Gesine Kuckei
My name is Gesine Kuckei, and I am the Littleover Learning Hub’s founder (2012). In April 2020 I became one of its co-owners together with the super lovely Penny!
Following a very varied career both in Germany and here in England, I decided to follow my passion for learning and re-train in primary education. In 2005 I successfully completed my PGCE Primary (Early Years) with QTS at the University of Derby. I am currently studying for my Masters to become a certified Dyslexia Assessor.
Between 2005 and 2013 I taught in mainly inner-city schools across Derby City. Those challenging settings helped me to develop my interest for working with the most vulnerable of children and their families and also Special Educational Needs (SEN). During this time, I worked in partnership with a range of outside agencies: Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and the Police.
This experience gave me an amazing insight into how children learn (and more often don’t learn), and how we need to help them to see things differently if they do not understand. It was this that led me into the private tuition industry in 2012 as I felt that this is where I could channel my passion for teaching children as individuals rather than a whole class of 30+ faces being taught as one entity.
After much soul-searching I decided at the beginning of 2020 to leave Derby after 23 years and relocate to sunny beachy Folkestone, and I am now the Hub’s principal online tutor, teaching children from Y2 up to Y7 in both Maths & English.
Penny
My name is Penny Brown, and I am a co-owner of Littleover Learning Hub and a tutor.
I have been in education since leaving university with a B.Ed (Hons.) in 1986. I have taught in Primary Schools in North London, Wolverhampton, Derbyshire and Derby City. Prior to retiring from my career in mainstream education in 2019, I had been a Headteacher in a number of Derby City and Derbyshire Primary Schools for 12 years.
The schools I have worked with over the last 12 years have been in areas of high deprivation, with high numbers of pupils who fall into disadvantaged categories. I believe it is the role of leaders and teachers at whatever level, to drive for excellence and provide opportunities for all children whatever their background to enable them to become the best they can be.
During my years in headship, I have led schools through improvement processes which have resulted in improved Ofsted judgments. Although this is important, I have always been relentless in my drive to make every day a valuable day for children, providing them with opportunities that inspire and motivate them in environments where they and their families feel safe, supported and where they can turn high aspirations into reality.
Having met Gesine and the team at Littleover Learning Hub, I felt strongly that private tuition was the perfect next step for me. The Hub itself provides a strong sense of community, support and a focus on the child as an individual. This inspired me to cement my partnership with Gesine and continue to provide high quality support for the pupils and their families.
Dawn
I came to education after studying Archaeology at university, then working at heritage sites where I found myself running some weird and wonderful sessions for children, teaching them new and exciting things about the world around them. I decided to become a primary teacher in 2012 and have worked in a number of schools in Derby, both as full time and supply.
I joined the Littleover Learning Hub in 2018, around the same time that I started working with Special Needs students in a secure unit. I am known for my out of the box methods of working with learners, and enjoy working with learners to find the ways that they learn best. I teach English and Maths at all primary levels, and have experience in working with children with a range of complex needs.
Marie
Hello, I am Marie and I am a Primary School teacher. I qualified with a BEd (Hons) in 1996, majoring in English. I subsequently taught full-time for 14 years as KS2 class teacher, which I found incredibly rewarding.
In more recent years, and presently, I am thoroughly enjoying the role of supply teacher in primary schools across Derby City and Derbyshire.
In June 2015 the Littleover Learning Hub came to my attention. I visited soon after and met Gesine, her team and some of the pupils. I was immediately struck by the inspirational and supportive learning environment provided. Gesine invited me to join the team, which I gladly did.
At the Hub the children are supported, encouraged and motivated on every step of their learning journey to reach their full potential. In teaching no two days or lessons are ever the same, just as our children are unique. All our pupils receive a very warm welcome and specialist teaching of the highest quality.
I teach pupils from Y2 up to Y7 in both English and Maths. Owing to my English degree, I am in charge of the English element of the Y6 SATs.
Lizzie
A love of English Literature and reading was my main choice for studying English at university. I wanted to encourage young people to develop the same enjoyment it gave me, so teaching seemed a logical choice. I adore my job and feel really lucky to be able to say that I can help students blossom and develop whilst improving their grades.
Nick
I am an extremely experienced Secondary School Science and Maths teacher. Alongside my classroom teaching I have held a number of middle and senior roles both pastoral and curriculum based. The majority of my career has been spent in schools in challenging circumstances, which has given me first-hand experience of effective methods for raising standards. I have also taught in high performing mainstream schools, Pupil Referral Units (PRU) and specialist schools for students with Speech and Communication difficulties. This has given me valuable insight into different teaching methodologies and classroom management techniques.