Ed Polley

I have several years experience of private tutoring in English, History, Politics and Sociology, and English as a Foreign Language. I have mostly worked with students who struggle with the subject either due to unrecognised accessibility needs, low confidence, or difficulties with the rigidity of the school curriculum. However, I am just as comfortable working with high-achieving students that want to take their work to the next level.

In all cases, my approach to tutoring is based on empathy, patience, and taking the time to develop personalised lesson plans that inspire passion and unlock the potential of every student. My method is also based on my experience working in academic and pastoral support roles in schools and colleges, which required me to be able to relate to and understand the various needs of students beyond the curriculum. In my first lesson with any student, I will focus on identifying the specific things they struggle with and develop tailored tasks that combine understanding of required content with building confidence in these areas. Rather than taking this intiial conversation as a rigid guide, in future lessons I always check in with how they feel about these struggles, whether the methods we are using to address them need adjusting, and if new problems have emerged that they hadn't realised before.

I prefer to focus on hands-on exercises like planning questions, freely talking through ideas, and writing specific responses. I believe not just in giving students a mechanical understanding of how to achieve a certain grade, but in reaching their potential through also developing their creativity. Indeed, I have seen first-hand the way many teachers patronise students and treat them like children. From my experience, students respond best when the are treated with respect and given the space to develop their maturity alongside their grades. Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed in a supportive environment, and with my tutoring they will get it.