Russell is a Teacher of Mathematics at one of London’s most sought-after independent schools, having previously taught at University College School in Hampstead and the London Oratory School in Fulham.

He is also a highly experienced and successful maths tutor, having helped dozens of students gain places at many of the country’s top schools – such as Westminster, St Paul’s, Highgate, UCS, Francis Holland (Sloane Square) and Henrietta Barnet to name a few.

Russell believes strongly in helping students to understand and enjoy mathematics in order to achieve their potential. He uses carefully worded explanations to foster understanding, rather than rote learning, and makes maths engaging and enjoyable, so his  students gain confidence and perform at their best!

Aaron completed his primary degree in Economics followed by a PGCE at Brunel University. He is a highly experienced educator who specialises in helping children gain entrance to selective UK schools. 
Aaron has worked as a teacher both in London and internationally; he is currently Head of English at the prestigious British School of Geneva.

With over a decade of experience as a tutor, Aaron has successfully guided scores of children to admission places at London’s most prestigious schools, including Kings College School Wimbledon and St Paul’s Girls School.

AARON’S MOTTO – Don’t decide that you can’t before you discover that you can!’

Amadeus trained as a Doctor at Cambridge University and holds an MA (Hons) in Zoology, but his passion for teaching led him to education.

He has over 3000 hours tutoring experience and has taught Maths in Kenya and Uganda.
Amadeus’s No. 1 learning ethos is about ‘Efficiency’, he’s made a specialty of helping students to study effectively and make the most of their time. 

His experience with dyslexia means he understands that different students struggle in different areas and he prides himself in noticing when a student doesn’t fully understand and explaining ideas from different angles until they do.

AMADEUS’S MOTTO – Mistakes are just proof you’re learning! 

Ruth has had an highly successful career in Primary Education, working across all age groups and finishing with 12 years as Headteacher in a challenging, culturally diverse London Inner-City environment. She has since gone on to become a multi-award-winning speaker and best-selling author in the area of personal development and relationship management.

Ruth’s extensive knowledge of the UK Primary Education system, combined with her exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, makes her perfectly qualified to advise and guide families on their journey from Primary to Secondary education.

Dirk is a hugely experienced former Head of English with an unshakeable passion for everything about the English language – especially Creative Writing. Educated at Manchester Grammar and Balliol College, Oxford, Dirk taught English for over 30 years, 20 of those as Head of English in two secondary schools.

Dirk’s incredible wealth of knowledge and experience positions him perfectly to not only lead our Creative Writing workshops, but also to provide unrivalled Consultancy wisdom and guidance on your UK school entry journey.

DIRK’S MOTTO: Language is a miracle…especially the English Language

Layla has worked as a consultant for Schools Insider since 2017. With a background in educational media in Qatar, Layla has had to navigate through the complexities of the UK educational system, as a returning expat.

Upon her return to the UK, Layla suddenly found herself overwhelmed with having to deal with prep schools, senior school applications, ISEB exams and interviews. “Being in an expat bubble for so long leaves you completely out of touch”, recalls Layla.

With one child in one of the UK’s top boarding schools and another child with an offer secured at the same school, Layla has an understanding of the difficulties faced by expats wishing to return to the UK and into the boarding school system. She is also now an experienced invigilator for 11 Plus and GCSE exams for top independent schools in Berkshire.

Fiona’s whole working life has been dedicated to either being a performer or to enabling others to improve their performance and communication skills.  She holds a strong belief in your inherent right to be noticed and listened to, as she understands the challenges and limitations that arise when you aren’t listened to, either at work or in life.

Since 2005, she has worked as a qualified executive and performance coach, as well as a speaking skills trainer, working with young people and adults.  Her expertise is enriched by her previous career paths. 

As a trained actor, she honed her skills in confident performance, voice production, breath work and understanding motivation and interpreting text.  This experience taught her the power of owning the stage and captivating an audience.

As a professional fundraiser, she learnt how to effectively pitch ideas and influence individuals, enabling her to raise substantial funds and support for important causes.  Now as a confidence and speaking skills expert, she helps the young by running workshops and competitions in public speaking and debating so that they can go out into the world able to speak confidently in public.  This is a skill not currently prioritised in schools and holds students back from achieving their potential.

Educated at Oxford, Mikael is a uniquely experienced Education Consultant serving the children of HNW clients for over a decade. He is an exceptionally effective tutor and all-round pedagogy coach and has had children as young as 8 studying with him all the way to their A levels and University Admissions. With students successfully securing their places at Oxbridge, Imperial, LSE and other top universities.

His exceptional record of success can, in part, be credited to his intricate understanding of the exam and application process, which enables him to tailor the preparation process to the unique abilities of the student. He is always up to date with the ever changing landscape of education and can provide expert advice on course choices and destinations that best fit the individual aspirations of each student. With his extensive experience across all stages of the school and university entry process, Mikael will help guide you through the personal statement, admissions testing and interviews.

He is one of our most sought after consultants. 

Throughout my children’s primary school years I lived overseas, yet I managed to secure places for them at 8+ and 11+ at London’s two most sought-after super-selective schools. 

I was then immediately swamped with enquiries about how I’d done it! 

Truth is, as a full-time working mum of three,  I simply had no choice but to make my kids self-reliant in their preparation. 

So I started curating and planning their resources and study timetable late at night, often falling asleep under piles of marking and more planning. I created a structure that allowed them to get on with the learning part and I did the rest such as marking and then adjusting the resources to plug any gaps and weaknesses. 

Preparing them was not easy, but I learned a lot! I also got lots of encouragement from other working mum’s who asked me to share my 11+ system, hence Exam Insider was born!

I then had the opportunity to meet some excellent teachers who were equally passionate about de-stressing 11+ and especially encouraging children to take more ownership of their studies. 

At Exam Insider, we wholeheartedly believe that when you encourage children to be accountable for their actions, you teach them to appreciate the value of their hard work. This is a life long skill that will serve them well and create success in every aspect of their life, not just 11+.

Raghdaa has been surrounded by neurodiversity her entire life. She believes that kids with additional needs often have significant untapped potential; if properly employed, most can thrive.

She is a dedicated and empathetic leader who is passionate about supporting CYP with SEND. Her lifelong personal experience with neurodiversity in children offered her a deep understanding of the diverse struggles and complex needs of the neurodivergent children both academically and socially.

Raghdaa’s mission is to help each child reach their full potential. Known for her patience, creativity, she and her team work closely with the students and their families to foster a collaborative and nurturing atmosphere for the children to flourish.

She is thrilled to focus on kids in the Alternative Provision program to contribute to their growth and development with the aim of reintegrating them back into schools.

Her approach is to employ her and her team’s skills to develop tailored, individualized education plans, employing diverse teaching strategies (both academic and extracurricular) to ensure every student reaches their target. Her commitment to continuous learning and professional development allows Schools Insider to stay current with the most effective educational techniques and technologies, ensuring high quality of education for the students.

Prior to her career in education, Raghdaa was a senior business executive in commercial and business development in large multinational companies. She was educated at Harvard University and the American University in Cairo. She has a wealth of cultural and international experience having lived and worked in seven countries across four continents. She has been living and working in the UK for 20 years with her two children.

In her free time, Raghdaa enjoys cycling and hiking, both further enrich her understanding and connection with the students’ needs for physical activities and the outdoors.

For any enquiries about Alternative Provision, pls contact Raghdaa on [email protected]