DBS verified Solenne J.
Professional French Tutor | La Sorbonne graduate | Certified by the Alliance Française de Paris
About
Bonjour et bienvenue !
I am a French native from Paris and I have been teaching French in the UK since 2014. Holder of a Master’s degree (Universities of La Sorbonne and René Descartes), I am also a Certified Tutor from The Alliance Française of Paris (DAEFLE : Teaching French as a Foreign Language Advanced Diploma, awarded with honours in 2014).
I offer to teach French in-person or online, to adults and young adult (16+) learners of all nationalities and levels, in schools, companies, training institutes or within the frame of private tuition (one-to-one or small group tutoring).
Whether you are:
A 16+ student taking a degree in French (AS/A-Level exams ; University degrees ; DELF-DALF or NATO exams), and needing confidence for your exam,
A professional willing to have a proper conversation with your French colleagues or clients,
An adult learner with a passion for languages and wishing to brush up your French,
I will pay close attention to your learning project and I will help you to achieve your language goals.
I have an updated French Police Check and DBS Check.
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*Update - 29/04/2026*
SUMMER SESSIONS 2026 (Adult learners - AS/A-Level students - University students).
I have had new slots become available for tuition cycles, revision sessions and preparation for the academic year 2026-2027.
Please contact me for further information. A bientôt !
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Teaching Experience:
This is my twelfth year as a French as a Second/Foreign Language (FLE) full-time Tutor. I feel equally comfortable with beginners, intermediate or advanced learners. I am also a French language Instructor and Assessor for the british Ministry of Defence (MoD) and a Tutor for the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Teaching Approach:
Tutoring is not just guiding students through their learning but also giving them confidence and enabling them to experience lessons in a relaxed, friendly and yet result-oriented way.
That is why I tailor my lessons to the students` needs and pace (one-to-one or small group tutoring on request), in order to teach French language effectively as well as to raise awareness to the French culture.
My approach is action-oriented, based on the ability of students to communicate (speaking ; listening ; reading ; writing) in authentic situations, according to the Common European Framework of references for Languages (CEFR).
Cancellation Policy:
There are times when advance notification is not possible and I am willing to adapt myself as much as possible to students who face circumstances beyond their control.
However, I require a minimum cancellation period prior to a lesson.
- If I am not notified (by phone or by email) of a cancellation 48 hours prior to the session, I will fully charge the amount of the session.
- In case my student(s) and I can find another convenient time slot within the week, the lesson will be postponed and will not be charged.
If you contact me prior to this window, thank you for your courtesy!
Subjects & pricing
Discount
I offer a free 1-hour Introduction session for medium-term tuitions only, or for a minimum of 10 hours of lessons foreseen.
Languages
- English Fluent
- French Native
- German Conversational
Qualifications
Higher education
- MA Media and Communications · Université Paris René Descartes · First-class (1st) · 2005 Université Paris René Descartes · First-class (1st) · 2005
- MA Media and Communications · Université Paris La Sorbonne · 2:2 (Lower second) · 2001 Université Paris La Sorbonne · 2:2 (Lower second) · 2001
- MA Media and Communications · University of Texas at Austin (MICEFA Exchange Program) · Non Graduating Year · 2001 University of Texas at Austin (MICEFA Exchange Program) · Non Graduating Year · 2001
Other
- DAEFLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language Advanced Diploma) · Alliance Française de Paris IDF · 2014 Alliance Française de Paris IDF · 2014
Reviews from Tutorperch
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- imported from First Tutors
Nathan
Solenne is a fantastic patient teacher, I enjoyed my lessons and felt relaxed throughout, She is very passionate about her teaching and I can take so much from the lessons. The lessons were structured and she planned them very well which made it an overall an enjoying environment to learn in. Thanks, Solenne and hopefully see you soon to restart my french learning. First class service.
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FRANCES
Solenne was the most thorough and patient teacher I could have wished for. She tutored me in French for 2 months and supported me throughout, even spending extra time with me prior to the exam. Thanks to her teaching, I got amazing results at my French exam. I will definitely use Solenne again in the future to brush up on my language skills.
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Ryan
Fantastic tuition! I wanted to refresh my french as i had a gap of nearly years and skill fade had affected me alot, however after a few sessions she had helped reboot my memory on what i had learnt, Thanks alot.
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Sarah
Solenne is a lovely lady, passionate about sharing her language and culture with me. We spent far more than the agreed time answering my questions about her language, country and life in Britain. Unfortunately, my domestic situation has thrown a spanner in the works and I have had to postpone lessons until the New Year. I am confident that Solenne will provide me with thorough instruction in a relaxed atmosphere at her kitchen table - with a cup of tea. She has devised a structured programme with links to written materials and practise exercises.
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Emily
Solenne is very easy to get on with and incredibly quick to understand your current level of French. The lesson preparation and structure is brilliant, and Solenne also adapts easily to suit the individual. I've had 2 months of lessons now and my confidence is improving all the time, as are the huge gaps in my knowledge created from 18 years of lack of use. I would highly recommend Solenne to anyone wanting to learn French as a beginner, or to improve on existing knowledge and confidence.
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Amruta
My daughter was interested in guidance for taking the DELF exam and we identified Solenne as a potential French tutor based on her experience and other reviews. It was such an excellent choice! My daughter has really enjoyed her lessons and has decided to continue her lessons with Solenne as and when she needs support for A level French. Solenne is very proactive, organised, supportive and also accommodating. She gives enough homework and her teaching style is very involved and enthusiastic. Her lessons are very well structured and she provides enough resources. My daughter gained a lot of confidence especially with the speaking aspect and also with improvising in the situation. I would definitely recommend Solenne to anyone that needs help with DELF exam , A level or any French preparation.
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Rosalind
Solenne is extremely approachable, likeable and easy to talk to. She is very professional in all communications and delivers very high standards of tuition. Her teaching approach is flexible and she has adapted the course really well for what I am after and continues to do so. The teaching material and our discussions are really interesting and stimulating and her explanations of grammar are really clear. I could not recommend her more highly.
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Gabriella
I have been having French lessons with Solenne for the last few weeks, and have found her to be a brilliant French teacher! She is very friendly and supportive, and sets the perfect pace for learning. She has a very thorough approach to teaching, and utilises clear and concise course materials to share the French language. I would highly recommend!
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Clarissa
Solenne was fantastic tutoring our daughter for her AS-level French, going above and beyond anything we had envisaged. She was very quick to provide feedback on any work submitted, provided a wealth of resources, identified areas to focus on, and gave all the encouragement possible. We would 100% highly recommend Solenne.
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Minakshi
Solenne is an excellent tutor. She has a wonderful way with people and is able to explain difficult concepts in a simple and understandable way. Solenne's teaching is clear and structured with a lovely, friendly manner. She has high expectations of herself and equally high but realistic expectations of her students. Solenne is incredibly hardworking and immensely responsive and organised and I would recommend her fully.
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Imogen
Solenne is a great tutor and I would definitely recommend her to anyone. I have had weekly lessons with Solenne for the past few months and she has helped me with my grammar and we have discussed relevant topics for my university level studies which she has sourced for me. I am looking forward to continuing my lessons with her. Merci beaucoup Solenne.
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Anthony
Solenne is an excellent and very professional teacher. She is highly adaptable to student needs, and prepares tailor made exercises to target the areas that need most work. Solenne has the rare skill of being able to explain complex points of grammar in an easy to follow way in both French and English. Alongside grammatical precision, Solenne helps students express themselves idiomatically by bringing real-world examples of contemporary usage into the classroom, from news articles to extracts from French literature. Her minute attention to the individual student helps build not only knowledge of French but also the confidence to use it. Merci Solenne!
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Charmian
Solenne is a fantastic tutor. I am extremely happy with the work she is doing with my son who is doing A level French. He enjoys the lessons and is making wonderful progress. She has a very good relationship with my son and she plans and delivers the lessons in a responsive and diligent manner. Solenne is also excellent at communication - clear and organised - we always know when we are having lessons and she responds to queries quickly, homework is set and marked swiftly. I would recommend her very highly. Thank you Solenne!
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Marie-Claire
My daughter has had weekly on line tuition from Solenne for her A level French for 8 months. Solenne has been an excellent communicator both with my daughter and myself. She listened to my daughters needs and responded with excellent resources and support. We are very grateful for her help and brilliant tuition.
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Chris
I have been enjoying on line french lessons with Solenne since October last year. I am an adult learner who had not studied French since doing an O level 50 years ago. I particularly wanted to work on my listening and speaking skills as in my day we never really got to try speaking the language. I look forward to my lessons with Solenne. She is very friendly and supportive and I feel that she works really hard to help me learn. She has provided excellent learning resources and gives me homework each session which I find very useful. She gives me plenty of chance to improve my speaking through conversation whilst also ensuring that I learn new things and revise things I have long forgotten. I would recommend Solenne to anyone looking for a French teacher as my experience with her suggests that she will work hard to tailor her teaching to your particular needs.
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Sadie
Solenne has been a great help to me whilst completing my French degree at university. The sessions were beneficial and relevant as she tailored them to fit my needs in areas I needed to improve. Solenne was patient and encouraging which made me feel at ease.
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Alison
Solenne is a great tutor; adept at discovering and sorting out your weaknesses and always encouraging. Every lesson is interesting and stimulating.
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Matthew
Solenne was excellent. I cannot speak highly enough of my time with her; she was always well-prepared in the lessons and, given that my requests were quite specific in terms of how I wanted the lessons to pan out, she could not have been more accommodating. I hugely enjoyed working with her and can recommend her without reservation for all possible tutoring needs.
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Molly
My time working with Solenne has been so much better than I ever could have anticipated. At first, I was anxious to reach out to a tutor to help with my French Language as the only other experiences that I have had with tutors haven't been great. However, Solenne gives a whole new name to tutoring. She is both friendly and funny which enabled me to feel confident and relaxed during our sessions, but most importantly she is incredibly knowledgable whilst also being patient and encouraging. Furthermore, the entirety of our sessions together were based around me and my specific requirements. There was not a 'one fits all' approach with Solenne, she tailors your sessions to suit you specifically. I highly recommend Solenne to anyone who wants help with their French, especially if you want someone that is incredibly reliable and highly organised!
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Ruby
I have been learning French with Solenne for a few month now and can honestly say she has been amazing! I wanted to learn French to prepare myself to study in Paris and she has not only helped me learn but adapted the areas of teaching to things that will be relevant for me. It is clear that Solenne genuinely cares about her students and I would 100% recommend her to anyone wishing to learn or improve their French!!!