Muhammad Ali
PhD physics, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge. Teaching in Islington since 2010.
Maths and science tuition in Islington — or anywhere online.
Every lesson is taught by experts in their field, led by Muhammad Ali, a Cambridge physics PhD. He has been a private tutor for 30 years and has taught in Islington since 2010.
In the press
A note from Muhammad
“It feels like you’ve scored a winning goal when you’re explaining fractions or complex maths and the penny drops.”
“My students come from all sorts of schools, from Eton and Westminster to poorly performing schools. What unites them is that they are lacking in confidence in maths and physics, and that’s where I can help.”
“I’m able to give children my undivided attention for an hour, which massively helps boost their confidence.”
“Wherever a child starts from, they deserve the same chance to get there.”
Muhammad AliFounder and tutor — PhD physics, Cambridge
His own words, from his interviews with The i and the Guardian.
How he got here
1976
Arrived in Manchester, aged three
From Bangladesh, to a working-class childhood in Moss Side.
School
Left with two GCSEs
From a comprehensive the Guardian described as low-achieving.
Sixth form
Started tutoring, for nothing
Helping friends, family, and his sister through her 11-plus.
Cambridge
A doctorate in physics
At the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge.
After Cambridge
Setback after setback
125 job applications, call-centre work, retraining and redundancy. A Cambridge PhD hadn’t made the road straightforward, but he kept going.
Late 2000s
Teaching, and loving it
Taught GCSE pupils with Food4Thought across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs, until funding ended in summer 2010.
Since 2010
From doorstep flyers to MST
Started offering tuition in Islington. What began as a stopgap became his lasting career.
Rated 5.0 from 78 Google reviews
What parents say
“I could not have gone from an E in my Physics AS mock to a high A in the final examination without Muhammad’s tutoring.
“Muhammad helped to move Cameron’s performance in maths from a D grade last summer to an A grade.
“Muhammad was a really fantastic maths tutor for our son who was sitting the 11+.
“I would recommend Muhammad without hesitation. He tutored my son and daughter in maths, physics and chemistry.
“My daughter has just received her 11+ exam results - she was accepted by all the schools including South Hampstead, Highgate, Channing.
“Muhammad sets challenging material customised to each child, with clear explanations enabling good progress.
“Muhammad has an infectious enthusiasm for Maths and Science and my son positively looked forward to his sessions.
“In just 3 months Muhammad helped Lois increase her AS Maths mock marks by 3 grades.
“My daughter with Dyslexia and ADHD struggled with GCSE Chemistry until we found Muhammad.
“His marks have improved by nearly 30% in just 6 weeks; he's gone from an E to a high B (!)
“What has impressed me most is the way he encourages genuine mathematical thinking rather than simply focusing on getting the right answer.
“Muhammad helped me to achieve my grades at GCSE.
“Far and away his greatest service to our son was his help in rebuilding his confidence in his ability. He is now flourishing.
“An excellent Chemistry tutor! He helped my daughter achieve a Grade 9 in her GCSE Chemistry.
“Muhammad helped me massively with my section 3 in the GAMSAT.
“Coaching and problem solving techniques gave me confidence and the skills to succeed.
“Thanks to Muhammad, our child was able to get offers from his top choice grammar and independent schools.
“Muhammad did an excellent job helping my son, who had missed a long spell at school because of illness.
Every testimonial is real.
Full reviews are on the testimonials page.
Trusted by schools
He’s been coming into our school to work with our Year 6 pupils for a number of years now, and the impact has been huge. His group sessions have contributed to our school’s fantastic SATs results, especially by helping so many children reach Greater Depth. Most importantly, he has really helped boost the children’s confidence in maths.”
David Parks Year 6 Teacher, KS2 Phase Leader, Maths Lead
Our 6F is lucky enough to benefit from Muhammad’s expertise - he provides excellent bespoke small group tuition to our targeted Year 12 and 13 students in A level Maths and Physics, and has provided critical NSAA preparation for our Year 13s preparing for those tough Cambridge admissions tests.”
Frankie Deane Head of Sixth Form, Islington Collegiate Sixth Form
From Google reviews
Working with a school? Get in touch →Where we teach
Choose your stop. Muhammad teaches in person in Islington and the surrounding boroughs, or at your home for an agreed premium — and online, wherever you are.
Tuition
Taught one to one, by the same tutor, from the first lesson to the last.
In person in Islington N4, or live online.
Mock exams are held at Ambler Primary School, Islington.
Where they go next
These are just some of the schools our 11+ and entrance-exam students have sat papers for and gone on to join — day and boarding, across London and beyond.
St Paul’s Girls’ School
Eton
Westminster
Dame Alice Owen’s
Queen’s College London
City of London School for Girls
UCS
City of London School
Highgate School
Henrietta Barnett
Channing School
South Hampstead High School
Wycombe Abbey
Mill Hill
Forest School
Latymer Upper School
Francis Holland School
The King’s School, Canterbury
“With Muhammad’s help he has got a place at his top choice school and we are over the moon.”Rosalind, parent — 11+ entrance
These are schools our students have prepared for and gone on to join — not a guarantee of a place at any one of them.
From the blog
Six recent pieces, pulled from an archive of 155 articles.
Read every post
Promises of Fixes for Education9 Oct 2024 · 3 min read
Busting the Myths About Group Tuition16 Oct 2023 · 2 min read
RAAC and Ruin - Crumbling Schools and More5 Sep 2023 · 3 min read
August 1989 - GCSE Results Day24 Aug 2023 · 2 min read
Defusing the Education Arms Race11 Aug 2023 · 2 min read
The Benefits of Private Tuition20 Jul 2023 · 3 min read
Before you go
“I take the first call myself, and it costs nothing.
Tell me what is going wrong, and I will tell you honestly whether I can help — and what the first few lessons would look like.”
Muhammad AliFounder and tutor — PhD physics, Cambridge
