I am a qualified secondary mathematics teacher in Scotland, based in Fife, with classroom experience delivering courses from S1-3, Nationals 3-5, up to Advanced Higher, including Mathematics and Applications of Mathematics. I have worked with students who have a wide variety of additional support needs including dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and autism. I want to use my experience, passion, and time to help young people succeed in mathematics and become confident learners. I am GTCS and PVG registered.

Courses Covered

S1-3 Broad General Education

Focus on the building blocks of numeracy
Use a range of strategies to find the right one for the learner
Can incorporate concrete and pictorial aids, if useful to learner
Work towards the outcomes assessed in the National Curriculum for Excellence Levels 2-4

Nationals 3, 4, 5 Maths and Apps

Covered to the SQA standards specification for National Qualifications
Help bridging the gap from S1-S3 to National Qualifications
Help directing study to improve retention
Regular past paper and custom mock exam questions to assess progress

Higher and Advanced Higher

Covered to the SQA standards specification for National Qualifications
Revisit National 5 skills where there are gaps, e.g., factorisation in algebra
Regular past paper and custom mock exams to assess progress

Contact me whether it is for addressing gaps in numeracy from the past, specific topics in class or homeworks, the odd one-off session for a particular issue, or a longer term learning plan. Open to all Secondary-level pupils and to adult learners studying for National Qualifications.

Experience

2023 – 2025
Classroom Teacher, Fife Council
2018 – 2022
Lecturer in Maths and Statistics,
University of St Andrews
2014 – 2018
Mathematics Tutor,
Private and University of St Andrews
2017 – 2018
School co-coordinator for Academic Skills Project, CAPOD

Education

2022 – 2023
PDGE Secondary Mathematics,
Qualified Teacher,
University of Dundee
2014 – 2018
PhD Statistics, University of St Andrews
2010 – 2014
MMath Mathematics,
University of Andrews, First Class

How Sessions Work

Check

First activity of the session will

Check what the student already knows
Find any misconceptions the student has
Find gaps in knowledge to address in the session

Examples of activities: multiple choice questions, discussing a maths prompt (a picture or maths problem), playing a quick game, or reviewing work from their personal study or last session.

Show, Discuss, Practice

Next, new knowledge is taught in three stages:

Show the learner using a clear worked example
Discuss the example and do some more problems together
Student practices on similar problems with my support and commentary

The learner is given the support that is right for them: picture aids, prompts from me, broken down steps written down, and custom problems to address their particular difficulties. The aim is for the learner to gradually need less and less support, becoming independent.

Feedback

At the end of each session

Review what was learned that session
Identify a goal for next session
Revist an old topic to build long-term memory

The goal is not only for students to learn but also remember. This is recorded in a Progress table like the one above. Written feedback is then sent to parents and carers.

Fees

I am based in North East Fife covering Anstruther, St Andrews, Cupar, Leven, Kirkcaldy, and Glenrothes.

Sessions can be in-person or online.

The following fees apply for the 25/26 academic session:

In-person £35 per hour with first consultation session FREE
Online £30 per hour. Start-up 15 minute consultation session FREE
For in-person outside a reasonable driving distance, fee can be negotiated

All sessions are one-to-one unless group tutoring is specifically requested.