Teacher Profile
Mrs Anne Fryer, BA, PGCE
History & Politics
I hold a BA in History (first class honours) from Royal Holloway, University of London and a Secondary PGCE from the Institute of Education, University of London. I have taught History and Politics at Harris City Academy Crystal Palace where I was eventually Head of Department, as well as Politics at Henrietta Barnett School. Since 2009 I have been working as a private tutor in History and Politics, and I also serve as an examiner for Pearson Edexcel GCSE History and A-Level Politics.
As all my family will tell you, I am a true ‘History Geek’! Our family holidays always involve at least one castle visit and everyone who visits our home in rural Hertfordshire is treated to the history tour of our village. Every lesson I teach gives me a real buzz and I love a good discussion and debate. My lessons are interactive and involve constant dialogue.
I have had a keen interest in History since first studying the Tudors at the age of eight. My main interests have been anything related to the challenges faced by Christians during the Reformation era. My BA dissertation focused on the Lollards and the Aristocracy during the reign of Richard II. My interest in Politics has also influenced my passion for History. I believe it is impossible to understand the world we live in today without some knowledge of the past. I also believe it is very important that Christians study History, not least because the great theme throughout history is God saving His people. The more I study and teach History the less I worry about the problems in the world today. God is in control and everything is in His perfect plan. If young people are taught History with that in mind, they will hopefully enter adulthood with a confident and trusting attitude to the challenges they will face.
For many years I have helped home-schooling friends and family with history advice and guidance, particularly on the marking of practice exam questions. In 2011 I published with my husband a children’s history book with a Protestant Christian undertone, The Great history of Britain. Its purpose is to help children gain a chronological understanding of English and British history. As a teacher I had always been very frustrated with the ‘bitty’ nature of primary school history and the children’s complete confusion and lack of chronological understanding of key historical events. The book has been well received by Christians and used by many home-schooling families.
I currently teach GCSE History to Christian home schoolers and have been delighted with such enthusiastic young people to be able to take a Christian perspective on different aspects of the course. I quite often relate events or concepts to Biblical examples (for example, when teaching crime and punishment, or the decriminalisation and liberalisation of the 1960s), and this often produces some interesting conversations and debates. In all the topics I teach, a Christian perspective is considered, whether it be Tudor history or the dictatorships of the twentieth century. I am thankful that teaching Christian home schoolers provides for a much more open and free atmosphere.
I offer the following PX Classroom courses:
- A chronological history of England/Britain, covering the main historical events. Also touched upon are some European and world events.
Key Stage 3 History of the English Reformation
- This course covers the exciting story of the Protestant Reformation in Britain from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries.
- A standalone module and an excellent introduction to our Christian Heritage in the UK, even for those who do not plan to sit GCSE History.
- Covers related events in Scotland briefly as well!
- Pearson Edexcel [I also serve as a Pearson examiner for this course!]
- This course includes Crime and Punishment from AD1000 to the present; a study of the reigns of King Richard I and King John; Superpower Relations in the Cold War; and finally a twentieth-century study of Germany, the USA, or China.
A-Level History
- Pearson Edexcel
- Topics are chosen through discussion with the students (at A-Level both History teacher and student need to enjoy and be passionate about what is being studied!)
A-Level Politics
- Pearson Edexcel [I also serve as a Pearson examiner for this course!]
- The topics covered are UK Politics and Government, Ideologies of Liberalism, Conservatism and Socialism, with Nationalism or Anarchism, and finally Globalisation (for Paper 3).
Testimonials
“Anne was an excellent teacher. Our daughter thoroughly enjoyed the PX Classroom, and Anne was always helpful when we had any questions.”
Anne has taught my children history for the past two years. Both children have enjoyed her lessons and have been enthused about history. They often discuss their learning outside lessons. Anne communicates well with parents and makes the homework clear. It is useful to know that I can go into the lesson slides to check the week’s homework task.
Anne is a GCSE examiner so has been able to use this to guide the children to know how to answer exam questions. Throughout the course, the children have had the opportunity to answer exam questions and to have them marked according to the board’s mark scheme.