Elizabeth Clare

I am an experienced teacher who has been teaching in London since 1990. I have recently moved back to Cambridge, where I grew up, and am now a confidence coach and tutor for KS2 children.

For many years, I have been part of the Senior Leadership Team at Thomas’s Battersea, but I have always most enjoyed working directly with children and have continued to teach throughout (initially as a KS2 class teacher, and latterly as a Religious Studies teacher).

As well as my extensive experience in a top London prep school, I have a wide general knowledge, a love of learning and good sense of humour and fun. I believe that I am well respected by parents, pupils and colleagues alike and that I am known to be knowledgeable, kind and fair.

I am a member of Removed and hold an enhanced DBS certificate.

Tutoring Experience

I have been teaching for over 32 years and the last 25 of those have been at Thomas’s Battersea, a top London prep school.

Before Thomas’s, my first 6 years of teaching were at primary schools in the Borough of Westminster. I then taught for a year at Runnymede College in Madrid.

I always wanted to teach and so my year out between school and university was spent teaching at St George’s College in Cairo, through The Project Trust.

At Thomas’s, I have been a part of the Senior Leadership Team, as Deputy Head Academic (Reception-Year 8) and before that I was the first ever Head of Middle School (Years 3-5).

I have always believed in the importance of life-long learning and that teachers should keep up to date with current research and thinking about education.

To that end, in addition to professional reading, my own recent training has included the following:
Open and Advanced Skills Training Workshops - Happy, Confident Kids (2022)
Resident Inspector Training - B11 Education (2022)
Introduction to Executive Functioning - Connections in Mind (2022)
Realising Potential - Optimus Education (2022)
Online Prevent Training - The Home Office (2022)
Stretch and Challenge Your Most Able Students - Dragonfly (2022)
LGBTQ+ Awareness Training - Free2B Alliance (2021)
PSHE and RSE Training - Saskia Boujo (2021)

Level 3 Refresher Safeguarding Training for Experienced Designated Safeguarding Leads in Education - Wandsworth TPD (June 2021)
Safer Recruitment in Education - Educare (2021)
Inspections: getting the best out of inspections - IAPS (2021)
Inspection Compliance Workshops - Dianne Barratt (2021)
Creating a Culture of Thinking Right from the Start: 10 things to say every day to your students…and why they matter - Professor Ron Ritchhart (2021)
Leadership: FED Model (Future, Engage, Deliver) - Transform Trust (2020)
Designing an Effective Curriculum - Jonny Allams/All Learning (2020)
Unconscious Bias: Developing Resilience in the Classroom to Support Pupil Outcomes - The National College (2020)
FGM Awareness - Educare (2020)
Child Protection in Education - Educare (2020)
Cybersecurity - Educare (2020)
Delivering a Broad and Balanced Curriculum - including a session on Inclusion delivered by Andrew Moffat, author of ‘No Outsiders in our School: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools’ - Optimus Education (2019)
Feedback: What Works and Why - Shirley Clarke (2019)
Achievement for All: Empowering Teachers and Schools to Transform Lives - Professor Sonia Blandford (2019)
When the Adults Change, Everything Changes - Pivotal Education (2019)
Paediatric First Aid Training - First Aid for Life (2019)
Leadership Training/Roleplay re Difficult Conversations - Actorshop (2019)
Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs - Andrew Hall/Success in Schools (2018)
Public Speaking Training - Jayne Constantinis (2018)
The Future-Smart School: Educating for Intellectual Growth - C.J. Simister (2018)
I was also part of a year-long Mindsets Programme led by Charlie Warshawski from Optimus Education (2017-2018).

Tutoring Approach

I bring humour, warmth and kindness to lessons - as well as intellectual challenge - and help children to feel confident about their learning.

Not one to dumb things down, I encourage a growth mindset and an understanding that making mistakes is all part of the learning process. I believe that my talent lies in helping children to fulfil their potential. They feel seen and heard by me and comfortable to talk and ask questions.

The following are quotes from parents, as I feel that they give a flavour of what I am like as a teacher and as a person:

“I think Miss Oswald is phenomenal, bringing warmth and inspiration to the children. You and the kids are lucky to have her.”
“You are unquestionably a passionate and outstanding teacher. I want you to know that both X and Y have thoroughly enjoyed their classes with you; they, and I have no doubt the whole school, will miss you immensely.”
“You are a gem at the school. Strong, fair and encouraging to those who need it. The support you gave X at a tricky time when few understood her was so valued.”
“You are a wonderful woman, full of energy and kindness, and I am sure you are driven by making a change and helping to make our community a better place… You were one of the first people who welcomed us at our first meeting - presenting the positive mindset. We felt very confident about our choice hearing you.”
“Please know that both my kids have always been very fond of you and hold you in high regard - as do I.”
“I felt an immense gratitude that you still managed to teach our children [whilst caring for my father during Lockdown] with so much dedication, passion and kindness. I always observed with much tenderness X developing such a curiosity about religions…and I always knew it was thanks to you! So please feel really proud and good about all that you have given to our children and it will be with real sadness we will see you leaving next year.”

And this from a Year 6 pupil:
“Just wanted to drop you a note, as my mum told me that you will no longer be at the school, beyond the end of this year. I wanted to say a huge thank you for all you have done for me and the school and I will really miss you. I always find your way of teaching very genuine and so true.”