Alessio W.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

International School of Milan: PYP, MYP and then IB. Final IB 44/45, including 7s in Mathematics AA HL, Physics HL, Chemistry HL, Economics HL and Spanish B SL. 6 in English Literature SL.

LongJia Chinese school: Finished elementary level Mandarin, including a final HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) level 6 of 272/300. (An official examination to assess Chinese language proficiency).

Imperial College London: Master’s Integrated Biomedical Engineering. Also studying Japanese level 1.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Informally mentored IB peers, helping one student improve from a 3 → 6 in Physics HL and another from a 4 → 6 in Economics HL. Particularly strong in supporting Internal Assessments across Sciences and Economics (reports, data analysis, and essay writing).

Volunteered during lunch breaks to tutor Year 4 students in primary Mathematics (fractions, multiplication tables) — class teacher noted measurable improvement in the students I worked with.

Completed 2 sessions on Superprof as a registered tutor.

• Common Entrance: Chemistry, Economics, Electronics, Further Maths, Mathematics,

Mechanics, Physics, Mandarin

• GCSE: Chemistry, Economics, Electronics, Further Maths, Mathematics, Mechanics,

Physics, Mandarin, Spanish

• A-Level: Chemistry, Economics, Electronics, Further Maths, Mathematics, Mechanics, Physics

SKILLS & INTERESTS

I speak English, Mandarin and Italian fluently, along with conversational Spanish from IB. I'm also currently learning Japanese through Imperial's Horizons programme — I can follow conversations and have recently learned Hiragana and Katakana. Growing up in Italy as a Chinese student meant I was exposed to multiple languages from an early age.

Sport-wise, I captained my high school varsity volleyball team and still go to the gym regularly, though I've taken a step back from team sports since starting at Imperial due to an injury.

In my free time I enjoy cooking — mostly Italian and Chinese — travelling (particularly around Asia and Southern Europe), and gaming, which tends to help me connect with younger students. I also played classical piano growing up and did quite a bit of drawing, though more casually these days

WORK EXPERIENCE

Bar Tabacchi — Cashier & Barista (Summers 2022 & 2023, Italy) Worked at a family-run bar tabacchi in Italy over two summers, handling cash transactions, serving customers and preparing coffee. Gained practical experience in a customer-facing role in a busy environment.

Electronics Technician — Work Shadow (1 month+, voluntary) Shadowed a professional electronics technician specialising in phone repair. Developed an understanding of hardware diagnostics and repair, which complements my academic background in electronics and physics at IB and university level. Learned the use of soldering guns.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Helping people has always come naturally to me — not out of obligation, but because I genuinely find it rewarding. Whether it was helping a lost tourist at a train station communicate in Chinese or English, or sitting with a classmate who was struggling with Physics, there is something about seeing someone's problem get resolved that makes my day. That feeling is what draws me to tutoring.

During my IB years, I informally mentored classmates in Physics and Economics, helping one progress from a 3 to a 6 in Physics HL and another from a 4 to a 6 in Economics HL. Seeing their grades improve felt as satisfying as achieving those results myself. It was through these experiences that I realised tutoring is something I genuinely want to pursue.

I believe a good tutor does more than deliver knowledge — that is what a classroom teacher does. What tutoring offers that a classroom cannot is the ability to truly personalise the experience: understanding how a student thinks, adapting to their learning style, and building a study routine that is effective without feeling oppressive or overwhelming. The best teacher I had was my Economics teacher, who went beyond the syllabus — organising past papers in a way that made practice less daunting, using active questioning to keep us thinking independently, and finding small creative ways to keep us motivated (providing rewards). That approach stuck with me.

Having just completed the IB myself — one of the most demanding high school qualifications both in terms of content and time management — I understand firsthand how stressful and discouraging it can feel. I know what it is like to have coursework, essays, and exams all competing for your time and to feel like your personal life is being sacrificed.

That experience is still very fresh, and I think it allows me to relate to students in a way that goes beyond just knowing the subject material. Especially after believing that I have found ways to not let it sacrifice our personal freedom.

The kind of tutor I want to be is one that a student sees as a friend rather than an authority figure — someone they can be honest with about why they are finding something difficult, without feeling judged or forced. I believe that when that trust exists, real progress happens, so I will try my best to become a friend.