Academic Coaching & Mentoring
Some students don't need another subject tutor. They need someone to fix how they work: focus, structure, motivation, self-belief, and performing when it counts.
I'm Mehdi Naqvi, elite tutor and trained transformation coach, with formal training in performance psychology and NLP. Before teaching, I competed as one of the UK's top-ranked junior tennis players, training and performing at a professional level. I know what pressure does to performance, and how to train for it. It's the same skill set whether the arena is Centre Court or an exam hall.
Message me on WhatsApp to discuss what your child needs: I reply within 24 hours.
What coaching addresses
- Study systems: revision timetables that actually get followed, effective techniques (retrieval practice, spaced repetition), and organisation that removes daily friction
- Motivation and discipline: turning "I'll do it later" into consistent, self-driven work; building the identity of a student who succeeds
- Confidence and self-belief: rewiring the internal dialogue ("I'm just not a maths person") that quietly caps performance, and raising the ceiling of what a student believes is possible, from "hopefully a B" to genuinely aiming at A*s and Oxbridge
- Rekindling interest: many students lose their love of a subject because of a teacher they never clicked with at school; I restore it, and with it, momentum
- Exam performance: nerves, focus and pressure-management techniques drawn from professional sport: routines, visualisation, breathing, reframing
- Transitions: starting sixth form, moving schools, or adjusting to university independence
Who this is for
Students aged 13–22 who are capable of more than they're producing. Often they're bright but disorganised, anxious under pressure, or coasting without direction. Sometimes they're already high performers who want the mental edge for the very top grades. I also work well with students with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other learning differences, where structure and confidence work makes an outsized difference.
Coaching + tutoring: the combination that transforms
This is the model behind my students' biggest turnarounds: D to A*, multiple grades in a term. Content mastery alone plateaus; mindset work alone lacks substance. Together, they compound: clarity builds competence, competence builds confidence, confidence builds consistency.
Coaching is available as a standalone engagement or woven into subject tuition.
What parents say
"Mehdi has been a blessing for my child's education. I've seen a remarkable change in his attitude towards maths. Mehdi's encouraging and positive approach has not only improved my son's skills but also boosted his confidence. He now believes that he is good at maths, which is something we hadn't seen before." — Parent, University College School
"As a parent of two athletic sons, finding a tutor who could structure their studies was crucial. Mehdi masterfully coached our elder to exam success, and our younger is on a promising track!" — Parent, home-schooled students (Mathematics A*, Economics A*)
FAQ
Is this therapy? No. Coaching is practical and performance-focused: systems, habits, and mental skills. Where a student needs clinical support, I'll say so and recommend the family seek it.
How is a coaching session different from a tuition session? Tuition builds subject mastery. Coaching builds the student: how they plan, work, think about themselves, and perform under pressure. Many families combine both.
How many sessions does it take? Noticeable change typically shows within 4–6 sessions; lasting habits are usually built over a term.
How much does it cost? Same rate as subject tuition: £140/hr, online.
Start the conversation
Message me on WhatsApp or email zctpnaq@ucl.ac.uk with a few lines about your child's situation. I respond within 24 hours.