A bit about me...
Born in Edinburgh, I was raised in India and then Africa, travelling to England from the age of 6 for schooling, before returning to the UK permanently in my 20s. Having lived in London and South East England since then, our family moved to the Scottish Highlands in 2012, primarily to raise our children in a less chaotic and more natural environment. We've had no regrets at all...and our various dogs and cats seem similarly content with the move!
I have always been passionate about English, from the weekly spelling tests and grammar exercises of primary school to the privilege at Uppingham of being taught at A Level by Tolkien's grandson. His vibrant, interactive approach shaped my ongoing learning and fired my imagination; think: 'Dead Poets Society'...
After leaving Edinburgh University with a Masters Honours Degree in English Language and in English Literature, I went on to take a TEFL qualification at International House in London and used this when travelling abroad in Turkey and throughout the Caribbean. I am delighted that I continue to work in the area of EAL with overseas students in British schools, and that technology has allowed me to work with individuals in their home countries, via Skype.
My love of English directed my career, working first at the Royal Shakespeare Company before becoming an independent theatre producer in London, and a theatre advertising executive on accounts such as Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Cats' and Sir Cameron Mackintosh's ‘Les Miserables'. I was then headhunted for a Directorship of one of the UK's leading corporate training providers, devising and delivering in the UK and abroad, tailormade programmes and conferences employing theatrical techniques, to government departments, national services and global organisations.
In 2008, my partner and I began the home education of our two children at primary stage. We completed this journey with both children securing A grades for English Language and English Literature at age 13, with top grades across all their IGCSEs, GCSEs and A Levels, and with offers from all universities; our daughter having recently graduated with a First Class Honours Degree and English and Classics. Home education was both challenging and inspirational, but the experiences and knowledge I gained during those years - not purely academic, but also the different ways and methods of learning, the different developmental stages of children, the different learning styles of children - were invaluable, and continue to inform my present day tutoring. We do children and young people a disservice when delivering education with a single approach. With exams seemingly always on the horizon, I remain convinced that imparting exam technique is vital. Knowing your subject is critical, but knowing how to perform and deliver within time pressures and under emotional strain, is just as important. Psychological preparation is as key as its academic partner.
While home educating, and with my love of theatre, I founded an educational theatre group, Active Arts, with Margo Gunn, a teacher and director at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. We worked with a wide age range of home educated and mainstream school children, providing workshops on various Shakespeare plays including 'Midsummer Night’s Dream', 'The Tempest' and 'Romeo & Juliet'. Workshops were also designed specifically in support of GCSE/IGCSE work. As passionate advocates of Shakespeare, our approach was active and energetic, lifting Shakespeare off the page and introducing his plays, his language and his theatricality in an engaging and tangible manner. I was thrilled to be able to resurrect this work in the Highlands, initially at a local primary school, conducting 4 workshops for Primary 4 - Primary 7, resulting in workshop presentations of 'The Tempest' and 'Macbeth'.
Since 2022, as I continue to develop my practice, I now also work as an examiner, team leader, assessment analyst, paper vetter and grade reviewer with two of the leading international exam boards, marking English exams across GCSE, IGCSE, O Level and AS Level, in both the summer and winter series, for candidates in the UK and overseas. In addition, I work with two international consultancies supporting students in China and Hong Kong with general literacy issues, national exam preparation, and entry exams to leading UK private schools. I also work with a leading specialist assessment company in the UK, marking practice and mock exams for schools and providing feedback reports on candidate performance. I am also a member of The Tutors' Association.