Studying Sports and Exercise Science is essential because it provides the evidence-based knowledge to understand and enhance human physical function across all levels, from elite performance to public health. This interdisciplinary field integrates physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and nutrition to optimize athletic training and competition, ensuring peak performance while critically focusing on injury prevention and rehabilitation. Furthermore, SES is vital for tackling major public health challenges, as specialists develop effective exercise interventions to prevent and manage chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, ultimately improving the quality of life and well-being for the general population by promoting lifelong physical activity and health.

Nabil Harrar

Last week during my tutoring session, I was helping one of my students with the maths topic area. At first, she was completely stuck — what you needed to multiply, and all the different shapes were really confusing her. Every time she tried a question, something just didn’t add up. I could tell she was getting frustrated, so I broke things down and tried explaining it in a different way.
Instead of focusing on memorising formulas, we looked at why they work. We used visuals — drawing shapes, breaking them into smaller parts, and showing how area represents the space inside shapes. Bit by bit, she started to see the logic behind it. Suddenly, during one question, she looked up and said, “Ohhh, I get it now!” That moment made the whole session worthwhile.
There’s something very rewarding about watching a student move from confusion to understanding. It’s not just about solving a maths problem — it’s about seeing their confidence grow, when she finally said to me “I’m ready to do one on my own”.
Tutoring moments like that remind me why I love doing this. It’s not always easy — sometimes it takes patience and creativity to find the right way to explain something — but when it finally clicks, it’s the best feeling. It’s proof that persistence pays off, and that every student can learn with the right support.
That one smile, that one “I get it now!” — it’s the reason I keep tutoring.

Ellie Tsoukalas

Often we view making mistakes as a setback or as a reflection of our lack of knowledge, but really, it is the first step in learning and making true progress. One of the most common phrases students will say is “I’m so bad at this”, “I can’t do it”. What they often don’t realise is that making mistakes isn’t a setback, it’s an integral part of learning. Sometimes students will become frustrated if they aren’t amazing at a topic at first try, but it’s the trial and error that will truly make them great.

It is often helpful to conceptualise learning like building muscle. Each time you struggle with a problem, your brain is lifting a “mental weight.” The initial confusion triggers curiosity, your mind wants to know why it was wrong and that curiosity fuels deeper understanding. It’s the difference between memorising an answer and actually learning a concept. As a tutor when mistakes are made, we unpack them together. This process not only fixes the mistake but also reveals valuable insights into how that specific student thinks, which is so crucial to know as a tutor.

The most confident learners aren’t the ones who never make mistakes, they’re the ones who keep asking questions, testing ideas, and learning from every misstep. So next time you get something wrong, don’t be discouraged. You’re not moving backwards, you’re rewiring your brain for progress and success.

Jessica Ciappara

Today, I had the opportunity to observe Pamela tutoring Isaac, a year 9 student preparing for his upcoming yearly maths exam. Isaacs current topics for this exam include probability, money and algebra, topics which were taught in class last term.

I observed Pams, tutoring approach which was calm and patient as she revised all the key concepts for each topic making sure Issacs fully understood both the ‘how’ to complete the question and ‘why’ to approach in that way. Ensuring he understood the concepts rather than just the formulas. Pamela also incorporated real life concepts to making the task easier to understand and more enjoyable. For example, using uno cards to showcase the sample space, and likelihoods.

Issacs struggled to understand the higher order algebraic fraction questions, therefore Pamela really emphasised and focused on the steps of answering this, breaking it down into simpler concepts, she used the board to show how to work it out and used different colours to showcase each step of the equation, ensuring Isaac understood every step as they go and it’s not confusing. Pam also got Isaac to answer these questions on the board explaining why he choose to use that formula.
Pam also utilised the in-centre resources using textbooks and FEC worksheets to get questions from and further used these resources to give Isaac his homework, helping him solidify the knowledge learnt in class, preparing him for his future exam!

At the end of the session, Pam played a game of spot it, as a fun way to end the session and as a reward for doing amazing work! It was really helpful and interesting watching Pams tutoring style, hopefully I get the chance to observe her again.

Daniella

I was able to reflect on what study techniques work best, how to be efficient when working and how to choose an environment where you’ll be most productive.

It’s important to understand what kind of student you are, and use this to build study routines and strategies that best work for you. This can be achieved through using organisational tools such as planners and checklists to keep track of upcoming tasks and deadlines, and prevent forgetting important work or feeling overwhelmed. It’s also important to remember that different study methods might work for different subjects. For example, practising questions may be great for maths but not so good when memorising an essay. Additionally, using active learning strategies such as summarising, teaching others and self-testing can be super effective for strengthening understanding and improving recall.

Another important aspect of studying to reach maximum potential is efficiency: using your time wisely and making every study session purposeful. This can be achieved through setting clear goals for each session, and planning these ahead of time to ensure everything is completed when needed. This leads to using time-management strategies. You should also minimise distractions during productive periods, which can include putting your phone on do not disturb and moving to a quiet environment. Choosing the right study environment has a huge impact on the quality of your study. You should feel comfortable, have resources easily accessible and be able to concentrate in a quiet space. Using the same study space consistently can increase motivation and reduce stress.

Overall, understanding how you learn best and creating the right study habits can make a huge difference in both productivity and confidence. Reflecting on these skills has reminded me of their importance when achieving high marks and developing long-term academic independence.

Annabelle Molloy

When students struggle to concentrate, the first thought is often that they need to study more. Yet often the solution lies not in more hours but in better fuel. The brain uses a significant share of the body’s energy each day, so what students eat and drink has a direct impact on focus, memory and motivation. Good nutrition is not just a health tip. It is a study strategy.

Breakfast is a key factor. Students who start the day with a balanced meal are more alert and better able to retain new information. Foods that combine whole grains and protein help release energy slowly, preventing the mid-morning slump that can make lessons feel harder than they should. Even a simple option like yoghurt with fruit can make a noticeable difference.

Snacking also plays an important role throughout the day. When students reach for sugary snacks, they often get a quick burst of energy followed by a sharp drop in focus. Smarter choices like nuts, cheese, vegetables or wholegrain crackers help keep concentration steady during homework or exam preparation. The goal is to provide fuel that lasts, not energy that disappears after ten minutes.

Hydration is just as important as food. Even slight dehydration can affect memory and problem-solving skills. Encouraging students to sip water regularly can prevent fatigue and keep their thinking clear. Soft drinks may seem refreshing, but the high sugar content can lead to the same energy crash that disrupts learning.

Parents and tutors can support students by helping them create study habits that include healthy breaks for water and snacks. Planning ahead and keeping good options available can prevent the rushed choices that lead to sluggish concentration.

When energy levels are stable, students feel more capable and confident in their work. Brainpower does not come from books alone. It also comes from the simple everyday choices that help the mind stay focused and ready to learn.

Freddie Le Vay

For me, tutroing has always been about more than markts, it also about helping students build confidence in themselves. many students come to our session thinking that they are bad at a subject when in reality, its not the ability that they lack, its the confidence. Once we start to grow their confidence on the topic or subject, their knowledge begins to expand and they are able to learn and retain information better. The first thing I do is find what a student understands about that topic (if they dont understand anything I begin to teach the most baisc part) and then building on top of that. Confidence doesnt come from getting everything write all the time, all they really need is to see progress in their work. If i see progress in the section we are working on, I make sure to higlight it and ensure they understand that they are progressing. It always helps them so much when they start to see their skills and knowledge develop, and their confidence of course comes with it. Antoher method that I aslo use to build their confidence is setting small acheivable goals that we can work towards. This allows them to progress at a steady rate and feel more comfortable with the material, ultimatley allowing for the learning process and their ability to retain and intake information to speed up. I also focus on creating an enviroment where mistakes are seen as normal and opportunity for learning. I always remind my students that errors are not signs of weakness and oppourtunity for progression that are part of the learning process. This helps them feel comfortable taking risks, asking questions and thinking critically. ltimatley, heloing studnets find confidence thorugh learning means guiding them to trust their own ability in the topics. When they realise that they are capable of growth and improvement, their outlook cahnges. They start to see larning as something rewarding and more enjoyable rather than intimidating. Watching this play out and their confidence increase is always rewarding and a great part of being a tutor.

Lishai Rubinstein

I observed a session where the tutor was guiding a primary student on how to write a persuasive text. The topic chosen was ‘should there be regular breaks at school?’, the tutor outlined ideas onto the board including an example of a school day with breaks included as well as reasons to why regular breaks help learning. Giving the student some ideas to start out with, allows the student to get started but also expand on these ideas alone which encourages them to take charge of their learning as well. The tutor also put multiple quotes onto the board, allowing the student to pick quotes they like and encouraging the student to incorporate them into their paragraphs. Along with this, the tutor would also guide the student on how to incorporate these quotes into their paragraphs. There was also synonyms of words like ‘more’ or ‘means’ written on the board, which allowed the student to expand their vocabulary and incorporate them into their paragraphs to be less repetitive. The student also had a vocabulary book that the student added on whenever new vocabulary is learnt, this expands a student’s vocabulary to be used in further tasks. As the student was writing their persuasive text independently, the tutor was continuously helping when the student had question on ideas, grammar or the format of their text. This process allows the student to feel supported while also encouraging them to create their own ideas and write. After the student finished writing their text, the tutor looked over it and discussed feedback on length, ideas and quote usage, which the student then worked on fixing afterwards. This direct and fast feedback allowed the student to work on editing the work with clarification, rather than confusion if the tutor wasn’t there to clarify any extra questions.

Cynthia Lam

I had the great opportunity to observe Kassandra’s session! Year 9 student Theodore has been preparing for his upcoming Maths exam with Kassandra. The lessons have focused on consolidating his understanding of trigonometric ratios and applying them to various worded problems. Throughout the session, Theodore demonstrated a strong willingness to learn, asking several insightful questions to clarify key concepts.

Kassandra explained each step clearly and broke down complex problems into manageable parts, helping Theodore build confidence in applying trigonometric formulas. She provided targeted practice questions and consistent feedback, ensuring Theodore strengthened both his accuracy and problem-solving strategies. By the end of the lesson, Theodore showed noticeable improvement and felt well-prepared for his upcoming assessment.

Razan Rustom

When parents think about school achievement, they often focus on reading, writing and maths. Yet one of the strongest predictors of academic success begins long before children pick up a pencil: oral language. Speaking and listening skills form the foundation for learning across all subjects and continue to influence performance long into the later years of schooling.

Oral language helps children understand how ideas connect. When students explain their thinking out loud, they organise information more clearly and strengthen their memory. This becomes especially important when they begin tackling more complex tasks, such as writing structured paragraphs or solving multi-step maths problems. The ability to communicate ideas confidently gives students a head start in every learning environment.

Listening skills are equally important. In the classroom, students must follow instructions, interpret new information and tune into key details during discussions. Strong listeners develop better comprehension, which leads to stronger results in reading. When students can listen carefully, they build a deeper understanding of words and sentence structures, which eventually appears in their own writing.

Parents can help build oral language every day with simple conversations. Asking children to explain what they did at school or describe a favourite part of their day encourages them to use new vocabulary and practise clear communication. Reading aloud together also supports language growth by introducing richer words and more complex ideas than children may encounter in casual conversation.

As children move into high school, oral language continues to matter. Class presentations, group discussions and debates all contribute to improved reasoning and confidence. Even subjects like science and geography rely on students being able to discuss concepts and justify their thinking.

When we talk with children, not just to them, we nurture crucial communication skills that support learning for life. Strong oral language opens the door to higher achievement, better relationships and a voice that grows with confidence.

Freddie Le Vay