the very top bands; others from middle grades to the top bands; and many who have been told they are unlikely to pass manage to achieve much more than the basic grade. This holds true even for students who declare English to be their worst subject, many of whom have gone on to achieve their strongest grades in this subject.

The majority of students I work with see significant improvements and growth in confidence within just a few weeks. Check out the testimonials and see what parents (and some of my former students) say about working with me.

One-to-one tutoring:

Each one-hour lesson is designed to help your child grow in confidence, strengthen their reading and writing skills, and achieve their full potential in GCSE English. (See testimonials)

You’re not paying just for a lesson: you’re benefitting from a structured, supportive approach that helps students make consistent, meaningful progress.

GCSE English Tuition – £60 per session

For this price, you will receive in excess of two hours of my time dedicated to each session.

You and your child will get:

• A one-hour one-to-one lesson with interactive activities and tailored to your child’s individual needs
• Personalised lesson planning (40+ minutes): I take great care to plan every lesson so that your child not only feels supported, but also makes clear, measurable progress in English. Each session is carefully tailored to their individual needs, taking into account their current level, exam board, and target grade, as well as any work they have shared with me. This personalised approach means your child receives exactly the right support at the right time, whether they are building confidence in key skills or striving for the highest grades.
  
  My aim is for every student to leave each lesson feeling more confident, more capable, and motivated to succeed. Over time, this consistent, individualised support leads to real improvements in both skills and results.
• Targeted weekly practice: The day after each lesson, I will prepare and send your child a focused piece of weekly practice based on the previous day’s lesson (30+ minutes). These carefully designed tasks will reinforce what we have covered, helping to strengthen their analytical skills, writing and exam technique, so progress continues between lessons.
• Exam-focused marking and feedback (30 minutes): Every time your child completes a piece of work for me, I will assess it using easy-to-understand comments based on the official GCSE mark schemes. This will help each student understand how to improve their responses and gain more marks in both English language and English literature.
• Regular parent updates and support: you’ll be kept fully informed about your child’s progress, and I’m available to answer questions or provide guidance outside of lesson times.

This approach ensures your child not only improves their skills, but also develops the confidence and exam technique needed to succeed in GCSE English.

Limited spaces available to ensure each student receives dedicated attention. Enquire now to secure a place.