This week I thought about ‘Servant Leadership’. This means that the person must serve their team rather than commanding them. I thought about the importance of balancing both serving your team but also being an authority that can direct change. When I think of good leadership, I think of someone who listens to those around them and their main objective being to ensure that they make the best decisions for the team. Leadership is not just about listening; it is also about guiding the group in the right direction, especially during moments of uncertainty or conflict. In an age where capitalism is thriving, I think servant leadership is dwindling as people aim to serve themselves. Thus, we should aim to serve others and not just ourselves. An issue I had with the content this week is the amount of information in the ‘Navigating Complexity’ unit. It is so hard to retain the valuable information that we learn. Now that my leadership practice has finished, I reflect on how it developed my understanding of servant leadership, and the importance of listening to the people I tutor, however, also placing strict boundaries and leading my students so that they work hard and understand the content.

Charlotte Ellis

Revising for an exam isn’t just about putting in hours, it’s about making those hours count. The best approach starts with understanding what you need to learn. Break down the syllabus into smaller, manageable sections, and create a clear revision timetable. Spreading topics out over days or weeks prevents cramming, which often leads to shallow understanding and poor recall under pressure.

Active recall is one of the most powerful tools you can use. Instead of simply reading notes, test yourself regularly. Close your book and try to explain a concept out loud or write it down from memory. This forces your brain to retrieve information, strengthening the neural pathways that store it. Pair this with spaced repetition, revisiting topics at increasing intervals, to make sure the knowledge sticks long-term.

Past papers are invaluable. They familiarise you with the format of the exam, the style of questions, and the areas that come up repeatedly. Time yourself when doing them to build exam stamina and get a realistic feel for pacing. Afterwards, review your answers critically to identify gaps or weak areas to focus on.

Don’t underestimate the value of variety. Switch between reading, summarising, practising problems, and teaching the material to someone else. This keeps your mind engaged and allows you to approach the content from different angles, which deepens understanding.

Finally, look after yourself. Sleep, nutrition, and regular breaks are not luxuries, they are essential for brain performance. Cramming at 3 a.m. might feel productive in the moment, but it’s far less effective than consistent, well-rested study. The goal is to walk into the exam calm, prepared, and confident, knowing you’ve done the work in the smartest way possible.

Michael Fry

Hi everyone, today I had the opportunity to observe Leela’s session with her Year 5 student who was working on an English practice test for narrative writing. The tutor helpfully dedicated 15 minutes of time at the beginning of the session to allow her student to plan, after she had asked her to briefly describe what her ideas were. When Leela’s student explained her ideas, Leela praised the creativity of what she had imagined, affirmation which encourages a student and aids in their confidence, particularly in an area where students often get embarrassed of their creative work. The tutor further interrogated certain details about the world her student had imagined – this helps to ‘fill in the gaps’ concerning where/what the place she is writing in is like, allowing for her to compose a well-rounded and solid setting for her narrative to take place in. After carefully evaluating the writing plan, the student mentioned some issues she was having with some missing ideas. The tutor provided a great range of suggestions, without ‘giving’ the story to her – the student was able to consider all of them and build off their different directions with her own ideas. While giving this advice Leela also emphasised how it still ‘up to the student’ – which is great as it affirms to the student how they are still in control of their creative decisions and allows them to not feel bad about turning certain ideas down if they wish to. It also ensures they remain feeling engaged with their own work and that it is theirs, motivating them. Throughout the rest of the session Leela gave her student the adequate space and time to work on her narrative, occasionally interrupting to ask how she was going to check in on her. Overall, it was a great and helpful session to observe, thank you so much Leela!

Sofala Vogt

In maths, neatness is more than just good presentation—it directly affects how well a student can think and work through problems. That is why I always encourage students to organise their working clearly from the very first step.

When work is messy, it becomes easy to lose track of numbers, misread a line, or skip a step altogether. I often see students get the right idea but the wrong answer simply because their work was too hard to follow. Writing neatly, lining up equals signs, and spacing each step properly helps the brain stay organised and reduces careless mistakes.

In tutoring sessions, I model what clear working looks like. I show students how to label each step, underline final answers, and leave space between questions. These small habits make a big difference, especially during exams when time pressure can make students rush.

Neat working also helps me see where a student’s thinking went wrong, which makes feedback faster and more effective. When their steps are clear, we can identify exactly where a misunderstanding happened and fix it immediately.

I remind students that neatness is not about perfection, it is about clarity. The clearer their work is, the easier it is for them, their teacher, or a marker to follow. Over time, this habit becomes automatic, and their accuracy improves right alongside it.

James Valiozis

In today’s observation, I watched David teach a Year 9 student how to factorise non-monic quadratics. The session was engaging and well-structured, providing insight into effective teaching strategies for complex algebraic concepts.

The lesson began with a brief review of basic factorisation, ensuring the student had a solid foundation. David then introduced the idea of non-monic quadratics quadratics where the leading coefficient is not equal to 1 (e.g. 2x^2 + 5x + 3). The student had limited confidence with this topic to begin with however, David’s approach was encouraging and educational.

He started by explaining the general form of non-monic quadratics, highlighting the need to break down the middle term by finding two numbers that multiply to the product of the leading coefficient and the constant term. David demonstrated this process step by step, breaking down the process of multiplication and factoring. He emphasised the importance of finding the right pair of factors and using this to split the middle term correctly.

The student struggled briefly with identifying the correct factor pairs, but David patiently guided them through the logic. He used visual aids, such as writing down the factors on the board, which helped clarify the process. They then moved into grouping terms and factoring them step by step. By using both numerical and graphical representations, David made sure the student could see the connection between the algebraic process and the quadratic graph.

The key takeaway from the session was the importance of patience and clear, structured guidance. David’s method not only helped the student understand the process of factorisation but also built their confidence in tackling more complex algebraic problems. It was clear that through this approach, the student began to develop a deeper understanding of quadratic equations, and their confidence towards these problems increased.

James Maatouk

Maintaining consistency between students and tutors is essential for effective learning and progress. Staying on top of sessions means more than just showing up for sessions, it is about communication, preparation and follow through.

A clear schedule is the foundation. Both tutors and students benefit from predictable and confirmed session times that fit within their weekly routine. Using reminders, and scheduled sessions can help prevent forgotten lessons. Regular confirmation messages such as the day before a session also reduce no-shows and demonstrate reliability on both sides.

Organisation between sessions is just as important. Tutors need to record clearly what was covered, not the students strengths and weakness and outline what the goals are and what is expected for the next session. Sharing a brief summary or homework task keeps students accountable and reinforces learning lessons. Students, in turn, should review this feedback and come prepared with questions or completed work. This simple loop of communication helps each session build naturally on the last rather than starting from scratch.

Flexibility also matters. Unexpected events happen, and the ability to reschedule promptly shows professionalism and respect. Being able to set up make-up sessions can ensure continuity and prevents frustration.

Finally, reflection strengthens the partnership between tutor and student. Occasional check ins and asking what is working and not working/could be improved can encourage mutual feedback and shared responsibility. When both tutor and students feel heard, motivation and engagement increase.

Staying on top of sessions is not just about time management, it is about respect, preparation and communication. Consistent scheduling, thoughtful follow-ups, and clear expectations create consistency that supports learning continuation. When both sides commit to staying organised and proactive, sessions become more productive and meaningful, leading to steady improvement and sustained engagement.

Annie Bulkeley

A lot of multiple choice quizzes and tests might seem simple, but there are a few secrets behind the choices that the test creators make which can help you maximise your marks, even for the questions that are a complete guess!
The questions will often try to throw you off by including other answers that seem right but are just a bit off. Within your four choices this may look like:
1- The inverse of the correct answer (e.g. the negative version, increase instead of decrease)
2- A red herring (the answer that they try and make you think is correct, this could be done with very specific wording that made to confuse you)
3- Factually wrong (the obviously wrong answer you can immediately rule out)
4- The actually correct answer!

Other little tricks to look out for include answers that are too broad/narrow, which may be true but the markers are often just looking for the MOST correct answer. You may also see answers that use familiar or specific terms from the syllabus but applied in the wrong scenarios without answering the question that is asked, as well as the answer that is made to sound fancy as a way to confuse you into thinking it is correct.

By looking out for these strategies that the test makers use, it is easier to rule out answers in an exam. This means that even if you are unsure of the content, you can make an educated guess that has a high likelihood of being the right answer.

Maddie Manins

In classrooms, students are often encouraged to find the right answers. But what if the real key to learning lies in asking the right questions? Curiosity is the starting point of understanding, and the ability to ask thoughtful questions is one of the most valuable skills a student can develop.

When students ask questions, they move beyond memorising facts and start thinking critically. A question like “Why does this work?” or “What would happen if we changed this?” encourages deeper reasoning and exploration. These kinds of questions lead to genuine understanding, not just surface-level recall. For example, in science, asking why a certain reaction happens helps students grasp the underlying principles instead of simply repeating equations. In English, questioning a character’s choices invites richer interpretation and stronger essay writing.

Encouraging questions also builds confidence. Many students hesitate to ask for fear of being wrong, yet those who speak up tend to learn more. Each question is an opportunity to clarify confusion, strengthen understanding and think independently. Tutors and teachers can nurture this by creating a space where curiosity is valued and mistakes are seen as part of discovery.

Parents can do the same at home by engaging children in open-ended conversations. Instead of asking, “Did you finish your homework?” try, “What was the most interesting thing you learned today?” or “Is there something you still don’t quite understand?” These questions invite reflection and keep curiosity alive.

When students learn to value questions as much as answers, they become more active learners. They stop viewing knowledge as something to be received and start seeing it as something to explore. The best thinkers in every field began not with certainty, but with curiosity—and the courage to ask why.

Freddie Le Vay

Hey everyone, today I had the amazing opportunity to watch Sienna’s session.

She did a great job going through exam prep. They worked through a variety of different types of questions that could be in the exam. They looked at the different key words of each question and then looked at the difficulty of each question.

They then looked at the different formulas that needed to be applied to these questions.

They then looked at the students ability to interpret and solve each question. This helped to work out how the student interacted with the question.

Sienna also a great job allowing her student to work through each question independently. When her student got stuck she would then help her. Sienna encouraged her student to detail each part of her working out.

When her student got stuck, Sienna would give her student some hints to help her. Sienna got her student to show all her working out, explaining to her that if she made an error in her final answer she could still get some marks for her working out. She could also get some carry on marks.

Sienna would work out each question at the same time as her student. She would then show her student her solution and her working out. She would go through each step of her working out in detail. When Sienna’s student made an error, she would go through the error helping her to understand where she went wrong. They would then either re-do the question or do a similar question to make sure her student understood her error and that she could apply the correct solution.

They looked at the difficulties of different types of questions and depending on how her student was progressing would influence the difficulty of questions they would then do as well as the difficulty of questions Sienna would give her student for homework.

It was great to see how friendly they were and how comfortable her student was with her. They had a great relationship and they got along really well.

Overall, Sienna did a great job helping her student. It was a great session and such a pleasure to observe. Keep it up!

Ashley Cohen

When it comes to studying effectively, I’ve learned that it’s not just about the amount of time you put in, but how you manage your time and energy. Over the years, I’ve developed a few key strategies that have made a huge difference in my learning experience.

First, I always start by setting clear, achievable goals. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of material to cover, but breaking everything down into smaller tasks makes it manageable. I like to write out what I need to accomplish for the day, and then prioritise the most important tasks. This helps me stay focused and avoid procrastination. I also give myself small rewards for completing each task, which motivates me to keep going.

Another strategy that works for me is creating a dedicated study environment. I make sure my space is quiet, organised, and free from distractions. This environment signals to my brain that it’s time to focus. I also make sure to eliminate digital distractions by turning off my phone or using apps that block social media during study sessions. This way, I can stay fully immersed in the material and avoid the temptation to check my phone every few minutes.

Lastly, unless I am doing a practice exam, I make sure to take regular breaks. I utilise a method called the Pomodoro technique, which involves studying for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. This helps me maintain focus and avoid burnout, as I give myself time to recharge and refresh my mind before diving back into work.

In the end, effective studying is all about consistency and finding what works best for you. By staying organised, engaged, and disciplined, I’ve found that I can retain more information and perform better in my studies. The key is to keep experimenting and adjusting until you find the study routine that suits you best.

Michael Fry