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    Stanley’s Ultimate Guide to 11-Plus Writing

    £5.00
    A comprehensive guide to the key genres featuring in 11-Plus exams - tips and tricks for making your writing stand out. Meet Ali: Your Guide to Confident Writing Having graduated from The University of Warwick with first class honours in English and with twenty-five years of experience teaching English to children worldwide and a passion for creative writing, Ali knows how to nurture confident and capable writers. She brings the National Curriculum objectives to life, sparking a love for writing even in the most reluctant students. Discover Stanley’s Guides Stanley’s Guides are meticulously designed to take students on a learning journey through each genre. Using checklists and knowledge organisers, children receive clear expectations in a memorable and engaging way. With a little help from Stanley, Ali crafts a piece at the end of each booklet, complete with annotations to demonstrate effective use of the guide. Perfect for Ages 10-11 Aimed at children aged 10 to 11, these guides are suitable for all students and are especially beneficial for those preparing for 11-plus entrance tests. Join Us Online Visit our website for live lesson details and access to a wealth of free videos. Let Ali and Stanley help your child become a confident and enthusiastic writer!
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  • Stanley’s Ultimate Guide to Cracking Characters

    £5.00
    Character descriptions are crucial in story writing.  This guide will teach you the core skills required to bring a character to life. Meet Ali: Your Guide to Confident Writing Having graduated from The University of Warwick with first class honours in English and with twenty-five years of experience teaching English to children worldwide and a passion for creative writing, Ali knows how to nurture confident and capable writers. She brings the National Curriculum objectives to life, sparking a love for writing even in the most reluctant students. Discover Stanley’s Guides Stanley’s Guides are meticulously designed to take students on a learning journey through each genre. Using checklists and knowledge organisers, children receive clear expectations in a memorable and engaging way. With a little help from Stanley, Ali crafts a piece at the end of each booklet, complete with annotations to demonstrate effective use of the guide. Perfect for Ages 7-10 Aimed at children aged 7 to 10, these guides are suitable for all students and are especially beneficial for those preparing for 11-plus entrance tests. Join Us Online Visit our website for live lesson details and access to a wealth of free videos. Let Ali and Stanley help your child become a confident and enthusiastic writer!
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  • Stanley’s Ultimate Guide to Creating Atmosphere in Stories

    £5.00
    Meet Ali: Your Guide to Confident Writing Having graduated from The University of Warwick with first class honours in English and with twenty-five years of experience teaching English to children worldwide and a passion for creative writing, Ali knows how to nurture confident and capable writers. She brings the National Curriculum objectives to life, sparking a love for writing even in the most reluctant students. Discover Stanley’s Guides Stanley’s Guides are meticulously designed to take students on a learning journey through each genre. Using checklists and knowledge organisers, children receive clear expectations in a memorable and engaging way. With a little help from Stanley, Ali crafts a piece at the end of each booklet, complete with annotations to demonstrate effective use of the guide. Perfect for Ages 9-13 Aimed at children aged 9 to 13, these guides are suitable for all students and are especially beneficial for those preparing for 11-plus entrance tests. Join Us Online Visit our website for live lesson details and access to a wealth of free videos. Let Ali and Stanley help your child become a confident and enthusiastic writer!
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  • Stanley’s Ultimate Guide to Riveting Recounts

    £5.00
    Meet Ali: Your Guide to Confident Writing Having graduated from The University of Warwick with first class honours in English and with twenty-five years of experience teaching English to children worldwide and a passion for creative writing, Ali knows how to nurture confident and capable writers. She brings the National Curriculum objectives to life, sparking a love for writing even in the most reluctant students. Discover Stanley’s Guides Stanley’s Guides are meticulously designed to take students on a learning journey through each genre. Using checklists and knowledge organisers, children receive clear expectations in a memorable and engaging way. With a little help from Stanley, Ali crafts a piece at the end of each booklet, complete with annotations to demonstrate effective use of the guide. Perfect for Ages 9-13 Aimed at children aged 9 to 13, these guides are suitable for all students and are especially beneficial for those preparing for 11-plus entrance tests. Join Us Online Visit our website for live lesson details and access to a wealth of free videos. Let Ali and Stanley help your child become a confident and enthusiastic writer!
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  • Stanley’s Ultimate Guide to Sentence Building

    £5.00
    A back to basics approach to improving writing.  Taking children on a path from the most basic simple sentence, all the way to the most complex.  Using 'grammar maths', children learn how to build increasingly more complex sentences. Click here to view free lesson videos. Meet Ali: Your Guide to Confident Writing Having graduated from The University of Warwick with first class honours in English and with twenty-five years of experience teaching English to children worldwide and a passion for creative writing, Ali knows how to nurture confident and capable writers. She brings the National Curriculum objectives to life, sparking a love for writing even in the most reluctant students. Discover Stanley’s Guides Stanley’s Guides are meticulously designed to take students on a learning journey through each genre. Using checklists and knowledge organisers, children receive clear expectations in a memorable and engaging way. With a little help from Stanley, Ali crafts a piece at the end of each booklet, complete with annotations to demonstrate effective use of the guide. Perfect for Ages 7-11 Aimed at children aged 7 to 11, these guides are suitable for all students and are especially beneficial for those preparing for 11-plus entrance tests. Join Us Online Visit our website for live lesson details and access to a wealth of free videos. Let Ali and Stanley help your child become a confident and enthusiastic writer!
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  • Stanley’s Ultimate Guide to Splendid Settings

    £5.00
    Picture response descriptive writing is a common entrance exam task.  This guide covers six different settings, giving students invaluable advice on how to excel in this genre.. Meet Ali: Your Guide to Confident Writing Having graduated from The University of Warwick with first class honours in English and with twenty-five years of experience teaching English to children worldwide and a passion for creative writing, Ali knows how to nurture confident and capable writers. She brings the National Curriculum objectives to life, sparking a love for writing even in the most reluctant students. Discover Stanley’s Guides Stanley’s Guides are meticulously designed to take students on a learning journey through each genre. Using checklists and knowledge organisers, children receive clear expectations in a memorable and engaging way. With a little help from Stanley, Ali crafts a piece at the end of each booklet, complete with annotations to demonstrate effective use of the guide. Perfect for Ages 7-9 Aimed at children aged 7 to 9, these guides are suitable for all students and are especially beneficial for those preparing for 11-plus entrance tests. Join Us Online Visit our website for live lesson details and access to a wealth of free videos. Let Ali and Stanley help your child become a confident and enthusiastic writer!
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  • Stanley’s Ultimate Guide to Stunning Settings

    £5.00
    Picture response descriptive writing is a common entrance exam task.  This guide covers six different settings, giving students invaluable advice on how to excel in this genre. Meet Ali: Your Guide to Confident Writing Having graduated from The University of Warwick with first class honours in English and with twenty-five years of experience teaching English to children worldwide and a passion for creative writing, Ali knows how to nurture confident and capable writers. She brings the National Curriculum objectives to life, sparking a love for writing even in the most reluctant students. Discover Stanley’s Guides Stanley’s Guides are meticulously designed to take students on a learning journey through each genre. Using checklists and knowledge organisers, children receive clear expectations in a memorable and engaging way. With a little help from Stanley, Ali crafts a piece at the end of each booklet, complete with annotations to demonstrate effective use of the guide. Perfect for Ages 9-13 Aimed at children aged 9 to 13, these guides are suitable for all students and are especially beneficial for those preparing for 11-plus entrance tests. Join Us Online Visit our website for live lesson details and access to a wealth of free videos. Let Ali and Stanley help your child become a confident and enthusiastic writer!
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  • Stanley’s Ultimate Guides to Writing

    £5.00
    Don't miss out on purchasing these fabulous writing guides. Designed to support all children studying the English National Curriculum and ideal for students sitting entrance exams too.
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  • Step Write Up Complimentary Trial

    £0.00
    Experience the benefits of our classes before you commit! We’d love to welcome you for a complimentary trial, so you can see first hand how enjoyable and rewarding our lessons are. Simply fill in your details, and we’ll be in touch shortly with available times. Feel free to email us at alison@goldenbrainacademy.com -we’d be happy to assist you with any questions you may have.
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  • Step Write Up Marking Service

    £51.50
    Maximise Your Child’s Writing Potential with Our Exclusive Marking Service While marking maths and comprehension papers is straightforward, writing is a different ball game with no right or wrong answers and complex mark schemes. But fear not—we’re here to help! Our service provides genre-based writing tasks for your child to complete. Each task is comprehensively marked, accompanied by a detailed report highlighting strengths, weaknesses and expert guidance on how to improve. Cost: £50 How It Works:
    1. Purchase the Task: Select the relevant task based on your child’s age and the required genre. Download it immediately.
    2. Complete the Task: Your child completes Task 1 and emails it to one of our English expert markers.
    3. Receive Feedback: The writing is marked in detail, and a comprehensive report is sent, indicating strengths and areas for improvement.
    4. Improve and Resubmit: Your child completes Task 2, incorporating the feedback from the report.
    5. Final Assessment: The same teacher marks the second task and issues another detailed report.
    Our service ensures your child receives personalised feedback and support, helping them make significant progress and gain confidence in their writing abilities. Suitable for 7-Plus, 11-Plus and 13-Plus grammar and independent entrance exams
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    testing

    £140.00
    Courses span across 7 weeks from the 30th October to the 17th December 2023 You can join at any point during the course.
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    Writing Clinics

    £0.00 – £5.15
    Anyone can be a fabulous writer once they have been taught by an expert! Ali's writing clinics have been carefully designed to boost children's skills in particular areas, such as:
    • using expanded noun phrases
    • fronted adverbials
    • show not tell
    • using the senses
    • subordinate clauses
    • ambitious vocabulary
    • varied punctuation
    • figurative language
    For just £5 per 45-minute session, students will receive a top-quality, interactive writing lesson with all the bespoke resources included!  All taught by a highly experienced former Head of English with a proven success record.
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David

What is the best thing about being a teacher?

Seeing students develop and grow in their ability and subject knowledge, achieving things they never thought possible. Those ‘lightbulb’ moments when a student finally ‘gets it’ and can move their learning forward. Being a teacher allows me to be creative everyday in communicating my passion for your subject, and from a personal point of view, the unpredictable nature of the classroom means I am always learning, developing my practice and adapting to new situations.

Why Geography?

Geography is so relevant. Pick up newspaper and the headlines are rarely far from the subjects we study. Right now, Climate Change, Mass Migration, Urbanisation, Desertification and Defestation are all highly newsworthy topics and studied in depth in the Geography classroom at all levels. These are the issues that young people will need to tackle as they grow up, and Geography gives them a solid grounding for this.

How effective is it teaching your subject online?

Very. The teacher student relationship is what is important. A passionate, skilled teacher and an enthusiastic student ensure that the online environment is no barrier to learning.

When not teaching Geography what do you do in your spare time?

As well as having teenage sons, I coach and manage a Youth football Team. I play snooker, and am very into scale model making. I am also very keen on art, and was recently highly commended for my entries in the SAAs Artist of the Year competition.

Kate M

Kate M

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I have been teaching maths for 14 years. I trained at University College London.

What is your favourite subject and why?

My favourite subject is maths. I like solving problems. In particular, I enjoy mechanics which is part of the A-level course.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

My proudest moments in teaching are on results days. I love seeing students getting their grades, after all their hard work.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Which way is gravity?

What do you love most about your job?

Helping students become more confident in maths.

Dee

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I trained at Southampton University and finished my PGCE in 2005. I taught in secondary school for 2 years and then moved to a maritime academy where I was teaching GCSE level maths and also basic meteorology. Weather forecasting is my first love and combining it with teaching has been a complete joy.

What is your favourite subject and why?

My favourite A level subject was biology but I needed Physics and Maths for the Meteorology degree at Reading University. I will always be a weather geek who is also really good at teaching maths!

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

When I left my secondary school, only one of my students gave me a gift. I had taught her maths two years and she had also been in my tutor group. The gift was a small teddy bear holding a sign saying “world’s greatest teacher”. I still have that bear 16 years later.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

“Is a 90 degree angle pointing to the left called a left angle…?” Turned out the student had never seen a right angle pointing to the left.

What do you love most about your job?

I love knowing that I am making a tangible difference to the confidence and mindset of my students. My most recent new tutee said at our second session “I don’t know what you did last week but my brain has definitely got bigger!” Watching their self belief grow as I help them develop their mathematical knowledge and skills is a privilege.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I guess it would have to be Storm from the X Men movies. I get enough flack from family and friends when outdoor events are impacted by the weather so it would be amazing to be able to control it for family BBQs! Keeping the rain away from cricket matches would also be really cool.

Emma

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I trained in schools, mine was principally at unity college in burnley.

What is your favourite subject and why?

I obviously love maths, but also like drama and art.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

I loved the moment where the boy that had sighed when told we were moving on to algebra, said a week later…” it’s not that bad this algebra miss!”

What do you love most about your job?

I love it when a child who starts really subdued, with no confidence, is the one who after a time is asking questions and attempting everything you put to them.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I love it when a child who starts really subdued, with no confidence, is the one who after a time is asking questions and attempting everything you put to them.

Nathan

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I’ve been teaching since, 2017 when I started my school direct training with the University of Nottingham where I graduated with distinction.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Maybe a bit too obvious, physics! I had a lot of great Physics teachers when I was young, and I found understanding how the universe works quite interesting.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

My first ever results day when a student of mine found out they had a place to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Considering that I’m bald and have a beard, the amount of times I get called “Miss” or even “Mum”.

What do you love most about your job?

Helping young people find out who they are and what interests them, particularly when what they love is science!

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I’ve always loved Alan Moore’s comics, so perhaps V from V for Vendetta.

Chris

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

23yrs and in Liverpool.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Chemistry. It explains why the universe contains more than hydrogen gas.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

Hard one! I think you remember those lightbulb moments most, when children suddenly “get it” and as a result they have a deep realisation about reality.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

A year 7 once told me they had been in hospital and had needed a “sirloin solution” in their arm. I was so jealous.

What do you love most about your job?

Helping students overcome their challenges.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

One that has super-healing powers so that they can heal others who are sick.

Lorraine

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

22 years teaching. Trained at Derby University (BEd Hons degree)

What is your favourite subject and why?

My favourite subject is English as I adore creative writing.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

My most memorable teaching moment was when a child thanked me via the most beautifully written poem for being her teacher.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

On the most recent residential I went on with school, we were snowed in so all planned activities were cancelled. Instead, we had sledge races and snowball fights on the zip wire-such fun!

What do you love most about your job?

What I love most about teaching primary aged children…that they have the most amazing imagination!

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

My favourite hobby is swimming, so it’s got to be Ariel the mermaid!

Buddy

How long have you been with the GBA team?

Since I was a puppy, apparently I was a reward for Emma who had to go into hospital. She also gave me my name but I’m often referred to as Buds, Baz, Bazball and Basil.

What is your favourite part of the day and why?

Walkies! We are lucky there are plenty of places to chase squirrels and meet other dogs. Toffee my sister can be quite boring so I like making new friends

Tell us about your most memorable moment as a GBA dog

My 3rd birthday when the 11plus class sang happy birthday to me.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Is it OK if I give him a treat (I mean obvs!)

What do you love most about your job?

When Mummy picks me up and all the children wave at me 😊

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I’d quite like to be a police dog as they are bravest of all. Mummy says I’m a bit small though!

Toffee

How long have you been with the GBA team?

I’m originally from Abu Dhabi and came back to London with the family in 2017. I’m not a fan of English winters to be honest.

What is your favourite part of the day and why?

Breakfast / dinner plus sleep and nap time. The other hour of the day I like less.

Tell us about your most memorable moment as a GBA dog

Once in a maths class the children had to estimate my weight. I was quite offended!

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Fetch (theres no way I’m getting a ball)

What do you love most about your job?

Sleeping in the beanbag while the humans are working.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Scooby Doo ! I love the idea of those scooby treats.

Dawn

Dawn

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

This is my seventh year as a teacher. Before becoming a teacher, I worked in a children’s home and I have always loved working with children. I studied to become a teacher at the University of Cumbria in London. Teaching placements were in large, multicultural schools and I gained great experience there.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Well, you guessed right: English is my favourite subject to teach. I love to inspire children to develop their story writing skills and it is so good to see the progress they make when they take on board tips and edit as they write. I thoroughly enjoy teaching Maths and I always incorporate games, making lessons as fun and engaging as possible.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

I have lots of great moments I could talk about, however, one of my most memorable moments in teaching was when my class put on an assembly about the Titanic. Many of the children really had to step out of their comfort zones to perform in front of a huge audience and they were amazing; they were like actors in a West End musical. I was so proud of them all.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

One day, around a week into teaching a new Year 6 class, one of the children came up to me and said, “You’re really nice, Miss, you’ll get lots of apples.”

What do you love most about your job?

I love the interactions I have with children daily. I really enjoy creating a safe and happy learning environment for everyone, where we celebrate the achievements of each member of the class. When children aren’t afraid to make mistakes and help each other learn, it makes my heart happy.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

If I could be a superhero, as cheesy as it sounds, I would have powers to make children view themselves in a very positive light and to have real faith in their abilities. I think it’s a tricky time for children growing up and that the influence of social media, for example, can make people feel that they aren’t enough. I would wipe all those thoughts out as my superpower. I wonder what my name could be?

Louise

Louise

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

Began September 2001 – Durham University

What is your favourite subject and why?

English Literature and Maths, torn between the two. English as I love how a picture can be painted in your head through the written word. And maths as it was something I had to try extra hard at due to a year with a poor teacher, the catch up with a tutor, with a passion for the subject, managed to pass their enthusiasm on to me.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

There have been so many, but getting the first assessment results back after my first year of teaching and seeing how much I had managed to move the students on was a real moment!

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Without sharing their secrets, or their parents’ secrets, it is usually when they share something about their home life that you know Mum or Dad would really prefer them not to!

What do you love most about your job?

Watching children get better at something, especially when they think that they can’t do it.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Super Man, he always saves the day, who wouldn’t want to be able to do that!

Julia

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

20+ years. Started as learning support, then encouraged by school to train on the job to achieve QTS. Loved the classroom – equally love 1:1 and the difference I can make to individuals.

What is your favourite subject and why?

English, obviously, but also loved Foreign Languages, History and Food Tech.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

It used to the time a particular needy SEND child stopped my lesson to explain why we needed apostrophes – priceless and so rewarding. But now I have to say it was realising how well some pupils reacted to online teaching during Covid. Whilst many struggled and didn’t engage at all, there were a significant number who positively thrived – they could work at their own pace, weren’t influenced by others and had my undivided attention for feedback on a daily basis! I realised that here was a way to meet the needs of certain children.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

I always smiled when a child called me ‘mum’ but really laughed out loud when one called me ‘gran’!

What do you love most about your job?

Seeing a pupil grow in confidence as they finally understand what they ‘just didn’t get’ earlier. Being able to make a difference.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I’d like to be some sort of Equaliser – not to level the playing field, but to give a leg up to those who need it the most.

Masami

Masami

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I’ve been teaching Japanese in UK since 2015. I completed the teaching Japanese course at Kansai University of Foreign Languages in Osaka.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Always languages. I like learning languages because it’s simply fascinating and also you can see the different way of thinking and cultures through learning their languages.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

When a student who was very shy and didn’t like to show his face when it comes to do the online lesson but he was brave enough to show his face and tried to speak Japanese. The very memorable moment was when he gave me a smile when the lesson was finished.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Japanese particle is usually one hiragana and it decidse the meaning of a sentence so it’s really easy to make mistakes. This often happens and I shouldn’t be laughing with their mistakes but it always gives me a laugh when the student says “ Watashiwa tomodachio tabemasu (I eat my friend)” instead of ” Watashiwa tomodachito tabemasu (I eat with my friend)”.

What do you love most about your job?

To be able to connect with the people who shows interest in our country and language through teaching and able to support them with their learning.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

A Japanese Cartoon character, Doraemon（Cat Robot）because his best friend always struggles with his life and Doaemon helps him with his interesting tools. I want to give my tools like Doraemon to help learners to be engaged and have fun learning Japanese.

Julia A

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I completed my TeachFirst training in a school in Kent. I have been teaching KS3/4/5 for 3 years and have been a head of year for 1 year. I was a Medical Education Consultant before becoming a qualified teacher!

What is your favourite subject and why?

I teach the sciences, so I love all things STEM, and I loved my degree in cognitive neuroscience! I also enjoy learning about ancient history or making music….I strive to be a polymath and love learning new things all the time!

What do you love most about your job?

I love being in the position to empower children or young adults and help them develop an innate love for learning and the world! I love being able to experience the neurodiversity in young people and I want to help them understand themselves and others.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

If I could be a superhero, I think I would be Doctor Strange… I chose Doctor Strange for his time manipulation powers – the best superpower!!!! Who would not want to speed up, slow down, reverse or stop time?! I would use it to help others.

Sarah

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

After being a forensic scientist for 8 years I decided to become a science teacher. I completed a Graduate Teacher Program at Wolverhampton University and I have been teaching science for the last 13 years.

What is your favourite subject and why?

My favourite subject is science. Science is fascinating because it helps humanity see things from different perspectives, solves critical problems, creates open minded debate and collaboration, and provides us with growing knowledge and opportunities.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

One of my most memorable moments whilst being a teacher is when I was treated in hospital by a doctor who was one of my old students and she actually thanked me for my hard work.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

There has been many, however one that sticks in my mind is when I was marking exam papers and a question had asked ‘what is a main cause of deforestation?’ and the child had written ‘This exam paper’.

What do you love most about your job?

My passion for science made the decision to become a science teacher an easy one. It is a career where you can share your love and joy of a subject on a daily basis. Children have naturally inquisitive minds, and my role is to support them and their investigation of the world around us.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I think Scientists are real life superheroes, for example Alexander Flemming discovering penicillin which has fought and irradicated may diseases. Marie Curie and her discovery of radiation which is used to help with cancer treatments today.

Sandrine

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I have been teaching for 13 years in England and trained as a teacher at Manchester University. However, I have also trained, managed and coached young adults in the field of finance in France for 20 years.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Art. It is just a way of expressing myself differently. I love experimenting with colours and lines and seeing the work of others.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

Only one would be difficult to find. However, one brought tears in my eyes on exam day. I had worked with a student with learning difficulties that included absence of eye contact while speaking and difficulty to communicate. One the day of the oral exam which was a challenging task, her performance blew me away so much that I became very emotional.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

“Miss, are you real?”. That pupil had never seen somebody from France and could not believe I was teaching her class. At first, I thought it was a bit of banter but it was really genuine. I knew at that moment, that I was not only teaching a language, but also a culture.

What do you love most about your job?

To make them grow whatever the subject. I do love when they start speaking French to me spontaneously.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Not many super heroes are women! I will go for Dangermouse then. Mainly because it is a superhero that we shouldn’t take too seriously.

Gemma M

Gemma

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I have been teaching for over 10 years in mainstream secondary schools. I trained at Nottingham University through the Graduate Teacher Programme with PGCE.

What is your favourite subject and why?

I love studying Shakespeare with students because there’s so much to unpick.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

One of my memorable moments was teaching a Y8 class of challenging boys who really struggled with their English and Literacy. We did a slam poetry unit and one of the boys was amazing at it. He was able to create complex rhymes and rhythm in poetry and had the confidence and skill to perform it. Finding a student’s talent in a subject they struggle with is marvellous!

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

One student described Romeo and Juliet in an essay as ‘cross-eyed lovers.’

What do you love most about your job?

Breaking down barriers and helping students to create more opportunities for themselves.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Superman. That way I could go to the supermarket with glasses on and my students wouldn’t recognise me.

Richard Goulden

Richard Goulden

What did you do before GBA?

I had a 20 year career in the aviation and travel industries. Saw lots of the world and I also lived in Hong Kong and Dubai. Its true, travel does broaden the mind.

What is the best thing about running your own business?

Its great work with Alison, as well as being my wife she is incredibly talented ! The best thing is the ability to be so efficient and getting things done without endless meetings. As we grow the ability to keep doing that will be important to our continued success.

Why a tuition company?

Alison started tutoring pre lockdown and it was such an eye opener to see the demand. So on one hand its being in a growing industry but most importantly its the effect great teaching can have on a child’s confidence and self esteem.

Favourite subject that GBA teaches?

Japanese. An amazing place to visit and my favourite food.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Whatever the superpower is, i’d use it to try and get Charlton Athletic promoted. Maybe be invisible and help our goalie!!

Matt

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I have been teaching for over 8 years and I trained at Cardiff University part time whilst working as a learning support practitioner.

What is your favourite subject and why?

My subject encourages people to solve problems which helps them in their personal and working life. I love exploring new problems to tackle.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

I remember trying a starting activity where students had to throw paper across the room at each other, my classroom never really recovered from the mess that was caused!

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

A child once told me that the biggest star in the sky was the moon.

What do you love most about your job?

I love having the ability to change people’s lives and mindset about themselves. You can see the confidence developing over time!

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Spiderman, he was my hero as a kid!

Nathan

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I’m in my 20th year of teaching! I completed my PGCE at Huddersfield University.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Science has a wide variety of topic areas and it helps us to understand the world around us.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

Residential trips – its great seeing the students learning outside of the classroom environment.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

There have been so many funny moments as we cover a lot of delicate subjects in Science!

What do you love most about your job?

Interaction with students who are enthusiastic and enjoy learning. It’s so rewarding to see the progression and development directly linked to your teaching.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Flash Gordon, because I like a clean floor!

Julie

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I’m in my 20th year of teaching! I completed my PGCE at Huddersfield University.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Science has a wide variety of topic areas and it helps us to understand the world around us.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

Residential trips – its great seeing the students learning outside of the classroom environment.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

There have been so many funny moments as we cover a lot of delicate subjects in Science!

What do you love most about your job?

Interaction with students who are enthusiastic and enjoy learning. It’s so rewarding to see the progression and development directly linked to your teaching.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Flash Gordon, because I like a clean floor!

Helen

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I have been teaching for 20 years and I trained at Bath University.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

After training a group of 30 Year 10s for 6 months, I led a school trip to Morocco where we did a 6-day hike up the highest mountain in N Africa, Mount Toubkal. At over 4000m, this was no mean feat and standing on the summit at sunrise with them all, I was incredibly proud of those students in accomplishing such a very difficult trek.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

A sixth former recently asked me in the middle of a class discussion how many coffees do I drink before the lesson? When I asked why, he said I must have loads as I am ‘way too enthusiastic!’

What do you love most about your job?

After starting a career in accountancy and not enjoying it, I decided that I needed a career where every day is different, where I could really make a difference and influence peoples lives in a positive way. Teaching definitely does all these things in spades!

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Captain Platinum. A noble, rare and valuable hero who is very stable and does react easily; very dependable. Pretty and likes a bit of jewellery!

Steph

Steph

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

10 years. I qualified at London South Bank University.

What is your favourite subject and why?

I love English because you can be creative and the possibilities are endless! I also love maths because there is always just one correct answer.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

When I was a year 6 teacher, and my class did their performance of Alice in Wonderland – their hard work and talent was phenomenal

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

‘I can’t wait till your baby hatches’ (I was pregnant at the time).

What do you love most about your job?

I love seeing children make progress and helping them to understand a concept they have found difficult.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Supergirl – She’s a very good journalist and she can fly!

Kate

Kate

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

Sheffield Hallam University – mathematics with education and QTS, then a masters in professional practice in education and teaching for 7 years.

What is your favourite subject and why?

Maths ! I’ve always loved the problem solving questions and solving puzzles. Algebra is my favourite.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

I had a student who was hard of hearing and had hearing aids but they were broken. Unfortunately, the sign language TA was off sick and she refused to go to any lessons. I set up a Teams call between myself and the student. I taught my lesson (and recorded it) using the auto subtitle feature so she could have subtitles whilst I was live teaching. Giving her the ability to access the learning made the student and I so happy. I’ll never forget her.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

“Miss, will it hurt if I staple my finger?” – a top set Year 11, who was genuinely asking.

What do you love most about your job?

Giving the students their confidence in mathematics back.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I would be a superhero with the ability to freeze time so that I could spend more time with my family and Labrador Luna.

Laura

Laura

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

10 years. I studied all of my English degrees at University of Birmingham and did my PGCE in Secondary English Literature and Language at the University of Warwick (just like Ali!)

What is your favourite subject and why?

English Literature – I really fell in love with it in sixth form. The range of texts that we studied began my love of reading, especially discovering new female characters and exploring women’s experiences in literature. This enabled me to lose myself in a text and sparked my imagination.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

During my pregnancy, we had Ofsted in. I was already feeling a bit nauseous when the Inspectors trooped in. One had strong aftershave on and, after a coughing fit, I threw up out of the window! The students never let me forget it!

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Studying A Christmas Carol with Year 10 and covering the Victorian context of Dickens’ novels, I was talking about the workhouses, etc. and one of the students asked “Was this when you were growing up, Miss?” – totally deadpan. The class sat forward, eagerly awaiting my answer!

What do you love most about your job?

The best thing about my job is seeing a student progress and smile in English, when they have lost all faith in themselves and all interest in the subject.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Wonder-Woman – I used to dress up as her as a child. There weren’t many women heroes around and I loved how strong and independent she was, yet never smudged her mascara!

Andrea

Andrea

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I qualified in 2001 so going into my 22nd year in September 2023.
Bsc at Bath, PGCE at Kingston

What is your favourite subject and why?

No particular favourite I’m afraid – love it all!

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

So many memorable moments – my favourite is always that ‘lightbulb’ moment when a child has persevered, and the penny finally drops.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

Child – What has happened to your lips?
Me – What do you mean?
Child – They look dark, funny… a bit like you’re dead.
New lippy was never worn again.

What do you love most about your job?

I love teaching children – forming relationships, having fun and learning. When a child who hated or feared Maths or English tells me it’s their favourite subject now.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Superhero – that’s a hard one. Captain Confidence – with the ability to help children find their inner confidence, to speak words of encouragement when they find things tough.

Robert

Robert

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

After graduating from the University of Worcester in 2014, I have been teaching ever since.

What is your favourite subject and why?

I find maths utterly fascinating. Some training from a maths guru called Steve Lomax fuelled the fire.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

Finishing my first year with my own class. I was surprised how difficult I found it to let them all go onto secondary school.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

A, normally quiet and unassuming, boy in Year 5 once said, “ Mr Pugh, you always have a banana at lunchtime. I reckon you live in a banana tree. Actually, that would be pretty cool. How would someone become a banana?”

What do you love most about your job?

Bringing about confidence and happiness in children is the reason I enjoy working with young people.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

I’ve always liked Daredevil – he overcame adversity and being blind to become a superhero. It shows that nothing can hold you back.

Harry

Harry

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

15 years. PGCE from Bath

What is your favourite subject and why?

Maths. I love being a Maths detective, using a methodical approach to problem solving.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

Working with children who say they ‘Hate maths’ and showing them that not only do they know more than they think but also that they can do it!

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

When solving a KS1 maths problem involving comparing the difference in Mass between two ‘sizes of dog’. One child said the ‘difference between them is that, the large dog was big enough for a small child to ride on, and the small dog wasn’t’ I think the question writer wanted them to compare the numbers!

What do you love most about your job?

Working with kids! The enthusiasm and effort they put forth always puts a smile on my face.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Maths man: the ability to solve all calculations mentally!

Ali

Ali

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I graduated from The University of Warwick and my very first class are now in their early thirties! So, a long time…

What is your favourite subject and why?

Creative Writing – no contest!
I am so passionate about this subject, and it is the area I see children make the most progress. They often come to me so disillusioned, but I see a difference in just a matter of weeks.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

A student, who I taught in 2002, sent me a message to say that she was now 28 and had become a teacher because of the profound impact I had on her aged 7.
I can’t explain how much that meant to me.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

A boy in my class put his hand up and asked me why I dyed the top of my head brown. Needless to say, I booked an appointment at the hairdresser immediately!

What do you love most about your job?

Giving my students a hugely positive learning experience. Showing them that learning can be fun and watching their confidence soar.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Captain America.
He is honest, courageous and always does the right thing, even if it means losing. He is a great leader and a loyal friend too. Attributes we should all live by.

Rosie

Rosie

How long have you been teaching and where did you train?

I trained at York St John University and I have now been teaching for fourteen years. Studying in the beautiful city of York was an amazing experience.

What is your favourite subject and why?

From a young age, I enjoyed writing my own stories. Creative writing allows you to boost your imagination and immerse the reader into different worlds.

Tell us about your most memorable moment in teaching

There are so many but one that sticks out is a card that I received from a young boy in year 5 who really struggled with his learning and often made the wrong choices. After spending time getting to know him and discovering his talents, I was able to get him to truly believe in himself and he made great progress. The card was so touching and meant a lot.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

‘Miss…you won’t need to ask Google because you’re a teacher and you know everything!!’

What do you love most about your job?

I love seeing the confidence of individuals blossoming and children starting to believe that they can achieve great things, even if they must work at them. I believe that everybody has a special talent and that we can all learn from one another.

If you could be a superhero, who would it be and why?

Spider-Girl! She is able to overcome any difficulties that she is faced with and is happy to take on new challenges. She is also able to fly high and achieve great things.

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