Tutor Interview: Gemma Louise Bull

Gemma Louise Bull is the Founder and Company Director of The 11+ Connect and Chatter Hub. As the Editor of The Hub Blog, Gemma works with the contributors to create engaging and informative content.

Can you tell us about your educational background?

I grew up in a small village in Hampshire. In my last year of primary school, we had to take an 11+ exam to determine our ‘stream’ in secondary school. I was placed in the ‘accelerated stream’ (the equivalent of passing a grammar school exam) which allowed me to study multiple languages.

At college, I studied English, Sociology and Theology. Having always wanted to be a teacher I read English (Literature and Creative Writing) at university, followed by a PGCE in English.

What skills did your years as a teacher give you? What roles did you have in schools? Any highlights?

I worked full-time in schools for over 16 years so I gained lots of knowledge and skills! Whilst I don't believe a tutor necessarily has to be a qualified teacher (indeed, many exceptional tutors are not qualified teachers) I do think my own experience in schools gifted me with the skills required to be an effective tutor. As a classroom teacher - and middle leader - you are expected to consistently teach at a high standard and, as a result, I continue to have high expectations as a tutor.

I started my career as an English Teacher in secondary schools. I soon became a Literacy specialist, working as a Whole-School Literacy Coordinator and Head of English in a variety of settings.

I have so many lovely memories from my time as a classroom teacher. But, on a professional level, the highlight would have to be achieving a hat-trick of 'Outstanding' lesson observations from Ofsted. As most people know, Ofsted inspectors are rather hard to please!

When did you start your own education business? What classes do you offer?

Having worked as an International Lesson Designer and Tutor for many years, I started my first business – Lion Education – in October 2020. My mission was to provide affordable tutoring for students preparing for 11+ exams. I am a passionate advocate for education for all students - regardless of their background - so I wanted to create a business model to reflect my values.

Consequently, I established a small-group tutoring model but, crucially, I wanted to make sure parents - and most importantly the students - received value for their investment. That's why I create all my own lesson materials, set and mark weekly homework, and provide regular feedback through messages, emails and formal reports.

I currently offer online, group sessions for Years 4, 5 and 6. In Year 5, I offer separate Reading Comprehension and Creative Writing classes, whereas in Year 4 and Year 6, I run combined Reading and Writing sessions.

What inspired you to start The 11+ Connect and Chatter Hub?

That's a great question! The idea for an 11+ hub first started brewing back in May 2023. I like to take my time and make sure I start a new project at the right time. I have a notebook full of my initial ideas.

Eventually, I had a clear idea of the direction I wanted to take. so I started making my idea a reality. Although I am an 11+ expert, I was keen to engage with a range of educators, parents, writers and students. I believe it is important for a variety of voices to be heard so I approached a team of elite educators and - thankfully - they all wanted to contribute.

Naturally, it made sense to combine my tutoring, the Hub shop and the Hub Blog so I rebranded my tutoring to 11+ Connect and Chatter in January 2025. I still love lions though 🦁

How can parents use The 11+ Connect and Chatter Hub to support their child?

Within the Hub Blog, we have included - and will continue to publish - a wide range of articles about the 11+, including advice about choosing a suitable tutor, information about schools, what to expect on your 11+ journey and top tips for success.

As passionate advocates for holistic education, we have also included a Health and Wellbeing section. In the Interviews section of the Hub Blog, we have published a selection of interviews with educators, parents, students, authors and entrepreneurs. Each interviewee has shared inspiring information about their education and provided advice for parents and students currently on the 11+ journey.

In our Hub Shop, we will be sharing tasks throughout the year to help your child improve in English and Maths. One of the things I am mindful of is the high cost of some mock exams. As a result, we have also decided to provide a range of mock papers at an affordable price, including some FREE mock papers and other resources..

Finally, if you are looking for 11+ English tutoring, you can check out my tutoring page for more information about my services: https://www.11plusconnectandchatter.com/tutoring

To contact Gemma directly, please email her at gemma@connectandchatter.com