Our Tutors for English

I am Canadian-British and hold an Honours Bachelor’s degree and two Master’s degrees in English Language and Literature (MA, Université de Montreal; MLitt, Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford). I am primarily a language expert, and in my career I strike a balance between studies of fiction and non-fiction – and between the humanities and social sciences – with the force and influence of language and communications as a main focus in my teaching and my own research and learning. My academic background is in rhetorical studies of Shakespeare, so I specialise professionally in figurative and persuasive language and literary analysis. My studies in rhetoric fuel my interest in politics and society and my teaching of Sociology, specifically research methods, education, media and policy. I have four years of formal experience as a Sixth Form tutor and UCAS mentor at Kendrick School in Reading, and I gained my QTS through the University of Reading in July 2020.

In my graduate career, I lectured and taught undergraduate Shakespeare and English Language seminars. I am bilingual in English and French (from Quebec) so teaching students with advanced EAL skills has formed a substantial part of my teaching experience and my work as an academic editor and coach. For 4 years I taught English Abitur (A Level) examination skills in seminar style to advanced English-speaking German students in Oxford. In 2016, I took up my current role teaching English at Kendrick School, a selective grammar school for girls, where I teach KS3, GCSE and A Level English – and as a private tutor I have further experience teaching KS2 students of various nationalities and languages. I serve as the Literacy and Communications coordinator for my school, working with students of various disciplines to boost their verbal and written language skills.

I am a friendly, approachable tutor with solid experience tutoring students at all levels, everything from the creative writing to Oxbridge applications. I have been praised by parents of former students for my ‘diligence’, ‘understanding’ and ‘creative approach’ to teaching.

At Oxford Tutors, my students have gone on to win places at their first-choice secondary school and achieve excellent results in their GCSEs. I tutor most of my students on a week-to-week basis, as well as offer crash-course exam technique skills in the holidays. I homeschool in English and can offer accessible classes in developing close reading skills, particularly poetry, for those interested in going beyond the syllabus.

I began tutoring as an undergraduate at Cambridge University helping students from my school with their own Oxbridge applications. I have found that a holistic approach to tutoring works best to solidify strengths as well as consolidate any weaknesses a student might have. A firm knowledge of the syllabus and understanding of the demands of the exam are vital to grade success and at the heart of my tutoring strategy.

There are many reasons why a student may struggle with a subject but only two to academic success: confidence and a real enthusiasm for what is being taught. Both can be instilled by one-to-one tuition. No two students are alike and that is why I work with parents and students to develop a bespoke lesson plan to meet the student’s specific needs in a continually fresh and dynamic way.

English is not a science. It uniquely allows for rich and imaginative thinking and success at this subject arises when a student is given the skills to be their most creative. However, academic weaknesses often arise from a lack of familiarity with exam technique and that is why I make understanding the rubric an essential component of my teaching. I want my students to know that a subject like English can shape their way of seeing the world long after they have sat their exams.

I am an energetic tutor for whom no challenge is too tough eager to do all I can for my students to realise their full academic potential.

I am a hard-working, friendly and determined individual who really enjoys teaching and working with children or young adults. I have been tutoring both for groups of children at a Saturday school and for individuals privately, part time, for more than three years now and on top of that worked as a teaching assistant for primary school children on my gap year.

My diligence and desire to do well have allowed me to obtain all A* grades in both GCSEs and A levels, putting me in a good position to tutor children with similar academic achievements in mind. More than this, however, I believe in fostering a real passion for a subject, as ultimately it is from a natural desire to learn that top grades can be attained.

I have found particularly with English Literature – my main focus – that the school curriculum prior to the A level syllabus can be fairly limiting and uninspiring to many students. My aim is to expose students to texts that will broaden and strengthen their study of Literature, allowing them to think more critically and with new opinions of classic, canonical works. I tutor with a passion and approachable energy that I believe encourages students to learn from their mistakes and consolidate upon their existing knowledge.