About

My background

Inspired by Montessori

My experience

I’ve spent over 30 years working in education, supporting both children and adults in a wide range of roles. For much of that time, I’ve specialised in primary maths and English tutoring, working one‑to‑one with learners, both in person and online. Alongside my free-lance work, I’ve also taught with several tuition organisations, delivering lessons in‑centre and as a peripatetic tutor.

Earlier in my career, I taught English as an Additional Language in state primary schools across Barking & Dagenham and in Kensington & Chelsea.  I also worked as a class teacher in state and independent primary schools, primarily in east and north London, teaching English, maths and science across the primary age range.

Relevant qualifications

I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the Roehampton Institute of Higher Education, a Diploma in Montessori Education from the St Nicholas Training Centre, and a RSA/UCLES Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the Marble Arch School of English. These qualifications have given me a strong foundation in both traditional and alternative approaches to teaching, as well as specialist training in language learning.

How I got into online tutoring

After many years of teaching face‑to‑face, the change came during the Covid lockdowns of the early 2020s. A parent asked whether I could continue working with her children online. Although I wasn’t convinced it would work - I couldn’t imagine Montessori principles translating to a screen - I decided to give it a go.

Surprisingly, I found I could get the engagement and focus I needed from the learners. In fact, the experience was enhanced in several ways. There were fewer distractions, instant access to a wide bank of resources, and the ability to bring the wider Internet into the learning. I’ve been a convert ever since.

This has motivated me to refine and develop my own resources to use online. I know there are countless materials out there - I’ve spent many hours searching for the 'perfect' ones myself - but nothing quite matched what I had in mind. Creating my own resources and trialling them with my tutees has been an interesting and time-consuming passion. I have yet to fully emerge from that rabbit hole!

My inspiration

I’ve been deeply inspired by the life and work of Maria Montessori.  I trained in the Montessori Method and follow Montessori principles in my teaching.  Although it’s certainly a challenge to translate these principles from the physical world to the online world, I design my resources so they are…

(If you’d like to know more about Montessori, you’ll find a short introduction and video below.)

  • Engaging

    I keep my worksheets simple and uncluttered, focusing on one concept at a time. When there’s too much on the page, children can easily become distracted or confused.

  • Systematic

    The website has been structured to support a clear, step‑by‑step learning journey, with resources offered in a recommended sequence as well as an alphabetical index.

  • Concrete

    Concrete learning means using real, hands‑on materials. Online, that translates into giving practical tips on using real objects, alongside digital elements such as colour, images, audio, and video.

‘The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn’

Maria Montessori (1870 -1952) was born in Italy and was the first woman to become a medical doctor in the country. She later became very interested in how children learn and created the ‘Montessori Method’ of education. She not only developed materials for maths and language teaching but also for learning about the world and for creating peace in the world. I trained in the Montessori Method and have been very influenced by Montessori’s ideas. (photo courtesy of Association Montessori Internationale)

Find out more

  • Covers English National Curriculam targets for KS1&2 English and maths

    With answers where appropriate

    View resources

  • Provide the right amount of challenge.

    Build on what a child already knows

    Get support