Thomas H.

My passion for chemistry began with my A-levels. At university I realised how mind-blowing it is what atoms do inside our bodies and my fate was set. I’ve been dedicated to lighting that same fire in others ever since.

I taught science with a chemistry specialism in UK schools and colleges from 2010 to 2021. During that time I successfully trained for my PGCE teaching diploma at the University of Cambridge. I then extended this to a Masters degree in science education (MEd). I have been tutoring since 2014, when I would see one or two students per week. In 2018 I left a permanent teaching job to go self-employed, during which time I have focused on building my reputation as a tutor. During lockdown I saw 20 tutees a week. I have had many five-star reviews on other tutoring platforms and have received many referrals from happy customers. Last year a student contacted me saying their friend had recommended me because I got them from an E grade when we met to an A grade when they graduated.

It’s mostly me asking you what you like on your chips. Well, not quite, but when we begin a topic, I'll always look for a way to make it relatable. And you might not like chips, in which case I’ll find out whatever food you like with salt and then we’ll talk about what holds the particles together in salt (ionic bonding). Then down the line I’ll ask you if there’s anything else you like on chips and if you don’t like vinegar we’ll find something you do like which contains vinegar. (Did you know there’s vinegar in ketchup?) Then we can talk about acids being proton donors, weak acids partially dissociating and so on.

Or I might ask why the inventor of the television rerouted the entire output of the Clydesdale Electric Company into a dustbin full of coaldust? Because this engaging folklore can also tells us something very useful about thermodynamics and how the Gibbs equation shows Baird never could have managed what he was trying to achieving - making diamond.

But inspiration alone doesn't win grades, so how do I prepare my students for exam success? I put the student in the front seat when I am tutoring. I ask my students what they want to work on and that’s what we work on. Within that I will constantly be asking questions to gauge whether there are any foundational gaps that need filling. Many A2 chemistry topics build on the concept of chemical equilibrium, for example, so I will ask questions to ensure there is a full understanding of the foundational content, before addressing the next content. Also I will frequently ask questions to elicit misconceptions, the common ways of misunderstanding scientific ideas which impair deeper learning. Instead of saying, no you've got the wrong idea, I say, let's explore that further. That's interesting, but then what would happen in this scenario? In this way I help students to see for themselves how to fix any problems with their thinking. Then of course there's the patient hours of exam question practice, which as a practising examiner (for OCR A) I am well equipped to help with. I am very encouraging, making sure always to start feedback on a positive note, before moving on to areas for improvement. I have helped many students to improve their grades.