Sheridan Taylor

I offer one-to-one, tailored support to students across a range of ages and abilities. The youngest student I have worked with was five years old, and I have also worked with a number of mature students, one of my older students being in his seventies!

The subjects I offer at each level are as follows:

Primary: Maths, English (Language and Literature), Creative Writing, Thinking Skills, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Combined Science

Secondary (GCSE): Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, English Language, English Literature, Classical Civilisation, Latin, Ancient Greek, Ancient History, Psychology

Secondary (A-Level): Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Latin, Ancient Greek, Philosophy, Psychology, Classical Civilisation

University Admissions Tests: MAT, PAT, TSA, CAT, STEP

Subjects I can offer above A-Level (on request), including supervision for EPQs: Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, Education

An increasing number of students are being required to sit an admissions test as part of their university applications. I am able to offer support for the following admissions tests: MAT, PAT, TSA, CAT, STEP.

Many students now choose to undertake an EPQ alongside their A-Level subjects. I am able to offer supervision in the following subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, and Education.

I have worked as an education consultant for fifteen years and specialise in Oxbridge preparation. As a graduate of both universities (and having received unconditional offers to both), I understand how much work is required to prepare thoroughly, and how it is often the case that students have to do much of this work independently, without the ongoing support of their schools. This can, understandably, seem daunting.

I offer one-off assessments with students to see whether Oxbridge would be a good fit for them (along with their subject choice, overall profile, and what could be done to maximise their chances of success). These assessments last for approximately 90 minutes and can be conducted online or face-to-face. After the meeting, I send a detailed report so that the student can start to prepare in a constructive, meaningful way.

Students might choose to change schools for a variety of reasons, including a relocation, change in family circumstances, or simply because the school is not the best fit for the student.

I have advised and subsequently helped a number of students to secure places at a range of academically selective schools in the UK (both day and boarding), in terms of "standard" entry points, occasional places, and placements during the academic year. Many of these students have been international, however, I have also helped home students who have requested this support.

I offer academic mentoring to students who wish to pursue the same subjects I read at university. This is to help students to study their chosen subject at a deeper, more meaningful level than they would typically be able to within a traditional classroom setting. I encourage students to develop academic areas of interest and to pursue these at a level which is closer to what could be expected from a first year undergraduate. This service helps students to feel more confident as they make their university applications, especially for institutions like Oxford and Cambridge, which require interviews as part of their admissions procedure.

I mentor students for the following subjects:

Mathematics/Mathematics with Physics: University of Cambridge

Literae Humaniores (Classics- IA, IB, IC, IIA, IIB): University of Oxford

Classics (3 or 4 year): University of Cambridge

PBS: University of Cambridge

Experimental Psychology: University of Oxford

I can also provide mentoring to anyone pursuing Economics/Behavioural Sciences if one of the areas of academic interest is JDM/risk perception/feedback mechanisms/dynamic systems.

I help students to prepare for mock interviews at all stages of their educational career, from much more informal 7+ interviews, to much "higher-stake" undergraduate and postgraduate interview formats.

I have conducted interviews on a one-to-one basis as well as appearing on a panel, and I have also trained other academic interviewers for the past nine years.

At the end of each interview, I provide the student with constructive feedback, and I always do my utmost to ensure that the mock interviews are a positive, learning experience for the student.

When students apply to university in the UK, they are required to submit a personal statement through UCAS which is then sent to all of their chosen universities. The personal statement can be a critical part of the overall application.

I offer one-to-one, tailored support to help students to craft a compelling personal statement, so that they might stand out to the admissions tutors. In addition to constructing the statement with the student, I provide advice as to what the student could undertake to strengthen their overall profile. This is particularly valuable to students applying to "top tier" universities (such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Durham, Warwick, UCL, LSE, Edinburgh), and those who are opting to apply to highly competitive courses (such as Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Law, Engineering, all courses at Oxbridge).

Over the years I have helped students to improve their essays, extended projects and dissertations, by offering proofreading, editing, and reference checks (typically APA or Harvard). I have worked with a number of students who do not have English as their first language, or who have a learning disability (such as dyslexia and dyspraxia) and would like help to phrase their ideas and arguments more clearly and concisely.

If this service would be of interest to you, please do get in touch to discuss what support you would like.

Choosing your degree course(s) and universities at the age of seventeen or eighteen can seem like quite a daunting prospect, especially if you are interested in more than one possible pathway, or you have questions about the admissions procedures and aspects about the degree courses.

I offer Private Consultations for either 60 mins or 90 mins to discuss all of your options with you. We can focus on universities within the UK, or include mainland Europe, the US, Canada, and other countries on request. After the meeting, I send a detailed report covering all that was discussed, along with any relevant information and links for the student to research afterwards.

I have supported students who have chosen to pursue education at home for the past fourteen years. I am a real advocate for home-schooling, and have seen firsthand how it can have a very positive impact on students' lives. I have home-schooled students who have spoken very little (or no) English to prepare them to enter the UK education system through to students studying for GCSEs and A-Levels. I have taught all subjects (except Religious Studies, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Drama, and Physical Education) at primary level and have taught GCSEs (offering English Language, English Literature, History, Latin, Ancient Greek, Classical Civilisation, Ancient History, Mathematics, Statistics, Psychology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and A-Levels (offering Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Language, English Literature, Psychology, Latin, Ancient Greek, Classical Civilisation, Ancient History).

As I have been a private tutor for 23 years, I have many years of experience upon which to draw, and I have worked with students across all ages and abilities (including those with learning disabilities). As a Cognitive Psychologist, I am fully aware of different learning styles and techniques and I ensure that I adapt the lessons to help the student to get the most out of each lesson. I always create lesson plans to ensure that students do not fall behind and also set regular homework (which I often create myself as opposed to using existing materials). This helps students to consolidate the material effectively, whilst also ensuring that any issues with understanding come to light quickly, so that they can be addressed without delay.

I believe that learning should be enjoyable, and I encourage my students to develop enquiring minds. I hold interactive lessons so that the students really feel as though they are proactive in class, as opposed to being spoken to for the duration of the session. In my classroom, there is no such thing as a "stupid" question.

In addition to my degrees, I hold a PACES from the University of Cambridge in Educational Assessment. This has given me a real insight into how to write and formulate homework and extended projects, in addition to crafting formative and summative assessments. I use informal assessments regularly (they are typically interactive, rather than sat under exam conditions) to help to boost my students' confidence, and I have nearly always received positive feedback from students, even the younger ones! I am now pursuing an MEd at Cambridge on Transforming Practice, with a specialisation on wellness within Education. I am particularly keen to support students in more tailored learning environments to ensure that they are thriving.

When students decide to make an application to Oxford or Cambridge, the vast majority make a direct application to one of the constituent Colleges (as opposed to making an open application). This can often take a disproportionate amount of time and energy, as students agonise over which Colleges to shortlist, which facilities they have, what support would be on offer, and, fairly often, which College would be a good choice for a "strategic application".

I have helped students with Oxbridge College selection since 2006, and offer detailed consultations with students to cover what they are looking for in a College, along with the entry requirements, and what compromises (if any) they would be willing to make. As I have been advising students successfully on College selection for so many years, I have a good insight into the different procedures employed. I have received very positive feedback from students who have opted for this support service, and I am always thrilled when they receive offers!