Parents' and pupils'
reviews
Chère Madame Chenais,
Je suis très heureuse que vous ayez été mon professeur
You were very helpful.
I have really enjoyed our French lessons.
You made it possible for me to release my full potential in French and made the subject much easier and much fun.
I really appreciate all the work you did, it really paid off in the exam.
Merci Madame Chenais
Love
Jessie
(Jessie got an A* for GCSE/Royal School Hampstead)
Dear Valerie,
W is enjoying your lessons immensely and we are so pleased to see such a positive turn around in his approach to French in such a short time!
...W's progress is enormous - obviously you can judge his language in a way I can't, but what really delights us is his obvious enjoyment of French since he started with you and his growing confidence! We are so grateful to you!
L (mum) (W, year 8, in Westminster, taught on Skype)
...2 years later W got A* in his IGCSE French end of year 10...
Hi Valerie,
Thank you so much I got an A/A* in my French speaking (real GCSE). I just wanted to let you know that I have received the results from my mock exams I sat before Christmas. For French listening I got an A* which I didn't expect and for French reading I got an A. I am very pleased but wanted to thank you as I was very well prepared and would not have got that result if I had not had your help. Thanks.
Wallace (who got an A* for GCSE/Fortismere)
Hi Valerie,
Thanks again for all your help, you were fantastic. James got an A in his French exam-a wonderful result (James, Year 8 The Hall: 13+ scholarships for Year 9 Westminster) !!
...Two years later...
Hi Valérie,
James is delighted with his A*!...
...A few more years later...
Rachel and Rebecca both got 9, so very happy!
Thank you for all your help!
Susanna (mum) (James, GCSE, end of year 10, Westminster)
(Rachel and Rebecca, GCSE year 11 Channing)
Dear Valerie,
Thank you so much for teaching me. You helped me a lot. I started at a very low level and now I am one of the best in my class. From a score of zero I got a full mark after your lessons. Thank you very much for helping me reach this goal.
Merci pour tout!
Best regards,
Natalie (Natalie lives in Switzerland, she started from the very beginning in year 5 and is now in year 8, where French is taught at native level/Skype)
Thank you so so much Valerie, it went fantastically. As well as I could have hoped. You were so helpful. I've decided to do an A level French. Thank you so much!
Nathan (Latymer) got an A* for his GCSE.
"My Oral could not have gone better!"
Two years later about his AL Oral
"I got A in French and A* in my other subjects. I would have never been able to
achieve that without your help. French has never been something I've found naturally easy as my other subjects but you not only helped me so much but
you made it fun. I can't thank you enough."
Nathan is going to Cambridge and needed A* in his chosen subject + A in the others.
...About Nathan's brother, Jonah, for his GCSE: "Je suis très content, j'ai un 8!"
国王 performs very well, across the board in French. His writing is used as exemplar work for the others. His comprehension marks are excellent and his grasp of complex grammar is impressive. If he chose to continue to A level, he could be a very successful candidate.
国王’s French teacher ( 国王 is in Y11 in the UK, he is bilingual, he speaks Chinese and English fluently)
Hi Valerie,
Matilda just found out the results for the mock exams: A* (93%), with a perfect score on the oral.
Matilda is really happy about it! We're all well aware of how you've helped make French much more fun, interesting and productive again, so thank you!
... I'm always impressed by how attuned you are to where she's at - and how you manage to start from there... it was lovely and helpful for her to be able to talk (in French) about co-directing her play...
A bientôt,
Lotta (Matilda is in Year 10, taking an other language at school, she is doing French with me this year/ she is at Saint Paul's) (Matilda had an A* -96%- for her IGCSE at the end of year 10, studying French for only 1 year instead of 2)
Dear Madame Chenais,
...After studying such grammar questions with you, Luke improved a lot and scored 89/100 in the reading/writing section of his Setagaya Pre-level 2 exam...
Best regards, Oliver (dad)
Luke, year 7, living in Tokyo, is taught on SKYPE ONLY.
..." Bonjour! J'ai eu mon exam et reçu le certificat, je suis très heureux! Merci,it couldn't have been possible without your help!"
Luke got his Setagaya exam level 2 at the end of year 8.
...One year later, Luke took his IGCSE in YEAR 9 and said:
"Bonjour! The results have arrived - A* 91% !Thank you for all your help! Merci,Luke"
(83% was needed to get an A*/75% for an A...) (Luke is not French, but he is bilingual, he speaks English and Japanese fluently!)
Hi Valerie,
I just wanted to let you know that I got a 9 in French. I am absolutely over the moon!! Thank you so much for all your help over the past couple of years. Adam (Year 11 / Grade 9 / IGCSE Cambridge)
Thank you so much for introducing Toby and Lara to French in such a gentle and helpful way. I do hope that our paths cross again in the future!
Emma (whose children were 5 and 7)
Dear Valerie,
I just wanted to say how important it has been for Michael to have you as his French tutor over the past few years. Thank you for all your help and support which was a pivotal part of Michael achieving an A grade in the Merchant Taylors' 13+ entrance French exam and IGCSE. Your expertise at building Michael’s confidence at using the French language is really great! With best wishes
Alison (mum) (13+ Merchant and Taylors' Entrance Exam + IGCSE)
Dear Valérie,
Katie-Sai's test result has come back and she scored A* for
French!!!!
She is still pinching her cheek - she has never achieved more than B
in the past.
Thank you very much for your spot-on lessons, this is
fantastic!
Thanks again and hope to see you again in near future!
Kind Regards,
Yasuko (mum) (13+ Mill Hill's Entrance exam)
I think it was good! My teacher seemed pretty impressed,he said my mistakes were only minor but it was really interesting and advanced.
Claire about taking her GCSE Oral exam
Hi Valerie,
Claire did extremely well. I think she got perfect marks for each of the sections?!(300/300).Needless to say none of this would have been possible without you. Thank you so much for inspiring her and teaching her so well. Claire's mum
Claire is in Latymer (she could not take 2 languages for GCSE at her school and is doing French with me). One year later Claire got the top grade for AS
"Bonjour Valerie! I got an A in my AS, so thank you so much for all of your help with prep and all through the year.Merci!"
...After having a French Oral and a Writing exam at Cambridge University, Claire was offered a place...
"Hi Valerie,
I got 3 A* (AL) and am going to Cambridge. My French results would not have been possible without you so thank you so much!"
Dear Valerie,
I wanted to let you know that H heard from Oxford this week - an offer to read French at Wadham. She is absolutely thrilled! Thank you again for the sessions with her which were incredibly helpful and really bolstered her confidence.
A (mum)(H Year 13 Westminster. H made her Oxford offer with 3 A* including D2 in French)
Dear Valerie,
We are delighted to tell you that D obtained an A grade for his French (GCSE). Thank you so much for all your help!
K (mum) (D, year 11/Mill Hill, was taught on Skype)
Hi Valerie,
M did very well in French--a solid A*. Thank you for your expert tuition.
G (mum of M)
Thank you again for all the help that you gave me last year for my GCSEs, it was invaluable.
(M, North London Collegiate, practised for her Oral GCSE on Skype and is now doing an International Baccalaureate)
Bonjour Valerie,
I got A*A*A*A (A* in French) so I'm really happy!
Thank you so much for your help.
Eva ( AL student)
Hi Valerie,
The Oral exam went well! Thank you and I felt a lot more confident than I have before! As you predicted, the questions were broad but I could cope with it! The examiner was nice, too. Thanks for your help! Thanks a lot!
Julia (AS/Highgate school)
Valerie just to let you know Ella passed her French with a grade A not sure how it happened but we are extremely grateful for all that you have done. Joanne (Ella started French, which seemed a difficult subject, at the end of year 8/Y11/ GCSE/ Channing)
Dear Valerie, Albert got 9 at his GCSE, thank you so much!
Albert's mum ( IGCSE / Westminster)
Dear Valerie,
I just wanted to let you know that H got an A grade in her French A level, so thank you for all your help! All the best.
Caroline (mum) (AL/South Hampstead)
Johnson was beaming when he proudly announced: "I had my French Oral and the teacher said it was excellent!"(13+ Entrance Exam, The Hall)
"Hi Valerie,Johnson got an A in French (Common Entrance exams) and Anice (year 10, South Hampstead) got an A* ( French GCSE mock exams). Thank you very much! They are all very happy!" ...One year later...Anice got an A* for French (for GCSE). Thank you so much! Amy.
"Conversation classes with Valerie are very stimulating, from reading online
articles in French newspapers to watching extracts from YouTube and discussing
recent films and topics of interest. Each class is planned to improve listening
as well as oral skills and of course points of grammar. Valerie is a patient
teacher and her classes are relaxed and friendly."
Margaret (Adult Conversation)
Hi Valerie,
Thanks very much indeed for you assistance in improving Nayil's French listening and speaking. Your guidance was just what he needed. I will be sure to call on you should we need continued assistance in French.
Kind regards,
Francis (dad) (Nayil, 14, Cayman Islands, Skype/ IGCSE)
"Hello Valérie,
Thank you for your superb teaching! I really enjoyed it!"
Danny (Adult Conversation)
Thanks Valerie, Sam found the session that he did with you on the reading really helpful - it was a bit of a revelation to him I think! He definitely enjoys speaking French so much more - quite proud of his accent! Best wishes, Sue.
Sam got an A* for his GCSE (Latymer)
Hi Valerie. Pleased to say that Matthew got a grade 8 (for his GCSE). Many thanks for your help! Sue
Mathew (Sam's brother/Latymer)
Hanne has decided to take French for A level, which looks very interesting I think. (Hanne's mum) (Hanne was hesitating between 2 subjects for AL )
Bonjour! Just wanted to let you know how I did in my French GCSEs i got full marks in both reading and listening and A* in oral and writing. Thank you so much, and looking forward to carrying on lessons next year.
Hanne (Latymer/Skype)
Meg got 9 in French!!Thank you for your help!
Janet (Meg and Hanne's mum)(Meg/GCSE/Skype/Channing)
Hi Valerie!
This is Issy I just wanted to say how thankful I am for your tutoring I got an 8 in French very pleased thank you again !
Best wishes Issy (Who is Meg and Hanne's sister) (Issy / Skype / Forest school)
Dear Madame Chenais,
Thank you for teaching Veronika and Iveta French and Drama.
They loved your lessons.
We wish you all the best and hope to see you in Prague!
With lots of love,
Jitka, Veronika and Iveta
(Veronika and Iveta, primary school at the RSH, went back to Prague)
Madame Chenais
BONJOUR! ÇA VA?
I learnt lots of French because you taught us very good!
I had to learn French more but now I learnt it here and I know most of it and pronunciation! Thank you so much and I will never forget your kindness. We had French neighbours and they were very very nice. I’ve been to Paris Eiffel Tower before and it was amazing!
Thank you so much and I’ll miss you
Susan (who went back to South Korea at the end of Year 7/RSH)
Hi Valérie
Just got a text from G with his Common Entrance results - all
merits plus two distinctions - one of which is French! He's so
delighted. Thank you so very much again, you completely transformed his
approach to French. He really enjoys it now but could never have dreamed
of a merit, let alone a distinction, before he started with you. It's
lovely that he will start the senior school with such confidence.
Best wishes for a lovely summer,
L
Bonjour!
"C'est grâce à vous si Hugo est entré à l'école bilingue. Il fait 12 à 14 heures de français maintenant! Merci!"
Papa d'Hugo (Les Louvards: year 2/Ecole des Petits Loups)
E. va intégrer le CFBL et il a dû passer un test de français pour cela. Alors je tiens à remercier ses profs, passées et surtout présente (Valérie!!) car le directeur du francais a dit être agréablement étonné de son niveau pour un enfant qui n’est jamais allé dans une école française.
Hélène (Les Petits Loups) (E. est dans mon groupe depuis la sixième
et est en year 9 préparant maintenant le GCSE).
Bonjour!
Camille a eu 9 au GCSE, ce qui est génial !
Merci beaucoup Valérie!
Elodie (Maman de Camille year 9) (Ecole des Petits Loups)
Thank you Valerie for wonderful lessons and teaching Kacper! 😊
Agnieszka (Maman de Kacper year 10)(Ecole des Petits Loups)
Bonjour Valérie,
Éloïse a eu un 9 en français (honnêtement je n'y croyais pas ! ) 🥳🥳🥳🎉🍾
Merci infiniment pour ton aide et surtout ta patience ! Sophie
Éloïse (year 10 / Grade 9/ GCSE Edexcel)
Lucie a eu grade 9! Merci!
Maman de Lucie Y9. Ravie.
Lucie (Channing/ Bilingue/ GCSE en Y9 en 1 an)
Hana loves your lessons.She actually says”Yey I have Valerie tonight!” 🥰 Thank you 🙏
Kana (Hana is in Year 10)
Bonjour Valerie!!!
"I got an A and distinction in French. Thank you so much, couldnt have done it without you. Merci!" ❤️✈️
Hana Y11 (Grade 8/ GCSE)