A level and GCSE physics lessons for all ages and abilities. Tailored lessons to suit your needs in an engaging and comfortable learning environment.

Find out more about Emma

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  My interest in chemistry started during my A-levels, when I realised how much chemistry underpins the world around us and related to many jobs and industries that I was interested in. I was fascinated by how abstract chemical principles translate into real-world applications.
  I began tutoring during my undergraduate degree at Warwick, initially helping friends and younger students. Seeing someone’s confidence grow as a concept “clicks” was incredibly rewarding, and that’s what inspired me to continue tutoring alongside my PhD at Loughborough. Tutoring has also proved very beneficial personally as it allows me to retain foundation knowledge to help me progress during my PhD and hopefully one day because an academic researcher!

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach chemistry, biology, physics, and maths, mainly at GCSE and A-level, and I love how these subjects connect with each other. My main specialism is chemistry, but I’ve always enjoyed the interdisciplinary side of science — for example, how chemical reactions underpin biological processes, or how physics helps explain atomic and molecular behaviour. My PhD project is very interdisciplinary, relating material science with proteomics and polymer chemistry and so I have a wide range of knowledge on multiple scientific areas.
  
  In chemistry, I particularly enjoy teaching topics like thermodynamics, kinetics, and transition metal chemistry — they explain why reactions happen and how we can control them. In biology, I love exploring biochemistry and genetics, as they show the chemical principles that keep living systems functioning.
  
  In physics, I enjoy helping students grasp energy, forces, and quantum ideas, since those concepts can feel abstract but become fascinating once you see how they describe the real world. And in maths, I focus on building problem-solving confidence — especially with algebra, calculus, and data interpretation, which are so important for success in the sciences. I also appreciate how hard these subjects can be, especially the theory behind them, however throughout my years of tutoring I have found multiple ways of teaching students that can be tailored directly.
  
  If there’s one area I like a little less, it’s probably memorising long biological pathways — I prefer when students can understand the logic behind them rather than just learning them by heart. Therefore, more understanding and less of a memory test in the exam is the key to good grades!

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  At university, several of my lecturers at Warwick also shaped my interest in research and showed me how creative chemistry can be. This is what drove me to start teaching whilst also maintaining a career in research.

• 4) What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  A good tutor needs patience, empathy, and adaptability. Every student learns differently, so being able to explain a concept in several ways is key. I also think enthusiasm goes a long way — if a tutor is genuinely excited about their subject, students tend to feel more motivated and engaged. I always look forward to teaching my lessons as I create a comfortable environment to learn in which allows the students to feel relaxed and open to learning and asking questions.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  When I was in sixth form, my class was asked to design our own experiment for chemistry coursework. I decided to explore how temperature affects the rate of enzyme-catalysed reactions. This was something that connected chemistry, biology, and physics. That was one of the first moments I realised how I wanted a career that was able to combine all sciences together.

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  In chemistry, one of the biggest hurdles was moving beyond memorising reactions to truly understanding the why behind them. At first, it can seem like endless rules and exceptions, but once I started to see the underlying logic — electron movements, energetics, and molecular interactions — it became far more intuitive. This experience helps me guide my students from rote learning towards deeper understanding. In maths, the main challenge was confidence. It’s a subject where small mistakes can feel discouraging, but once I learned to see maths as a set of tools for problem-solving rather than something to fear, it completely changed my mindset. I always try to build that same confidence in my students and helping them see patternss. At the PhD level, challenges are less about content and more about perseverance — experiments fail, theories don’t always match results, and progress can be slow which can feel very discouraging. However, this process has taught me patience, resilience, and how to break complex problems into manageable steps — exactly the skills I aim to instil in my students.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  I’m passionate about making science accessible and enjoyable for everyone. I love helping students realise that science isn’t just about memorising theories, it’s about understanding patterns and solving problems logically. Outside academia, I also enjoy science communication and outreach, especially encouraging more young women to pursue STEM subjects, which is a topic close to my heart.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?

  I bring both academic expertise and genuine enthusiasm to my tutoring. Having been through the academic journey from GCSE to PhD, I understand the challenges at every stage and can help students navigate them with confidence. I always aim to make lessons engaging, supportive, and tailored to each individual — helping them not just to succeed in exams, but to actually enjoy learning science and maths!