1. Tania, tell us a little bit about yourself and your role.
I became Head of Dukes Tutoring in September 2024, having worked with the company for 8 years previously as Head of Schools, when it was JK Educate. I am a primary teacher with experience teaching Year 2 – Year 7, an ex Deputy Head and school governor and music specialist. In my role, I feel very lucky to have a balance between teaching English / VR, advising parents, assessing children and consulting on 11+ and questions about schools, teaching and learning and setting targets for students. One of my favourite activities is interviewing students individually and in groups for entrance exams and giving them top tips and strategies to be the best that they can be, when under pressure.
2. To what extent did your own education shape who you are as a teacher? How so?
My mum was a headteacher and my dad was a GP. Sunday lunchtimes consisted of lots of big conversations and in depth discussions, often with my dad drawing a diagram on the back of an envelope to explain a distant, highly academic concept to my sisters and I! My mum would then explain it clearly in a more childlike way later to help us understand! I have always loved learning and being a learner, valuing the importance of asking questions in order to understand.
3. What is one of your favourite moments you’ve experienced as a tutor?
I feel so fortunate to have a job that I adore and teaching is such an enormous privilege. Helping children to grow in confidence, making progress and working towards clear targets each week is so important. It is like a farmer sowing the seeds, giving them the right nutrients and weather conditions. It doesn’t happen overnight, but over time, children work towards a personal goal and then when the entrance exam results come out, it is time for the harvest. I am always incredibly proud of each and every child, knowing the journey each individual student has been on, where they were and where they are, excited for what is ahead.
4. Can you tell us your three favourite books for children? Any age group you like!
This is such a hard question! I love Anthony Browne’s picture books which are so full of inference and deduction and you can spend hours looking for clues in the illustrations. Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian is an absolute classic and makes me cry, even now, at how an evacuee and a widow’s life are turned around by each other. Finally, in more recent years, I have loved The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell, a gripping mystery with strong characterisation and an unexpected outcome!
5. Tell us about the importance of communication between the 3 key stakeholders (parents, child, tutor)?
Communication is key and I believe that the parents, child and tutor become a team. You all play a critical part and have the child’s best interest at heart, wanting them to succeed and you are on their side. Children make the best progress, when all 3 stakeholders are heavily invested and targets are explicit and clear, homework is completed regularly and parents are aware of feedback and next steps. Investing in this relationship is key and I love getting to know the families that I work with and establishing a positive, professional relationship with each one.
6. How do you help a parent know when the right time to engage tutor is?
We believe that there has to be a need for tutoring and a clear objective or goal. This could be for curriculum support, short term tutoring in a tricky topic or module as well as for long term entrance exam or GCSE / A level tuition. With entrance exams, we would recommend starting about a year – 1.5 years in advance as time is needed to work on curriculum gaps, learn new topics which will challenge as well as starting to complete exam papers, learning important technique and strategy.
7. Finally, as we are in the early stages of a new school year, what top tips do you have for parents and carers to help them navigate the school year ahead.
Talking about the new year is important, reflecting on the celebrations of the previous year and thinking about the year ahead. What is your child proud of? How will they build on these areas further? What are their targets for the next year? What will they do differently?
I love the beginning of the school year when you begin a brand new exercise book and have a fresh start, where there is so much optimism and hope, where anything and everything is possible.
