Alison Duff Tutoring

03/10/2026

My first full Saturday - 5.5 hours of tutoring in my little glass room! Out for a much needed bit of fresh air now in the glorious October sunshine. ☀️

19/09/2026

A fabulous birthday weekend underway, starting with a Bottle Bank Café Français first - an excursion to Bidlea for a game of pétanque! Très français! 🇫🇷 Thank you to Dave from Bidlea Boules for hosting us. So much fun, despite the score! 😬

Friday evening and, before zooming to the pub for a birthday meal, an online session with a regular superstar student working on Year 3 maths. Amazing work after a full week at school. 👏🏼

Saturday morning and two new students started who had been on the waiting list for a while. They did brilliantly and both left with smiles on their faces - and birthday cake in their hands! 🍰 Then, a session with a Year 6 child preparing for her entrance exams, and a little bit of algebra to finish my working day.

One more session tomorrow morning before more fun and games to complete a birthday weekend of work and play!

16/09/2026

One of the things that has brought me the most joy since taking the rather terrifying plunge last July and giving up teaching has been the monthly Languages Club at The B**r Emporium Bottle Bank.

Last night, I finished my last teaching session at my house at 8pm and my adult student and I strolled into the village to join a fabulous group of people who’d all come together to practise their second (or third or fourth in some cases) language.

We had no idea who would be there or what languages we’d be using - all part of the fun. After grabbing a glass of w**e, we joined the group of new faces and regulars and soon joined in the conversations. I had to drag some Spanish from the back of my brain and managed - with a lot of mistakes - to string a few sentences together. I was talking to an incredible young man who was just about to leave for Freshers’ Week and begin a Spanish and German course at Manchester Uni, and a Frenchman who had come along to practise his Spanish - but who also speaks Italian. They listened to my Spanish, helped fill in the gaps, explained the past tense to me and smiled in support. We figured things out together, each bringing something different to help work out the inevitable linguistic puzzles.

Later, I was chatting - in English - to a couple who’d just returned from ten years teaching in China, wanting to practise their Mandarin. I learnt a lot about Chinese culture, and we talked so much about language learning in general.

There’s something pretty special about people who want to learn another language or live in a different country. They seem to me to be open, curious people who are prepared to be amongst the minority, who are interested in others and explore differences without judgement. With a red w**e in hand, in the chilled, relaxed environment of our fabulous Bottle Bank, being in their company is a joy.

14/09/2026

Languages Club is on at The B**r Emporium Bottle Bank tomorrow at 7:30pm for anyone wanting to practise their French / Spanish / German etc. We have a good number of French speakers, but would be delighted to have more Spanish, Italian, German, Welsh and Mandarin... and others, if there is anyone out there who would like to join us. There is no minimum level required - all are absolutely welcome, and it's free!

04/09/2026

Well, well, well… how is it the start of a new school year already?!

Can’t wait to welcome back my students this weekend and next week. I hope you’ve all had a great summer and a good first few days in school.

Well done to those of you who have started new schools - so proud of you, and I can’t wait to hear all about it. 👏🏼

The early alarms have been met with groans and disappearing children under the covers in my house this week - it can be tough getting used to the new routines! We’ll get there, though, after a bit of adjustment.

News flash! Students will notice that the long-awaited pizza oven is now finished and ready for action, so you never know what delights may accompany your lesson at some point this term. 🍕 We’ll put Buddha somewhere safe, don’t worry.

31/08/2026

New term, new courses, mes amis!

🇫🇷 Delighted to say that my Intermediate French course starting this Friday is pretty full for this half term. Just one space left if anyone would like to join our very friendly group 10:30 - 12 every Friday at the Bottle Bank.

🇫🇷 I’m also starting a new Beginners’ course from Friday 25th September 12:30 - 2pm. If you’re a complete beginner or you’ve done some French before but would welcome a back to basics approach, do get in touch.

Freshly made coffee ☕️ and a warm croissant 🥐 to fuel our brains at each session in the most supportive and friendly of environments.

First trial session free!

For more information, please contact Alison on [email protected]

25/08/2026

Languages Club is on tonight at the Bottle Bank at 7:30! We can pretend we’re still on holiday! See you there! 🇫🇷🇪🇸🇩🇪🇮🇹🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🍷

17/08/2026

Languages Club!

No Languages Club this week, folks as the Bottle Bank is closed tomorrow evening. We’ll be meeting next week instead on Tuesday evening at 7:30, if anyone would like to come along. It would be fabulous to see anyone of any level - if you’re enthusiastic about practising your other language, you’ll be made very welcome! Just sitting with a glass of something and listening is absolutely fine, too! No charge for entry, just get yourself a drink and join us.

21/07/2026

Languages Club at the Bottle Bank later! French and Spanish speakers (and possibly others?) will be there.

I won’t, sadly, as I’m currently in Provence with my family staying with Estelle, the person who’s responsible for my love of France and all things French. I’m not sure we would have believed 35 years ago that we’d still be like sisters now. 🇫🇷 🌻

08/07/2026

Well this is good news! 🥳

https://www.facebook.com/share/18dDRZ6BKg/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Study finds those who speak two languages have brains that appear around six years younger than those who speak one