Leia Zhao

I'm an experienced tutor in A level and GCSE biology, Cambridge Natural Sciences admissions as well as conversational English and Mandarin. I strive to help students find academic areas they are passionate about and build their confidence. Teaching is always tailored towards each student’s needs, interests and ability. I encourage my students to be an active participant in lessons and use intellectually stimulating discussions to help students think through challenging topics, gain confidence in their spoken language and discover areas they want to learn more about.

In my GCSE and A level biology lessons I aim to explain topics students find challenging at school and dive deeper into the topic for further understanding. I also help students expand their knowledge beyond the curriculum by going through novel topics in lessons and recommending reading, lectures or exhibitions. I also provide pragmatic advice in exam and revision technique.

I provide tuition in UK university admissions for biology, particularly Cambridge Biological Natural Science. I can guide students through the entire application process from selecting courses and universities, completing their UCAS form and writing a brilliant personal statement. For Cambridge Natural Sciences application I also provide advice on college selection and training for NSAA in addition to interviews.

I tutor students on day to day conversational English but also help science students improve their ability to engage in challenging scientific discussions. I encourage all students to listen to English, find opportunities to speak and read outside of classes so I often recommend shows, books and articles which we then discuss in class. For students also seeking to improve their written English I often set short essays and questions on books we are reading or creative writing as homework.

I also provide conversational Mandarin lessons for more advanced learners (A level and above) who aim to improve their spoken fluency. Lessons are discussion based and can range from simple everyday conversation to in depth conversations on current events, film and media or Chinese culture and literature depending on the students interests and ability.