Jonathan Gibson

I am a highly experienced and qualified primary school teacher. I am equally comfortable working with children with a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) as I am pushing high-ability students for rigorous secondary school entrance exams.

My philosophy on learning is to focus on the basics first. I meet many students who are struggling with the work set for them and, after assessing them, I identify a lack of understanding of more fundamental skills. For example, a student will never fluently learn to tell the time in 5 minute increments if they don't already fully understand counting in 5s and the 5 x table. I address these gaps in understanding and, from there, the students flourish.

My lessons are hands-on. I bring props for inspiration and physical resources to scaffold learning. I use pneumonics, songs, rhymes, games, videos and images to bring learning to life. I like to anchor learning to a relatable real world application. For example; writing a letter to a favorite sports person or applying mathematics to plan a real party.

I have successfully tutored students for the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test; South West Herts Consortium Academic Ability Test, Haberdashers' Boys' School 11+, 13+ and interview; and the Independent Schools Examinations Board Common Pre-Test. I have previously negotiated performance related pay arrangements, based on the students perfornamce in such tests.

Having spent 6 years as a KS1 and KS2 teacher and keystage leader, my day job is now leading the learning team at Chiltern Open Air Museum. I manage all aspects of the learning of 11,000 school-aged visitors to the museum each year. I qualified as a Teacher (QTS) from the Graduate Teacher Programme at the University of Hertfordshire in 2013. I have a MEng degree in Civil Engineering, graduating with first class honours in 2005. My secondary education was at Parmiters’ School - a high performing, selective state school in Watford, Hertfordshire. You will find me on LinkedIn if you search for me.

Working in Chalfont St Giles and living in Apsley, I favour tutoring in towns and villages located between the two. Places I will travel to include: Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter, Little Chalfont, Gerrards Cross, Seer Green, Jordans, Chorleywood, Hornhill, Amersham, Chesham, Flaunden, Sarratt, Bovingdon, Apsley and Boxmoor. I can tutor in my own home in Apsley and have a dedicated workspace, but I prefer to visit students in their own homes.

I expect students to be polite and hard working. I expect them to work in-between tutoring sessions and I expect their parent(s) to support them in their learning. Much of the homework I set is game related and I always teach the parent(s) the game alongside the student. I will require access to your home wifi network if the mobile reception on the Three network is poor.