FAQs

Yes, we accept both GCSE and A-Level students. Please contact us further to discuss your options.

Greene’s is able to provide tuition in most A-Level subjects, including niche and minority subjects. We offer a limited range of GCSE courses, available upon request. Please contact us to discuss how Greene’s can help you to achieve your educational goals.

All of our tuition programmes are tailored to your personal interests, so tuition fees will vary from person to person. However, our fees page here can provide an indicator of approximate annual fees.

Greene’s accepts students at any time of the year, all year round. Fees are pro-rated accordingly. To discuss a start date, please click here. 

Our subjects can be taught with the syllabuses of, and the intention of undertaking examinations with, most of the major examination boards, including OCR, AQA, Edexcel, and CAIE. Please contact us further to discuss specific subjects and their boards.

All full-time students (including A level retake students) receive direction, support, and constant review from our Director of Studies with their university applications, including associated aptitude tests. As with our tuition, we offer guidance to each student, helping them to achieve their personal educational goals, whether they are looking to apply to the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, another of the G5 universities, Russell Group, or an international university or college. This is achieved practically through personal statement workshops and one-to-one sessions with the Director of Studies.

Not necessarily. The majority of our programmes can be taught fully online. Hybrid options are also available upon request.

With the tutorial method of learning, there is an emphasis on independent study. During the tutorial, you will be expected to think critically and engage in probing discussions with your tutor about your A level studies. You will need to plan ahead for tutorials. Your tutor will provide you with reading lists, specific essay questions problems to solve, etc. which you should complete in advance of the tutorial. This then forms the basis for debate and discussion, providing the opportunity to demonstrate how much you have learned – and also giving you an appreciation of what you have not really understood. You will find that it is the debate and discussion that takes place during the tutorial which consolidates your learning and understanding.

To get the best out of your tutor and your tutorial be well prepared. You should expect to complete about three hours of independent A level study for each hour of tuition. Work creatively, investigate and discuss your work and ideas with your colleagues. Spend time thinking about what you want to cover during the tutorial and send any completed homework to your tutor beforehand. The tutorial method of learning works best when the learning and understanding of A level topics are consolidated by probing discussion with the tutor. The more prepared you are the more you will get out of your tutorial. Tutors at Greene’s very much appreciate and enjoy students who arrive with a barrage of questions!

Between tutorials, you are preparing for upcoming tutorials. Working on your A level studies by reading, researching ideas, writing essays, working through problems, taking notes, working with colleagues, and going to guest lectures are all some of the things that you will be doing between tutorials.

Your tutors will be setting homework as part of this process but you should also be studying ahead without always being prompted by your tutor. Remember the more prepared you are for each tutorial the more you will benefit from the tutorial.

Whilst you will have an individual academic programme, your tutorials may not all be individual. Although groups will be small it is important that you have opportunities for collaborative work and can exchange ideas with your colleagues. As your programme at Greene’s is specific to you your tutoring arrangements are also tailored to meet your individual A level study requirements with a mix and variety of tutorial options.

Small group work is often collaborative, involves presentation work and can be more participatory. We find that collaborative group work will develop your skills to work with others and your ability to listen and contribute effectively in discussion.

Greene’s has an active social scene, the lynchpin of which is the weekly Student Social Committee. The Committee organises fundraising events for charity, student clubs (including Book Club, Philosophy Club, and Wellbeing Club), and a number of exciting events throughout the year such as our Halloween, Christmas, and Summer parties. Students are regularly invited to attend local museums, theatres, and libraries under the supervision of a member of staff. The Oxford Union offers students the chance to listen and interact with world-renowned individuals such as Morgan Freeman and Sir Ian McKellen.

Although Greene’s does not have boarding facilities on-site, we have closely with a number of trusted partners who offer host-family and independent living solutions for our students. Please click here to learn more.

Retaking is not suitable for everyone and making rushed decisions after disappointing results is unwise. An initial discussion with someone at Greene’s may give a clearer understanding of A level results. It will also clarify the choices available to you and your son/daughter. Click here to find out more about the choices available for your son/daughter.

Generally, our approach begins with the student, identifying their educational goals, the nature of their previous studies, and how we can help them to improve. Like our tuition, the entire process is individual and does not adhere to a one-size-fits-all mentality.

The practical structure of our approach resembles the following steps of action:

1. We will analyse the reasons for the previous performance and will suggest a programme of study to improve both subject knowledge and study skills.
2. Next, we will spend time with your son/daughter to co-ordinate their university application. They will have a Personal Tutor to discuss the progress of their studies and university application on a weekly basis. We will decide with you and your son/daughter, and their previous school or college, the responsible member for their university application. We will ensure that we liaise with the appropriate person, providing support and advice.

Yes, Greene’s accepts private candidates looking to undertake examinations with one of the constituents of Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which includes AQA, Edexcel, OCR, SQA, and WJEC, or the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) board. Please complete the application form here and a member of our Examinations team will be able to help you with your enquiry.

Please visit our examination fees page, available here. Certificates and post-results services are not included in the fee for an examination and must be accounted for separately.

Greene’s offers special access arrangements upon request. Please contact the Examinations Officer to discuss your arrangements: [email protected].

A personalised timetable, containing information on location, timing, and what to bring with you, will be sent to the e-mail address that you used to fill in the examinations application form. Please bring a legal photo identification document to verify your identity. Most of our examinations take place at 97a St. Aldates Street. Please plan your journey so that you arrive 20-30 minutes before your examination.

Unfortunately, Greene’s does not have a car park. Due to the nature of the city infrastructure, parking in Oxford’s city centre is unfortunately limited. The nearest car park to Greene’s is Westgate Oxford, a major shopping centre, which is only a five-minute walk away.

An e-mail containing your son or daughter’s examination results will be sent to the e-mail that was used to register for your examinations (on the online application form).  You should receive your results by midday at the latest. If you have not received your results after this time (12 p.m. GMT), please contact the Examinations Officer: [email protected].

Greene’s receives certificates three to four months after you receive your results via e-mail. All certificates are sent directly to Greene’s. If you would like to receive your certificate, you have three options:

• Collect your certificates from Greene’s;
• Send a pre-stamped envelope for Greene’s to return to you containing your certificates;
• Request for your certificates to be sent to you (£25.00 for U.K. addresses and £40.00 for international addresses).

Please contact the Examinations Officer: [email protected].

Greene’s has a professional network of 150 tutors, all of whom are subject-specialised. Over 60% of our tutors are alumni of the University of Oxford and/or the University of Cambridge. Click here to view some of our tutor profiles.

All of our tutors are subject-specialised, this means they have at the very least a degree in the subject that they are teaching. We do not accept tutors who do not meet this requirement.

Greene’s conducts safety checks before and after recruiting tutors. Before an interview with a tutor, we conduct a pre-screening – verifying a list of required documents. During the interview we thoroughly assess the candidate, further testing the accuracy of their CV and qualifications. After the interview, we ensure that all tutors attend compulsory safeguarding courses. Annual training courses ensure that we continue to only offer high-quality teaching. We also conduct regular observations of online and in-person tutorials to ensure and maintain our quality of education. Please click here to read out full recruitment policy.

During the applications process, in the interview with the College Principal, and in further discussions with the Academic Director, we will assess the educational needs and goals of the student. This will inform the choice of tutor; we want to ensure that the best tutor is matched to help the student to reach their goals.

The Independent Schools’ Inspectorate assessed Greene’s in 2021 and identified that: ‘The quality of teaching and its impact on learning are excellent.  Teachers have outstanding subject knowledge and are very well qualified in the subjects that they teach.’ To read the full report, please click here.

Only the tutor and the student, and, if necessary, a relevant member of Greene’s staff (e.g. for observation), will have access to the tutorial room on Zoom. A waiting room buffer halts anyone else from entering without the host’s approval.

Tutors will never exchange personal contact details with students. Tutors will only communicate via the regulated Greene’s Online software system or via e-mail to the student’s personalised Greene’s e-mail address (provided in your child’s induction). For over 55 years, Greene’s has ensured the privacy and safety of both its students and tutors.

Please do not contact tutors directly. If you have queries for tutors, please contact Greene’s directly.