Bryony F.

I am a recent graduate in English and Spanish from Oxford University, about to begin a Master’s in English at Bristol University. I have always loved literature and the way it combines strands of thought, from philosophy to science, and feel strongly about sharing this with the students I teach. 

In English Literature I have a Grade 9 GCSE, an A* A Level, and I am targeting a First at Oxford. I won the Many Prize at The Queen's College, awarded for the best tutorial essay; I currently hold a Michel Exhibition for a distinction in my Preliminary exams.

I have been teaching and tutoring since 2022. I have helped multiple students through their GCSEs and A Levels with weekly tutoring sessions, both introducing them to new texts, and polishing their existing material with exam-style sessions. I have also taught English abroad to a range of foreign students, from 10 year olds to adults. I became adept at adapting lessons and 1:1 conversations to the individual learners' interests, something that makes a huge difference to their engagement. I have also taught classes of 30 students aged 11 to 18 with the Queen's College Translation Exchange (QTE), encouraging students to see languages in a more creative and experimental way.

I have a solid and up to date understanding of what the main exam boards are looking for at A Level and GCSE. I also recognise that a student who aims high needs to balance exam technique and individual thought. Finding this balance would be something I will bring out as a tutor, in sessions that will be appropriately challenging and fulfilling.

Similarly, when tutoring for Oxbridge admissions, I try to help each applicant draw out and articulate their unique interests, in preparation for the personal statement and interview. 

In each tutoring session, I am receptive to what engages each student, and what they find most difficult. I understand that English is often a challenging subject at school, and the volume of content and need for independent thinking can be overwhelming. I often teach through modelling answers and working through close-reading together, so that students are able to take exams armed with confidence in analysing literary language. Having recently taken exams myself, I understand how daunting the unseen sections of both GCSEs and A Levels can be, and so I would do plenty of practice with each student, helping them to recognise patterns and develop a strategy so they are not surprised in the exam itself.

Led by the Assessment Objectives (AOs), I have a particular focus on teaching structure, form, and context, as these are often the most neglected parts of an exam essay. I aim to guide students to a higher-level way of engaging with their set texts, by interrogating each author’s ‘why?’ and interaction with their historical context, even at GCSE. 

My aim is that my students should enjoy their sessions and their study material, and grow confident in their own interests and opinions. Combined with a strong understanding of mark schemes and exam technique, this should give them every chance of high grades.

The texts I tutor include:

I teach all exam boards (both Language and Literature) at GCSE, but have a particular preference for AQA and Edexcel and the following texts:  

Macbeth, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet; Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein, Of Mice and Men; An Inspector Calls; Love and Relationships, and Power and Conflict

At A Level, I have most experience teaching AQA and the following texts: 

Othello, Hamlet, King Lear; Love Through the Ages; The Great Gatsby; Feminine Gospels; The Color Purple; Our Country’s Good