Deborah

I am a very experienced and successful teacher of English at A Level and GCSE, who is recently retired. All the students I have tutored have raised their grades from their mocks, enabling them to progress to their chosen University, Sixth Form College or school Sixth Form.
I have a joint Honours degree in English and Italian, which included the study of both English Literature & English Language/Linguistics. This means I am a specialist in the teaching of grammar and terminology needed for GCSE English Language and A Level English Language. I also have a detailed knowledge of the theory areas covered in A Level English Language, such as Standard English, Accent & Dialect, Language Change & Language Diversity, for example. The Literature element of my degree covered all aspects of Literature, including Shakespeare, Poetry and 19th century texts.

Tutoring Experience

I have taught GCSE and A Level English for over 30 years, with my students regularly achieving amongst the top 25% in the country at A level. In addition, I have taught and/or examined A Level English specifications for Eduqas, Edexcel/Pearson and AQA, and GCSE English IGCSE and AQA. I also have the additional, valuable experience of working with these exam boards to review the content and accessibility of new specifications. This means I bring an additional insight, which I can use to ensure my tutees succeed.

When choosing a tutor for English Language you should be aware that many English tutors have a non-specialist degree or a degree in English Literature, whereas my degree had a higher than usual language emphasis. This gives me a special skill, interest and experience in Language which makes me ideally qualified to support students taking English Language at A level, and with the specialist language aspects of any English course including GCSE.

A major part of my role before I retired was as a member of the Senior Management team responsible for the standards of teaching at my college. In this role, I have delivered training to teachers and English staff both locally and nationally, advising staff on the best methods to use to maximise their students' learning and achievement. This includes working with Yr 10 and Yr 11 students to not only achieve a strong pass, but also how to reach those higher grades. Throughout this time, I continued to teach and prepare students for examinations.

So why should you choose me as your tutor? I have the specialist subject knowledge that enables me to ensure you properly understand the material. I have 30 years’ experience of helping students understand, love and succeed in English. I have extensive experience of working with exam boards and training staff, which means I can help you understand how to get the best mark you are capable of in assessments and examinations.

Tutoring Approach

I will use all my experience, expertise and knowledge to help you succeed. As part of all my teaching roles, I have delivered 1-2-1 support sessions to develop students' skills and increase confidence, knowledge and achievement. These sessions have resulted in students raising their grades by at least one grade, and on many occasions by 2 or 3 grades.
I only offer in person tuition, as that creates a more engaging environment than the passivity of online learning. It also enables a more focused, supportive and responsive relationship than remote learning can ever do.

My approach focuses on developing your confidence, subject knowledge and your ability to answer exam questions. During your first session, I will do an initial assessment of your needs, and we will make a plan for future sessions based on this. I see tutoring as a partnership between tutor and tutee, and I look forward to helping you get the best grade you can.

Please note that I do not tutor at weekends or after 6:30pm. As of Sept 2024 I have one hour slot available on Tuesdays from 4.15. I may have afternoon slots for A Level Language students on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.