Which subjects and levels do you tutor?

11+ and Kent Test preparation, GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Combined Science, A-level Biology, and university-level bioscience and Access to HE.

Are you DBS checked and qualified?

Yes. I hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), an enhanced DBS check, and a PhD in cell biology. I am currently a Head of Science in a secondary school.

11+ Kent Test, GCSE & A-level Tutor in Canterbury & Online

Hello — I’m Dr Dan Tarrant

I’m a PhD cell biologist and a current Head of Science, and I firmly believe that almost every student can succeed in science given the right explanation, at the right pace, from someone patient enough to find the way in.

I know that looking for a tutor often comes at a stressful moment — a disappointing mock, a subject that has stopped making sense, or exams that suddenly feel very close. So the first thing I want to say is this: there is no judgement here, and no such thing as a silly question. We start from wherever your child is, and we go at a pace that feels manageable.

My background is a little different from most tutors. Before teaching, I completed a PhD in cell biology and spent three years as a research scientist, co-authoring six peer-reviewed papers in international journals. I then qualified as a teacher and now lead a school science department.

What that means for you is a tutor who genuinely understands the science and knows exactly what the exam boards are looking for — but who has also spent years learning how to explain difficult ideas gently, in as many different ways as it takes.

Dr Dan Tarrant, science tutor in Canterbury, demonstrating a flame experiment in a school laboratory

Science is a lot more fun when you can see it happen.

At a glance

• PhD, Cell Biology (University of Kent)
• Three years as a postdoctoral research scientist
• Six peer-reviewed publications
• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• Head of Science, GCSE and A-level
• Enhanced DBS check
• Online and in-person sessions

Subjects I tutor

All the major exam boards, with a focus on the questions students actually lose marks on.

11+ and the Kent Test

Full preparation across every part of the test — English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and the creative writing task — at a steady pace that keeps children calm and confident. More on 11+ preparation.

KS3 Science (Years 7–9)

Early-secondary science — filling gaps before they matter, settling students who have found the jump from primary hard, and building good habits well ahead of GCSE.

GCSE Biology

Separate GCSE Biology for all main exam boards — building secure understanding of the topics students find hardest, then drilling the exam technique that turns knowledge into marks.

GCSE Chemistry

Separate GCSE Chemistry, including the calculations, equations and required practicals that most often cost students marks.

GCSE Combined Science

Full support across Combined Science, including the six-mark extended-answer questions and data-handling skills that make the biggest difference to a final grade.

A-level Biology

The step up from GCSE to A-level is a big one. We tackle the demanding content, the application and synoptic questions, and the practical and statistical skills examiners expect.

University bioscience & Access to HE

Undergraduate-level biology and returning adult learners — an area where my research background is especially useful, whether you are revisiting study or starting it later in life.

Exam technique & revision skills

Sometimes the science isn’t the problem — the exam is. We work on command words, six-mark answers, data questions and how to revise in a way that actually sticks. Often the quickest route to a better grade.

11+ and Kent Test preparation

The Kent Test matters to families, and that pressure is often felt most by the child. My approach is deliberately calm: steady, well-paced preparation, plenty of encouragement, and complete honesty with parents about how things are going. No hothousing, and no child made to feel they have let anyone down.

Paper 1 — English and maths

Reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary, alongside the four operations, times tables, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and measures.

Paper 2 — Reasoning

Verbal reasoning (word relationships and pattern-spotting) and non-verbal reasoning (shapes and diagrams). Highly technique-driven, and often where the quickest gains are made.

The writing task

A 40-minute creative writing exercise, used if a child’s result is reviewed by a headteacher panel. We practise planning quickly and writing with confidence under time pressure.

Exam confidence

Timing, pacing, multiple-choice strategy and what to do when a question looks unfamiliar. For many children this is worth more marks than any single topic.

When to start

Most families begin in Year 5 with one session a week, running through to the test at the start of Year 6. Spreading the work across a year keeps sessions short, steady and low-pressure — which is much kinder on a ten-year-old than cramming.

Shorter, more focused preparation can also work well. If you are starting late, I will tell you honestly what is realistic in the time available rather than overpromise.

How the test works

The Kent Test is sat in early September, at the very start of Year 6, and registration usually opens in June and closes at the beginning of July the same year — so it is worth diarising early. Children need a total standardised score of 332 or more, with no single score below 106.

Grammar schools we prepare for

Families I work with are typically aiming for Kent’s grammar schools, including Barton Court Grammar School, the Simon Langton schools in Canterbury and Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham, among others across the county.

A note for parents

If it becomes clear that the Kent Test isn’t the right path for your child, I will say so kindly and honestly. There are many good routes through education, and no test result defines a child’s ability or future.

How sessions work

Sessions are calm, structured and completely tailored to the individual. Together we work out where marks are being lost, rebuild the topics that feel shaky, and practise exam technique until it feels familiar rather than frightening.

I am just as happy steadily rebuilding a worried student’s confidence as I am stretching someone aiming for the very top grades — and I make a point of noticing and celebrating progress along the way, because feeling capable is usually what unlocks the rest.

“If something isn’t landing, that’s on the explanation, not the student. We’ll simply find another way through it.”

I’ll always be honest and encouraging with parents about progress — no surprises, and no pressure to commit to a long block of lessons before you know we’re a good fit.

Your first session

The first session is really just a friendly chat and a chance to see how we get on. No preparation needed, and nothing to worry about. We’ll talk about what’s going well, what feels difficult, and what you’d like to achieve — then agree a simple plan together.

Frequently asked questions

Do you tutor online or in person?

Both. I tutor in person in Canterbury and the surrounding area, and online for students anywhere else in the UK. Online sessions work just as well and save everyone travel time — many families prefer them.

What is in the Kent Test?

Two multiple-choice papers plus a writing task. Paper 1 covers English — reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary — and maths. Paper 2 covers verbal and non-verbal reasoning. There is also a 40-minute creative writing exercise, which is only marked if your child’s result is reviewed by a headteacher panel. Children need an aggregate score of 332 or more, with no single score below 106.

When should we start preparing for the 11+?

Most families start in Year 5 and do one session a week through to the test at the start of Year 6. That keeps the workload gentle and spread out. Shorter preparation can work too — and if you are starting late I will be honest with you about what is realistic rather than overpromise.

Will you put pressure on my child?

No. I have taught long enough to know that anxious children underperform. Sessions are calm and encouraging, we celebrate progress, and I am careful never to make a child feel they are letting anyone down. If preparation is doing more harm than good, I will tell you.

Are you qualified and DBS checked?

Yes. I hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and an enhanced DBS check, alongside a PhD in cell biology, and I currently lead a school science department. I’m happy to share documentation on request.

My child has really lost confidence in science. Can you help?

Yes — and this is a great deal of what I do. We start exactly where your child is, with no judgement whatsoever, rebuild the foundations that feel shaky, and grow confidence alongside the grades. Very often the confidence comes first and the marks follow.

Which exam boards do you cover?

All the major boards for GCSE and A-level science. Just let me know which board and specification your school follows and I’ll tailor everything to it, including past papers and mark schemes.

How much does tutoring cost, and how do I book?

Please get in touch for current rates — sessions are usually an hour. There’s no obligation after an initial no-pressure chat, and no requirement to book a long block up front.

11+, GCSE and A-level tutoring in Canterbury and online