Alyssa Ardelean

My lessons are structured but flexible, I usually start by checking in on what we covered last time and any homework or practice questions the student has worked on, then move into the focus for the session. That might be working through a topic together, breaking down past paper questions, planning and writing essay answers, or building up source analysis and evaluation skills. I like to mix explanation with active practice, because history is a subject where students improve fastest when they're doing the thinking themselves rather than just listening.

I tailor the content to each student. For some that means going deep on a specific topic they're struggling with, while for others it's about exam technique: how to structure an answer, hit the assessment objectives, and turn solid knowledge into top-band marks. I always work from the student's specific exam board specification so nothing we cover is wasted.

My experience comes from two sides. I've just graduated in History from King's College London, so I know what it takes to write strong analytical history at a high level. I've also spent time writing exam-style questions and multiple-choice assessments for the online learning platform SelfTute across GCSE History, English, Geography, and the sciences, which has given me a really clear sense of how exam questions are designed and what examiners are looking for in answers.

I like to keep my sessions relaxed, I want students to feel comfortable asking questions and admitting when something isn't clicking, because that's how we figure out what to work on. I'll usually set a small piece of follow-up work between lessons so progress carries over.