Frequently asked questions

Where do you teach? 
Because I tutor full-time, I only teach from my home on Victoria Avenue, in central Harrogate, and online.

When do you teach?
I teach on weekdays from 4-9pm, and on Saturdays from 11am-1pm

What do you teach?
I teach A level Maths and Further Maths, including A level Statistics, and A level Physics. I also tutor GCSE students. I give guidance on university entry, including the UCAS personal statement, and Oxford and Cambridge. During the summer I help undergraduates with retakes of exams with mathematical content, for example Economics and Business Studies.

Have you taught anyone else from my school or university?
I’ve taught over 400 students in the last 17 years from St Aidan’s School, St John Fisher’s School, Harrogate Grammar School, King James’s School, Ilkley Grammar School, Boston Spa, Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Ripon Grammar School, Thirsk School, Boroughbridge School, Fulford School, All Saints School, Huntington School, Easingwold School, York College, Tadcaster Grammar School, St Peter’s School, Bootham School, Ampleforth College, Woodkirk High School, Malton School, Bradford Grammar School, London Oratory, Eton College, Oundle School, Wellingborough School, St Edward’s Oxford, d'Overbroeck’s College, Phillips Exeter Academy, Royal Masonic School and Charterhouse as well as the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Durham, York, Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Salford, Sheffield, Teesside, Northumbria, Bradford, Leicester, Hull and the Open University.

How do I know you’re any good?
I’ve been teaching for over thirty years and I’ve been a full-time private tutor for 17 years: that’s more than 14,000 hours of one-to-one tuition!

Most of my students come to me from word-of-mouth recommendations and a number of schools in York and Harrogate specifically recommend me to their students. Some students travel considerable distances to be tutored by me (one even came from Birmingham twice a month!) and many students stay with me for the full two years of their A level course. I've often taught the younger brothers and sisters of my former students. There are pages on this site about my academic history, my teaching experience, and feedback from my students. Seven students have reviewed me on First Tutors; all seven gave me five stars out of five.

Do you guarantee success?
Your success is ultimately a team effort – my responsibility is to make sure you understand the material, your responsibility is that you practise it. I have plenty of material for you to work on! The students who get the highest grades and get to the best universities are not necessarily the brightest – they are the ones who worked the hardest. Obviously your school should be a big support and I hope your parents or guardians will be, too – sometimes they’re going to need to chivvy you into working, so they have a responsibility in all this as well!

Do you have a CRB check?
Yes, I have an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure & Barring Service, obtained via North Yorkshire County Council in April 2014.

How much do you charge?
I charge £240 per month, payable in advance on the 1st of the month. This covers four one-hour lessons plus ongoing tutorial support outside of lesson time.

For short-term tutorial engagements, I charge £75 per hour. And for UCAS and Oxbridge advice, I charge £75 per hour.

Click Fees for full details.

How should I pay you?
I only accept payments made online. Fees are due in advance on the 1st of the month. I do not accept cash or cheques.

What if I have to cancel or reschedule?
If you cannot attend a lesson then I will make every effort to reschedule it to another date in the same month. If you cancel at short notice (less than 36 hours) and I cannot reschedule then you will have to forfeit that lesson but it is very rare that this is necessary.

How long do lessons last?
Most students find that an hour is about right. Sometimes students ask for ninety minutes or even two hours, but you have to be pretty keen and focussed to spend that long on mathematics without a break and, depending on the circumstances, I might suggest you stick to an hour.

How often should I have lessons?
I only offer regular, weekly lessons. In exceptional circumstances, I may offer a short-term engagement.

When should I have lessons?
Most students see me throughout the year, so that they are regularly building on their schoolwork and preparing for their exams. I get booked up very quickly and usually have no free slots by the end of October. It is always worth asking, but the sooner you enquire the more likely it is that I can fit you in. The sooner you start having lessons, the more likely it is that you’ll get the grades that you need.

What should I bring with me to the lessons?
You don’t have to bring anything with you. If you have a specific question or questions you want to discuss then certainly bring those. I have copies of every past exam paper, and I can supply pen and paper. It’s helpful if you bring your calculator, but you can always use mine during the lesson. (I will want to see your calculator at some point, because I usually recommend my students get a specific calculator that I will teach them to use.)

Do I need to prepare for the lessons?
It can be very helpful if you have a topic or question in mind, and I’m very happy to go through written work that you’ve done. But you don’t have to have something specific prepared. I do recommend that you review what we’ve covered together at some point fairly soon after the lesson so that you consolidate what we’ve done.

What are the lessons like? Is it like school?
The comment most often made about me is that I’m not like other teachers. My job is to put you at ease and help you understand the material. I dress informally and my students call me “Matthew”. I hope the lessons are fun, but I do care about your success and there will be times when I’ll be pushing you to work harder or to work longer!

Can I contact you outside lesson time?
Of course! If you have a question that’s driving you crazy, you don’t have to wait until the next lesson. You can drop me a quick e-mail, or text or call me on 07704 677 400. If you’re a parent or guardian anxious to know how their child is doing, I'll be very happy to speak to you. This is all included in the monthly fee.