Meet Maria
Chemistry Tutor & Examiner
Maria is an experienced Chemistry teacher and A-Level examiner with nearly three decades of classroom experience. Known for making difficult concepts feel clear and manageable, she combines deep subject knowledge with a calm, supportive teaching style that helps students build confidence as well as results.
Chemistry Teacher, Examiner & Subject Specialist
After completing her Chemistry degree at the University of Sheffield, Maria went on to complete her PGCE in Science and Chemistry at the University of Oxford. She began teaching in 1998 and has taught KS3, GCSE and A-Level students across a range of school settings ever since.
Alongside teaching all three sciences to GCSE, Maria has extensive experience teaching A-Level Chemistry and currently serves as both Head of Chemistry and Lead Practitioner within her school.
Jon's Academic Background Includes
Since 1998
Classroom Teaching
Head of Dept.
Chemistry Subject Lead
Lead Practicioner
Teacher Mentor & Support
Her role involves mentoring teachers, leading professional development and supporting teaching and learning across the school – while remaining firmly rooted in the classroom, which is where she most enjoys being.
Subjects & Exam Boards Supported
Maria primarily supports students studying:
AQA A-Level Chemistry
GCSE Chemistry
GCSE Biology
GCSE Physics
Maria is also an experienced AQA A-Level Chemistry examiner. This allows her to stay closely connected to current exam trends and gives her detailed insight into how students can improve their responses, structure longer answers effectively and avoid common mistakes that cost marks.
Teaching Style
Maria’s teaching style is centred around making complex ideas accessible and helping students genuinely understand the subject rather than simply memorising content.
With decades of experience behind her, she is skilled at adapting explanations to suit different learners and finding alternative ways to approach topics when students feel stuck. She places a strong emphasis on modelling exam questions step-by-step, particularly calculations, helping students build both confidence and independence in their problem-solving.
Her lessons are highly interactive, with constant opportunities for students to think through next steps, reflect on their answers and deepen their understanding. Above all, Maria aims to build resilience, self-belief and the confidence students need to succeed in Chemistry.
What Students Find Helpful
Students often say that Maria makes difficult topics feel far less intimidating and explains concepts in ways that finally make sense.
She is known for being approachable, supportive and generous with her time, always willing to help students who are struggling or lacking confidence.
Her lessons are also known for being engaging and enjoyable — helped along by her famously “terrible” Chemistry jokes.
Areas of Expertise
A-Level Chemistry
GCSE Science
Chemistry Calculations
Exam Technique
Long-Answer Questions
Examiner Insight
Problem Solving
Confidence Building
Outside the Classroom
Outside school, Maria is a mum to two grown-up sons and four cats (which she insists is a perfectly reasonable number!).
She loves cooking, travelling, reading, theatre trips and spending time with family and friends. She is also partial to a good box-set binge after a busy week teaching Chemistry.
Interests
- Cooking
- Travel
- Reading
- Theatre
- Family & Friends
- Cats
The Difference Parents and Students See
Find the Right Support for Your Child
We’ll ask a few short questions to understand your situation and recommend the most appropriate next step.
This only takes a few minutes. There is no obligation.