Stephen

I am a committed and dedicated A-Level English specialist tutor with both academic and practical experience.

I help students who are frustrated with how to commit their understanding of a text to paper in the essay format demanded by their exam board. Many students feel that they are merely told to write an essay but when that essay is returned to them (often with a mark which does not match the effort put in) there is little or no guidance as to how to improve! This is where I come in.

Tutoring Experience

My background is a BA (Hons) in English Literature with Medieval Studies from Exeter University, an MA in English Literature from Leeds University and an MA in Librarianship from Aberystwyth University. I have also completed a PGCE course at Nottingham University and have worked in schools around the Midlands.

Most recently, as a Librarian and Library Manager situated close to a renowned secondary school, I've combined my unique skill set to assisting A-Level students with essay writing skills on an informal basis. Feedback from these workshops has encouraged me to assist students online, as one student kindly wrote recently:

“Thank you so much for your help with my Shakespeare essays. I really didn't get how to put my thoughts on to paper before, but you’ve helped me no end!”

As someone who has had to work really hard for my successes, which have not been effortless, I understand how frustrating it can be to not perform as well as you would like.

Tutoring Approach

I appreciate that engaging a tutor is a difficult decision to make and many students are reluctant to make an ongoing commitment to a day and time. This is why my online approach works so well as it is entirely up to you how much or how little you use my services. You have no need to commit to a specific slot for online tuition.

Students begin by emailing a recently completed essay, preferably in Word. I then finely mark it, more than you'd receive from your teacher, then amend the essay and demonstrate how a specific point could have been developed further. This is not just the only document you’ll receive back. In addition, a detailed ‘Report’ is written on the essay – usually 3 to 4 typed pages long, which addresses exactly what you need to do to improve. Once the report is complete, I will request payment to a nominated parental email account via PayPal. Upon payment, the report, amended essay and any additional documentation will be emailed as promptly as possible.

Benefits of online tutoring

1. The benefits to the student are that you have a tailor-made review of your own work with clear instructions how to improve. This is enhancing your own style, rather than using a model answer which leaves a student with the feeling, “I could never write like that.”
2. The report also explains how to approach essays in future, how to deconstruct the question, how vital an introduction is, how to lead effectively from one paragraph to another and how to write an ‘A’ calibre conclusion.
3. These reports can be referred back to at any time by the student; you are not trying to recall to mind a verbal lesson from days or weeks ago.
4. There are no time slots for you to adhere to.
5. You don’t leave your own house.
6. Turnaround on an essay is typically 24 to 48 hours.
7. Payment is by a secure and trusted method (PayPal) so you are protected. I’ve never had any issues at all with this means of payment.
8. Much more can be achieved and covered in an hour online than face-to-face so the student is getting better value for money and often needs far less tutoring hours.
9. Online tutoring secures a 15 per cent discount from my usual £45 per hour fee.

I always reply to emails as soon as possible, so you always feel supported.

I am able to demonstrate how to deconstruct a set question, how to plan it and some key points to include, but I am a highly ethical tutor and will never write an essay for a student.