Caitlin

School

Methodist College Belfast

A levels: Geography (A*), English Literature (A*), Biology (A*)

GCSEs: 9 A* 1A, including the top grade nationally in CCEA GCSE English Language

University

University of Cambridge

BA English Literature and its contexts, First class honours

University College London

PGDE Secondary Education, Distinction

Teaching and tutoring experience

Completed a two-year Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) alongside full-time employment in Greenford High School, attaining the top grade in all essay assignments, and distinction overall

Delivered a full-time teaching timetable while attaining qualified teacher status (QTS), teaching English across KS3, KS4 and post-16

Led a group of Teach First peers to develop a new approach to reading in Greenford High School; implemented it with selected cohorts, improved reading ages by average 1.5 years across a term

Led a GCSE bottom set class to outperform their target grades by average 1 grade

Appointed Oxbridge Coordinator for the English department in my second year; supported three pupils to offers at Oxbridge (100% success rate)

Led a Breakfast Club Initiative for my form group and scaled the service for all Y7

Teaching style and philosophy

My teaching philosophy is broadly constructivist, by which I mean learners must be supported to actively build knowledge, rather than passively receiving it (e.g., Vygotsky 1978). My methodology is informed by progressive thinkers like Paulo Feire (1968) who saw learning as a process of exposure to novel stimuli via an experienced other. In practice this means creating a high-support, high-challenge environment, where students are exposed to a wide range of interesting texts and contentious issues in literary study. I am especially interested in supporting students with high prior attainment (HPA) to meet stretch targets and post-16 students through the Oxbridge application process, but I also have experience delivering the English curriculum to multiple GCSE classes and designing engaging KS3 Schemes of Work.

Additional information

I am currently based in London and work full-time at a social impact start-up. I'm looking to teach in the evenings in the week, or at the weekend. I am looking to tutor remotely, but can meet students and parents for an initial meeting in person.