Lane 01
Primary foundations
Number confidence and written comprehension for Years 4–6, with light preparation for entrance papers where a family wants it.
- Covers
- Arithmetic, fractions, reasoning papers, reading response
- Session length
- 45 minutes
One-to-one tuition · Years 4 to 13
Steady weekly work that makes the next exam feel ordinary
Maths, science and English tuition built around one student at a time — a written plan, a fixed weekly slot, and a short recap after every session so you always know what was covered.
Lane 02
GCSE maths & science
Foundation and higher tier work paced against your school's scheme, with past-paper technique from the spring term onward.
- Boards
- AQA, Edexcel, OCR
- Session length
- 60 minutes
Lane 03
A-level maths & physics
Pure, mechanics and statistics alongside physics problem-solving, including bridging work for students moving up from GCSE.
- Boards
- AQA, Edexcel, OCR (A & B)
- Session length
- 75 minutes
How it works
Four steps, then a rhythm
Nothing here is a package. The first fortnight is spent finding out what is actually missing, and everything after that is ordinary weekly work with a written trail you can follow.
Diagnostic session
A single 45-minute session working through mixed questions out loud. I am listening for where the reasoning breaks, not marking a test.
Written plan
You receive a one-page plan: the topics to rebuild in order, the ones that are already secure, and a realistic timeline to the next assessment.
Fixed weekly slot
The same day and time each week during term. Consistency does more for a nervous student than any amount of intensive cramming.
Recap and next task
A short note after each session: what we covered, what went well, and one piece of practice for the week. Parents are copied in for students under 16.
Session formats
Choose the format, keep the method
The teaching is identical across all three. What changes is where the session happens and how much material travels between us.
| Format | Length | Where it happens | Between sessions |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-to-one online | 45, 60 or 75 minutes | Shared whiteboard and camera, no software to install beyond a browser | Annotated board saved as a PDF, plus one practice task |
| One-to-one at home | 60 or 75 minutes | At your kitchen or dining table within the Fern Lane teaching area | Paper pack left behind, plus one practice task |
| Paired session | 75 minutes | Online or at home, for two students on the same tier and board | Shared task sheet, with separate recap notes for each family |
Paired sessions only work when both students are genuinely at the same stage — I will say so honestly after the diagnostic if they are not.
Term-time availability
This term's teaching windows
Slots are held for the whole term so a family can plan around them. Where a day is full, ask to be listed for the next term change.
Monday
16:30 – 20:00 · GCSE and A-level maths
One slot openTuesday
16:00 – 19:30 · Primary and GCSE
Full this termWednesday
15:30 – 19:00 · Online sessions only
Two slots openThursday
16:30 – 20:00 · A-level maths and physics
Full this termSaturday
09:00 – 13:00 · Paired sessions and paper practice
Waiting listHolidays
Short revision blocks in the fortnight before summer papers
Opens in MarchFriday is kept free for marking and for writing the week's recap notes.
About the tutor
Marisa Fern
I taught secondary maths for eleven years before moving to tutoring full time, most of it with mixed-attainment classes where the same explanation never worked twice. That is the habit I brought with me: if a student does not follow the first route through a problem, the route is wrong, not the student.
Sessions are quiet and unhurried. We write everything out, we say the reasoning aloud, and we stop on the step that hurts rather than racing to the answer. Most families see the change first in homework rather than in grades — the work simply starts getting done without a fight.
A student who can explain why the method works will still have it in June. One who has only memorised it is borrowing from next term.
- PGCE in secondary mathematics; eleven years teaching Years 7–13
- Examiner experience on GCSE higher-tier papers
- Enhanced background check, renewed annually and available on request
- Teaching in English; happy to work alongside a school SEN plan
Questions families ask
Before you enquire
Is the first session a trial?
It is a diagnostic rather than a trial, and it is charged at the normal rate. You get the written plan from it whether or not you continue, so nothing is wasted if we decide I am not the right fit.
My child's school has changed exam board. Does that matter?
Mid-course board changes mostly affect paper structure and a handful of topics rather than the mathematics itself. Send me the new specification code with your enquiry and I will map what genuinely needs re-covering before the first session.
How much work happens between sessions?
One task, sized to take twenty to thirty minutes. It is deliberately small: the point is to check the method survived the week, not to add a second homework load on top of school.
Will I hear how it is going, or only see the invoice?
A short recap note goes out after every session, and parents of students under sixteen are copied in as standard. At the end of each half term you also get a longer note on progress against the original plan.
What happens if we need to cancel a week?
Tell me before the day and the slot is simply moved or skipped with nothing charged. Illness on the day is fine too — I would rather reschedule than teach a student who cannot concentrate.
How far ahead of exams should we start?
Two terms is comfortable for rebuilding topics; one term is workable if the gaps are narrow. Six weeks before a paper we can still sharpen technique and timing, but I will be honest about what is realistic rather than selling a rescue.
Enquire
Tell me about the student
A few lines is plenty. I reply within two working days with honest availability and, if it looks like a fit, a suggested time for the diagnostic session.
- Useful to includeYear group, subject, exam board if you know it, and what prompted the enquiry.
- Reply timeWithin two working days during term; a little slower over the summer break.
- No obligationThe reply is a plain answer about fit and timing, not a sales follow-up sequence.