Interview #1 | Cat from Merry Learners
December, 2025

Hi, Cat! Tell us a little about yourself and your work.
Hi, I’m Cat! I’m 34, a mum to a lively two-year-old, and a full-time
primary tutor based in Renfrewshire. I work one-to-one and in small groups with children of all ages, supporting a wide range of needs. My focus is always on helping children feel confident, comfortable, and proud of their learning.I’ve transformed my conservatory into a mini classroom and love taking lessons into the garden whenever I can. A session with me is never just about worksheets: we might do 10 minutes of focused maths, then head outside for a scavenger hunt, before coming back in to tackle the next challenge. I believe learning should be fun, flexible, and tailored to each child.


What is your teaching and tutoring background?
I’ve worked across many different areas of education. In Glasgow, I taught in local council schools as well as an independent school, before moving abroad to a prestigious international school where I taught my own class and also led a teaching team. That experience gave me a real depth of understanding of different curricula and approaches to learning.
More recently, I trained as a Forest School Leader (FOLA Level 8), which has shaped my tutoring ethos: nurturing, creative, and rooted in building confidence. I’ve been working as a full-time tutor for almost a year now, drawing on all of that experience to create sessions that feel supportive, engaging, and effective for every child I work with.


Did you always want to be a teacher or tutor?
I’ve always known I wanted to work with children, even as a little girl I’d turn my neighbour’s basement into a ‘classroom’ and try to get him to write in a jotter! From the age of 15 I worked in child-related jobs, including the Build-A-Bear workshop while I was at high school, and every role I took only confirmed how much I enjoyed helping and working with young people.

What interests did you have as a child / what were your favourite or best school subjects? Did these interests pave the way for a teaching career or did you begin on a different path?
Interestingly, I didn’t actually enjoy primary school myself. I was a very anxious child and often found learning overwhelming. But that experience has definitely shaped the kind of teacher I am today. I know what it feels like to sit there struggling to understand, and I think that’s where my patience and empathy come from as a tutor.
That said, I do have some lovely memories of certain teachers who completely shaped the kind of educator I wanted to become. My P3 teacher, Miss Campbell, was a gentle, nurturing soul who would sing to us and play the guitar! She made learning feel safe and fun. Later, in high school, I had teachers who built fantastic relationships with us, and that model of connection and kindness has always stayed with me.

Tell us about your qualifications, training and experiences.
I studied at Dundee University and graduated in 2012 with a BEd (Hons). During my studies, I spent a summer in Kenya working with children through a charity project, which was an eye-opening experience that really deepened my commitment to education.
Since then, I’ve worked in a range of schools from local council school in and around Glasgow, a private school in the west end of Glasgow and at an international school abroad. There, I taught Year 3 and also took on the role of Year Group Leader. While I loved the children and the school itself, I quickly realised my real passion lies in the classroom, working directly with kids, rather than managing adults!
I’ve also trained as a Forest School Leader (FOLA Level 8), which has shaped the way I weave outdoor and experiential learning into my tutoring. And during the pandemic, I worked as the school’s Digital Learning Leader which was an intense but invaluable experience that gave me a whole new set of skills for adapting learning and keeping children engaged online.
Altogether, these experiences have given me a broad toolkit, but what ties it all together is my love for nurturing confidence and joy in learning.

What do you enjoy most about the work that you do?
For me, the best moments are when a child suddenly realises, ‘I can do this!’ Those light-bulb moments where something clicks and their whole face lights up. It’s so rewarding to watch a child go from feeling unsure and saying, ‘I can’t,’ to proudly showing me that they can.
I love building children up, helping them see their strengths, and giving them the confidence to believe in themselves - not just in learning, but in who they are as people. That transformation is why I do what I do, and it never stops being magical.

What are the top 3 tips/pieces of advice you would give your students when it comes to their learning?
1. Break things down into small chunks. Big tasks can feel overwhelming,so I always encourage children to take things one step at a time.Achieving small goals builds confidence and helps them realise that the “big picture” is possible too.

2. Learn through your passions.Learning is so much more powerful when it’s connected to something you love. If you’re fascinated by sharks, for example, turn that into a project! Read, research, create, and share your discoveries. It makes the process exciting and helps skills like reading, writing, and researching feel natural and relevant.

3. Be kind to yourself.Your mindset matters. If you believe “I can’t do this,” learning will always feel like a struggle. Instead, I encourage children to celebrate small wins, recognise their progress, and remind themselves that every step forward shows what they can do. I believe that with kindness and patience, confidence grows.

What’s your favourite aspect of tutoring?
My favourite part of tutoring is the freedom to follow each child’s unique interests. In the classroom, you’re often tied to a set curriculum that repeats year after year like teaching the rainforest in P3. With tutoring, if a child loves skateboarding, we can grab a book on skateboarding and build their learning around that. If another is passionate about horses, we can weave horses into their reading, writing, and maths. I love being able to personalise learning so it feels exciting and meaningful for each child.


How does creativity play into your tutoring?
Creativity is at the heart of everything I do. Many of the children I work with learn best in short, fun bursts, so I design games and activities that make learning playful and engaging. Sometimes we’ll take chalk outside to create a learning game, or we’ll invent something together on paper. I often even borrow my toddler’s toys and turn them into props for spelling, reading, or number bonds!
For me, creativity isn’t about big fancy resources or colourful worksheets, it's about being flexible, playful, and making learning feel fun and accessible.

What tips would you give a new tutor who is taking their first steps into tutoring?
My advice would be to focus on what you love about teaching and let that shape your tutoring style. Tutoring isn’t about recreating a classroom or sticking to the same planning routines you’d use in school, it’s about using your strengths and passions to create something different.
If you love being outdoors, bring that into your sessions. If you’re passionate about building children’s confidence, create games and activities that let kids shine and feel proud. Lean into what excites you, and your students will hopefully feel that energy too.

What are your own personal goals as a tutor?
If you’d asked me this time last year, I would never have imagined I’d be a full-time tutor! Back then, I was working supply after having my little boy, juggling last-minute job offers and childcare, and finding it pretty demoralising.
Now, my goals are really about balance: I want to keep building a business that lets me do what I love - teaching children, building their self-esteem, and supporting their learning while also being present for my own wee one. I love that tutoring gives me the flexibility to drop him at nursery, take him to his little classes, and spend time with him in the afternoons.
It’s not without challenges though, I don’t have the security of a teaching salary, but the trade-off is freedom: choosing the hours I work, shaping my own practice, and creating something that works for both me and my family. That’s the kind of success I’m working towards! 


Why should parents consider you if they are looking for a tutor? What do you have to offer parents and their children as a professional tutor?
I’m kind, fun, and nurturing and I genuinely love what I do. Parents can trust that their child will be supported in a space where they feel safe, confident, and excited to learn. Every session is tailored to the individual child, with their needs, strengths, and interests at the heart of it.
What I bring is a mix of professional experience and genuine care. I want children not only to improve academically, but also to feel proud of themselves and rediscover the joy in learning.

Do you have any news you would like to share about your tutoring service?
At the moment, my one-to-one sessions are full both after school and during the day, but I’m working on some exciting new projects. I’m developing a series of self-directed maths videos, inspired by something I used to do when I was lucky enough to teach in schools with iPads. They’re like little “maths check-ups” where I talk children through a set of questions, then guide them step by step through the answers so they can spot mistakes and learn from them in a way that’s much more engaging than a worksheet!
I’m also planning to launch small group tutoring sessions soon, which will give children the chance to learn collaboratively as well as individually. Lots of exciting things are coming!

How do you spend your free time? What are your hobbies and interests?
Most of my free time is spent with my little boy. We love going to the park together and getting outdoors whenever we can. I’m really passionate about Forest School and outdoor learning, so you’ll often find me exploring nature, out in the hills and just enjoying some fresh air.

Where can our parents get in touch with you?
Parents can find me over on my Facebook page, Merry Learners, or drop me an email at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!

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