Private Tutor
London, Surrey and international
Francis Pigott
My son had tutoring with Francis. He helped my son through his 11+ and he got a place in Tiffin. Francis had the right mix of nurturing, encouragement and strictness. I whole heartedly recommend him for 11+ tuition.
— Emma, happy parent
We were well matched with Francis who has always been encouraging, patient and supportive of our son. He's been really great at building his confidence with maths and English. A really excellent service, and we're so pleased we've used him for tutoring.
— Philip, happy parent
What makes a great tutor?
Someone who is patient, encouraging, enthusiastic, flexible and creative in their approach. Someone who is a strong communicator, able to give helpful feedback to every pupil.
What are you trying to encourage and cultivate in your students?
To be inquisitive and be able to think independently, to have self-belief, to enjoy learning.
Apart from teaching, what are your own extra-curricular interests?
Reading, travel, visiting art galleries, cooking, growing vegetables on my allotment.
What makes Commons Education tutoring different?
Being able to feel a connection with each pupil, taking an interest in the whole child rather than simply focusing on academic success. Working in close partnership with parents.
Who or what inspires you?
Originality inspires me – people who create something new which encourages you to think about the world, or your personal experiences, from a different perspective. I’m also inspired by my grandfather, a self-made man, who was modest about his achievements (he was successful businessman and well-respected mountaineer), and with his interest in language and gift for humour, was a wonderful story-teller.
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Francis Pigott has more than ten years' experience teaching and leading in south-west London primary schools.
He initially studied engineering at Lancaster University, then changed degree courses to history of art at UCL. After graduating, he embarked on a career in the wine trade, where he worked for many years, both as a retail manager and a buyer. Francis then moved to a major supermarket, where he spent several years developing innovative own-label food products. However, after spending a rather soulless six months reformulating pasta sauces and low-fat packet soups to increase profitability, he realised it was time to move on.
Having witnessed his own son’s seemingly unquenchable thirst for learning, and spending some time volunteering at his inspiring primary school, Francis decided to retrain as a teacher.
He taught at a south London state primary school for over ten years, as a Key Stage 2 class teacher. His own particular interests in education are language acquisition – from teaching phonics and reading, to developing children’s creative writing and comprehension skills – and encouraging children to read for pleasure.
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BA (Hons) History of Art – University College London
BSc Engineering Part 1 – Lancaster University
PGCE Primary Education – Wandsworth SCITT