These classes are designed to support the work students are already doing at school. English Language and Literature are fascinating subjects, but they’re also much more technical than many people realise. It’s not just a case of reading a text and writing what you think - unfortunately, the examiners have more specific expectations.

And that’s often where students start to struggle. English Language and Literature involve lots of different skills working together. Students need to understand the text, recognise techniques, develop interpretations, organise their ideas, and explain their thinking clearly. Even strong students can find it difficult to bring all of these elements together in an exam response.

This is where additional support can really help.

Students are often told to “analyse more deeply” or “develop their ideas”, but that’s much easier said than done if nobody has shown them what that actually means. If they knew how to do it, they’d already be doing it.

We’ll look at the techniques and terminology needed, making sure students understand not just what they are, but how to recognise them in a text and apply that knowledge effectively. After all, recognising techniques is only the first step; the real skill is understanding why writers make those choices, the meanings they create, and the effect they have on the reader.

For that reason, we’ll also work on how students present their ideas in writing, using the frameworks they have been taught at school, whether that’s PETAL, PEEL, or another approach. The focus isn’t on memorising a structure; it’s on learning how to develop an interpretation, select evidence to support it, and analyse how a writer’s choices create meaning.

Whether students are studying a novel, play, or poetry, my aim is to help them become more confident readers, thinkers, and writers, while developing the skills needed to succeed in their IGCSE English exams.