Cheryl

I was born in Wolverhampton and currently live in a small market town north of Birmingham. In 2003, I gained 4 A-Levels in Chemistry, Music, Mathematics and History; grades A, A, B, B respectively. After sixth form, I went on to complete a dual honours degree in Chemistry and Music at the University of Keele where I achieved a first class degree. After university, I completed a PGCE in Secondary school Science at the University of Wolverhampton. Following qualification, I taught GCSE and A-Level Chemistry for seven years at Bishop Vesey's grammar school which is amongst one of the top 50 grammar schools in the country and helped many students achieve the top grades needed to gain their chosen university place. I also managed the extended project qualification. After a few years of A-level tutoring while my children were very young, I then moved to an alternative provision school in Birmingham where I led the science department and taught GCSE chemistry and physics and A-level chemistry. Teaching in this type of school enabled me to develop my knowledge of various special educational needs and disabilities.

I have now moved back into mainstream education and teach KS3 science, GCSE Chemistry and A-level chemistry at a school in South Staffordshire who have a large emphasis on digital learning. The skills I have learnt while in this role have helped greatly with my delivery and provision in online tutoring for Keystone.

Having numerous years’ experience of teaching and tutoring and understanding that each student learns differently, I always strive to adapt my teaching style to that of the student and how they learn best. Something I pride myself on is being able to explain difficult concepts in a simple, manageable way by breaking it down into smaller parts, drawing on analogies and using real life examples to ensure that the student gains a good understanding. I also like to incorporate past exam questions into every lesson so that students can apply their knowledge and gain an understanding of how to score maximum marks in the exam.

When I am not teaching I enjoy spending quality time with my family, exploring the outdoors on long walks and bike rides and helping my children with craft projects. I also enjoy travelling, in particular, visiting European cities. My passion is science and I love keeping up with recent science news and expanding my knowledge by listening to several science podcasts.