TESTIMONIALS
WHAT OUR PARENTS & STUDENTS SAY
“Lisa has been teaching English to our girls for over 2yrs. She has helped them move from foreign schools to a UK school and then prepare for 8+ and 11+ exams. Not only our girls succeeded in getting offers from their first choice of schools but their level of English knowledge and love for creative writing have exponentially increased. Our girls are always happy to sit for class with her; they enjoy her teaching style and have a great connection with her. As parents, we really value Lisa’s experience with many schools, her expertise in English and her tailored approach to each child; she really gets the best out of them! We would not hesitate to recommend her to other families.”
- Mrs J, 8+ and 11+ parent Brighton College
"Lisa was introduced to me by a friend. I was super impressed from the first lesson. In just a few weeks my boy’s attitude towards story writing changed and his improvement was noticed at school. He became confident in using literature devices and started enjoying writing stories (honestly that was not the case prior to his lessons with Lisa). In addition my boy did the mock exam provided by Lisa’s company- Fortis Education. He enjoyed the exam practice and we appreciate all the useful feedbacks. The organisation on the day was perfect.
I have used a few English teachers for my boy previously but none of them were at the level of service that Lisa provides. I am really fortunate that my boy will have the opportunity to work with such an amazing teacher and person like Lisa who genuinely cares for the kids she works with. Thank you Lisa."
- Mrs K, 10+ parent chose Emanuel
"We have known Lisa for a year and a half during which she prepared our daughter for the English part of the 11+ exams. Our daughter not only received offers from the top London day girls’ schools, but also won academic scholarships with specific mentions of her strong performance in English (her least favourite subject prior to working with Lisa!) Lisa is very experienced, always well prepared, sets high standards and methodically works with her students to reach them. She genuinely cares about her pupils and is honest about what she can achieve. We would wholeheartedly recommend Lisa. She not only succeeded in helping our daughter perform exceptionally well on the entrance exams, but also in getting her to truly enjoy comprehension and creative writing!"
- Mrs E, 7+ and 11+ parent chose St Paul’s and St Paul’s Girls Schools
"Lisa Powell has been amazing helping our son get through the 11+ process. We started tutoring very late but in a very short time, she managed to teach him the best techniques to answer english comprehension papers and his creative writing improved a lot. From working on richer vocabulary to stronger sentences, his writing became much more complete.
We cannot thank Lisa enough for all the help and support and for giving so much confidence and hope to our son during his exams preparation. We wish we had met Lisa sooner."
- Mrs M, 11+ and 13+ parent chose Wellington College from offers
“I have worked with Lisa Powell since 2015. She is hugely popular and highly regarded by parents and her pupils. She is extremely patient and kind and always willing to help families if she can. Lisa has extensive knowledge of the 7/8/11+/ pre test entrance exams and knows both the London Day and boarding school scenes well. Lisa is one of my first choice colleagues for tutoring and advice. I highly recommend her."
Colleague
"I worked with Lisa in a SEN capacity for several years. Cheerful, positive and a wonderful colleague, Lisa knows her 'stuff' and works productively to find solutions for situations.
Lisa is highly regarded by parents, students and staff alike.
She has been a positive influence in my life and actively prompted me to move forward with my own career in SEN education."
Colleague
Lisa has inspired my daughter in a subject she loathes. For anyone wanting to get their child to the next level in a fun and engaging way -Lisa is great. She challenges and stimulates their thinking, works on their mindset and expands their ways of working.
Mrs G, 11+ parent
Lisa is a fantastic English teacher. She helped my daughter through the 11+ exam and beyond in English, Religious Studies and History. She has a great understanding and experience in tutoring students with SEN challenges. We would not have made it without her.
Mrs A, 11+ and GCSE parent
Lisa has been giving steady and fantastic support to get both my children in the right mind set to work hard at their curriculum challenges. No idea what to do without her!
Mrs K, 7+ and 11+ parent
Lisa is a remarkable English tutor - simply the best there is. If you can get time with her for your child, consider yourself lucky! Her teaching "lasts" well beyond successful entrance exams.
Mrs O, 11+ parent
"Lisa is a private English tutor for my daughter over the last couple of years. My intention was to find a qualified teacher who can prepare my daughter for highly selective schools, both private and Grammar, but also to generally educate her to the highest degree in English language and literature, giving her the chance to learn the finest standards in English.
We are having weekly one to one lessons online and attend the amazing face to face Fortis Education courses - my daughter really likes Lisa. What I found great about her teaching is that she is constantly supervising her, she corrects her and is meticulous in her approach yet at the same time as she encourages and motivates.
My daughter's skills and confidence have grown exponentially. Lisa pays attention to every detail, and she makes sure my daughter understands, always building and progressing at every lesson. I believe she has an expertise and rigour of the highest standards, yet she is warm and kind. It is exactly how the teacher should be. She cares about my daughter, and she gives her excellent advice and support. She has the wealth of experience across the independent sector, and having private lessons with Lisa gives my daughter knowledge, confidence, and motivation. Lisa is also passionate about the wellbeing of students, and she teaches them things beyond the curriculum such as growth mindset, study skills, memory, metacognition, stress management, goal setting strategies, gratitude and so much more! She wants them to love learning for life and to believe in themselves. Education and children are at the heart of all she does. I would strongly recommend Lisa because she is a great teacher and a truly lovely person to communicate with."
- Dr T, Year 4 parent
"Lisa is an incredible tutor, and provided invaluable advice and expertise in helping my daughter prep for the 11+ exams. She equipped my daughter with the tools she needed to tackle both comprehension and creative writing, providing frameworks to help structure her thinking in these. Even my daughter acknowledged that these sessions were very helpful in enabling her to embrace and shine at the exams for the most competitive SW London schools. I’d highly recommend, and have recommended, Lisa without hesitation for anyone looking for that extra bit of support in navigating these entrance exams!"
- Mrs W, 11 + parent. Chose St Paul’s Girl’s School
Lisa has really helped me improve on my creative writing skills.
She has also taught me lots of important skills for life, such as resilience, growth mindset and kindness.
- Student, 8+ chose Brighton College
Lisa's classes are fun, exciting and interesting. She has helped me improve on my handwriting, creative writing, and having a growth mindset.
She is also very kind, fun and engaging.
- Student, 11+ chose Brighton College
“Your work the past year has been amazing! You really care about your work and you seem to really take the time to do it the best you can. You always had an open ear to discuss progress and challenges!. We are very grateful.
Maxime is not easy to teach at times nor to keep him focused but you clearly got the best out of him, as we now see he got called back from all schools during 11 +/13 + for interviews including Westminster, Kings College, Eton, Latymer and Wellington.
All your great teaching and Maxime’s hard work have paid off we are so very thankful dear Lisa.”
- 8+ and 11+ parent chose Latymer Upper School
Lisa is a brilliant tutor who really does go above and beyond. She was extremely helpful and supportive throughout the school entry process, was always very kind and patient in her approach with our children whilst making sure that they got the most out of their sessions. I highly recommend Lisa.
Mrs C, 8+ and 11+ parent
Lisa is wonderful with our son! She is so encouraging and fun while at the same time targeted and focused on developing both his abilities as well as his confidence and self-belief. His vocabulary and ability to structure his thinking to produce creative writing has increased significantly since he started working with Lisa. I'd highly recommend her to any family preparing for the 11/13+ exams.
Mrs O, 11+ parent
Lisa is a fabulous English tutor. We were introduced to her before the 7 plus exams and her flexible but always engaging style has never failed to encourage our son who would often rather be doing sports than sitting having a lesson! We thoroughly trust Lisa to give a student the extra input often required to thrive in these demanding London school exams / admission process.
Mr W, 7+ and 11+ parent
Lisa has been an exceptional tutor for our children. Her teaching style is so engaging, positive and effective that our girls have not only learnt a lot and developed new skills but also adopted a growth mindset.
As parents, we appreciate her specific feedback, wealth of knowledge of schools and exams processes when we have had to navigate complex educational systems. We would not hesitate to recommend Lisa to other parents. She is truly amazing!
Mrs J, 8+ and 11+ parent
“Lisa was absolutely brilliant with our son and he thoroughly enjoyed their lessons. We asked her to help him with English, in particular, creative writing and comprehension and, within a few weeks, we saw immediate improvements. Not only was she able to elevate his standards in the short time they were together, it is now one of his strengths and something he loves to do. We were absolutely delighted when he exceeded our expectations and received offers from Westminster Under and St Paul’s Junior. Lisa has been a joy to work with and we are truly grateful for both her patience and support!”
- Mrs F, 8+, 11+ and 13+ parent
"Thank you Miss Lisa for staying patient and keeping me focused when I drifted off to other topics that seemed more interesting than English Comprehension and Composition. You taught me how to write creatively and to read between the lines in poetry and fiction texts during our 1:1 lessons. I have enjoyed our group lessons especially the mindfulness work motivating us to give our very best at all times. I am much more confident in English and Westminster published my last creative writing piece in our Westminster Under School News letter, I was a little proud!”
- Student, Westminster Under School
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Lisa is an incredible English teacher. She is tremendously caring and supportive and has built an amazing bond with my son. Lisa managed to help my son go from absolutely dreading creative writing to becoming a confident and capable writer, winning awards from his school on the subject. Lisa is able to really connect with her pupils and she instilled in them a love for English that they will carry on as they get older. She equips them with the tools needed to tackle the subject in a confident way. She is always supportive and brings out the best in them.
Lisa connects with the family, takes the time to give detailed feedback and to understand all aspects of the children she teaches. She is incredibly warm and kind, a truly wonderful person and a remarkably talented teacher.
- Mrs G, 8+ parent
I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Lisa for an extended period, well beyond our initial engagement for the 11+ exams. Her ongoing support and professionalism have been instrumental in not just exam success, but also in fostering a lasting improvement in my daughter’s English comprehension and writing skills.
Lisa passionately delves into various social and cultural topics, broadening my child's horizons and encouraging critical thinking. Her dedication to nurturing a holistic understanding of English is truly admirable. Lisa is absolutely fantastic. Her tailored approach to each student's learning journey is a testament to her commitment to their success.
I would highly recommend Lisa to any parent seeking not just exam preparation, but a comprehensive educational experience that nurtures a love for learning and a deeper understanding of the world around us.
- Mr V, 11+ parent
"It has been great working with Lisa, she always goes the extra mile. My daughter needed an independent assessment to be able to access special arrangements for her GCSE. The interview for this assessment was done in a professional but also amiable way, and her report was able to confirm to the exam centre the need for these special arrangements. She was very detail orientated, and ensured that those access arrangements were in place, relentlessly following up and double checking that everything was confirmed in writing with the exam centre to be absolutely sure that nothing would go wrong on the day of the exam.
She has further worked with my daughter to help develop her confidence as a learner moving from homeschooling to mainstream education smoothly and successfully. Knowing her background and understanding her as a learner, she helped her develop and utilise her strengths.
I would definitely recommend Lisa for her strong professional aptitude associated with her warm and friendly personality. She is honest, full of energy and enthusiasm, and always caring."
Mrs P, GCSE Parent
"Lisa’s contact was shared via a mum who spoke very highly of her and I couldn’t agree more. Lisa has a very child/student focussed approach and will bend over backwards to ensure realistic goals are met and will do everything to make it possible. Lisa is motivational, fun and wacky according to my son who has had group and 1-2-1 lessons with Lisa.
I’ve approached Lisa many times for various topics related to my son; be that exams or senior schools decisions. I have always found Lisa to reply promptly with sound unbiased advice and many times I find myself asking the same question which can be frustrating, but Lisa has always responded amazingly and her counselling skills are great.
I receive regular and thorough feedback regarding my son’s lessons which is helpful. I have recently recommended Lisa to a friend of mine, who used her for the 11 plus and also spoke very highly of her. Lisa can offer a bespoke service for a child, working on their needs and enhancing the qualities. She has a wealth of experience which I often lean on and am grateful. Thank you!"
Dr K, 13+ Parent
"I am delighted to recommend Lisa for her invaluable support and expertise in our son's educational journey. Lisa has played dual roles as a tutor and an educational consultant, and her contributions have been truly remarkable.
In preparation for our son's 7+ exams, Lisa took on the challenge of working with a complex and twice-exceptional student (incl. ADHD and dysgraphia). While he excelled in maths and reasoning, creative writing in English initially seemed like an insurmountable hurdle. While maths and reasoning were not an issue, creative writing in English seemed like a lost cause, still Lisa managed to engage with him and in a few incredibly effective sessions she enabled him to effortlessly write to exam standards. Our son received offers from three fantastic schools.
Beyond tutoring, Lisa provided invaluable support to us as an educational consultant when it came to selecting the right school for Mateo during the 7+ application process. Given our son's intricate needs, the choice was far from obvious. Lisa's advice proved to be spot-on, and our son is now thriving in his school environment.
Lisa possesses a wealth of experience and talent as an educator, demonstrating a deep understanding of children with special needs. Her compassionate and generous nature is a true asset, as she not only comprehends the challenges parents face but also actively listens and consistently offers invaluable and impartial guidance.
We wholeheartedly endorse Lisa for anyone seeking unparalleled support in their child's education."
- Mrs G, 7+ parent
"Our daughter has been working with Lisa for the past year in preparation for her 11+. She has completely transformed the way she writes but also her engagement and confidence. She has gone from being extremely shy in lessons, to being extremely confident and has even started to write a book!
Lisa managed to do this by truly engaging and understanding what she likes, the way she thinks and what drives/motivates her. Her tutoring doesn’t end in the lesson, she provides extensive useful feedback and spends a lot of time doing research on things the kids enjoy that will engage them even more, like watching movies they have recommended to her that they can then discuss.
Lisa’s group courses through Fortis have a rigorous and gold-standard English teaching that is amplified by teaching metacognition, wellbeing strategies to help cope with the process, growth mindset and study skills. Incredible work.
I truly recommend her for every age, she will guide the kids and parents through the very complex education and exam system."
- Mr T, 11+ parent
"I met Lisa Powell approximately 2 years ago after having struggled for years with my son due to his learning difficulties.
I believe that if I could have been lucky enough to meet Lisa earlier in time my life, my son’s school career, would have been of a completely different kind.
Lisa is an excellent teacher and I can say that because I see my son finally happy to follow her lead. She has a profound knowledge of all techniques that can be implemented to assist a child with learning difficulties and this is exceptionally rare.
The majority of private tutors I have engaged with over the many years of our struggles, all espoused their expertise in the field but none of them actually delivered.
As a specialist in learning difficulties , Lisa not only is knowledgeable of the way these extraordinary children learn but she is also very well aware of the mental struggle those children develop at school when they realise they are different. Actually, the perception they have of themselves is that they are less capable compared to other classmates and that there is no way out. They simply believe they are not clever. Some of them simply surrender and stop trying.
On this basis it is easy to understand that a teacher specialised in learning difficulties must gain the child’s trust, engage and establish a genuine relationship for the child to open up to the learning process and overcome the above difficulties finding new ways of learning.
Lisa has been and is still for my son a crucial figure in my son’s life as she is finally breaking down a very high wall my son built up since age 12 regarding his abilities as a learner.
Thanks to Lisa he has been able to pass his GCSEs to a high standard but most importantly his curiosity towards learning and culture is coming back. Thank you, Lisa, for all your hard work and limitless patience with all your pupils."
- Mrs B, GCSE Parent
"I wanted to take this opportunity to firstly thank you for embarking on the secondary school journey thus far.
Your 1-2-1 and group sessions have been very informative, fun and interesting which we look forward to weekly. The holiday workshops are equally amazing. I appreciate your prompt responses, advice and guidance whether it’s about the subject, exam preparation or school advice. It is admirable how you put each child first and tailor the sessions to cater for each child’s learning needs despite the group setup.
Not only do you have sound knowledge of your subject, you are understanding, flexible and kind hearted. I’m glad I found you - thank you for everything."
- Dr K, parent of Eton College, Winchester and Harrow offer holder
We worked with Lisa a few years ago when we were looking for a pre-prep school in London for our child. Lisa understood what kind of school we liked (and disliked..) and we ended up choosing one of the schools she recommended and we are very happy. I will recommend Lisa for anyone looking for the perfect school for their child.
- Mrs B, pre-prep parent
Lisa Powell has been working with my boy for the preparation for 8+ exams, she is simply one of the best English tutors in London with kind and delicate approach to children. Her commitment to improve kids’ knowledge is admirable.
- Mrs A, 8+ parent
"Lisa is an amazing teacher/tutor. The things she has taught me were life changing. With her advice, I’m sure I’ll get into all of my chosen schools for the 11+. She has given me so much advice for the English sections and interviews. The ingredients she has taught me (literary devices) have gotten me to the top in my class in creative writing and comprehension through Year 5 and now in Year 6. She’s given me so much confidence as a writer, this is now one of my favourite subjects.
During one on one lessons, we focused on important features such as how to use a specific ingredient or PEEL, how to answer a question in a comprehension. At the beginning of each class she would do a mini check up and ask me how everything is going and how I was. Each of these would make me feel more comfortable.
During school breaks, she would organise group lessons with other children, like a mini class. She chose a school for one of the environments and that really helped concentration for me and others. In each lesson, I would be with people I already knew and I would make more friends. Each comprehension piece was interesting in its own way. For example, one time we were reading an extract from Animal Farm and Lisa would make us annotate the text as much as we could. At the end of reading I would have no space left on my page and lots of different colours. Although it was tiring, it made answering the questions so much easier.
My favourite part of group sessions were the beginnings. We would have a grid of random different images and we would have to copy it after looking at it for one minute. I would always remember it by coming up with ridiculous stories.
In the middle of the 11+ process she would prepare with interview questions and how to describe a piece of poetry or writing piece. She told me how to walk it step by step. All of these questions prepared me and made me feel very confident during all my interviews.
All of these lessons from the end of Year 4 and to Year 6 I have thoroughly enjoyed. She has been my favourite tutor by far and there isn’t anybody who wields a kinder heart."
- 11+ Student, chose Godolphin and Latymer