One-to-one English tuition from Year 7 to GCSE with a qualified secondary school teacher and current GCSE examiner — Language and Literature, online or in person across the Ribble Valley.
Most tutors have read the mark scheme. As a current GCSE English examiner, I apply it — script after script. That's a different kind of knowing, and it's the thing that turns effort into grades.
On confidentiality: examining means understanding how papers are marked — never sharing secure or unseen exam material. Every session works from past papers and published mark schemes.
Students lose grades on things that feel small — a missed AO, a point never developed, an answer that doesn't do what the question asked. That's exactly what I see all day.
The gap between a 5 and a 7 is rarely more content. It's precision, technique, and hitting the descriptors — and I'm the one deciding which band an answer lands in.
Timing, structure, how to open, what to cut. The habits that protect marks under pressure, drawn from real scripts rather than generic revision advice.
From building strong foundations in Years 7 to 9 through to GCSE exam preparation, sessions are shaped around the individual — their year, their set texts, and the grades they're aiming for.
Live one-to-one sessions over video, with shared work and annotated writing on screen. Flexible times around school and other commitments.
Face-to-face tuition in and around Clitheroe. Availability and arrangements are handled case by case — get in touch and I'll talk through what works.
No vague "going through past papers." Sessions follow the assessment objectives the exam is actually graded on — find the weak spots, target them, prove the progress.
An honest read of where the student's writing sits against the mark scheme right now — strengths and the real gaps.
Focus on the assessment objectives (AO1–AO4) losing the most marks, rather than everything at once.
Model, practise, and refine — analysis, structure, and timed writing that holds up in the exam.
Regular marked work against the descriptors, so progress is visible to student and parent alike.
I'm a qualified secondary school English teacher based in Clitheroe. I teach English from Year 7 through to GCSE day in, day out — and I mark real GCSE papers as an examiner.
That combination is the whole point. I know the syllabus because I teach it, and I know the exam because I mark it. One-to-one tuition is simply that expertise, aimed at one student instead of thirty.
I'll be honest with you and your child about what needs work, and calm about getting there. This is what I do professionally — not on the side — and I'm genuinely invested in getting young people over the line.
Because every student is taught individually, places are deliberately limited. If you'd like to secure one for this academic year, the best time to get in touch is now.
Enquire about availabilityThe main GCSE English boards — AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas. Tell me your child's board and set texts when you get in touch, and I'll tailor sessions to exactly that specification.
Both. Many students need support across the two, and sessions can focus on whichever is the priority — or split time between them.
Online tuition is available now and works anywhere. In-person tuition around Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley is arranged case by case — get in touch and I'll talk through what's possible.
Typically weekly one-hour sessions, though this flexes around each student's needs and the time before their exams. We can settle on a rhythm that suits once you're in touch.
It varies by student. Progress is tracked against the mark scheme from the very first session, so gains in technique and confidence are visible and measurable — not guesswork. You'll see exactly where marks are being won.
Yes — I hold an enhanced DBS certificate, and I take safeguarding seriously. For online sessions, arrangements are always transparent and parent-friendly. Ask me anything about this.
Get in touch with your child's year group, board and what they're finding tricky, and I'll talk through the right sort of support and the rate for it. No obligation.
A quick message is all it takes to start. Share a few details and I'll come back to you personally to talk through how I can help.
Based in Clitheroe, serving the Ribble Valley. Replies usually within a day. Happy to answer any questions before you commit to anything.