KS3, GCSE & IGCSE maths
Exeter & online
James Willmott
KS3, GCSE & IGCSE maths · Exeter & online
Helping your child build their confidence in maths and prepare for exams.
Calm, patient one-to-one lessons for KS3, GCSE and IGCSE, online or in person in Central Exeter. Taught by a qualified teacher with 20 years' experience, to your child's exact exam board, Monday to Thursday evenings.
- Qualified teacher (QTS, PGCE)
- Enhanced DBS checked
- 20 years teaching, 17 years tutoring one-to-one
- Edexcel, AQA, OCR, Cambridge & Edexcel IGCSE
£45 per 45-minute session, online or in person · First lesson free if it isn't the right fit · Mon–Thu, 4–7:30pm · Limited places
Who I help
KS3 maths
Strong foundations in number, algebra and problem-solving. Whether it's filling gaps early or getting ahead, we build steadily, so GCSE feels far less daunting when it arrives.
GCSE maths
Foundation and Higher tier, for Edexcel, AQA and OCR. Whether your child is aiming to secure a 4 or reaching for an 8 or 9, we work on exactly what their exam asks for.
IGCSE maths
Cambridge IGCSE (0580) and Edexcel International GCSE (4MA1), Core/Foundation and Extended/Higher.
GCSE resits
For students in college or sixth form who need to pass their maths GCSE. Lots of patience, no judgement, and a clear plan for the marks that matter.
Functional Skills
Maths qualifications for older students and adults, including learners with SEND or complex additional needs. It's what I've spent recent years teaching in special schools.
Anxious about maths, or has additional needs? I'll go at your child's pace and build from what they can already do. Not sure where your child fits? That's exactly what the free call is for.
How it works
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A free 15-minute call
You (and your child, if they'd like) tell me where things are and where they need to get to. I'll be honest about whether I'm the right fit.
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A first lesson, risk-free
If, after the first lesson, you decide it isn't the right fit, you don't pay for it. I only send the first invoice once you've decided to carry on.
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A regular weekly slot
We agree a fixed 45-minute slot between 4pm and 7:30pm, Monday to Thursday. It's your child's slot every week, so there's no rebooking.
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Online, or in person in Exeter
Online: we meet on Microsoft Teams and work through questions together on a shared Miro whiteboard. Your child needs a laptop or tablet, pen, paper and a calculator.
In person: lessons are at my home in Central Exeter. Your child just brings a pen and a calculator.
Lessons follow your child's exam board and their school's scheme of work, using real past-paper questions as exams get closer. And I'm always happy to talk about how things are going: just ask, any time.
Simple, upfront pricing
£45
per 45-minute session
That's £45 a week for one weekly session.
- First lesson free if it isn't the right fit
- No joining fee
- No long contracts
How billing works
I invoice at the start of each half term for the sessions ahead (a typical 6–7 week half term is £270–£315). For new families, the first invoice only comes after the first lesson. Paying in advance means your child's weekly slot is protected: it's theirs for the whole half term.
Need to cancel?
Give me at least 24 hours' notice and the session carries over to next term at no extra cost. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice are still charged, because the slot was kept for you. If I ever have to cancel, you'll always get the session back.
About me
Hi, I'm James. I'm a qualified maths teacher (QTS) and I've been teaching for 20 years: 12 in mainstream secondary schools, most recently as Deputy Head of Maths at a state secondary school in the South West, and since 2016 in special schools, helping children and young adults with complex additional needs work towards Functional Skills qualifications. Alongside that, I've been tutoring one-to-one for 17 years.
Most students who come to me aren't "bad at maths". They've missed a step somewhere, lost confidence, and started to dread it. My job is to find the gap, explain it clearly, and give them enough wins that they start to believe they can do it. Because I've taught these courses in the classroom, I know the exam specifications, the mark schemes and the questions that trip students up.
That mix means I'm as comfortable stretching a student who's aiming high as I am rebuilding confidence from the ground up. I keep my lessons calm, patient and well-organised. I also explain exam questions on my YouTube channel, Maths Kitchen, so you can watch me teach before you book.
- PGCE in Secondary Mathematics and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- Deputy Head of Maths, 2013–2016, at a state secondary school
- Enhanced DBS checked
- 20 years teaching: 12 in mainstream secondary, then special schools
- 17 years tutoring one-to-one
What parents have said over the years
Reviews from my First Tutors profile, 2013–2018. First Tutors has since closed, and these reviews now sit on my TutorDex profile.
★★★★★
We're so pleased with the way James has helped our son – he did really well in his maths GCSE. He's patient, helpful and has been really supportive. A big thank you!
★★★★★
Excellent and very reliable has been a great help and given my daughter lots more confidence with her Maths.
★★★★★
Very helpful and with a friendly and inspirational approach and we are very happy to recommend
Questions parents ask
Does online tutoring work as well as face to face?
For most students, yes, and often better. There's no travel, lessons start on time, and we both work on the same online whiteboard (Miro), so I can see every step of their working as they write it. Many students find it easier to ask "silly questions" from their own desk. And if you're near Exeter, in-person lessons are an option too.
Which exam boards and levels do you teach?
KS3 maths (Years 7–9), GCSE maths for Edexcel, AQA and OCR (Foundation and Higher), Cambridge IGCSE (0580), Edexcel International GCSE (4MA1), GCSE resits and Functional Skills maths (Entry Level to Level 2).
When are lessons?
Monday to Thursday, between 4pm and 7:30pm. Each lesson is 45 minutes, at the same time every week. I don't teach on Fridays or weekends.
Can you help a child who's anxious about maths or has additional needs?
Yes. Alongside 12 years in mainstream schools, I've more recently taught in special schools, working with children and young adults with complex additional needs. I'll go at your child's pace, build on what they can already do, and keep lessons calm. Tell me about your child on the free call and I'll be honest about how I can help.
Can you guarantee my child will get a certain grade?
No, and I'd be wary of anyone who does. What I can promise is careful teaching aimed at exactly what your child's exam asks for, honest feedback, and a clear plan. In the free call I'll tell you plainly what I think is realistic.
How do payment and cancellations work?
I invoice at the start of each half term for the sessions ahead, at £45 per session. If you're new, your first invoice comes after your first lesson, once you've decided to carry on. Cancel with at least 24 hours' notice and the session carries over to next term. Late cancellations are charged, because the slot was held for your child. There's no joining fee and no long contract: you can stop at the end of any half term.
What does my child need for lessons?
Online: a laptop or tablet with Microsoft Teams (free to download), a decent internet connection and a quiet space, plus pen, paper and a calculator. I'll send the Teams and Miro links before the first lesson.
In person: just a pen and a calculator. I'll provide paper.
How will I know how it's going?
I'm always happy to talk about how things are going: just ask, any time. Whether it's a quick message after a lesson or a proper chat before mocks, I'll tell you honestly what we're working on and how your child is getting on. I reply to messages within one working day, usually the same evening.
Do you teach in person?
Yes. As well as online, I teach at my home in Central Exeter, at the same price: £45 per 45-minute session, Monday to Thursday between 4pm and 7:30pm. I'll share the address once you've booked.
Is my child safe having lessons with you?
I'm a qualified teacher with an enhanced DBS check, and I follow the same safeguarding habits I use in school. Online lessons are one-to-one on Microsoft Teams, they're never recorded, and you're welcome to be nearby or to sit in. I'd suggest your child works in a shared space at home rather than their bedroom.
For lessons at my home in Exeter, parents don't stay in the lesson itself, but there's a café nearby where many wait.
What if it isn't the right fit, or we change our minds?
If, after the first lesson, you decide it isn't the right fit, you don't pay for it. There's nothing to cancel either: for new families, I only send the first half term's invoice once you've decided to carry on.
When you book online or by phone, you have 14 days to change your mind and cancel for a full refund. If you'd like lessons to start within those 14 days, just say so; if you then cancel, you'd only pay for lessons already had. After that, you can stop at the end of any half term.
Let's have a chat
The first step is a free, no-pressure 15-minute call. Tell me about your child and I'll tell you honestly how I'd help.
Book your free call
Send me a quick message with your phone number and a couple of times that suit you, and I'll call you back. Calls are outside my teaching hours (Mon–Thu, 4–7:30pm).
Request a call →