My name is Alex and I offer tutoring services in English Literature, English Language, History, Drama, and Philosophy at various levels from GCSE through to undergraduate level. I have a BA in English from University College London (UCL) where I studied a breadth of texts in English and translation across a range of historical periods, from the epic poetry of classical antiquity through to contemporary experimental fiction. My areas of special interest are Old English and early medieval literature, Shakespeare, modernism, and twentieth century poetry.

I recently completed an MA at UCL where I specialised in modernist literature, and my culminating dissertation on the poetry of T. S. Eliot was awarded a distinction. I am currently in the process of applying to English Literature PhD programmes with the aim of starting research on the work of Ted Hughes in the autumn.

I tutor from my home in St Albans where I live with my girlfriend, three cats and one tortoise.

I have been tutoring now since 2016, so I have a strong and up to date grasp of the demands of the major GCSE and A Level specifications – including assessment objectives and marking criteria. As a recent student, I understand the expectations of university study and of high-level undergraduate and postgraduate work.

My experience as a tutor has given me familiarity with many of the key GCSE and A Level English set texts (such as A Christmas Carol, An Inspector Calls, Macbeth, Lord of the Flies) which I have helped lots of students with many times now. I have tutored extensively both one to one and in small groups, where I always seek to make the tuition environment feel safe, friendly and supportive.

As my feedback shows, students that I have previously tutored have often not only achieved but exceeded target grades, with many reaching out on results day to share their excitement at their results.

My approach to tutoring centres around tailoring the sessions to the individual requirements of each student and to the specific demands of the exam board specification. For this reason, I take care to identify the areas in which students need most support as no one approach works for all students. With this in mind, I plan and prepare resources thoroughly before each tutoring session and make time to look over any written work before providing feedback in the next meeting.

I always strive to enthuse my tutees with an appreciation for the subject or aspects of the content as I feel this is one of the best ways to foster development and learning. During tuition I encourage students to think and respond critically, prioritising understanding of the question and the reframing of problem areas for clarity. To help this, I aim to make the atmosphere of every tutoring session a welcoming space in which students feel they can confidently ask questions and challenge themselves in order to learn and advance.