Siân Smith
Siân has a degree in English from St. John’s College, Cambridge University, and has been an English teacher for five years, the last three at a leading independent London day school. Prior to teaching she spent a year in Paris and speaks nearly-fluent French. Siân loves reading and has a particularly wide knowledge of the classics in both poetry and prose – her favourite writers include Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen and Graham Greene. In her spare time she likes to play tennis, sing and play the piano. Siân has recently started her own company Apricity London, which provides educational talks and classes in subjects such as The History of London, or Shakespeare’s Villains to the corporate world.
Siân has been a full time English teacher for five years, teaching across the spectrum from KS3 to Oxbridge preparation. She has experience of a range of exam boards and her recent three years in an academic London day school ensures that she has a thorough knowledge of the 11+ and 13+ entrance exam requirements as well as the expectations in English Literature and English Language GCSE or IGCSE, and English Literature at A Level and beyond.
Her recent set of student results at A Level included 7 A* grades and 1 A grade in a class of eight.
Siân is a very friendly and approachable tutor. She does not judge or have unrealistic expectations, but at the same time will work to get the very best out of each student. She likes to keep lessons varied, so depending on the needs of the student, there will generally be a range of tasks which require the student to think about the subject in different ways, and keeps them interested. If the student has a particular exam in mind then the focus will be on this, but she also likes to encourage a love for literature and reading whilst keeping this within relation to the exam.