Current GCSE Student Comments
“My son has achieved so much in so little time, and tells me often that he ‘really likes maths’. His mental maths and confidence have become phenomenal with Paul’s guidance and approach." Helen
One-to-One Tuition
GCSE * A-Level * University * Military & Job Applications
Weekly Lessons or Intensive Courses
98% success rate
(Face-to-face) & Online
Availability between lessons for queries
Highly qualified and experienced DBS checked tutor
+ YouTube Course Now Available
Contact me for a 30-min free assessment
Success! Yet another GCSE pass!
Ben came to me a few months before his GCSE, keen to make sure he passed. This is what his Mum, Helen, had to say:
And...
Jamie came to me to learn maths from scratch to get the qualification he needed for a job application. He took the intensive GCSE course over weekends in one month. He took the exam the next month.
This was his reaction on receiving his C grade (4).
"Paul, I am over the moon. So happy, words cannot explain. Thank you Paul. I can now apply for my dream job in May. Enjoyed my month of maths with Paul Carson and family."
I was also able to arrange the exam for him in a local centre.
Contact me if you'd like you or your child to share that same feeling!
About My Approach
A private tutor for 20 years, I am a professional. Tutoring is my passion and I don't just do it as an extra. I'm fully aware of the issues that students have when they come to me and I am able to identify problems very quickly and know how to remedy them. This has led me to help students regain their confidence, achieve higher grades than expected, identify strong mathematicians that school have missed due to their one-size-fits-all structure, and allow students to reclaim their self-respect. However, most of all, students report to me that they begin to enjoy maths again, and even better, lessons generate a sense of excitement and a feeling of power.
Although I charge more than the 'average' - this is why. Normally, private tutors teach the same way that the school does. But since the school method has not worked for you or your child, more of the same won't work! That's why I tutor in a completely different way.
Just a few of the innovations include:
For the A-Level course, it is all of the above plus
Having taught hundreds of students in 20 years, I have a lot of experience with students who have lost their confidence, don't understand what their teacher is saying
anymore, or can tackle questions in class, and not in the exam, or just feel lost. Although these are often the most common reasons my services are required, I am also able to help advanced students
and push them further by testing their understanding or showing them new ways to look at ideas. I take a patient and more advanced approach for all, which has led to a 95% success rate amongst my
students and 100% in 2013 and 2017 in particular.
Futhermore, for every lesson that I provide, I make an unique and accompanying recap video for consolidation between lessons. As they are on YouTube, they can be watched as many times as the student likes. This really improves understanding and retention and has been a massive hit with my current students. See below for an example video.
ABOVE: I was extremely gratified and pleased to receive this message after the GCSE results of 2016.
(See below for update in 2018!)
Apart from this, I have developed my own method for doing maths far more easily which is far superior to school's outdated and boring offerings. Every concept that is
learnt at school is taught by me in an easier way, which leads to interesting lessons and ideas that put it into a relevant context. Everything is explained WHY it is, rather than being told 'it just
is' at school. The video below shows just one of these many improvements. One of my students demonstrates how to multiply numbers extremely easily. This new method has been published by the UK's largest publisher and is also in Kindle edition form on Amazon. I get messages from people all over the world who tell me their
method has 'finally' helped them, as they've struggled for years until they read my book. I have also created an online video channel for students to be able to revise a method as
many times as they like!
As tutoring maths is my passion as well as my profession, it still gives me a buzz when a penny drops for a student. One of the joys of my method is that not only do you become far better at maths,
no matter where you start from, you begin doing things that are far beyond your expected ability, and you similtaneously lose any feeling of shame and reclaim your feeling of self-worth. Parents
recommend me often and I can provide over 100 separate glowing references.
I love learning and it is my aim to instil that in my students. My motto is: "Get ready... for anything." My method teaches my students to be ready for any question by being able to think logically for themselves. And, I'm always studying something myself to remind myself what it is like and to get ready... for anything. For example, I've recently finished an Engineering degree with the Open University, and I have begun a Masters in Space Science. I'm learning Russian, Polish and the piano, and recently completed advanced motorcycle riding lessons.
As a mathematician, I am also able to detect and realise latent mathematical ability in students, as well as push those who have already been identified as being gifted
and talented.
Apart from lessons on a weekly basis, I offer a 5 day intensive GCSE course and a 7 day intensive A-level course. These have worked extremely well and every student I have taught this way has got the
grade required. These are bespoke packages tailored to you. The location can be your choice, materials required are provided by me and I guarantee the grade requested. For more details click here.
However, it's difficult to tell just from this blurb what I'm like. The best thing to do is for us to contact each other. Once we have a discussion about your requirements, I feel sure you'll be
willing to give me a try!
Please use the contact form or phone and I will be in touch as soon as possible.
I also support a local charity and 20% of my fee goes toward it. For more information, click here.
The course itself is also in the process of being made available on YouTube and the first video in the series is below. You can get an idea of my method and my personality from here!
If you'd like to support my video course creation you can donate any amount at the button above.
Thank you!
Bachelor of Engineering - BEng (Hons) (Open) 2020
BSc Pure Science (University of St Andrews) - 2002
A at A-Level Maths - 2010
A* at GCSE Maths - 2009
Junior Certificate Maths - 1994
Level 3 Award in Teaching and Education - 2016
NVQ in Aeronautical Engineering (2018)
A-Level Physics - 1997
IGCSE French - 2013
IGCSE Spanish - 2013
IGCSE Italian - 2014
GCSE Polish - 2014
A-level French - 1997
ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory (Merit) - 2014
Engineering the Space Shuttle 16.885x with MITx
Completed IAM advanced motorcyle rider training with IAM Roadsmart
Current Projects:
A Sponsored MSc Open - Space Science, Engineering and Mathematics
Learning Polish, Russian, and doing piano grades
NVQ Level 3 in Aircraft Avionics and BAE Systems B2 Aircraft License
Beethoven 9th Symphony Challenge - fundraising target £10,000 for LEBBS
20 years as a private tutor of all ages from 10 upwards and 2 years in secondary schools in Lincolnshire. I've tutored in Lincoln since 2005, with some work in London,
online (I currently have a student in Australia!) and secondary schools in Lincoln and Cumbria. I have also published many books on my method to positive reviews.
Some of the 100s of students I have taught include: the daughter of 'Doctor Who', Peter Capaldi; the son of the Vice-President of Syria; and the son of Tony Cunningham, ex-Man City, Newcastle and
Lincoln footballer.
I have also taught people how to tutor, one of whom went on to tutor Oliver Stokes, of Benidorm fame, on set.
My approach is to first identify any issues the student has via an assessment. From this I can develop a strategy for the student to understand maths more easily, which they can take on board to increase in confidence, knowledge and ability. The student will begin to find maths much more easy than they had previously thought. The normal pattern is that the student has failed by using school techniques, so repeating more of the same won't work! My methods are logical, easy and intuitive.