About Marina

Native Speaker. Expert Tutor. Genuine Passion.

25 years of teaching Russian across three countries, now bringing that experience directly to you.

Marina Fountain — Professional Russian Tutor
25+ Years' Experience
Marina Fountain

A Russian Teacher Who Puts the Student First

Marina Fountain is a native Russian speaker and professional tutor with over 25 years of experience teaching Russian in England, Latvia and Russia. She is currently based in Bromley, Kent, and offers both in-person lessons locally and online tuition to students worldwide.

Her approach is entirely individual. Every lesson is shaped around the student's goals, current level, learning style and interests — whether that means working through GCSE grammar, building business vocabulary, or simply having a confident conversation. Marina uses authentic materials including songs, films, news articles and real-world exercises to keep learning engaging and effective.

She has an outstanding record in supporting students through high-stakes examinations, having helped every one of her GCSE and A-level students achieve either A* or A grades. She is equally at home teaching young beginners, adult learners, corporate professionals and advanced-level students.

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Career Highlights

Teaching Experience & Achievements

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Exceptional Exam Results

Every GCSE and A-level student achieved A* or A grade last year. All 8 GCSE students achieved A* in 2018. One A-level student achieved Grade A and went on to study Russian Language at Queen Mary University of London.

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Cambridge University Support

Marina has supported Russian Language students at Cambridge University, helping one student achieve a First-Class Honours degree over the course of four years of tuition, progressing from absolute beginner to advanced speaker.

⚖️

Clifford Chance

Marina has delivered private Russian lessons at the prestigious Clifford Chance law firm, one of the world's leading international legal practices — demonstrating her capability in high-level professional and business settings.

🏙️

Mayor of London

Marina collaborated with the Mayor of London's office to design and deliver a course in Russian Cultural Awareness, reflecting her depth of cultural knowledge as well as her linguistic expertise.

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Three Countries, One Mission

Marina has taught Russian in England, Latvia and Russia — giving her a rare breadth of experience working across different educational systems, student cultures and professional contexts.

👧

All Ages Welcome

Marina has taught children as young as seven through to postgraduate students and senior professionals. Her patience, warmth and adaptability mean she connects equally well with children, teenagers and adults.

Teaching Philosophy

How Marina Teaches

1

Entirely tailored to the individual

There is no off-the-shelf syllabus. Marina takes time to understand each student's goals, existing knowledge and preferred ways of learning before building a programme that fits them specifically.

2

Interest-led and culturally rich

Russian grammar taught in isolation is dry. Marina integrates authentic materials — songs, news articles, films, conversations — so students understand how the language actually lives and breathes.

3

Confidence-building at every step

Many students arrive nervous about speaking. Marina places great emphasis on helping students feel genuinely capable rather than simply coached, so they can use the language independently.

4

Progress that is tracked and visible

Goal-setting and progress monitoring are part of every tutoring relationship, so students always know where they are, what they have achieved, and what they are working towards.

Pricing

Straightforward Rates

Marina operates at a fixed hourly rate with no hidden costs. The first lesson can be treated as an introductory session — a chance to discuss your goals and decide how best to proceed.

1 Hour
£35
Per session
2 Hours
£60
Consecutive hours
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In Their Own Words

What Katie Says

"

Marina Fountain is an extraordinary and extremely dedicated teacher. I have studied Russian Language with her for two years, and every lesson has been packed full of fun and intense learning. Despite Russian being a very different and difficult language, Marina put an immense amount of effort into thoroughly making sure I understood every topic we were covering — whether language, grammar or culture.

Marina genuinely goes above and beyond for her students, and it is because of this dedication that I passed Russian A-level with a Grade A and am now off to study Russian Language at Queen Mary University of London. I cannot speak highly enough of her teaching abilities.

K
Katie
A-Level Student — now studying Russian at Queen Mary University of London
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