Liam

Dedicated Oxford graduate with 5 years of experience tutoring English Literature and English Language.

Please note: I currently have good availability in my schedule for this summer into the 2023-24 academic year. Please contact me to secure a weekly slot for your child.

Hi, I’m Liam. I’ve been working as an English tutor in Reading and online for 5 years, helping students of varying abilities from KS2 upwards. I’m a relatively young tutor at twenty-eight, which allows me to relate to my students and develop an engaging rapport with them. I only take on a limited number of students at a time, because I think it is better to charge more and be able to focus properly on each individual. I am a highly motivated and ambitious person, and aim to encourage these same qualities in my students. I have an excellent academic record, having achieved A*s for A-level English Literature and English Language, before going on to complete a degree in English Language and Literature at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. I have completed an Enhanced DBS check and will provide a copy of this certificate to all new clients.

Here’s some feedback from my previous clients:

‘Liam is a fantastic teacher who tailors his lessons to his tutee’s needs. I couldn’t have asked for a better tutor as Liam was always ready to go the extra mile in order to respond to my questions and help me in areas which I was struggling with. Liam also provided me with an abundance of resources that were very helpful, but what I found most important, was his incredible and vast knowledge of the English language. Liam not only helped me drive through my GCSEs, but also showed me how to be precise and succinct in my writing, which is a crucial life skill. I would recommend Liam to anyone as his knowledge combined with his friendly personality make his lessons truly outstanding.’ - GCSE student.

‘Liam is an excellent English tutor; my son has been having tuition with him for the last three years. Liam started teaching my son when he was in Year 7. Within six months my son jumped two levels in his teacher’s assessment. He further developed a passion for reading too. The best quality of Liam is that he has bespoke lessons for every child. I know quite a few of my family friends who use Liam for their children and every parent shares the same view. Liam not only just works on the subject (English) but also is a great coach and inspirational personality. His mannerism and conduct influence the child to do well in every subject. My son has also improved in other subjects due to this positive influence. Liam is very professional and friendly which has helped my son to build a very positive relationship with him. My son enjoys every session with Liam and looks forward for the next challenge given to him for his weekly assignment. I am extremely happy with Liam’s thoroughness and the content. He always ensures that lessons are in line with the school curriculum. My elder son who is in university now had English tuition while in secondary school from several tutors, but Liam is way above any tutor we had in past. We consider ourselves to be very lucky to have found a tutor like Liam.’ – Parent of KS3 student.

‘Liam came well researched in the content which will be covered by my son’s school for GCSE English. The most prepared and invested tutor I have found to date. Highly recommended!’ - Parent of GCSE student.

Tutoring Experience

I have been teaching English for 5 years, working with a range of students with different needs and expectations. For example, I have helped students who previously failed their English GCSEs to achieve a solid Grade 5 pass in their resits. I have worked with mid-level students who need extra guidance to secure their target grades, or who wish to push themselves further. At the top end, I have challenged the most capable students who are aiming for top marks but may not be stimulated enough at school. Every single one of my students has shown improvement since starting with me, and those working towards exams have all met or exceeded their target grades.

For GCSE, I have taught the AQA, Edexcel, and OCR syllabi for English Literature and English Language, including a wide range of set texts and poetry anthologies. I have an extensive collection of GCSE teaching materials and resources at my disposal, many of which I have created or adapted myself.

For A-level and Pre-U, I have experience teaching several different English Literature and English Language syllabi and a wide range of literature set texts. I achieved outstanding results for these qualifications myself.

Tutoring Approach

I provide highly personalised one-to-one tuition, adjusting my approach and teaching style based on the personality of the student. I always facilitate and encourage, rather than simply lecture. I specialise in helping students through their English Literature and Language courses, supplementing their school work with direct teaching of set texts and strategic guidance on how to succeed in exams. I expect students to be organised, providing structure for them wherever I can. My emphasis on regular homework and thorough feedback sets me apart from other tutors, who often do not provide this facility. I set a homework task each week of approximately 1 hour, which students must submit 24 hours before the next lesson. I mark homework according to exam board specifications, with a level of annotation and feedback which far exceeds what a school teacher can provide. I return homework before the lesson so students have chance to read through my comments. In English, students must regularly practice answering exam questions in order to improve.

While all the above is still true for A-level, I take a more collaborative approach with sixth form students, encouraging them to think and learn independently wherever possible. I take a holistic approach, helping students to read, write, and think critically within and outside their course syllabi. I am particularly interested in supporting A-level students who aspire to study English at Oxbridge or Russell Group universities. My experience gaining a place at Oxford from a state comprehensive enables me to give valuable insight into the application process, and I can offer candid advice about what a student must do in order to compete for the most prestigious places. I am happy to provide help with UCAS applications, ELAT entrance examinations, interview preparation, and extra-curricular reading.

For online tuition, I use a combination of virtual classroom software and online docs to provide a seamless teaching experience. We can read, annotate, and work through extracts and past papers collaboratively, just like in person. Meanwhile, an online doc allows us to keep notes of everything we discuss and practice. All lesson notes and teaching materials are organised for the student in an online folder which they and their parents can access 24/7. For online tuition to work effectively students will need a suitable computer/laptop with a webcam and a microphone/headset. I normally insist on handwritten homework because exams will be handwritten, so students will also need access to a scanner to submit their work as a .pdf each week.

My fee per lesson covers:
- 1 hour of highly personalised online tuition with the student
- Up to 1 hour of marking homework, preparing resources, and planning the lesson
- A student folder hosted online for organisation of all lesson materials, notes, and homework
- Regular feedback and communication with students and parents via email

I ask that parents commit to at least a single 1 hour lesson each week. However, for those who can afford more I can offer 1.5 or 2 hour lessons charged at my standard rate. Longer lessons will allow us to delve more thoroughly into different texts, topics, and practice questions.