Mr James

I was born in the United Kingdom to parents from SE Asia . My professional life in SE Asia was spent with British High Commission and the British Council which spanned Malaysia and Singapore as well as an Educational consultant and tutor. Growing up between these countries also gave me a deep appreciation for education, cultural diversity, and the powerful role of language in shaping opportunity.

My teaching career “officially” began in Singapore and Malaysia, where I worked as a tutor before becoming Head of English at one of Singapore’s leading tuition centres. Over the years, I specialised in teaching PSLE English, O-Level English, and General Paper, creating a distinctive teaching style that blended exam skill mastery with creative communication and mentoring.

I had the privilege of working with students from Singapore’s top schools, including Raffles Girls’ Primary, Nanyang Primary, Henry Park Primary, Tao Nan School, Ai Tong School, Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), National Junior College (IP), and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School.

My lessons go beyond textbooks—embedding pronunciation and accent coaching, vocabulary development, oral examinations practice, and creative writing. I have always believed that English is not only an academic subject but a life skill that empowers children to express themselves with clarity and confidence.

On returning to the UK, I saw how many learners with additional needs were being left behind. This drove me to specialise and qualify in Special Educational Needs (SEN), building on my experience with the Singapore, Malaysian, and UK curriculums. My work places a strong emphasis on neurodiversity, particularly supporting learners with ADHD and autism spectrum conditions (ASC). I have successfully mentored both diagnosed and undiagnosed learners, coaching them to move from simple passes to achieving strong A grades at IGCSE and GCSE level across Asia and the UK. I typically see an average improvement of two grades, given time , for neurodivergent learners.

I also work closely with international schools, supporting SEN departments with tailored interventions and ensuring each child receives an individualised learning plan that reflects both their challenges and their strengths as well as bespoke learning using executive functioning principles , underpinned by reasearch.