'An Exceptional Tutor in the Truest Sense of The Word' – Autumn 2024 Update
The last couple of months have seen my tutees rewarded with thoroughly superb results. Alexander, whom I had mentored since Autumn 2022,...
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ENGLISH TUITION AT GCSE AND A LEVEL
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swlondontutor
Nov 13, 20234 min read
The Clapham Omnibus has Broken Down: On Being a Contrarian
If you are applying to Oxbridge, I recommend watching the videos of Dr Matt Williams, the Access Fellow at the University of Oxford and a...
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swlondontutor
May 31, 20228 min read
A Doll's House - Revision Notes
If you are revising Ibsen's A Doll's House, you might find this brief guide helpful. It analyses some of the play's most important...
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swlondontutor
Mar 16, 20225 min read
Some Advice to Improve Your Personal Statement for a Degree in English
Over the years, I have helped many students advance to excellent universities. This advice is for students who want to study English at...
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swlondontutor
Mar 1, 20225 min read
Applying to Study English at University: Three Habits to Cultivate, Three Habits to Jettison
This is about the time of year when many students in Year 11 begin to consider their applications to university in two years' time....
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swlondontutor
Jan 25, 20222 min read
One of my students has been accepted to study English at the University of Cambridge!
After a year of mentoring, SM, one of my long-term tutees, has been offered a place to study English at the University of Cambridge....
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swlondontutor
Jan 13, 20228 min read
Hints to Improve Your Essay Writing – Part Two: Improving the Quality of Your Arguments
Constructing convincing arguments is the backbone of any A* essay. This piece takes the form of a Q&A and its points can be applied both...
32 views3 comments
swlondontutor
Jan 2, 20222 min read
Christmas Quiz 2021 - Answers
Happy New Year! I hope that 2022 brings you joy, health and prosperity. Here are the answers to the Christmas Quiz. Round One 1. A...
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swlondontutor
Dec 22, 20214 min read
A Literary Quiz for Christmas 2021
Happy Christmas to all those celebrating! Here is another very trivial literary quiz to pass the time this holiday. I have aimed to make...
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swlondontutor
Dec 5, 20216 min read
Some Last-Minute Advice for Those Attending University Interviews
In two previous blog posts, I covered some of the more practical steps that you can take to prepare for an Oxbridge interview in the arts...
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swlondontutor
Nov 17, 20215 min read
How to prepare your Oxbridge application in mid-November
(This post was written in 2021. Since that point, Cambridge has changed its admissions process in English and, this year, Oxford will not...
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swlondontutor
Oct 22, 20211 min read
Stimulus Questions for Prospective English Undergraduates - Part Two
Good morning. I hope that you enjoyed the first half of the autumn term. This is the second part in an occasional series of stimulus...
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swlondontutor
Oct 15, 20212 min read
Stimulus Questions for Prospective English Undergraduates - Part One
Every Friday, from now until early December, I will publish a cluster of short questions, designed to help students consider the more...
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swlondontutor
Sep 1, 20217 min read
'Perfectionism is the Enemy of Intellectual Risk': Five Habits to Help You Excel in Year 12
This is likely to be most relevant to those writing essay-based subjects, particularly English. It is not an exhaustive list, just a...
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swlondontutor
Aug 16, 20213 min read
Tea and Catastrophe – Teddington Theatre Club stage Caryl Churchill's 'Escaped Alone'
Four women, all over 70, sit in a garden chatting about this and that. Sporadically, one of them recounts details of plagues, famines,...
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swlondontutor
Aug 3, 20216 min read
Seven Hints to Improve your Essay Writing (including some thoughts on the word 'relatable')
Reasonably enough, examiners expect more of students at A Level than they do at GCSE. In particular, they expect students to use a...
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swlondontutor
Jul 30, 20215 min read
'Most learning occurs outside the classroom': a chat with Freddie, private tutor & former tutee
Freddie Fisk, 22, has just graduated with a double first in History from Cambridge University. He is now working as a tutor of History...
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swlondontutor
Mar 31, 20215 min read
How To Revise for English Literature A-Level During Study-Leave
My advice could be reduced to two obvious instructions: Keep re-reading your set texts Keep writing essays about them. We all know this...
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swlondontutor
Nov 4, 20205 min read
How to Write an Excellent Piece of English Coursework
During the last fifteen years, I have marked hundreds of pieces of A Level coursework. Earlier this year, I wrote a Twitter thread...
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