Private IB Environmental Systems and Societies Tutors

Cheryl is a highly qualified Biologist. She holds a First Class Honours degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the University of Sheffield and a PhD (focusing on the oxytocin receptor in the male reproductive tract) from the University of Bristol.

For the last 26 years, Cheryl has taught in independent schools around the globe (including the UK, NZ and Egypt). She has taught Biology at the following levels: GCSE, A level, IB MYP and IB DP as well as NCEA courses in Biology. She has also taught Chemistry and Science and Environmental Systems and Societies. Keeping up to date with the courses through professional development, Cheryl's understanding of the mentioned courses is current.

Cheryl's students have consistently achieved grades greater than their CEM data predictions. This means that Cheryl always adds 'value' to the achievement of her students. She is particularly adept at advising on the Internal Assessment element of the Biology IB course and can provide feedback or mark the entire IA to give an insight into what grade you might achieve. Cheryl is proud of the fact that the the grades she awarded her students throughout her career matched with those of the IB examiners: her marking was consistently 'consistent' with them. This is no mean feat!

Cheryl also likes to aid students with study and revision skills. She has a Master's degree in Education and Psychology from the University of Cambridge. Her thesis investigated the impact of graphic organisers on metacognition and learning.

Cheryl has been described as approachable and good humored and builds working relationships easily. She uses a constructivist approach in her teaching which means that her students are not passive but active learners.

Florence Sherrill has been teaching Science, Chemistry and Biology for forty three years in International IB Schools in Brazil and the U.S.

The daughter of missionary parents, Florence was raised in Brazil, and grew up bilingual and bicultural. Teaching is her passion! She believes all students can learn, given proper guidance and support.

She holds a Bachelors Degree in Biology from Universidade Santa Ursula, and started teaching while still in college! She earned a Masters Degree in Science Education from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, before moving back to Brazil. During her period in the United States, she was selected among several candidates to attend a leadership conference at Princeton University for teachers of Environmental Science, where she trained in project-based learning.

Florence has recently retired from her full-time classroom teaching and is excited about continuing to help young people learn.

I am an accomplished educator, NERC/QUADRAT-funded PhD scientist, and Certified IB Examiner specialising in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS), Geography, and Earth Sciences across IB, A-Level, and University levels. I earned my PhD in Environmental Sciences with distinction, an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation with a PGCE equivalent, and a BSc (Hons) in Geography and Bioscience supported by the Repsol Sinopec Excellence Scholarship from the University of Aberdeen. With over 12,000 hours of total instructional experience spanning top international schools, leading universities, and global online platforms, my career bridges elite academic research with highly effective 1-1 student mentoring.
My scientific research focuses on high-altitude tropical and montane ecosystem resilience, biogeochemistry, and geophysics, leading to peer-reviewed contributions and presentations at major climate summits such as COP 26. As an active IB Examiner for Biology and ESS, I provide students with an insider understanding of marking schemes, structural assessment shifts, and syllabus nuances. Combined with multilingual fluency in English (C2), Spanish (C2), Polish (Native), Italian (B2), German (B1), and Portuguese (B1), I deliver an intellectually rigorous, globally contextualised learning experience that empowers students to excel.

Tutor Experience
Over the past six years, I have logged over 12,000 total instructional hours, including more than 9,700 hours of direct 1:1 online tutoring and over 11,000 hours in specialised digital learning environments. My pedagogical scope covers secondary, pre-university, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels across Biology, Chemistry, ESS, Physical and Human Geography, Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Sciences. I possess extensive experience with all major exam specifications, including IB DP (SL & HL), AQA, OCR (A & B), Edexcel, CIE, EDUQAS, and Cambridge International CAIM.
My institutional background includes four years as an academic lecturer and reader across leading UK universities, including the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, alongside teaching cycles in top-tier international school environments. In these roles, I have directed coursework, designed geological and ecological field expeditions, and mentored students through university dissertations, lab reports, and Directed Research projects.
This rigorous background drives consistent student performance: 80–85% of my A-Level and IB tutees achieve top grades (A/A* or 6/7), while my university students achieve average grade improvements of 20–40%+. Whether preparing high schoolers for competitive university entry or guiding postgraduates through advanced bioenvironmental analysis, I tailor every session to ensure total syllabus mastery and exam confidence.

Teaching Approach
My teaching philosophy is built upon an innovative, empirical framework that synthesises advanced scientific inquiry, diagnostic assessment architecture, and metacognitive learning strategies. Designed to transform passive memorisation into active analytical mastery, my approach elevates student performance across four core pillars:
• Diagnostic Sub-Topic Assessment Architecture - To guarantee complete syllabus coverage, every unit concludes with a mandatory diagnostic topic test. Built around a strict "one question per sub-topic" rule, this system systematically identifies and resolves micro-gaps in knowledge before they impact official examination performance.
• Examiner-Grade Assessment Mechanics - Drawing directly on my role as a Certified IB Examiner, I train students to interpret command terms, structure high-scoring responses, and decode complex mark schemes. I provide specialised coaching on critical exam mechanics, including mastering the updated Multiple Choice to True/False (MC to TF) rule transition.
• Intradisciplinary Scientific & Applied Research Integration - I bridge theoretical syllabus content with real-world scientific methodologies derived from active research in high-altitude tropical ecology, geophysics, and molecular biology. This intradisciplinary model deepens conceptual understanding, strengthens analytical essays, and prepares students for university-level scientific writing.
• Adaptive Metacognitive Mentorship - Every learning pathway is customised to the student's unique cognitive profile, integrating high-yield active recall and structured problem-solving with dedicated academic mentorship. By cultivating both conceptual clarity and strategic resilience under exam conditions, I help students reach their highest academic potential.

Jason is a seasoned humanities subject teacher, teaching across a variety of subjects, including CAS, Environmental Systems and Societies (HL and SL), Global Perspective, Global Politics, Individuals and Societies, Economics (SL only), Religious Studies, Social Studies, History, Philosophy and Theory of Knowledge. Jason was awarded a Second Class Degree in Bachelor of Social Sciences (Government and Laws) and Bachelor of Laws, while I spent most of teaching career in Geography, especially appreciating the dimensions of human geography. Jason aims at building a solid knowledge foundation to be built upon, and equipping students with the exam techniques to be successful. Jason’s sessions are structured, focused, always questioning so that students are prompted to think more and are given the opportunities to articulate themselves, essential skills to be successful in IBDP.

Many students find Environmental Science demanding, not because the content is inaccessible, but because IB ESS and Cambridge syllabuses demand a rare blend of scientific rigour, data analysis, and extended essay-style writing, often within tight deadlines and alongside a full course load. Students frequently struggle to connect case studies to exam command terms, structure IA and EE work effectively, or build the confidence needed to move from a borderline grade to a 6 or 7. With over 32 years of experience in education, I help students close these gaps through targeted, individualised support, breaking down complex topics, refining exam technique, and building the study habits that turn anxiety into clarity. I specialise in teaching Environmental Science (Management) within the Cambridge curriculum, and IB ESS, guiding students to achieve A* grades and 6/7s while fostering academic excellence. My students have gone on to study at universities around the world. I tutor regions spanning Japan, China, Geneva, Jakarta, Milan, Russia, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Dubai. My dedication has been recognised with the Best Environmental Management Student of the Year award in South Africa in 2022. In addition to my IB and Cambridge IGCSE expertise, I have implemented Environmental Science programs across all school levels at Umdoni Christian Academy and am well-versed in the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) program, which emphasises individualised learning and values-based education. My passion for teaching is matched by a commitment to nurturing each student's potential and inspiring a deep appreciation for environmental stewardship.

Kabir V is an IB Diploma graduate who achieved a perfect score of 45/45, with high 7s in Biology HL, Chemistry HL, and ESS HL, and is currently studying Medicine at UNSW. He tutors IB Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) at both HL and SL, and has helped students improve their IB scores and work towards their full academic potential. Having recently completed the IB himself, Kabir is highly familiar with the current IB syllabi, mark schemes, and assessment expectations, and structures his lessons around exactly what students are expected to know and how they are expected to answer. He regularly integrates past-paper questions into his lessons, using IB mark schemes to help students understand how to approach questions and maximise marks. He also supports students with their Internal Assessments (IAs), drawing on his own experience achieving 7s in his IAs. Kabir adapts his teaching to each student, breaking down difficult concepts clearly while sharing the study and exam strategies that helped him achieve top results in the IB.