About Richard
I help students develop the analytical, writing and independent-learning skills they need to succeed in demanding English programmes and examinations.
My teaching is particularly suited to students preparing for academically demanding international programmes and selective schools.
I help students build confidence, be motivated, being kind, supportive encouraging, patient.
Dundee University
MEd International Education
2021 - 2025
Cardif Metropolitan University
PGCE Secondary Drama
2011 - 2012
Liverpool Hope University
BA [First Class Hons.] Drama with English Literature
2007-2010
My Story
My interest in education began long before I became a teacher. At fourteen, I began volunteering at Sunship Earth, an environmental education camp for young people. I was drawn to the creativity, energy and sense of possibility that came from working with students, and the experience stayed with me.
Academically, English and Drama were always the subjects I enjoyed most. I went on to study Drama with English Literature, graduating with First Class Honours, before completing my PGCE in Secondary Drama. I began my teaching career in England at Walton High, teaching English and Drama, before deciding that I wanted to experience education beyond the UK.
That decision led me into international education, where I have spent more than a decade working with students and schools across different educational systems and cultures. I've taught in Jordan, Hungary, Germany and the Netherlands, working within international-school environments and teaching across the British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma Programme. Alongside classroom teaching, my experience has included curriculum development, assessment, pastoral care and educational leadership.
Over time, I have developed particular expertise in English literature, close reading and essay construction. I enjoy helping students move beyond simply understanding a text towards developing their own interpretations, selecting evidence carefully and constructing clear, persuasive arguments. My experience teaching demanding international programmes has also reinforced the importance of teaching students how to think and work independently, rather than simply preparing them to pass the next examination.
My professional experience has included teaching and leading English across the IB MYP and DP, as well as Cambridge IGCSE. At the British International School Budapest, for example, my students achieved a 100% Grade 5+ pass rate in IB Diploma Higher Level English Language & Literature, alongside a 100% coursework pass rate in Cambridge IGCSE English Language.
I completed my MEd in International Education alongside my teaching career, further developing my understanding of international education and purusing my interest in the unique qualities of an international education.
Today, I live in Hungary with my incredible wife and our wonderful daughter, who has recently started kindergarten. After many years working within international schools, I now particularly enjoy the opportunity that tutoring gives me to work closely with individual students and tailor teaching to the way they learn.