Welcome to this week’s blog post and I am delighted to report that our first webinar of the GCSE Mastery Series, An Inspector Calls, was a huge success! We broke down key themes such as social responsibility, class division, and generational conflict, helping students understand how to structure their responses for maximum impact in the exam.
Attendees were guided through how to write high-level analytical paragraphs, ensuring they hit AO1 (ideas & interpretation), AO2 (language analysis), and AO3 (contextual links) with precision. We also tackled exam-style questions and discussed how to approach character essays with confidence.
If you attended, make sure you use your video recording as a key revision tool. And if you missed it? Don’t worry – we’ve got more coming up:
- Macbeth – Tuesday 18th February (10:30am – 11:30am) 🔪
- English Language Paper 2 – Sunday 23rd February (6:30pm – 7:30pm) 📜
Sign up now and don’t forget—you can save by purchasing all five remaining webinars, including recordings and resources, for just £135! Book here!
February Half Term Sessions: EXTRA DATE ADDED! 📚
The demand for our February Half Term Group Sessions has been incredible, and we’re thrilled that so many of you are making the most of these opportunities.
Due to popular demand (and just like Taylor Swift and Oasis), we’ve added an extra Year 11 Group Session. Click on the date below to book your slot.
📅 New Date: Saturday 22nd February (10:00am – 11:00am)
Key Stage Top Tips 🎯
Key Stage 3: Writing to Persuade – The Power of Rhetoric 🗣️
When delivering an emotionally engaging speech, rhetoric is key. Think about The Traitors final—why were people convinced to trust certain players? Statistics, personal anecdotes, and the Rule of Three (triads) all create a powerful impact.
📌 Tip: Want to win over your audience? Layer your argument:
1️⃣ Start with a shocking fact (e.g. "90% of students feel exam pressure!")
2️⃣ Add a personal story ("I remember my first English exam...")
3️⃣ Finish with a punchy three-part statement ("Stay focused. Stay calm. Stay ready!")
These techniques make your argument not just persuasive—but unforgettable!
Key Stage 4 – GCSE English 📖
Year 10: Jekyll & Hyde – Understanding Hyde’s Character 🔬
Hyde’s character is deliberately shrouded in mystery in the opening chapters, creating a sense of unease.
📌 Tip: Use the PETAL structure (Point, Evidence, Technique, Analysis, Link) when analysing his character.
💡 Example:
👉 Point: Hyde’s description presents him as an inhuman and unsettling figure.
📖 Evidence: "Something troglodytic," describes his primitive nature.
🖋️ Technique: The use of Darwinian imagery reflects fears of degeneration in Victorian society.
🔍 Analysis: Stevenson plays on contemporary anxieties about scientific progress and the idea of the “beast within.”
🔗 Link: Hyde’s animalistic description foreshadows his later violent actions.
Good luck to our Year 10s with their upcoming assessments—you’ve got this! 💪
Year 11: Poetry Cluster – Storm on the Island & Charge of the Light Brigade 🌊⚔️
Both poems explore power and conflict in different ways:
🌊 Storm on the Island – Nature is an uncontrollable, overwhelming force. The storm’s power makes humans feel insignificant.
⚔️ Charge of the Light Brigade – Conflict is man-made, and soldiers are powerless in the face of blind obedience.
📌 Tip: Compare how power is presented through structure.
- Heaney uses enjambment to create a breathless, uncontrollable pace, mirroring the storm’s unpredictability.
- Tennyson uses dactylic metre to imitate the relentless gallop of horses, reinforcing the soldiers’ doomed fate.
Key Stage 5: Coursework Crunch Time! ✍️
As coursework deadlines approach, it’s easy to feel burnt out after submitting your final draft. But how do you decompress and move forward?
📌 Tip: Research suggests that mental reset activities improve long-term retention (Brown et al, 2014). Try:
- Reflective journaling – Jot down your coursework journey: What went well? What did you learn?
- Switching focus – Read a book unrelated to your studies or listen to a podcast to give your brain a break.
- Exercise – A short 20-minute walk can reduce stress hormones and reset your concentration levels.
Once you’ve had time to recharge, you’ll be ready to tackle the next challenge with fresh energy!
The Tutors’ Association (TTA) – Why It Matters ✅
We’re proud members of The Tutors’ Association (TTA), the UK’s leading body for professional tutors.
📌 Why is this important?
- TTA membership ensures we uphold the highest standards in safeguarding, compliance, and professional development.
- Membership requires an Enhanced DBS Check, meaning student safety is always our priority.
- We continuously develop our teaching practice to provide the best support possible, through the attending of online tuition courses.
Find out more about TTA’s standards and values here: The Tutors’ Association
Tip of the Week: The Power of Tutor Feedback 🎯
Research shows that immediate, actionable feedback can boost student progress by up to 8 months per year (EEF, 2021). This is why every session with us—whether one-to-one or group-based—focuses on constant improvement.
When receiving feedback, don’t just read it—act on it!
1️⃣ Identify common patterns in your work – Do the same errors appear regularly?
2️⃣ Ask specific questions – Not just "Is this good?" but "How can I improve my argument?"
3️⃣ Apply feedback to your next task – Don’t wait for another essay to put advice into practice!
Funny Flashback – Bradley’s Maths Mishap 🤦♂️
Bradley once received feedback in an early Year 7 maths lesson in his new secondary school. The feedback stated that he “needed to show his working out.” Naturally, he took this quite literally in his next test—writing his answers in giant, bubble writing to “show” his work more clearly. His teacher was not impressed. Lesson learned? Clarify feedback before acting on it!
Life Outside the Books 📖
It’s been a fun and productive week at BA English Tuition! We’re still tweaking the new home learning space (Bradley’s “motivational” wall décor has sparked heated debate). Meanwhile, we’re off to see The Gruffalo in Chelmsford this weekend—Arlo’s next reading book obsession. Bradley is baffled as to how such a short book can be stretched into an hour-long performance. Only one way to find out…
Stay focused as the half term break starts to approach and stay BA...Tuition!
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