Recent verified reviews * on James's Qualified Tutor profile.

About James's approach to teaching, from a former school student who went on to Harvard College in Autumn 2018 with a scholarship:

• 'I'd like to express my profound gratitude for your dedication to sharing your love of literature.  Your A level classes on English Literature ... are memorable to me years later as some of the most enriching experiences of my secondary education.  In particular, our reading of Woolf and Milton was a formative experience, introducing me ... to ways of thinking about literature that have seeded all of my consequent intellectual endeavours.'

A selection of comments on James's online teaching and mentoring, from parents and students:

• 'Hi James, Thank you. You are amazing!!! Wish we'd found you sooner.'

• ‘Thank you Mr H! [the student] came out of the exam today feeling very confident, especially after your final session.’ [iGCSE History]

• '[GCSE English student] enjoyed the lesson ... and I’ve never heard him speak well of English lessons before!'

• [GCSE English Literature student] ‘has actively enjoyed [the] sessions with you and given that so much of GCSEs are a grind, that has been lovely to see.’

• [iGCSE History student] was very happy with Paper 4 today. [The student] left the exam giddy and was very pleased with the question choices … very similar to what you had worked on but with slightly different dates.’

• [Parent and pupil] 'very much appreciate your bespoke approach'.

• '… we are really grateful for all your generous support. [Our son] is very happy to have lessons with you and learn from you. He has improved so much and become more and more confident during [this] last year. It's our great honour to have you as his tutor.'

• 'Thank you so much, James.  [My child] really enjoyed the session and it was great practice and a confidence boost.  Thanks also for your very useful feedback.'

• 'Thank you so much.  I have received some feedback from [her] parents.  They just love your lessons.'

• 'It was a pleasure being taught by you and I'm glad that it's largely thanks to your lessons that I achieved these results.  Thank you for everything!'  [online iGCSE student - summer 2025 grade 9 result in English].

• 'Thank you so much, he’s very grateful for all you are doing for him.'

• 'Thank you so much for all your efforts with ... so far, he really has enjoyed the sessions and said they have been invaluable at helping his confidence and approach to answering the papers. He has also read through the sample answer you sent through and said it was extremely helpful.  [We] appreciate the time you have given to him and we are certain that he is now in a better position to tackle whatever is thrown at him.'

• 'I am absolutely delighted to tell you that [he] has not only secured a place at [selective independent school] but has also been awarded an academic scholarship. [We] along with ... (when he gets the news after school today!) would like to thank you so much for all your help and guidance. We are certain that without this he wouldn’t have had the confidence and correct approach to achieve such success.'

• 'I really appreciate the effort you have taken for the first sequence of lessons, including the diverse materials you prepared and your guidance - they make me perfectly enjoy the learning process.'

• 'Thank you for all your help once again for helping him achieve these results.' 

• 'I can see that [my child] really enjoyed his lesson tonight, especially the rehearsal of that funny poetry.'

• 'I really appreciate all the guidance you've given me throughout the course.  It has been a great learning experience' [iGCSE student].

• 'For the [university-style research] project, I am certain that I really enjoy the process. During the project, I have learned how to read, write and research, and even the proper use of AI. What I gain is more than knowledge: more importantly, the project helps me shape a basic understanding of what I will do at university in the UK.'

• 'We've been super impressed' [school staff member at a school where online lessons delivered].

• 'From: [a pre-university student in China]

Sent: 09 December 2024

To: James

Subject: Appreciation for Your Guidance

Dear Mr Harding,

Thank you so much for the final report on my performance during the final sessions of our lessons.

I am writing to express my gratitude for the months of tutorial. Starting in May and ending in December, the sequence of lessons is a fulfilling experience for me.

Your lessons were always well-structured and informative. From the discussions on UK life to the final academic project, you consistently provided a wide range of resources—such as TED talks, documentaries, and websites—that gave me a deep and comprehensive understanding of the topics we explored.

I still remember your interview with [an English judge], who has become a professional role model for me. The interview not only broadened my perspective on English law but also inspired me to explore the development of AI in the English courts, which perfectly met my future academic interests as I pursue law at university.

I am also grateful for your support of my true interests and academic goals. The materials you provided, such as the reading of Xiaolu Guo on England, enabled me to further explore my feminist enthusiasm.

Additionally, your guidance on UK universities was extremely helpful. The pictures of UCL and Manchester University that you kindly sent to me, as well as your established website, have been invaluable in my decision-making process as I am applying to universities in the UK and beyond.

Currently, I am reflecting on my progress.

Finally, please allow me to express my appreciation again for our joint efforts we put into our 48+ lessons ...

Best wishes and many thanks,'

[a student from Shanghai]