All About Us | Torchlight Tuition
Stacks Image 436
Stacks Image 216

Great to meet you…

We are a locally focused agency based in Barnes in South West London. We're run by a small team of experienced teachers and tutors - and most of us are called Toby!

A personal touch runs through everything that we do and because of our free assessments we manage to meet about 95% of all of our clients personally. We hope that you'll feel like you get to know us and find out the secret to our success: we really care about each and every one of our students.

Stacks Image 1004

Torchlight is an agency set up by a career tutor who wanted to provide something better that what he'd experienced first hand. Our recommendations are truly personal. We take the time to listen to parents, meet and evaluate all of the students and to carefully train and mentor all of our tutors.

We are local by choice and don't widely advertise our services. This is because we know that word of mouth recommendations are what parents value most. In addition to this we need to limit the growth of the business to ensure that we always have the time to recruit the best tutors: a really time consuming process!

Local also means that we can get to know the schools we work alongside as well as possible. It means that all of our clients can pop into the office for an assessment, a free consultation or a chat as and when they need. Local means a good rate of pay for tutors but the ability to keep these fees reasonable as we cut down on travel time.

Stacks Image 446

Come and visit us in the Torchlight office but don't rely on your SatNav! The Mews we're in is just off Bracken Gardens, there's an outdoor walkway accessed via a staircase at either end of the yard. We're right in the middle: number 4.

Local works for us; we really hope it works for you.

We are a locally focused agency based in Barnes in South West London. We're run by a small team of experienced teachers and tutors - and most of us are called Toby!

Stacks Image 761
Stacks Image 766

Torchlight is an agency set up by career tutors who wanted to provide something better that what they'd experienced first hand. Our recommendations are truly personal. We take the time to listen to parents, meet and evaluate all of the students and to carefully train and mentor all of our tutors.

We are local by choice and don't widely advertise our services. This is because we know that word of mouth recommendations are what parents value most. In addition to this we need to limit the growth of the business to ensure that we always have the time to recruit the best tutors: a really time consuming process!

Local also means that we can get to know the schools we work alongside as well as possible. It means that all of our clients can pop into the office for an assessment, a free consultation or a chat as and when they need. Local means a good rate of pay for tutors but the ability to keep these fees reasonable as we cut down on travel time.

Local works for us, we really hope it works for you too.

Stacks Image 252
Meet the Team:
Founder / Director
Toby Steedman

Toby Steedman lives and works in Barnes with…

… his wife and twin daughters. He has been a full time tutor in the area for 12 years. Educated at Winchester College and the University of York, he has taught English, Maths, History and Art to students of all ages. He has taught at Winchester College, been a workshop leader at The British Museum and has devised popular assessment materials for students at primary and secondary level.

In addition to teaching qualifications, Toby holds a Cordon Bleu certificate in classic French cooking and is a prize winning sculptor and ceramicist. When he isn’t in the Torchlight office in Barnes, Toby is usually running by the river or watching films.

Senior Tuition Consultant
Toby Dalton

Toby Dalton grew up in Barnes and attended local …

… primary and secondary schools before moving to Oxford to study Politics. He is a qualified teacher and has worked at many of the primary schools in the local area and around the Borough of Richmond. Toby worked as a full time tutor for Torchlight before becoming part of the office team. He specialises in teaching English and Maths to primary students but has tutored older children and adults in the past.

Besides working in the Torchlight office and visiting his students around Barnes, Toby can normally be found riding his bike in Richmond Park.

Digital Marketing Manager
Eleanor Crowe

Eleanor (El) Crowe grew up in Glasgow and after studying …

… Law at the University of Edinburgh, moved to London to train in acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She has been working with Torchlight as a tutor since 2019, specialising in English and Maths, and 7+ and 11+ entry exam preparation. Additionally, she enjoys spending parts of her lessons with some pupils working on voice and confidence skills.

Having experience in marketing and social media, El joined the Torchlight office team in January 2021 as their Digital Marketing Manager and is looking forward to continue to work with the Tobys and see the business grow!

Creative Director
Hayley Steedman

Hayley is a professional artist who trained at …

… Chelsea College of Art, Central St Martins, The Florence Adademy and KLC School of Design. Hayley's work is multi-disciplinary, allowing her to teach a wide variety of techniques and styles.

Along with her husband Toby she is the founder/owner of
Wurkshop, an arts and crafts company based in Barnes that provides short courses for kids and adults as well as after-school clubs and birthday parties.

Finance Manager
Brian Cunningham

As well as being a keen amateur dramatist and …

… dabber with watercolours, Brian has been working with numbers all of his life. Brian has been a teacher and tutor for the past 15 years - ask him anything about Maths, we dare you.

Meet the Team:

Founder / Director

Toby Steedman


Toby Steedman lives and works in Barnes with his wife and twin daughters. He has been a full time tutor in the area for 15 years. Educated at Winchester College and the University of York, he has taught English, Maths, History and Art to students of all ages. He has taught at Winchester College, been a workshop leader at The British Museum and has devised popular assessment materials for students at primary and secondary level.

In addition to teaching qualifications, Toby holds a Cordon Bleu certificate in classic French cooking and is a prize winning sculptor and ceramicist. When he isn’t in the Torchlight office in Barnes, Toby is usually running by the river or watching films.

Senior Tuition Consultant

Toby Dalton


Toby Dalton grew up in Barnes and attended local primary and secondary schools before moving to Oxford to study Politics. He is a qualified teacher and has worked at many of the primary schools in the local area and around the Borough of Richmond. Toby worked as a full time tutor for Torchlight before becoming part of the office team. He specialises in teaching English and Maths to primary students but has tutored older children and adults in the past.

Besides working in the Torchlight office and visiting his students around Barnes, Toby can normally be found riding his bike in Richmond Park.


Digital Marketing Manager

Eleanor Crowe


Eleanor (El) Crowe grew up in Glasgow and after studying Law at the University of Edinburgh, moved to London to train in acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She has been working with Torchlight as a tutor since 2019, specialising in English and Maths, and 7+ and 11+ entry exam preparation. Additionally, she enjoys spending parts of her lessons with some pupils working on voice and confidence skills.

Having experience in marketing and social media, El joined the Torchlight office team in January 2021 as their Digital Marketing Manager and is looking forward to continue to work with the Tobys and see the business grow!


Creative Director

Hayley Steedman


Hayley is a professional artist who trained at Chelsea College of Art, Central St Martins, The Florence Adademy and KLC School of Design. Hayley's work is multi-disciplinary, allowing her to teach a wide variety of techniques and styles.

Along with her husband Toby she is the founder/owner of
Wurkshop, an arts and crafts company based in Barnes that provides short courses for kids and adults as well as after-school clubs and birthday parties.


Finance Manager

Brian Cunningham


As well as being a keen amateur dramatist and dabber with watercolours, Brian has been working with numbers all of his life. Brian has been a teacher and tutor for the past 15 years - ask him anything about Maths, we dare you.

Stacks Image 256

The Torchlight Office

Finding the Mews


Are we "tucked away", "hidden" or "blooming impossible" to find? Whatever your view, we do appreciate we're hard to find the first time you try.

Remember that, despite the postal address, we're off Bracken Gardens not Church Road. Aim for Church Road Garage, walk around the metal pole barrier and right to the back of the yard. You'll find the studio nestling in the furthest corner of the yard.

Public Transport


BUSES
From Hammersmith Bridge take the 209, 33, 485 and alight at Red Lion. We're only a two minute walk from the stop.

From Putney take the 485, 378 or take the 22 to The Spencer Arms and walk across Barnes Heath (15 minutes).

From Richmond / Sheen take the 33 / 72 to Red Lion.

TRAINS
Both Barnes Station and Barnes Bridge are around a 10 minute walk. These lines run regularly to and from Waterloo.

Hammersmith Bridge


Please be aware that Hammersmith Bridge will be closed for the foreseeable future to motorised traffic (and occasionally foot traffic too), which has greatly increased the time it takes to get from Central and North London to Barnes.

Please allow plenty of time to get to us and please do call if you'd like any help.

Image

Stacks Image 957

Office Hours

  • Monday - 8:30am to 6pm
  • Tuesday - 8:30am to 6pm
  • Wednesday - 9am to 6pm
  • Thursday - 9am to 5pm
  • Friday - 8am to 5pm
  • Saturday 8am to 1pm

The Torchlight Office

Come and visit us in the Torchlight office but don't rely on your SatNav! The Mews is just off Bracken Gardens, there's an outdoor walkway accessed via a staircase at either end of the yard. We're right in the middle: number 4. Our map should help if you're having difficulties.

Stacks Image 565
Office Hours
  • Monday - 8:30am to 6pm
  • Tuesday - 8:30am to 6pm
  • Wednesday - 9am to 6pm
  • Thursday - 9am to 5pm
  • Friday - 8am to 5pm
  • Saturday 8am to 1pm