Dr Clare M Coombe (BA, MA, MTh, PhD)
Clare has a BA in Classical Studies (1st class honours with Dean’s Commendation, University of Exeter), MA in Classics and Ancient History (Distinction, University of Exeter), and a PhD in Classics (AHRC-funded, University of Reading). More recently she completed an MTh in Theology. Clare’s research specialism is late antique poetry, especially the 4th Century Latin poet Claudian. She has published widely, including her book, Claudian the Poet (CUP, 2018).
After completing her PhD, Clare held Teaching Fellowships at the Universities of Reading and Bristol. Here she taught a range of classical subjects, in particular Latin and ancient literature. Subsequently she worked as the Adult Learning Officer at St Albans Cathedral, teaching Latin, New Testament Greek, and literature. She also ran the Cathedral Study Centre and Library. She left this position to teach Classics at St Swithun’s School, Winchester, before moving to The Oratory School, Reading. There she was Head of Classics and subsequently Head of Sixth Form. She left at the end of 2020 for health reasons, and now tutors alongside part-time lecturing for UWTSD. She is also a writer of feminist mythological fiction, and her novels Camilla and Nereid Song are available to buy now. For more on her writing, see her author website.
Clare has offered 1:1 tutoring in Classics for over 12 years. She is experienced in working with both children and adults, including undergraduates and postgraduates. She teaches Latin, Classical Greek, and Classical Civilisation from beginners through to GCSE and A Level. Clare has also taught International Baccalaureate, Common Entrance, and Oxbridge Preparation, and is currently a lecturer in Latin for UWTSD. Alongside Classical subjects, Clare has also tutored English language and literature. She is available to teach weekdays and weekends, as well as intensive holiday teaching. Clare is a member of The Tutors’ Association and has an Enhanced DBS Check.
Dr Lucy E Fletcher (BA, MA, PhD, FHEA)
Lucy has a BA in Ancient History (1st class honours), MA in Classics (Distinction), and a PhD in Classics (AHRC-funded, University of Reading). She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Lucy’s research specialism, which she pursued in her Ph.D. and in subsequent publications, is ancient Greek literature; in particular, she does research into the Parallel Lives of the Greek philosopher Plutarch. She won a Fellowship to work on her Ph.D. research at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
After completing her Ph.D., Lucy worked as Head of Latin and Classics at Kendrick Girls’ Grammar School in Reading. She left this position to work as a Teaching Fellow in Classics at the University of Reading. Here she taught a range of subjects which included Latin, ancient Greek, classical literature, and ancient history. Lucy has extensive experience of offering one-to-one tuition in Classical subjects: Latin, ancient Greek, and Classical Civilisation. She has taught across many educational levels and for many qualifications: Common Entrance, GCSE, A Level, International Baccalaureate, Oxbridge entrance, and both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels of Higher Education. She offers tuition in Classics alongside working for the Graduate School at the University of Reading.
Naomi Lidiard (BA Hons (Oxon), LLB, PGCE)
Naomi studied Classics and English at Oriel College, Oxford, where she particularly enjoyed exploring the development of the genres of Epic, Tragedy and Comedy from Ancient Greek literature through to 20th century English literature. She also holds an LLB from The College of Law but after qualifying as a solicitor in 2009 she returned to her love of literature, retraining as a secondary school teacher.
She was a teacher for 12 years at Sedbergh School in both the Classics and English departments. She taught Latin and Classical Civilisation to Years 7-13, from Common Entrance through to GCSE and A Level. In addition she taught English language and literature to Years 9-13, including preparing students for GCSE and A Level exams. She helped to lead the academic enrichment programme, working closely with Years 9-11 to help nurture their academic curiosity. She was heavily involved in the pastoral side of boarding school life as a houseparent and also assisted the Drama department, writing and directing plays. In 2018 she wrote and directed a performance of Agave, a prequel to Euripides’ Bacchae which explores the story from the point of view of Pentheus’ mother.
More recently, Naomi has taught Latin language and literature at Sevenoaks School to Years 7-13, including the IB diploma to Sixth Form. She has helped students with their applications to study Law at university and has run the school’s Law Society. She has experience in helping students with Oxbridge applications to study Classics, English and Law, supporting them as they write their personal statements and giving mock interviews and feedback.
Naomi’s move to individual tutoring was prompted by her desire for more flexible working hours while she studies classical singing. A mother of three, she used her maternity leave to gain experience as a personal tutor to a state school student who wanted to learn Latin outside of school, as it was not offered on the curriculum. She tutored the student through GCSE and A Level; the student achieved an A*, including 95% on the verse literature paper, and went on to study Classics at Cambridge University.
Naomi finds tutoring highly rewarding, enjoying the quick progress students make when taught through 1:1 lessons. Her favourite literature to teach is Latin love elegy and the poems of Catullus. Outside of teaching she enjoys singing, reading works by female authors, going to the theatre and writing poetry.
Philip H Marshall (BA Hons (Dunelm), MSt (Oxon), MCCT, FGMS)
Philip has a BA in Classics (1st class honours, Durham University), and an MSt in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies (Distinction, University of Oxford). He is currently studying for an MA Theology at Durham. His specialism is 4th and 5th century authors, especially the theologian Jerome.
While at Durham, Philip co-taught one of the undergraduate Latin modules on a volunteer basis, providing additional support for those who were coming to University without A Level Latin as well as being a translator for a seminar series on Aquinas’ Commentaries. He has also taught at Pembroke College, Oxford University as a tutor to potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds, to aide them in boosting their applications to top universities.
After leaving Oxford, he taught at The Oratory School, Reading alongside Clare, where they met. After leaving The Oratory School, he took up his current position as Head of Classics at Chavagnes International College, France.
Philip has significant experience teaching students one-to-one in Latin – which he teaches from beginners to A Level – and Classical Civilisation – up to GCSE. He also has experience teaching and tutoring Maths up to GCSE.
Dr Caitlin Prouatt (BA, MPhil, PhD, PGCE)
Caitlin has a BA in Ancient History (with Honours and Dean’s Commendation) and an MPhil in Classical Languages, both completed at the University of Queensland, and a PhD in Classics from the University of Reading. Her main area of research across these was the Greek author Plutarch, particularly his moral essays and dialogues. She has a PGCE from the University of Buckingham.
Caitlin has been teaching and tutoring Latin and Greek for the past six years. During her PhD, she taught beginners’ Greek. After completing her PhD, Caitlin worked as Head of Classics, first at Kendrick Girls’ Grammar School in Reading, then at St John’s Beaumont Preparatory School in Windsor. For the past two years she has been teaching Latin and Greek at Brentwood School in Essex. She has experience teaching a wide range of ages and qualifications, including Common Entrance, public school scholarship exams, GCSE, A Level, International Baccalaureate, and undergraduate. Caitlin enjoys making Classics more accessible. She has led school Classics clubs for students aged between 8 and 16, and ran Instagram account classicschallenge over two lockdowns to provide enjoyable activities for those interested in Classics.
Caitlin’s current interests include the engagement of 20th century women writers, such as Virginia Woolf, with Ancient Greek language and literature, and less well-known Ancient Greek women poets like Anyte of Tegea.