Online UKCAT Tutors - UKCAT Tuition

Personal Message: I am a rare element, with a positively charged formula :) - a full-time Private Science Tutor, specialising in tutoring budding white coats: medics, dentists, vets, pharmacists, scientists, R&D & engineers needing grade A/B's.
Which subject(s) do you teach?: My specialist subject is Chemistry (I hold both a BSc and a PhD in Chemistry) at AS & A2 Level, GCSE/IGCSE, IB etc. But I also co-tutor Biology, Physics, Maths/Further Maths at A-level, GCSE & IGCSE, IB using my proven techniques. I coach for the scientific/reasoning content of the 11+ and 13+ common entrance examinations. I also run AS & A2 level Chemistry Exam workshops/revision courses 3-4 times per year in London. I teach to the relevant syllabus: OCR, AQA, EdExcel, CIE for each of my students needs - using the exam specifications, their past papers and mark schemes. The core syllabus content is similar between examination boards (it has to be as it is the same qualification!), but the main differences lie in the way the exam questions are written, and the fact that each exam board includes a few extra small topics and not others, or vice versa. Hence, they are able to distinguish between themselves in the market. I also offer academic science and interview coaching & University entrance/examinations for competitive sciences, such as Medicine - UKCAT, BMAT, GAMSAT, as well as short courses for medics/pharmacists in chemistry for those following MD or BSc/MSc courses. PhD and MSc students following scientific research, are also welcome to utilise my services for advice on their thesis and preparation for the viva examinations.
Tell me about your qualifications.: PhD. Chemistry (University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2000) BSc. Chemistry (2.1 with honours University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 1996) A-level Chemistry & GCSE science subjects - all grades A/B.
What kind of experience do you have?: Current: 3+ yrs Private Chemistry Tutor of A-level/GCSE/IGCSE/degree level, UK. Past: 5+ yrs Director/Founder/Teacher of ISC (International School of Chromatography Ltd) course provider teaching analytical science to laboratory analysts worldwide, UK/NL. 6 years teacher of chromatography and mass spectrometry, business/technical development of chromatography products and global product management of chromatography/mass spectrometry products, UK and the Netherlands.
How much do you charge?: Tutition fees include tuition, all materials and travel as follows for Alevel/medical entrance exams. For GCSE, 11+ or 13+ please divide the 2 hourly rate in half, and add £5: £45/60 (1.5/2 hr tutorials)-Chertsey, Weybridge, Egham, Virginia Water, Shepperton, Walton-on-Thames, Staines, Ashford. £55/70 (1.5/2 hr tutorials)-Chobham, Esher, Feltham, Claygate, Cobham, Sunningdale, Sunninghill, Oxshott. £65/80 (1.5/2 hr tutorials)-Chiswick, Hampton Court/Hill. Richmond upon Thames, Twickenham,Teddington, Kingston upon Thames, Hounslow, Kew, Ealing, Isleworth, Brentford, Epsom, Slough, Datchet, Ascot, Bagshot. £75/90 (1.5/2 hr tutorials)-Central London: Hammersmith, Kensington, Chelsea, Westminster, Mayfair, Hampstead, Clapham. Online tuition for students further afield or needing a more flexible way to tutoring: £30/35 p/hr GCSE/Alevel, IGCSE or IB- to any location in the UK or Internationally via Skype. All tuition fees are inclusive of the preparation, materials, setting and marking of homework, as well as commute, fuel, travel costs and forwarding of documents in advance/setting up online as indicated.. Otherwise, the tuition is pay as you go - or monthyl via invoice.
Where do you teach?: Primarily, I provide one-on-one tuition in the comfort of the family home of my students. Alternatively, at a suitable address that is mutually convenient. Or if you are sufficiently open-minded enough, you can arrage tuition on a more flexible basis and at reduced cost, by trying out online tuition using Skype, from my home to wherever you are located. Skype tuition, or its use in combination with home tutoring, is also especially suitable for students who need flexibility: those who reside in multiple countries throughout the year, students following tv/film/music/stage careers, those attending sports academies whom have training/tournament schedules, young celebrities on the move, or those whom accompany their celebrity parents on tours, or alternatively are home schooled. I also tutor for disadvantaged pupils whom are unfortunately fighting chronic illness. I have temporarily stopped tutoring in my own home for the rest of 2012 - this situation is expected to change in 2013 when I hope to move to a new home with a better, dedicated tutoring facility :)!
When are you available?: I am rare in that I tutor full-time Monday-Friday 7 am (first tutorial) - 7pm (last 2 hr tutorial). I tutor on weekends during exam seasons only (Nov-Jan) and (Easter onwards), when mine as well as my students' schedules, gets extremely busy. Outside these times, I reserve Saturdays and Sundays for my own family time - but I do tutor throughout all the half-term, Christmas and Easter holidays so this also gives increased flexibility. Those students attending international and independent schools tend to have longer holidays than state schools, so my time is mostly not limited to evenings as one may expect, throughout the year. I recommend having tuition as early as possible during the day to get maximum impact. For example, I often tutor A-level/IB students in their free periods in the mornings when they start late say at 11 am, or when they have an afternoon off. Those attending secondary schools do not have as much flexibility, so I tend to teach them in the evenings. I try to manage it via a flexible and common sense approach. Further, I find tutoring during the week far more effective as it permits students to utilise the weekends for study of the homework exercises I have set them. Otherwise, they tend to go all week following their college/school homeworks, and not mine by the time the following weekend has come around! . I manage the tuition fairly well by keeping it flexible, but advise that you pick a regular slot. I recommend having tutorials weekly or fortnightly in order to keep up the momentum. Please note that during exam season, I try to distribute my additional time amongst all my students fairly during exam season. I have been offered substantial sums to block out large numbers of hours during exam seasons and have declined such offers. What I will do is accept a limited number of reservations for ADDITIONAL tutorial sessions each week for existing as well as new students, but these must be pre-paid for. This prevents the situation of me turning away students whom I could have otherwise helped. This information should also bring to your attention that exam season is not the best time to wait till to start working on your weaknesses! I advise you to start tuition earlier on, perhaps fortnightly, and then increase your tuition as you move towards examinations. I could make far better gains with my students the earlier they start with me. Even if it is just a few hours to begin with, as I get them to start implementing tehcniques from the start.
Which ages and levels do you teach?: Mostly A-level and GCSE/IGCSE, IB students: so from ages 16-18, 14-16 and of course 11-13 for the 11+/13+ entrance exams. I occasionally agree to tutor students of a lower age whom are taking GCSEs/Alevels early. I am equally willing to help mature students.
Which qualifications do you prepare your students for?: A-levels: AS & A2 level, GCSEs and IGCSEs, IB, BSc/MSc/PhD, University entrance exams eg UKCAT, GAMSAT etc, 11+/13+ common entrance, American SATS.
Do you have an up-to-date DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service, formerly CRB) Certificate?: Yes, my latest CRB check was conducted in the Summer of 2011 and I am happy to show my certification to pupils and parents alike.
Describe your arrangements for online tutoring.: It's easy and free to install Skype and WhiteBoardMeeting for my students! WhiteBoard does exactly what it says: students can see me write and vice versa. I have to pay for WhiteBoardMeeting as I'm using it commercially - but you don't! So you simply go to Skype first http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/home and download it. It takes about 10 minutes. You send me your skype name and I'll invite you (or vice versa). You then download WhiteBoardMeeting www.whiteboardmeeting.com and then it should be straightforward to commence the tuition (we set it up well before the tutorial to make sure it works!). I can load up documents directly on it, but also pre-send them via pdf and email in advance.
Do you belong to any professional organisations?: There isn't yet a professional body for private tutors..though there is talk of it! :)
Where and with whom did you train?: I trained at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Tell me about some of your current students.: I only have students who really care about their studies - that is the most enjoyable bit about my job. It;s simple: if they are not bothered they never contact me! A common scenario is a top performing A*/A/B grade GCSE student starts to get C/D grades on their Chemistry A-level or other science subject - there is a massive gap between the two. There is no limit on grades for acceptance for tutoring: I have students starting with grade U up to grade A with me from across state, private and international schools. All of them develop, bit by bit. I have yet to have a student who hasn't increased their marks and grades. The lower a students grade, the more determined I am to get it up! :) Science A-levels in particular are very hard and it can take several resits to get those A/B grades. However, start earlier with me before exam season begins, and we should see greater improvements quicker - especially if you are planning to study medicine as some of these courses will no longer permit or favour resits at entrance. Latest results 2012: all my 2nd yr students got grade A/B, with one exception. All my frst year A-level students got at least a grade B in one of their units - all improved by at least 1-2 units in subsequent units. All my GCSE students got a min of 70% or above (grade A). = happy student + happy parents + happy tutor!
Do you have a personal message for students?: Put the extra work in now, will pay dividends later! You don't need extra stress of trying to understand things last minute before exams, or figuring out how to answer exam questions when you should be revising. Do it as you go along - and develop some independent study techniques throughout the year, such as reading before you attend classes, so you can keep up with your teachers. There is an easy way to a grade A!

	Dr Martine Hooper	Chertsey/ Weybridge, KT16
	Philip Bradfield	Dunfermline, Fife, KY12
	M S Rahman	London, N11
	Dr Parikh	Oxfordshire, OX1
	Elliot Travers	Reading, RG10
	Patrick Jemmer	Swansea, SA2
	P Godden	Ashford, Kent, TN24

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