Mr Jeff Bragg

Contact Jeff

I am a father of two young boys, and we live in the Sutton area. I regard myself as a friendly and approachable tutor, as well as honest and conscientious, and I pride myself on being able to communicate with students of all ages, from pre-teen to pensioner. My hobbies are limited to reading these days, as there seems to be no time for much else, and I am particularly fond of English Literature. Dickens and Hardy are two of my favourites, but I am also keen on modern and less serious writers, such as Tom Sharpe and the two Rankins - Robert and Ian.

I am now available full-time for tutoring in the borough of Sutton and close by. I work Sunday to Friday between the hours of 3.30 and 9.30pm, although earlier lessons can usually be arranged on certain days.

Tutoring experience

I have almost 30 years of teaching and tutoring experience, both in the UK and abroad. I have taught and tutored English (including IGCSE, EFL and IELTS) in Spain, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Abu Dhabi, and also for many years in the UK of course. I have worked as a private tutor ever since I started teaching, as I realised that the existing state and private education providers could not meet the demand for high-quality intensive tuition.

I also offer personal tuition in Verbal Reasoning and English for those parents whose children (like mine!) are undertaking preparation for the 11+ and Common Entrance (13+) exams for the Grammar schools in Sutton and Kingston, and for the many independent schools in the area. In addition, I also teach Spanish and Economics for the GCSE and A-level exams, and have had many successful tutees in recent years.

I also give tuition in Study Skills, particularly for GCSE, A-level and undergraduate students. My experience has shown me that very few students know how to study effectively, especially regarding taking notes, writing essays and building coherent arguments. Improving a student's capacity to study means that they can produce more mature essays, and are thus able to obtain better grades.

Approach to tutoring

I endorse the humanist approach, and try to make my tutorials as interesting and relevant as possible. With every tutee I carry out an initial assessment of their needs and abilities, and my teaching begins from there. This approach appears to be successful, and the vast majority of my tutees are successful in their exams - 11+, 13+ (Common Entrance), GCSE and A-level.

I would say that my personal style is open and honest, and I encourage my students to learn from their mistakes, rather than chastising them. However, in order to make real progress the tutee has to do her/his homework to reinforce this, and I make this a clear condition of my tutoring.

Exam success requires hard work, and I push each and every one of my students to always do their best. If you are prepared to help your child achieve, please contact me.

Qualifications

YearCourseGradeInstitution
2014MA in Education(in progress)Open University
1997Postgrad Diploma in ESOLDistinctionSheffield Hallam University
1994PGCE for English and SpanishPassWolverhampton University
1989BA (hons.) in Spanish2:1Kingston Polytechnic

Availability:Weekdays (daytime and evening) / Weekends
Tuition location:Your home only (up to 3 miles away)
References:Y
DBS check:Y
Tutor's website:suttontutor.blogspot.co.uk