Hello, I’m Cathy McCallum, a qualified teacher based in Glasgow.
I specialise in reading, writing and maths support, particularly when learning is difficult or a significant amount of catching up is needed.
When nothing seems to have worked, the right tutor with the right approach can change everything.
I help children and young people make breakthroughs in their learning, even when progress has previously felt out of reach.
I’d love to help you too, and show you just how much can be achieved with the right support.
A very warm welcome to my website!
✦ EVIDENCE-BASED ✦ REAL RESULTS ✦ SUCCESS FROM THE OUTSET ✦ INNOVATIVE APPROACH ✦ PURPOSEFUL PRACTICE ✦ SAFE, CALM & SUPPORTIVE ✦ TEACHER EXPERTISE ✦ BUILDING CONFIDENCE
✦ EVIDENCE-BASED ✦ REAL RESULTS ✦ SUCCESS FROM THE OUTSET ✦ INNOVATIVE APPROACH ✦ PURPOSEFUL PRACTICE ✦ SAFE, CALM & SUPPORTIVE ✦ TEACHER EXPERTISE ✦ BUILDING CONFIDENCE
Progress
Is learning harder than it should be?
Has progress stalled, or is there a lot of catching up to do?
Could there be gaps in learning?
Are difficulties with reading, writing or maths getting in the way of other things?
Is there a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia?
Have you tried to support your child but nothing seems to be working?
Wellbeing
Have you noticed a loss of confidence?
Is there anxiety around school or learning?
Does your child find the school or classroom environment difficult?
Is your child struggling to attend school, or have there been periods of missed schooling in the past?
Are you waiting for a CAMHS referral?
Concerns
Do you feel your child needs more support than school can give?
Do you suspect there may be underlying difficulties or additional needs?
Are you waiting for assessment or support from other services, such as Speech and Language Therapy?
Have you tried to support your child but nothing seems to be working?
I work with children and young people of all ages, with a wide range of needs and challenges.
Experience & Expertise
I’m a qualified teacher with many years of experience across mainstream education and Additional Support Needs, with particular expertise in Learning Support. I’ve worked with students of all ages and I’m trained in a wide range of approaches and programmes, giving me an extensive toolkit to draw on.
My approach is evidence-based, thoughtful and effective.
Crucially, I look beyond the obvious difficulty to identify the underlying factors that may be getting in the way of progress. These are not always what you might expect. By understanding precisely where the barriers lie, I can target them directly and help students make breakthroughs that previously may have felt impossible.
Personalised Programmes
No two students are the same, so no two programmes should be either.
Support is expertly curated and tailored precisely to the individual. I continually assess how a student is responding and adapt what we do next, ensuring that every activity has a clear purpose and the right level of challenge.
Programmes are built around small, carefully sequenced steps, so that new skills and understanding develop securely and successfully. Every activity is there for a reason, and every session builds purposefully on the last.
A Wonderful Learning Experience
I am warm, thoughtful and understanding, and creating a positive learning experience is central to the way I work.
Progress and enjoyment go hand in hand, with activities carefully pitched so that students feel challenged but capable. Some of the most effective activities can feel more like puzzles or games than conventional learning exercises, while reading and writing become enjoyable because they are set at exactly the right level.
Rather than repeatedly encountering tasks that feel too difficult, students experience success from the outset. This builds confidence and motivation, while the carefully structured programme ensures that they are making meaningful progress at the same time.
The result is that students begin to feel good about learning again, often very quickly, and parents can start to see real progress too.
a different approach
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a different approach 〰️
Powerful Practice at Home
For families who choose a programme that includes at-home support, I create bespoke practice packages for parents and children to use together between sessions.
This is very different from conventional homework. I select and create literacy or maths activities specifically for your child, based on exactly what they need to practise at that point in their programme.
Short, carefully targeted daily practice can be remarkably powerful. Because every activity is pitched at the right level and reinforces the work we are doing together, children experience success while consolidating important skills and knowledge.
Parents have the reassurance of knowing exactly what to practise and how to help, without searching for suitable resources or trying to work out what their child needs.
The result is enjoyable, purposeful practice that makes the time spent at home really count.
It’s Never Too Late
Teenagers and young adults sometimes come to me having struggled with learning for years. They may feel far behind their peers, lack confidence in their abilities, or believe that certain aspects of literacy and numeracy will always be beyond their reach.
I look carefully at why progress has been so difficult. Often, there are specific underlying skills or gaps in understanding that have never been identified or addressed. Once we find those barriers, we can work on them systematically.
This can be transformative. Skills that have seemed impossibly difficult begin to make sense, progress becomes possible, and young people can experience genuine breakthroughs, sometimes after years of struggling.
✦Where do we start?✦
I work in partnership with parents and carers to understand and support their child’s learning.
The first step is a no-obligation chat, followed by a short introductory session with you and the young learner, and then a discussion about the best way forward.
I always work from where the learner is right now, whether they need support with reading, writing, maths or a combination of these. What appears to be the problem is not always where the real difficulty lies. I identify the underlying challenges and create a personalised programme to address them and to catch up with any gaps in learning.
✦Practical Solutions✦
Weekly tuition is the most obvious way forward, but I also offer a choice of other approaches which suit some learners and families better.
Often, short daily practice sessions at home combined with weekly tuition can be the most impactful approach, especially for younger learners who are at the start of their learning journey or older learners who need to make rapid catch-up progress.
Some parents and carers prefer to take the lead with a personalised at-home programme supported by monthly sessions with me to keep learning and progress on track.
Older learners come to me with a wide range of experiences, needs and challenges, and we work together to find the best way forward.
Children and young people who have additional needs or have faced significant adversity may have unrealised learning potential, and I can help them discover just how much they are capable of.
✦Don’t Delay✦
Literacy and numeracy are the foundation for learning, with an impact that can extend far beyond the classroom.
Children begin by learning to read, but soon they need to read in order to learn. When reading is difficult, it can become a barrier across all learning.
Maths develops step by step, with new learning continually building on what has come before. Gaps in essential skills can make each new concept increasingly difficult to grasp.
The sooner difficulties are identified and addressed, the better, whatever the learner’s age. Even when the gap between where they are and where they need to be feels enormous, it can be tackled step by step and real progress can be made.
Investing in the right support now can make a lasting difference by building skills, confidence and independence that can shape a young person’s future.
parents as partners
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parents as partners 〰️
Flexible Support Packages
I offer a range of options, so we can find an approach that works for your young learner, your family, your time commitments and your budget. After an initial no-obligation meeting, we can discuss the options and agree the most appropriate level of support. Packages start at £125 a month.
Regular one-to-one sessions providing consistent, expert teaching each week. Learning is carefully tailored to the individual and continually adapted, helping students build skills, confidence and make secure, meaningful progress.
Weekly Tuition
Everything included in Weekly Tuition, plus a personalised programme of short, targeted activities to complete between sessions. This additional practice reinforces new learning, builds fluency and accelerates progress, particularly for younger learners developing essential foundations or students who need more intensive support to catch up.
Weekly Tuition Plus
The most budget-friendly option. A highly personalised learning programme designed by me and delivered at home by you, with monthly sessions with me to assess progress, move learning forward and plan the next steps. I’ll guide and coach you in how to deliver the programme effectively, adapting it as your child progresses. A flexible way to take a more active role in your child’s learning, while still benefiting from specialist teaching expertise and ongoing support. Additional sessions are always available if needed.
Learning Partnership
Young People
Patient, supportive tuition for older learners who may need significant catch-up, be struggling with confidence or anxiety, or simply need a different way forward with learning. Together, we find what works for them and build the skills, confidence and independence they need to succeed.
Additional Needs
Flexible, responsive support shaped around individual needs. Contact me to discuss how I can help.