Menu
Meet Our Tutors in Wigan & Standish
Looking for experienced tutors in Wigan or Standish? At Top Grades Education, your child will be taught by dedicated, qualified teachers with extensive classroom experience and specialist knowledge of the subjects they teach.
Our tutors provide friendly, personalised support in small groups of no more than six students, helping children build confidence, strengthen their understanding and achieve their potential.
We are an Ofsted registered tuition centre.
All of our tutors have enhanced DBS checks and up-to-date safeguarding training, and we always have a trained first aider on site.
Richard -– Founder
& Maths Tutor
Richard founded Top Grades Education in 2019, initially renting a room in a local parish hall on Saturday mornings. Just two years later, Top Grades had grown enough to open its own tuition centre in Standish, Wigan, with four classrooms and a growing team of tutors.
Before leaving teaching to run Top Grades full-time, Richard spent 26 years as a secondary school Maths teacher, including 12 years as a senior leader. He is recognised as the number one recommended maths tutor in Standish, Wigan and the North West.
Richard particularly enjoys the “penny drop” moments:
“It’s the best part of the job –the look on a child’s face when they realise they can do something they struggled with in school.”
His teaching philosophy is based on understanding rather than simply learning tricks and rules. Richard believes that when students understand why a mathematical method works, they are far more likely to remember it and be able to apply it to unfamiliar problems.
Building confidence is equally important. Many children have a fear of getting things wrong, so one of Richard’s first priorities is helping students understand that making mistakes is an important part of learning. Errors and misconceptions provide valuable opportunities to develop deeper mathematical understanding.
One of the most common comments Richard receives from parents is how much their child’s confidence in Maths has improved. That’s particularly important at Top Grades because greater confidence encourages students to attempt more challenging work, learn from mistakes and ultimately achieve their best.
Emma –- Co-owner, English Tutor & Dyslexia Specialist
Emma is co-owner of Top Grades Education and has 23 years’ experience as a secondary school English teacher. Emma has been an exam marker for GCSE and A Level for both AQA and EDUQAS. She has also worked successfully as a Head of English in three local schools, leading improvements in English and supporting countless young people to achieve results that have opened doors to further education and future opportunities.
Emma has a real passion for English and recognises the lifelong benefits that strong reading, writing and communication skills can bring, both across the curriculum and into adulthood.
“Working with our students, seeing the rapid progress they make and watching their confidence bloom makes it a pleasure to go to work. It is absolutely magical!”
Emma particularly loves literature and enjoys helping students develop their own appreciation of books, stories and characters.
Since 2019 we have been delighted to be part of our students’ journey. Many are studying at some of the most highly regarded colleges and universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Loughbrough, Manchester and Liverpool.
“Engaging children with a love of reading and seeing them immerse themselves in a story or character is one of the great joys of my job.”
With extensive teaching and examining experience, Emma supports GCSE students with both English Language and English Literature, including their individual set texts. She particularly enjoys helping students understand and appreciate Shakespeare, bringing the characters, language and themes to life.
Emma is also a dyslexia specialist teacher and is qualified to carry out full diagnostic dyslexia assessments. She keeps up to date with current research and uses effective multisensory approaches to support children and young people who find reading and writing particularly challenging.
Parents frequently comment on both the progress their children make with Emma and the increased confidence they develop. You can read some of their experiences in our parent reviews.
Testimonials
How It Works
Contact us to find out how we can support your child to achieve their Top Grades.
