Holly Parkinson

Education and sharing knowledge is important to me- having worked as a private tutor and personal statement editor in the past, I listen to feedback from my students and aim to make lessons both challenging and fun and aim to instil a thorough understanding of topics rather than just promoting the memorisation of information. Studying doesn’t have to be boring!

I understand that the university application process and any exams are very stressful times for students, and so promote self-care, taking regular breaks, and remembering that one’s grades are important but should not be prioritised over one’s mental wellbeing.

Every student has different strengths and weaknesses and learns in a different way: it is important to me that I converse with the student as to how they learn most effectively, and tailor the lessons accordingly, focusing on improving their weaker aspects of the course. I am familiar with exam specifications, syllabuses, and past papers, which will aid the structure and preparation of lessons, as familiarity with exam-style questions from an early stage benefits final exam performance.

In my tutoring, setting goals that are student-led is key, as it is important that students aren’t overwhelmed/disheartened and that they feel proud of themselves when the goal is achieved. I will encourage students to aim high, and build their self-confidence.

Learning should be fun, so I aim to make lessons light-hearted in order to break down the boring or chore-like feelings associated with studying and revision. I will regularly check in with students on their academic performance outside of lessons and how they feel they are progressing; occasionally, I may set exercises for students to complete outside of lessons as a means of tracking progress and reinforcing knowledge of topics that I have taught them about.