Tutorial classes are one of the best ways to nurture intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and creativity, all at the same time. It’s well known that students at Oxford and Cambridge do particularly well with their studies because they can engage closely with their professors in small tutorials. As a former graduate tutor at three Oxford colleges, I’ve seen first-hand just how much students can learn and grow through interaction with their teachers in tutorial classes. In this setting, tutors can get to know their students well and offer tailored teaching and individualised feedback based on close weekly observation of their students’ strengths and weaknesses.

At i-Learner, our small tutorial classes similarly offer students individualised support from our caring tutors, as well as the space to try new things. Away from the pressure of large school classes, students feel more confident to experiment, ask questions and make mistakes in order to learn. Rather than being discouraged, students are instead praised by their tutors for their curiosity and desire to learn. Such feedback is made even more effective by the fact our tutors have the time to learn our students’ individual needs properly and adjust their encouragement accordingly.

i-Learner tutors specifically target curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity through our tutorials as we understand these are key elements to academic success. In our Voyage classes, for example, students are exposed to difficult texts from international curricula. Instead of shying away from the challenge, students feel confident enough to engage with the tricky analysis of the stories or poems, and often produce creative interpretations, offer impressive connections with other texts, and express their opinions eloquently. In this way, our tutorials not only nurture creativity, curiosity and critical thinking, they also prepare students for the challenges of the most demanding examinations in a supportive and intimate atmosphere.