Between 2015 and 2020, I lived in France teaching English as a Foreign Language. I have taught over 100 students in the full range of levels, ages and abilities. I was self-employed and therefore worked for a variety of organisations at the same time, such as language schools, Bordeaux University and multinational clients, as well as private clients. A large portion of my students needed to prepare for recognised exams to validate their diplomas, to be able to enrol with English speaking universities or to advance in their careers.

I am from Kent in the southeast of the UK and studied mathematics with economics at Exeter University. I chose this subject as I excelled in this at school and knew it would open a lot of doors upon completion.

After graduating in 2013, I secured an internship with a growing start-up and carved out a role in their support team. This came naturally to me as I had already had a lot of experience helping clients and fellow students make sense of complex information. Previously during my A-levels, I had been a student mathematics mentor, assisting my peers during the school lunch hour and a part-time sales assistant at a tech company on the weekends. Upon completion of my internship, I was offered a permanent position which I accepted.

In 2015, I had an incredible opportunity to live and work in France, which I leapt at. I had never been to France and had not even taken French as a GCSE. Nonetheless, I relished the challenge. I was going to be an English teacher and therefore completed a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualification before flying out. I moved to Bordeaux in the southwest and quickly found work in a dynamic language school. By the time I returned to the UK in January 2020, I had boosted my skills as a teacher, become fluent in French and was intimately aware of French culture. It was a period of enormous personal growth and enrichment. Teaching English brought all my previous skills together and sharpened my ability to take learners on the learning journey. Teaching is now a passion, and I am currently looking at PGCE courses. In the meantime, I want to keep up the skills I've gained, and so I am seeking new students to teach online.