Best Private Tutors in Shapwick, Dorset (2025)

Rating: 5 / 5

My son really disliked English until he met Deirdre. Dyslexia and attention issues led to a haphazard performance. But Deirdre's kind, intelligent and structured approach has enabled him to make sense of things and his work is transformed. From his progress we are anticipating a rise from a level 4 last Autumn to a 7 or even 8 in this autumn's exams.

Rating: 5 / 5

Deirdre at Top Cat Tutoring has made a remarkable impression and engaged both my girls- with different abilities. They both really look forward to her lessons and I know she has improved their knowledge. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Top Cat to anyone looking for a tutor. I am happy we found her!

Rating: 5 / 5

Hi my name is Alannah and I've just passed the 11+ exam for BSG. Pete and Franny made the lessons fun and interesting, always telling stories to help with our understanding. I had no nerves on the day and even enjoyed the exam (sort of!).

Rating: 5 / 5

Kingsbury Education are superb! Their 11 plus hubs cover everything the children need to know, and more, and are well structured. The 11 plus mocks are great preparation and provide detailed feedback which allows you to focus on your child's weak areas. The 11 plus intensive coaching sessions are great as they can drill down into trickier areas and provide further helpful tips. All of these sessions, together with the work you do at home will help your child to achieve the best score they can. I cannot recommend them enough!

Rating: 5 / 5

We used Kingsbury for our daughter to prep for the Bournemouth Grammar School 11+ entrance test. We used every aspect of their services including free parents evening (well worth it!), weekly hour-long hub tuition, weekly online sub-club for homework, intensive coaching holiday sessions and mock exams. It was all excellent and taught in a group format, which our daughter enjoyed as it’s nice to be surrounded by peers striving for the same thing. I think the most valuable thing was the intensive coaching and mock exams. They go hand in hand during the holidays and it’s worth doing the mock exam on the Saturday and the intensive coaching on the Sunday as Pete and Franny often pick out things that were tricky from the day before! Our daughter met the Parkstone criteria but didn’t quite reach the Bournemouth criteria however we couldn’t be prouder and Kingsbury really helped her on her way. She’ll now have a lovely head start going into any secondary school and it’s built her confidence too. Thanks Pete & Franny!

Rating: 5 / 5

Franny & Pete's coaching was such a great help in assisiting our son with the confidence and mindset to pass the 11plus exam. Highly recommend them.

Rating: 5 / 5

Both my children attended Kingsbury education and sailed through their exams with flying colours! Pete and Franny are nothing but amazing. They support the children, teach and guide them and fully prepare them for the 11+ exam. Always friendly, welcoming and always available to answer any questions we had. I would 100% recommend the tutor sessions to anyone 😃

Rating: 5 / 5

We couldn’t be more grateful to Pete and Franny for their exceptional support in helping our son prepare for the 11+ exam. He began attending their weekly hubs in the September of Year 5 and also participated in their mock tests and intensive coaching sessions during the holidays. Pete and Franny make a fantastic team, and from the very first session, our son was fully engaged and found the lessons both interesting and enjoyable. As parents, having their expertise was incredibly reassuring. They not only helped our son learn a huge amount—leading to a high score on the exam—but also put him in an excellent position for Year 6. His confidence has grown enormously, and we’ve seen him flourish academically and emotionally throughout this process. The entire experience was overwhelmingly positive. Pete and Franny were there for our son and our family every step of the way, providing emotional support as well as academic guidance. It’s a lot for young children to handle, but they made the journey manageable and even enjoyable. Our son also formed new friendships with other students who will be joining him at the grammar school, which has been a great bonus. I can’t recommend Pete and Franny highly enough. Their professionalism, care, and dedication are second to none. If you’re considering 11+ preparation, they are simply the best.

Rating: 5 / 5

I highly recommend Kingsbury Education, Pete & Franny are so welcoming and friendly, they know exactly what they are doing, helping children with their confidence, welcoming any questions and always there to support parents too. We are so pleased that our son has passed the 11 plus test, we appreciate all Pete & Franny’s hard work & supporting our son. The weekly tutoring program is very good, Mock test are really great especially the weeks before the test, it helps a lot, also books and resources are available in Kingsbury website which was very handy and helpful. Thank you so much Pete & Farnny We will definitely be back again 😊

Rating: 5 / 5

My two boys have both been taught by Peter and Franny. The weekly hub lessons really improved their confidence and gave them tactics for tackling questions. The mocks over the summer were great to get used to the exam format and made the real exam day much less daunting. Both passed. I would thoroughly recommend Kingsbury education-they’re truly amazing and always seem to have endless enthusiasm! Thank you

Rating: 5 / 5

We feel extremely lucky to have found Sophie. Our daughter never complains about going to lessons with Sophie and she now has a love for learning. Her Maths and English have improved but most importantly her confidence has. I can’t recommend her enough. She has taken the time to get to know our daughter and works with her strengths.

Rating: 5 / 5

Sophie provides absolutely excellent support. My little one has grown massively not just in ability but in confidence, and she is desperate to come and see you each week! Like it's a treat with a friend, and not a chore. The improvement in both maths and English across this year has been marked. Thanks very much

Rating: 5 / 5

Sophie is an amazing tutor I only wish I had found her sooner! The communication she makes with me regarding my sons progress has been so consistent and helpful. She really goes the extra mile to cater for him and above all he has the best time!! He can’t wait to go each week! I don’t even think he sees it as learning plus his latest parents evenings at school really reflected all the hard work she has put in to boost his confidence and abilities. Thank you Sophie - I can’t recommend you enough!

Rating: 5 / 5

From the moment we first met Sophie we knew instantly we found the right tutor. Approachable. Kind. Understanding. My daughter couldnt stop saying how wonderful she was. Ive never seen her so excited to learn but i think thats because Sophie treats every child as an individual and meets their needs. Giving them the confidence to then thrive. I wish all teachers were like Sophie within schools because children would feel comfortable and happy and want to learn. Sophie is always on hand to help or offer advice outside of our sessions too. We feel shes like family and cant thank her enough.

Rating: 5 / 5

Cate is absolutely fantastically. She has taken the time to get to know my son, and everything about his education. She has tutored him online which is so easy and has been really successful for us. He has definitely made improvements in the time he has been attending sessions. I would thoroughly recommend Cate to anyone.

Rating: 5 / 5

Cate has been fantastic with my daughter. Following on from Covid, she was very behind and not working at ARE in both Maths and English, she was working towards. A year later, she is now working AT ARE & is at the same level as the rest of her class. Not only that but she has gained so much confidence & isn't always looking for help without trying first. Her reading and writing has improved dramatically. My daughter has loved Cate's soft & gentle approach and has always felt so cared for & looked after at Cate's sessions. Highly recommended 👌

Rating: 5 / 5

Cate is an excellent teacher for adults: patient, unpatronising, lively and witty. I have been having Spanish lessons with her for a few months and have made remarkable progress considering I started from scratch. The material she provides and way we are progressing is just right for an adult learner who comes at the learning in fits and bursts. As well as being erudite and a born linguist, Cate has a talent for meeting your needs with understanding and teaching pragmatic day-to-day constructions rather than school-book language. I'd wholeheartedly recommend her if you are an adult wishing to pick up or polish your French or Spanish. We also laugh a lot!

Rating: 5 / 5

My daughter currently has tutoring with Cate for English in preparation for her GCSE examinations. My daughter has really enjoyed these sessions from the start, and looks forward to them! Cate has been reassuring and given my daughter confidence. The sessions are creative and have been very helpful and inspiring, whether in person or on Zoom. I am very grateful to have found Cate and would highly recommend.

Rating: 5 / 5

Lee was recommended to us via a friend and what a recommendation! Our son had a wonderful experience and the benefits of Lee's tutoring helped build his confidence, as well as helped him prepare for his 11+. The advice, guidance and support Lee provided us as parents was invaluable as we supported our son through his preparations for the test. Without Lee's tutoring he would have found the process overwhelming and difficult. In the end, he found it to be a positive experience and we are very proud of him. I really couldn't recommend Lee highly enough.

Rating: 5 / 5

Lee at Brighter Minds gave our child confidence to enjoy learning new skills, in preparation for the 11 plus Grammar test. He is also honest, if this is not right for your child, he will let you know. Importantly he asks the parents to remain calm and trust his process. The results speak for themselves. Our Child loved attending the weekly sessions and will miss his teaching style. We would 100% recommend his sessions.

Rating: 5 / 5

My daughter attended the 11+ tutoring in year5, from the first day she loved the sessions. Her abilities and confidence grew throughout the year, the support and belief showed by Lee helped immensely. Great advice on exam techniques, what to expect on the day and a big plus was the children being able to attend mock exams in a very similar set up to what they experience on the day with individually focussed feedback. Can’t recommend Lee and the team at Brighter Minds enough, whatever the outcome, what the children gain through their experience will stand them in good stead for the future.

Rating: 5 / 5

Brighter minds was recommended to us by two friends who used the service before us. Our son was shy and quiet but Lee believed in him & brought out the best in him. He went on to gain a great score in the 11+ plus exams. Brighter minds Broadstone is the place to go for all your child’s needs for 11+ or GCSEs . Highly recommend

Rating: 5 / 5

Tim has really helped my daughter with her math confidence. She was completely blocked when it came to maths. Tim has created a wonderful rapport with her and convinced her that math is not so terrible after all, I cannot stress enough what an achievement this is! Her teacher at school has seen improvements in her knowledge but mostly her attitude, which is so important.

Rating: 5 / 5

We would highly recommend Tim and his team of fantastic teachers. We discovered that our 15 year old son was well behind in his Maths and Science six months before his GCSE exams. He was also going through a difficult period in school at the time. Tim, Sonja and Mustapha were very positive and encouraging and patient with him. Our son also found the lessons with them to be interesting and engaging and he was able to focus the whole time. He became the top of his set within 3 months of starting lessons with them which boosted his confidence massively before his GCSE exams. We couldn't thank you enough Tim, Sonja and Mustapha.

Rating: 5 / 5

We are so pleased that we contacted Tim to support our 12 year old son’s Maths learning. After some negative experiences of Maths in Year 6 and year 7, his confidence in Maths was low. He had been moved down a group after a low test result and many changes of teacher in Year 7. After an initial chat with Tim, I was so impressed with his knowledge and understanding of Maths learning. Straight away, he was able to build our son’s confidence and he started going from strength to strength. Soon, he was achieving top marks in tests and was top of his class. Consequently, he was moved up a group and is doing brilliantly. He is loving Maths again too. We can’t thank Tim enough and will certainly be contacting him again in the future

Rating: 5 / 5

What can i say, I feel we have found the perfect tutor. Maths GCSE Chess Physics We had been struggling with our year 6 son for a couple of years as he has a natural aptitude for mathematics and was not getting any challenge from school and disengaging. After talking with numerous tutors i found Tim and had the most positive engaging conversation and his passion was unbelievable. The relationship our Son and Tim have developed is truly amazing, so much so that we have now increased lessons to include chess and Physics.......If Tim taught sewing i am sure Oscar would engage 100% he is just that kind of guy that make everything interesting. Our son is now looking to take his Maths GCSE a few years early and that is all down to Tim. he is now engaged, passionate and looks forward to every lesson. Communication is fantastic, we have regular conversations and a lot of discussions about direction and progress. Hands down the best investment we could be making for our Son ( Daughter to start shortly!!)

Rating: 5 / 5

What can I say, what an amazing group. I was lucky to have Alison teach me on one hour sessions on the past 3/4 months. She made it really easy to understand where I was going wrong and helped me learn new ways to make sure, 1, I was getting what she was teaching and 2, how to solve questions. Would definitely use them again. 6 out of 5 stars 25/07/23 UPDATE I passed my Maths Exam thanks to Alison!

Rating: 5 / 5

We approached Jurassic Coast Tutors for extra support as my daughter approached GCSE’s focussing on English Language. We were matched with Tracy who was able to provide 1:1 support, in our home. Sessions were planned around our daughters needs and our budget. Payments was easy and automatic. I cannot recommend Tracy and Jurassic Cost tutors enough. Grades have gone from a mock result of grade 1 at the end of year 10, to a grade 6 in actual results, it’s life changing. Thank you

Rating: 5 / 5

Ali and Tracy have been amazing Tutors for my son. I can't thank them enough for all their expertise and guidance. My sons confidence has grown so much and they have helped so much with his exams. Thank you so much 🙏🙏

Rating: 5 / 5

My 16 year old had missed 6 months of year 10 and was struggling in the run up to his GCSE's, with no extra support available. We engaged Alison (Maths) and Tracy (English Literature) at a very late stage for online tutoring, following a recommendation by a friend. They were both excellent and my son engaged really well with his weekly sessions. He was able to catch up on topics that he had missed and his confidence increased no end. I would highly recommend Jurassic Tutors, they exceeded my expectations and are also reasonably priced.

Rating: 5 / 5

Signed up for my daughter. It’s a great revision platform. Live tutoring on various subjects but if she’s busy at the time, they are recorded so she can watch when it’s convenient. Also if she has an area she’s struggling on, Andy is wonderful at posting extra content to include this.

Rating: 5 / 5

I’m so thankful to Andy for starting Level Up and creating this amazing space for my son to be part of. The live lessons are a real bonus and everything can also be accessed afterwards giving a huge resource library. Andy takes time for everyone’s questions in the chat and there is a supportive community with other parents and students.

Rating: 5 / 5

We signed up for Andy's Level up skool platform 6 weeks ago and it is honestly the best thing I have done to support my daughter's GCSE revision. With live and recorded webinars in a range of subjects, including the core GCSE's, there is access to revision support whenever you need it. I have watched the platform grow in just this short space of time and Andy is always asking for feedback for what would the kids need next. The community pages also provide support and encouragement to the kids and parents on a daily basis. All I can say is thank you!

Rating: 5 / 5

Review: Andy’s Level-Up Skool Platform I've had the pleasure of using Andy’s Level-Up Skool platform, and it has truly impressed me. The interface is user-friendly and intuitive, making navigation a breeze even for those who are not tech-savvy. The educational content is top-notch, offering a wide range of courses that are both engaging and informative. The platform's interactive features, such as quizzes and discussion boards, enhance the learning experience and foster a sense of community among users. The support team is responsive and helpful, ensuring that any issues are promptly addressed. Overall, Andy’s Level-Up Skool platform is a fantastic tool for anyone looking to expand their knowledge and skills.

Rating: 5 / 5

Mike was highly recommended to us as a maths tutor for our daughter who is currently doing her A levels. He’s been a great help, very supportive and encouraging. She seems a lot more confident now and I would definitely recommend.

Rating: 5 / 5

I cannot thank Mike enough. My daughter has been working with Mike for the past year in A-level physics. In year 12, physics was her weakest subject and teachers were struggling to predict her an A. Mike helped her to regain her love and confidence in this subject and regular sessions with Mike helped her to tackle the more complex problems in past papers which helped her with her confidence. She had her results yesterday and achieved an amazing A* and secured a place in her first choice Russell group university to study engineering. No doubt we will engage with Mike again to help tutoring my younger children and I can only recommend him as a physics tutor if your student is aspiring for high A-level grades.

Rating: 5 / 5

A-level Maths tutoring. Mike was patient, calming and extremely encouraging the entire time he tutored with our son. They worked through papers together helping to grow our sons confidence in maths. He was always finding math problems to stretch and ensure concepts were understood. Always a pleasure to talk with and gave us regular feedback on how our son was progressing. We would not hesitate to recommend Mike for math tutoring.

Rating: 5 / 5

Mike is a great tutor and has really clarified gcse physics for my daughter, helping her make great progress. Thanks so much Mike for all of your support!