TESTIMONIALS

Here are some testimonials for my online tuition from previous satisfied students or their parents. If you would like to talk to any of them in person please e-mail me.

(Older testimonials for my face-to-face tuition in Oxford can be found on my other website biologytuition.co.uk. ).

"Matthew is a fantastic tutor and I would recommend him to anyone doing A level biology. I found the volume of content in biology overwhelming and difficult to fully grasp and was stuck getting Bs in my exams. I struggled to find a tutor that specialised in the eduquas exam board until I found Matthew who is an expert on virtually all the exam boards out there. His eduquas specific notes were invaluable and explained concepts so much better than the textbook, using lots of great analogies that really helped the content stick. Matthew's teaching style made me enjoy the subject so much more too; he always put concepts into a wider context which helped me to actually understand them rather than just memorise them. I can't recommend Matthew enough, he's incredibly dedicated and was always available, even outside of tutoring hours to answer any questions I might have via email, as well as arranging extra sessions around exam time to tackle difficult topics. I ended up getting an A* in biology and I'm off to medical school in September which I think is largely down to the work we got done in my sessions!"
Vita D., Hampshire 2024.

"Matthew has been instrumental in helping me understand IB Biology (Higher Level) on a deeper level. His enthusiasm and passion for both Biology and teaching have made learning very comfortable, transforming a demanding subject into an enjoyable experience. His self-made notes, covering every important detail for each topic, and his additional resources greatly enhanced my exam preparation. Matthew's patience and kindness set him apart; he always ensured I fully understood the content before moving on. His high-quality teaching and dedication supported me in achieving a 7 on each IB Biology (HL) exam paper. Furthermore, his influence deepened my interest in Biology, leading me to pursue Biochemistry at university level. I am deeply grateful for Matthew's help. Thank you so much, Matthew!"
H.S., Germany

"We found Matthew by chance as we looked for support to boost the confidence of our daughter as she approached her A-level biology. And what a lucky find he was! Honestly could not recommend more highly. There was an instant shift in her mindset and self-belief, with a tailored approach to what she needed to get her ‘exam ready’. Matthew was highly organised, with excellent communication, and hugely committed to getting the best out of his students. Our daughter has exceeded all expectations with her grade and made it to the Uni of her choice. This was in no small part thanks to Matthew's mentoring and excellent teaching. Very grateful indeed."
J.M., Berkshire.

“Matthew was extremely helpful with both content and exam technique. He is a friendly and straightforward tutor. I found him very easy to work with and really looked forward to my lessons with him. Thanks to his help I am off to medical school this September!”
I.A., Hampshire.

"Matthew has been an outstanding tutor helping me achieve an A* in biology in my A levels by following his guidance. He is not just fantastic with biology but his personality and character really brings comfort to his students, he taught me to be confident when asking questions no matter how ‘silly’ the question is because a lot of our exam mistakes tend to be ‘silly’. Matthew is really positive, enthusiastic and encouraging tutor, he sets a goal for his students and a path (depending on each student's ability) that we can follow to achieve the grade we want at the end. I strongly recommend Matthew as a tutor for anyone who wants to achieve a high grade in biology A-level".
P.M., London.

“Matthew has been an amazing mentor for the past two years, he is very engaging and has a very organised approach with teaching! His teaching helped me to reach my full potential and have a deeper understanding of concepts in Biology. Thanks to him I have achieved an A* which wouldn't have been possible without his help!”
L.J., Plymouth.

"Matthew gave me online tuition once a week. At first I wasn't sure if these would work as well as face to face tuition but after a few minutes it felt like Matthew was sat next to me. The scribbler website was particularly good as it allowed me to interact with his teaching. Matthew taught biology in an engaging and easy to follow manner and as the lesson structures were always different to biology at school it gave me another way of understanding and learning the specification. His printable notes are excellent. I can't recommend Matthew enough and advise you to give it a go, I guarantee you won't be disappointed".
I.K., Oxford.

"I have always had an interest in Biology but this has never been enough to get a full detailed understanding of the subject. With the help of Matthew Barnes I have been able to develop my knowledge and exam techniques to achieve an A grade. Another reason he is an amazing tutor is because he has multiple ways of explaining the theory ensuring I am well aware of the Biological concepts. Without him I would not been able to reach my full potential in Biology".
A.E., Qatar.

"There's not much I can say other than he was overwhelmingly nice and made it so I felt more than comfortable to say I wasn't sure of an answer or that I simply had no idea, he corrected me and moved on which was immensely encouraging to me. Overall the whole experience of learning from Matthew was incredibly helpful in not only expanding my knowledge but also in making biology as a subject less esoteric to me which I am incredibly grateful for. Nothing to report other than an incredible tutor and quality person who's not afraid to have a laugh. Thanks so much Matthew, I am so grateful to have had you as a tutor. You genuinely have improved my time with the subject many times over and make it much more accessible to me. Thank you for being an incredible teacher and I welcomed our sessions each night."
F. N., Chepstow.

" I just want to say thanks for all the lessons. You are the best biology teacher one can find. You definitely know your biology and explain things very clearly. You also happen to know the specifications extremely well and all the mistakes that students make which is also very important. I am so glad to have been your student. I will definitely tell my biology friends about you. A big thank you for all of your help! "
N. W., London.

“Although I am, like Matthew, from Oxford and an experienced tutor, I decided to ask him to supervise her run up to the summer exam. Why, you might ask, did I do this when my daughter and I got on very well getting her an A in GCSE? Well, that's easy. It's precisely because I have been teaching so long and successfully that I can tell when I encounter a tutor of exceptional ability. My opinion, based on what I already knew of Matthew, and of what I have since learned from my daughter is that he is likely the best Biology tutor in the country. As Nikita says: “He knows what my next question is going to be before I even ask it”, and “he is so clear and it's fun and totally painless”. And sneaking a listen at one point, I can see that he gets through double the content that a normal tutor manages to get through in an hour, and if he was working in London, he would be commanding £120/hour because he really is that good, both with his students, his subject and his knowledge of best technique in the exams. So I am very happy he is making such a difference with my daughter, and when my youngest ‘comes of exam age’, you can be sure I will be asking him again for his help, as he really is the very best. "
A. W., London (father of the above).

"Just know that if you're endlessly scrolling through tutors, you're not going to find another one like Matthew. I met him the easter before my final A levels; he had better resources and notes than my own text book, and proceeded to teach me the whole of genetics section in the Biology A level syllabus in just a few weeks. A kind hearted, organised, motivating tutor. I am now wishing I had an excuse to do more lessons! Thank you so much Matthew :)"
S.S., Buckingham and France.

"I have recently worked with Matthew as an independent Biology tutor when looking to complete my A2 studies. I felt there were significant gaps in my knowledge and application to exam questions. Matthew quickly identified my weaknesses and his high quality teaching and well structured notes ultimately ensured that I had a complete knowledge of what I was faced with. This gave me more confidence when walking into the exam room. I was therefore able to achieve the A grade that I required to move on to the University of Edinburgh next year. I cannot recommend Matthew more highly."
J. W., Taunton.

"I was amazed at how effective online tutoring could be and would now highly recommend it. I was one of those dinosaurs and I wish I had discovered how effective and convenient online tutoring is sooner. Over the years I have spent too many hours driving to tutors and waiting in the car for my children. Like all young people using a computer is part of Flo's daily life so it makes perfect sense to use an online service. I was a little nervous about how it would work but after the first session and seeing how engaged Flo was I was won over. Online tutoring really does create a unique interactive learning environment and it allowed Flo access to a highly qualified academic Biology tutor. I still don't know how exactly we found you Matthew but I am so grateful that we did and that you took Flo on. I absolutely know your well structured revision programme helped Flo achieve the results she is so proud of. Thank you most sincerely"
A. P-J., Cumbria.

"Before meeting Matthew, as a mature student I used to rely mostly on textbooks to study for my A levels Biology. However this didn’t turn out to be the most appropriate method for me. I was lucky enough to stumble upon Matthew, who is highly experienced with the material and was kind enough to guide me through it and point out exactly what the exam board actually requires even in the most minor detail. His original teaching style and great use of analogies made everything comprehensible in a way that textbooks couldn’t deliver. This definitely made learning a very enjoyable experience, and of course recalling the information with ease during the exam. Attest to that, he managed to get my grade in AS level from a grade D to an grade A in only a couple of months! Matthew is not just a great tutor he is one of the kindest people that I've ever met and a very patient one indeed, who will always insist on making sure that you have fully understood the content before moving on to the next level. It was a real pleasure working with Matthew and would definitely recommend him to anyone who's looking to get high grades in Biology."
A.A., Bahrain.

"Matthew Barnes is an excellent, extraordinary tutor who applies a very methodical approach in his teaching style. Matthew not only teaches the theoretical mechanics of the subject but brings to life all the practical applications of biology. Hence making the subject matter exciting and engaging. He is equipped with decades of past papers and flawless exam techniques. Matthew is reliable, punctual and very personable. The virtual Skype sessions are well organised and optimal. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her sessions and this was reflected in her A level results - grade A. Matthew was worth every penny of my investment and more."
C. R., London.

" I feel very thankful for choosing Matthew as my biology tutor to help me with my A Levels this past year. From the beginning, his experience was evident and it was clear that he would be able to help me improve my grades. Thanks to his ability to explain things in a way that I could fully understand and to patiently answer all my questions, I was able to turn my low C into a high A. Although both my mum and I were unsure about online tuition, it did not serve as a barrier to my learning at all and I would highly recommend Matthew Barnes as a tutor. "
M. B., Oxford.

"Smooth, quick to connect and get started, well explained making it easier to understand things I found unsure in lessons at college , good diagrams , really helpful notes to revise from."
B.S., Scarborough.

"My son and I did not realise that on line tuition can be so convenient after the first lesson with Mr Barnes. He is not only very well- organised in his teaching but also a well-prepared tutor for his on line tuition. I would highly recommend him."
B. C., Abingdon.

"Mr Matthew's online tuition is as good, if not better than face to face tuition. One of the reason for that is the fact that he comes prepared with notes he has handwritten himself (which are really amazing btw) and also has topical past year paper. I took Mr Matthew's lesson to help me with a few biology topics I wasn't happy with, and at the end of our lesson, I always felt better about the topic and biology in general. I cannot thank Mr Matthew enough for all he has done, he has taught me many valuable things about biology and also about valuable life skills."
I.N.I.H., Selangor, Malaysia.

"I could not have asked for a more understanding and better biology tutor. You were very thorough and experienced and the tips you gave me were invaluable. Thank you for tutoring me and it was a great pleasure to be tutored by someone of your experience and expertise. I have no hesitation to recommend you to anyone. Thank you very much."
A. J., Isleworth.

"I honestly cannot recommend Matthew enough and it is not an exaggeration to say I probably would have done very badly in A-level biology without him. I don't think I've ever had a teacher who knew so much about their subject and throughout the course of the year, and I had every question I could ever think of answered. In what I retook I went from a very low D to a very high A, I'm still not quite sure how it happened. You wont find another tutor who can teach so comprehensively about a subject, and by someone who knows exactly what to do to succeed. I was always very shy about questioning topics I didn't understand, but Matthew can definitely explain complex ideas in a way that even I could understand. I found his notes a wonderful resource to use while revising, they covered everything that was in my A-level book and more. At first I wasn't that I would need such detailed notes, but honestly, it all came up in the exam! I always enjoyed my lessons, and ultimately I would not be going to Edinburgh to study Neuroscience without him."
I.M., London.

"I am a mother of twins who have been regularly taking lessons with Mr. Matthew for two years. We tried tuition in the second year of IGCSE, as my twins had average grades, in the 80s range, and had wished to boost their grade up in order to achieve extraordinary grades and get A*s. Using online tutoring for us was a last resort, one that we did not truly believe would make a difference. Nonetheless, we gave it a try and it was a rather amazing experience, as Mr. Matthew has his own notes that are sent per email so that my kids don’t have do rely on their textbook, which are excruciatingly long. Mr.Matthew has no problem explaining a topic multiple times, making sure that the student understands the topic thoroughly. Moreover, he offers a fun and relaxed atmosphere that makes my twins want to learn more and are interested in the topics. Both my twins ended up getting A*s in their IGCSEs and have moved on to take Biology HL IB and thanks to Mr. Matthew both my kids have been getting solid 90s on their exams. I do not only recommend Mr.Matthew as a tutor, I 100% guarantee a road to success with him!"
Dr. A. D., Egypt and Germany.

"I first started attending tuition sessions face to face with Matthew in late February after receiving some disappointing mock results. I was initially apprehensive about using the online tuition but when I was unable to make a few sessionsI decided to switch and try the online option for convenience. I found it just as good, (well in fact better since it was much more convenient!) I worked through the past 20 years exam questions, which Matthew had provided, alongside the material from the syllabus which we covered during the tuition sessions; I found this very useful, since these were questions that I had never seen before or even had access to. I am proud to say, that with Matthew's help and support, I managed to achieve an A* grade in A2 biology, and honestly can say I would not have been able to achieve it without him!"
T.Y., Buckinghamshire.

Having received a disappointing grade for Biology in my last year at school, I decided to get some tuition during my gap year in preparation for my retake. I was very reluctant at first to have online tuition but it turned out to be fantastic. Matthew was very good at focusing specifically at the topics I struggled with but also touching upon the topics I was more confident with so that overall, I had a far deeper and secure understanding of Edexcel Biology as a whole. Online tuition meant that I could have the tutoring whenever and wherever I was, whether that be at home or away! It worked perfectly and saved me a lot of time. With Matthew's help I have now gained the A grade and also secured my place at Exeter University to start studying Biology this September!
O.F., Newbury.

"Having been an AQA Biology student of Matthew's for half a year, engaging in both face-to-face and online tuition, I can confidently say that Matthews approach to tuition is one of the best I have experienced to date. Matthew leaves no stone unturned and ensured that I fully understood the content covered before progressing to the next part of the syllabus. His back ground as a Biologist also means that he can offer explanations that utilize real life situations in order to make content clearer, something very few text books can offer. Furthermore, he was able to offer me knowledge outside of the syllabus in order to help achieve an A* standard of knowledge. His tuition also extended beyond Biology. His teaching method opened my eyes to new and more effective and efficient methods of note taking and revision, meaning that his influence extended beyond his weekly one hour lessons and remained with me throughout the entirety of my A level study.
His online tuition proved most convenient as it meant I did not need to interrupt my revision schedule in order to travel where Matthew was situated, and provided the same high standard of teaching as his face to face sessions. Matthew aided me in improving upon my B grade at AS to an A grade in my A2 and over all A level, helping me to achieve an A* grade in the module he specifically tutored me in, something I would have previously considered beyond my abilities.
I highly recommend Matthew as a first class tutor to all those either struggling with Biology or those simply aiming to reach an A or A*."
H.W-Y., Oxford.

"I highly recommend Matthew for Biology tuition! I have had him as a tutor for 2 years now and he never fails to provide me with help. Unlike others he is prompt and offers very good resources which cannot be found in any textbook ! The past papers and notes that he provided where far better and more detailed than any notes available online. If at any point you don't understand a certain topic he will try and explain it in a manner that makes sense to you. After having face to face tuition and online tuition I feel that online tuition is better than face to face due to the lack of traveling required! Finally Matthew is a very kind person with a good sense of humor who genuinely wants his students to achieve the best , his vast experience makes him great at giving advice for uni and science related courses such as medicine. If you are unsure of the nature of online tuition, take the plunge ! You may be surprised."
P.B., Slough.

" I don't understand why some people are so against online teaching - I may have been a bit sceptical about it at the start but in reality it is a very efficient, effective, enjoyable way to learn. I got my place at Barts Medical School confirmed over the summer - I am very excited about the prospect of studying in London."
J.T., Rochester.

"I would highly recommend Matthew as a tutor having studied the A2 course with him this year. What I really benefited from was Matthews structure to his tuition, everything was timed to perfection to prevent any of the learning feeling rushed. This always fulfilled me with confidence and made the year run as smoothly as possible. Despite being extremely apprehensive when I first contemplated online tuition last August, now a year on I would now recommend it to anyone! The convenience of just having to log on is just great and somehow it really does feel like a face to a face session. I would urge anyone considering online tuition to give it a go! Thanks to Matthew I'm now off to study physiotherapy!"
H.R-S., Hampshire.

"After receiving a B in AQA Biology at AS level I contacted Matthew Barnes in order to push my grade up to the A required by my offer at A2. I initially had face to face sessions, but quickly moved over to online tuition which I found not only far more convenient but also a more effective form of tuition. The technical side of things worked perfectly, the one slight issue was more than compensated for in time saved on travel, and receiving the notes for the topic we'd be covering a week early proved very handy in allowing matthew to cover content quickly and efficiently. The tuition itself is excellent, having such a large resource of past papers and in-depth knowledge of the syllabus at my disposable proved invaluable when it came to practice papers and learning the ins and outs of the mark scheme. In short, online tuition is definitely recommended, not simply as a convenient alternative to face-to-face tuition but as an improvement upon it."
J.H., Oxford.

"I will definitely recommended Mathew Barnes for online tutoring. He delivers the topics in a straightforward manner and always makes sure you understood before moving on, it made me feel more confident about the exam than I would have been if I just took regular lessons in the course. The sessions were flexible allowing me to balance my time and the notes he provided were very clear. I honestly wouldn't have passed without him."
E.K., Aylesbury.

"Matthew is an excellent tutor, and highly recommended. His teaching style is a very relaxed, calm and most importantly an easy approach. His unique style in teaching made it very easy for me to understand the work, as he would provide straight forward explanations for topics that I struggled to grasp. He would explain the work more than once if required, which was very helpful. I found that online tutoring with Matthew was very effective. I actually found that I preferred it to face-to-face tuition, and that it fit my learning style perfectly! Online tutoring is very flexible and fits nicely around studies or a working day. In fact it was very accommodating to my needs. Tutoring was done in the comfort and convenience of my own home, which made it easier to learn. It allowed me to look for the best tutors over a wide range of areas, not only restricted to my own area. This is the reason I came across Matthew."
N.G., Birmingham.

"Having come out of the January exam session with less than stellar results, I found Matthew while trying to feel less overwhelmed by the task ahead to achieve my required grade in biology for university. His reassurance and confidence was calming, and we made an action plan and embarked on what seemed like mission impossible together. Matthew's knowledge of the specific exam board requirements and knowledge and passion for biology and teaching made our lessons together enjoyable. I was wary of online tutoring at first but after our trial lesson it felt completely normal. Having had face to face tutors in the past, it was just as effective on Skype and Scribblar . The quality of sound and the use of scribblar mean that I could see the subject matter on screen, which helped me understand the points Matthew was making. Having received copies of the notes in advance, I could add my own comments to the printed sheets for reference later on. This method of tutoring was much more effective than my traditional classes at college. Matthew has been an excellent source of help and support for me when I thought hope was lost, and I would recommend him to anyone looking for a tutor in biology. It's been a pleasure working with him."
D.B., Jersey.

"A few years ago my eldest daughter was struggling with her Biology A level. I found Matthew following an internet search and after meeting him arranged for him to tutor my daughter at his office in Oxford. Her grades went from D to B so we were delighted. A few years later my youngest daughter achieved a B in her Biology A level and needed an A. We were now living in Devon but immediately thought to contact Matthew who was offering online tutoring. We met up again and he instilled confidence that he could help her get 'back up to speed' with the A2 subject content and gave us a realistic idea of how many sessions she would need in the time frame that we had available to us. We arranged to have 2-3 one hour sessions a week which were pre booked times. The software my daughter needed was easy to use, she was able to print off work in readiness and was able to talk to Matthew successfully during tutoring sessions. I am happy to say that together with Matthews help and her hard work my daughters grade went from a B to an A. I would be happy to recommend Matthew and his online tutoring."
N.C., Devon.

"Matthew Barnes' online tuition has been fantastic, it offers the benefits of flexibility and convenience combined with an informed approach that exactly fits the exam board specification. Overall significantly better than more traditional alternatives."
S.D., Derbyshire.

"Olivia found your online tutorials easy to follow and very interesting and using the material forwarded before each lesson have helped her enormously. By providing notes and previous papers and forging a good rapport with her boosted her confidence and understanding and helped with AS Level examinations this year. Your tutorials provided via the Internet have given Olivia a much improved examination opportunity and has been invaluable. Thank you."
S.P., Shropshire.

“I would strongly recommend Matthew Barnes as an online tutor. He is an experienced tutor, he explains things clearly and makes everything sound very interesting and if you don't get it the first time he will happily explain it a second or a third time. He is very helpful and wants you to succeed, which I personally think is the most important quality in a tutor. I am so glad I chose Matthew, since there is no difference from ‘normal’ tutoring to online tutoring: you get explanations, you can ask your questions and take your notes. One of the best reasons to go for online tutoring is that you can get the best tutors and not just the ones in the area. If you need a biology tutor Matthew Barnes is your man!”
S-M.P., Norway.