Tutor profile - Jennie

Jennie has been a teacher and private tutor for over 30 years and has spent the last 10 years specialising in school entry preparation. She herself was privately educated at The Manor Preparatory School, St Helens and St Katherine School and Oxford High School, after which she went to Oxford University. Whilst studying at Oxford, Jennie successfully completed officer training and became a commissioned officer in the Territorial Army. This gave her incredible insight into how to work in a team effectively and her leadership experience very much helped when it came to classroom teaching. Jennie is a firm believer in the value of perusing interests alongside a good education. Her hobbies have included horse riding (National Championship level), open water diving (qualified to advanced level) and tennis (club level teams). She completed a second, music based degree and holds teaching qualifications for both arts and sciences so can be very flexible in covering a wide range of subjects with students. She has worked in both primary and secondary schools in the state and private sector and is very familiar with the requirements for school admissions at 7+, 8+, 11+ and 13+.

Jennie has travelled extensively as a private teacher, tutoring students in remote locations as diverse as the Arctic Ocean and the Galápagos Islands. This created incredible opportunities for her to be creative and use such interesting environments to inspire her students. Her approach is always to be positive, enthusiastic, flexible, understanding and most of all kind. Most of Jennie’s materials are tailor made for each student, taking into account student’s personalities and interests in order to maximise engagement in lessons.

Many of the families Jennie has worked with return to her multiple times for tutoring at critical points in a student’s education and often to help younger siblings navigate the same path. For example, Jennie tutored one student during his application to Sussex House, then she helped him through the application process at 11+ to multiple schools and finally assisted him with all subjects to 13+, most of which he passed with As. At 13+ he accepted a boarding place at Wellington College but was also offered places at other schools including a scholarship to Wetherby Senior School. Currently, Jennie is tutoring his younger sibling as he approaches 11+.

Another family initially asked Jennie to help with a 7+ application to the Perse School. Their daughter had been at a European style school and had not yet started to read and write; this was 6 months before the entrance exam. Jennie worked with the student intensively for several months bringing her up to speed in time for the exams which she passed with flying colours. A couple of years later Jennie helped with her younger sibling’s application, and more recently assisted both students again with their studies during lockdown and 11+ preparation for the Senior School.

Jennie recently published a book, ‘Maximise Your Child’s Performance’. Based on many years of experience in education, being a Mum, nanny and governess, and the latest research, Jennie focusses on 10 areas in which a student’s ‘intelligence’ can be changed, making it easier for them to achieve higher grades at school.

Jennie is a genuine person who is committed to helping students achieve their full potential by tailoring a program of work for each according to their needs and personalities.