Frequently asked questions
Where do you teach?
I teach from my home in central Harrogate (HG1 5LF). Because I teach full-time, I cannot come to your home. I live right next to the railway station and some of my students from outside Harrogate find it convenient to come by train. There is plenty of parking nearby and I'm within walking distance of most of Harrogate’s schools.
When do you teach?
I usually teach between 10am and 8pm and I teach every day of the week, including weekends. Some students come to me during free periods during the day, others come after school, in the afternoon or early evening. If you want to be taught in York, I can only do this at weekends.
What do you teach?
I teach A level Maths and Further Maths, and some university mathematics (mostly probability and statistics). I also give guidance on university entry, including Oxbridge. I do not teach GCSE or younger students.
Do you teach my syllabus?
Almost certainly, yes. I teach Edexcel, OCR, MEI, AQA and the IB and I have taught C1-4, FP1-4, M1-3, S1-6 and D1. I also teach STEP and the Oxford entry papers. I teach the AQA Statistics paper that is studied at St Aidans
Have you taught anyone else from my school or university?
I've taught over 150 students in the last five years from St Aidan’s, St John Fisher's, Harrogate Grammar, King James's, Ilkley Grammar, Boston Spa, Ripon Grammar, Fulford, All Saints, Huntington, Easingwold, York College, Tadcaster Grammar, St Peter's, Bootham, Ampleforth, Prince Henry's Grammar, Woodkirk High, Malton School as well as the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, York, Manchester, Salford, Teesside, Bradford and the Open University.
How do I know you're any good?
I've been teaching for nineteen years and I've been running dotmaths for five years. Many of my students come to me from word-of-mouth recommendations and a number of schools in York and Harrogate recommend me to their students. There are pages on this site about me, my academic history, my teaching experience, and recommendations of my teaching.
Do you guarantee success?
Your success is ultimately a team effort – my responsibility is to make sure you understand the material, your responsibility is that you practise it. I have plenty of material for you to work on! The students who get the highest grades and get to the best universities are not necessarily the brightest – they are the ones who worked the hardest. Obviously your school should be a big support and I hope your parents or guardians will be, too – sometimes they're going to need to chivvy you into working, so they have a responsibility in all this as well!
Do you have a CRB check?
Yes, I have an Enhanced Disclosure certificate. You can see it here.
How much do you charge?
My rates vary from £20 per hour to £40 per hour. Click Fees for full details.
How should I pay you?
You can pay at the end of each lesson either in cash or by cheque made payable to "Dotmaths". If you pay for six weekly lessons in advance you get a discount. Click Fees for full details.
What if I have to cancel or reschedule?
I try to be as flexible as I can and usually this is no problem. However, if you cancel at very short notice, I might not be able to rebook the lesson. As I am often booked up, this can be unfair on other students who might have wanted that time slot. In those circumstances I will ask you to pay for the lesson, though this is rare.
How long do lessons last?
Most students find that an hour is about right. Sometimes students ask for ninety minutes or even two hours, but you have to be pretty keen and focussed to spend that long on mathematics without a break and, depending on the circumstances, I might suggest you stick to an hour.
How often should I have lessons?
Most students see me once a week and they usually have a regular time slot. I offer a discount for regular bookings of this sort. Click Fees for full details.
When should I have lessons?
Most students see me throughout the year, so that they are regularly building on their schoolwork and preparing for their exams. Some students just see me near exam time, but I get booked up very quickly from about March onwards and I may have no available slots after this time. It's always worth asking, but the sooner you get in touch the more likely it is that I will be able to teach you.
What should I bring with me to the lessons?
You don't have to bring anything with you. If you have a specific question or questions you want to discuss then certainly bring those. I have copies of every past exam paper, and I can supply pen and paper. It's helpful if you bring your calculator, but you can always use mine during the lesson. (I will want to see your calculator at some point, because I usually recommend my students get a specific calculator that I will teach them to use.)
Do I need to prepare for the lessons?
It can be very helpful if you have a topic or question in mind, and I'm very happy to go through written work that you've done. But you don't have to have something specific prepared. I do recommend that you review what we've covered together at some point fairly soon after the lesson so that you consolidate what we've done.
What are the lessons like? Is it like school?
The comment most often made about me is that I'm not like other teachers. My job is to put you at ease and help you understand the material. I dress informally and my students call me "Matthew". I hope the lessons are fun, but I do care about your success and there will be times when I'll be pushing you to work harder or to work longer!
Can I contact you outside lesson time?
Of course! If you have a quick question that's driving you crazy, you don't have to wait until the next lesson. You can drop me a quick e-mail, or text, or call, or message me on Facebook. If you're a parent anxious to know how their child is doing, I'll be very happy to speak to you.
Do you teach groups as well as one-to-one?
Yes, I teach groups of two students. This can be an economical way of having regular lessons to supplement your schoolwork. Click Fees for full details.
For more information or to book a maths lesson please call or text me, Matthew, on 07704 677 400, or send an e-mail to matthew@dotmaths.com. You can also find answers to frequently asked questions.