Qualified Primary School Teacher • Smethwick & Birmingham • KS1, KS2 English, SATs Preparation & 11+ Tuition
Serena Johal is a qualified primary school teacher and co-founder of Teaching Success. She works with children from Reception through to Year 6, with particular depth in KS2 English, SATs preparation and 11+ tuition. Her approach is calm, structured and focused on building confidence alongside accuracy — the two things primary-age children need most before exam pressure arrives.
Serena understands the gap between what children can do in a relaxed classroom setting and what they produce under timed test conditions. Her sessions are designed to close that gap — improving reading speed and comprehension, strengthening written expression, and building the SPaG accuracy that Year 6 SATs and 11+ papers demand.
She works in-person from the Smethwick base for families nearby and online for families who prefer the flexibility. Primary-age children often do better in familiar surroundings, so Serena is happy to advise on format during the free trial session.
Working Towards to Greater Depth in one term — targeted reading and writing sessions with weekly feedback.
62% to 84% over one programme cycle — timed practice and systematic vocabulary work.
Two sub-levels of writing progress in a single term — sentence variety and punctuation focus.
Serena teaches in-person at the Smethwick base and online for families further afield. In-person sessions are well-suited to younger primary-age children who benefit from a structured, distraction-free environment.
Reading, Maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning — the full 11+ programme.
Year 2 and Year 6 SATs — Reading, Maths and SPaG support.
Reading, writing and SATs support for the final primary year.
Reading comprehension, writing and SPaG across Year 3 to Year 6.
One free hour — no obligation. Serena will meet your child, assess their current level, and explain exactly what the next term of lessons will focus on.