Abigail

 

Biography

Teaching has been a constant thread throughout my adult life, but the 11+ has always been at the heart of it. What began in the primary classroom, where I established Gifted and Talented English programmes and ran dedicated 11+ preparation for pupils applying to Westminster, St Paul’s and Latymer, developed into a specialism I have now been building for nearly a decade as a private tutor.

I hold a Masters in Education (passed with distinction) and have recently completed my PhD, also in Education. My research sits at the intersection of academic pressure and personal development, exploring how young people, particularly girls, navigate high-stakes transitions. It is work that directly informs how I think about the 11+ experience: not just as an exam, but as a process that the whole family goes through, and one that works best when a child feels genuinely supported rather than drilled.

I gained my QTS at Goldsmiths in 2015, graduating ‘Outstanding’, a standard I have maintained across three Ofsted inspections, and have taught across both the state and independent sectors. However, it is the one-to-one tuition space where I have found my home: working closely with children, understanding how they think, and finding the approach that gets the best out of them.

I pride myself on the rapport I build with my students, many of whose siblings have sat with me too. Parents regularly comment on how at ease their children feel, and I would describe myself as lively and approachable, with lessons that are engaging and, wherever possible, genuinely fun.

Teaching Experience

I have been a private tutor since 2016, preparing students for the 11+ in English, Maths, VR and NVR.

Some of my experience highlights include:

• 10 years preparing students for the 11+ with students gaining places at: Highgate, Henrietta Barnett, Westminster, City of London (Boys and Girls), North London Collegiate, Brighton College, QE Boys, Latymer Upper, St Paul’s School, St Paul’s Girls’, St Albans High School for Girls, Alleyn’s, Mill Hill, UCS, Channing, Francis Holland, South Hampstead, Merchant Taylors’ and Haberdashers’ Aske’s (Boys and Girls).
• 10+ years as a qualified primary school teacher across both the state and independent sectors, teaching Years 3, 5, 6 and 7.
• Additional support for students with dyslexia and dyscalculia, and for those needing targeted help in English and Maths outside the 11+ pathway.

Interests

Outside of teaching, I practise Ashtanga yoga, and I am a passionate skier. I am a devoted Charles Dickens reader, with A Tale of Two Cities as my favourite and Bleak House a firm Christmas tradition. I also have a Shih Tzu called Scrumpy, who is usually sat at my feet while I teach.