Hugo

I was born in London and grew up in SW6. I have played and studied music since the age of four, and having finished my A-Levels at Westminster School in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and French, I went on to study a degree at Leeds, comprising two very different but equally exciting subjects - Mathematics and Music. Since finishing my degree I have been tutoring alongside writing and performing music of varying styles. I have tutored in subjects across the board but I tend to specialise in Mathematics, English, Reasoning and Study Skills. Particular focus is with exam preparation and I have experience tutoring students applying to a number of different schools. I have taught children of all ages and abilities and my range of focus is from 11+ (year 5 onwards) up to GCSE/IGCSE. I also have a lot of experience working with students who have special educational needs and learning difficulties and I pride myself on finding unique and personalised ways of teaching to accommodate students with a range of abilities and needs.

Having taught a multitude of students of varying levels and abilities, I always feel that my tutoring methods must be adapted to the child based on personality, interests and capabilities. That said, I endeavour to spark interest and excitement in those that I teach, so that the learning process for them becomes a pleasure rather than a chore. I believe learning should be both fun and focussed and I aim to create a space where students can enjoy learning and feel at ease. My policy is that 'no question is too big or too small' and I encourage students to ask me anything, even if they feel that they 'should' know the answer, or perhaps were unable to ask their school teacher. Often it is difficult for teachers to revisit old topics in the classroom and as such, these areas can often become neglected. It is also important that no student is ever made to feel inadequate for not knowing something. I will always endeavour to work carefully and thoroughly with my students, rebuilding concepts from the ground upwards where necessary.

An important aim is in my lessons is to build confidence in my students and to allow them to tap into their individual strengths to tackle areas of difficulty. I especially find that when teaching a subject like maths, a one-to-one dynamic enables us to really spend as much time as is necessary on tricky concepts. It is an easy subject to fall behind in where things are missed and this can really affect confidence, so I make it a priority to bring simplicity and ease back into the subject at every possible opportunity. I aim to build a high level of confidence in my students that will enable them to take the subjects in their stride, to be well equipped to tackle forthcoming concepts and problems in the classroom environment and, above all, to enjoy their studies. Another area I hold in high regard is study skills. I feel that often students can really benefit from finding strong processes in their work and studies, understanding their approach better and finding the most streamlined way of working, whilst ensuring they are able to stay organised. This is something I work on with many of my students and again, adapting the approach is key in finding the best methods.

I dedicate a lot of hours of my week to tutoring and when I am not tutoring I write and perform music.

I have studied music for most of my life, primarily as a pianist. I attended the Royal College of Music Junior Department for a number of years and spent a lot of time at school and university honing my songwriting and production skills. I have been writing music for the past five years or so, exploring styles such as electronic dance music and experimental music, and I now perform as a soloist with my own original material.

I have also spent a lot of time travelling to a variety of different places and am passionate about culture, history, food and languages!

I am also an avid Chess player.