Avril Burrows

Education and qualifications

Qualifications: BA (Hons), PGCE

Teaching Experience:  Qualified teacher since 1982 (42 years)

Role: Member (partner) of SDE (Tuition) LLP

Experience

I attended a girls’ grammar school myself and absolutely loved my time there. After university, I worked for a short time for Marks & Spencer as a graduate trainee before deciding to start teacher training – a move I have never regretted!

I have taught in state Primary schools for 40 years now, both full time and part time, as a class-teacher and most recently as Special Education Needs Co-ordinator. For many years I also ran a Kumon Maths & English Study Centre.

Currently, in addition to my SDE groups, I teach one day a week in my local Junior school, covering a different class each week from Year 3 to Year 6 and teaching all subjects. This keeps me up to date with what is happening in schools and I thoroughly enjoy the contrast between small group 11+ and whole class teaching – they present very different challenges.

The highlight of my time with SDE was hearing the 11+ results of the first students that I had taught for the whole of their SDE experience – I knew how hard they (and their parents) had worked and I was so proud of their achievements!

Additional information

It gives me great satisfaction to see the progress my students make from their first to their last session, especially in the areas that they find more challenging. I love seeing their confidence in their own ability grow.

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Meet our tutors, experienced and qualified individuals dedicated to helping your child reach their full potential.

Caroline Burden

BA (Hons), PGCE, TEFL Certification

Caroline has 25 years of experience in primary age teaching having taught in the UK and France and in both the state and independent sectors.  At SDE she teaches both the Year 4 and Year 5 11+ Courses.

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Robert Wilkinson

Teacher’s Certificate, BA (Hons)

Bob has over 40 years' teaching experience in Key Stages 1 to 4 in both the independent and state sector. He has significant experience tutoring students preparing for entrance exams and in more recent years at SDE, preparing Year 4 students for the subsequent Year 5 11+ Course and the 11+ exam.

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Fiona Wyeth

BEd (Hons)

Fiona has over 30 years’ experience in primary teaching as well as 23 years’ experience preparing children for the 11+ exams. Fiona has been part of SDE since 2015, successfully operating the SDE 11+ Tuition Centre (franchise) in Earley, Reading.

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Malcolm Amiss

CertEd, BEd

Malcolm has over 40 years' teaching experience, more than 20 years of which have involved preparing students for the 11+ exams, including as Head of Year 6 and then as Deputy Head of a leading local prep school.

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Nikki Price

BA Hons

Nikki has 13 years of experience in teaching primary education. She has mostly taught Key Stage 2 but also has some Key Stage 1 teaching experience. She also has a qualification in SENDCo. As well as tutoring for SDE, Nikki is the Deputy Headteacher of a local primary school.

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Phillipa Bloom

BEd

Phillipa has 40 years’ primary teaching experience including 15 years which have been almost exclusively devoted to preparing children for the 11+ tests, having joined SDE in 2009.  Since 2014 Phillipa has successfully developed the SDE 11+ Tuition Centre (franchise) in SW Herts.

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