Pass Exams

Here are a selection of testimonials from both parents and pupils.

 

Parents

 

'Stephen Hogg tutored both of our children in mathematics very successfully. One child was categorised as 5/6 for standard grade at the beginning of his fourth year and achieved, with Stephen's assistance, a Grade 3. The other child did Higher Maths over two years and after the first year was in the lowest class and his teacher was pessimistic about his chances. Following a year’s tuition by Stephen he successfully obtained a Grade C at Higher level, the only child in his class to pass. Our children responded very positively to Stephen who appeared to have a very good working relationship with them. Our children would also be happy to provide very positive references if required. I have no hesitation in recommending Stephen as a Mathematics Tutor to anyone.'

 

Mr Wall, Edinburgh

 

'We employed Stephen because we were unhappy with the situation at our daughter’s school and she had lost confidence in her teacher there. Stephen’s helpful and relaxed manner ensured that she regained her confidence and she obtained a ‘B’ pass in the exam.  Stephen is obviously well qualified in his subject and, certainly in our case he had the ability to impart his knowledge to his pupil in a very satisfactory way. 

I am pleased to recommend him as a tutor to anyone in a similar situation to ourselves.'

 

Mr Robb, Perth

 

'Prior to Stephen's involvement our son was struggling with Mathematics and had lost all confidence in his ability to do it. With the help of Stephen, our son obtained a ‘B’ pass at Higher Grade.  Stephen came to our home, and during the period he was punctual, extremely patient and understanding. His teaching methods proved to be very effective.

I have no hesitation in highly recommending Stephen as a tutor.'

 

Mr Munro, Monikie

 

'I am very pleased to be able to endorse Mr Stephen Hogg as a Physics Tutor. In Jan our son did not do well his Higher Prelim. Between then and his Higher exam, Stephen worked with him and made him work hard with the result that he passed his Higher Physics with a 'B' pass.

Stephen is reliable and conscientious with his pupils and due to his amenable personality, relates well to them. I am therefore happy to recommend him.'

 

Mr Kerr, Monifieth

 

'Mr. Hogg was our daughter’s chemistry tutor during her third year at secondary school-

During this time her class work and grades improved dramatically with his help. He was able to explain his subject in terms that made it easier to understand the work and was patient and helpful at all times. He had a good understanding of what was expected of pupils in the school situation and was able to help and guide our daughter to such an extent that the school saw a dramatic improvement in her grades.

Mr. Hogg’s attitude was always friendly but professional and I would have no

hesitation in recommending Mr. Hogg as a tutor to any pupil.'

 

Mrs McGregor, Dundee

​

'Stephen has tutored my son in maths for the past three years or so.  My son had been having difficulty with maths at school and as he moved from primary to secondary education these difficulties really began to undermine my son’s confidence to the extent that he had virtually “given up” with this subject.

 

The school system did not seem able to provide the level of support that I felt was needed to remedy matters and for that reason we sought the help of a tutor.  When I first spoke to Stephen I was impressed by his reassuring manner and his very positive, yet realistic, approach to the situation that we found ourselves in.  Similarly when he first met my son, it was clear that he quickly established a calming rapport with him and helped him to believe that he could achieve in maths.

 

There was a clear strategy to the tutoring sessions: confidence needed to be restored and then progress through the syllabus would be possible.  Early sessions designed to emphasise what my son could do very soon restored his confidence and then with a programme of study tailored to his needs we saw steady improvement in his performance at school.  This steady upward trend has been possible because at all times Stephen has worked to complement and support the curriculum followed by the school – there has never been any sense that as he went over the topics within the syllabus there was any confusion with the school’s approach.

 

I have been absolutely delighted with the transformation in my son’s abilities in maths since Stephen began to guide him through the SQA courses. What he has achieved in seeing my son for 1 hour a week through term times has been incredible.  When he is at the house you can hear the calm dialogue with my son that characterises the constructive conversations they have about school work as well as the topic that they are working through.  My son now approaches maths in a positive frame of mind and with the self belief that he can do it.

 

It might not always be easy, but even challenging problems are now met constructively rather than with the depressed mood of the past.  Throughout, Stephen has been very receptive to any concerns that we pick up on by way of feedback from the school and he has always been very happy to adjust learning objectives to ensure that my son was fully prepared for any looming assessments – or simply just to spend extra time on topics that seemed to present greater difficulty to him.

 

It has been a long road, but perhaps the greatest accolade that can be attributed to the work that Stephen has put in with my son came at a recent parent’s evening at the school.  A maths teacher who had last taught my son in his first year at secondary school stated that he was surprised to see my son performing well in maths - and at a level that he did not believe would have been possible based on his early impression of my son’s difficulties.  In my opinion this success is a glowing tribute to the teaching skills of Stephen.  One never knows how learning skills and abilities may change with age and maturity, but I am absolutely certain that without Stephen my son would have struggled to achieve a substantive qualification in maths – let alone with the top grades at the advanced levels that he has now reached.

 

If you think that your child would benefit from a maths tutor, I could not recommend Stephen highly enough.  He is a skilled tutor who with patience and diligence has the ability to establish a great rapport with his pupils through which they derive reassurance and encouragement.  You may not appreciate how rapidly your child can then progress as almost without realising it they acquire an understanding of maths that enables them to perform to their best, and in my experience this will be at a level that as a parent you might not have thought possible.'

 

 

Dr Kernohan, Dundee

 

Pupils

 

'Stephen tutored me for Higher Maths between September and May. I had a one hour lesson once a week. Stephen was conscientious in preparing, marking and setting work.  He was Generous with his time and his approach was patient and flexible.  Each lesson was well structured so that I gained maximum benefit in the available time.

He was skilled at making. difficult concepts easier to understand and he made up worksheets to correspond with each topic. I felt well prepared for the examination in May and I was reasonably confident that I would achieve the pass that I was awarded.'

 

David McDonald, Edinburgh

 

'With Mr Hogg as a tutor my marks improved from 40% in the prelims to an 'A' pass in the final exams. This could not have been possible without his help. From the very beginning he created a friendly atmosphere which made him very easy to approach. Throughout the Higher course Mr Hogg explained every problem I had in a clear and easy to understand way. If I wasn't able to understand anything he would happily persist until I fully understood. I would happily recommend him as a tutor to anybody. My mother would endorse this opinion.'

 

Brian McDonald, Dundee

​