Guy

Experience

I have eight years of experience lecturing English and American Literature at the University of London, and spent over a decade and over 3000 hours tutoring students successfully from Year 5 to MA level:

• University Level English (University College London, Kings College London, Goldsmiths, Queen Mary)

• A and AS Level English & History (AQA, Edexcel, OCR. Preparation for Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Durham, UCL)

• GCSE English & History (AQA, Edexcel, OCR. From Dulwich College, Highgate and Eton to work with ‘at risk’ students, contracted by Haringey Council)

• 13+ English & History (Entrance to Eton, Highgate, St. Paul’s, UCS, Westminster)

• 11+ English, Maths & History (Entrance to Highgate, St. Paul’s, UCS, Westminster)

Biography

I’m a creative, enthusiastic private tutor, with a Ph.D. in English literature, eight years’ experience lecturing at the University of London, and over a decade of practice tutoring students from Year 5 all the way up to MA level. As a published literary critic, and a composer and performer of music, I also offer students new and exciting approaches to their subject, and to learning more generally. I received my secondary schooling at City of London School For Boys, and my university education at the University of Bristol. Leaving there with a 1st class degree in 2006, I went on to pursue an MA in modern English literature at UCL, followed by the doctorate at Goldsmiths (also University of London). I have been combining private tutoring with academic research since my MA, and now teach 11+ upwards while also lecturing and leading university seminars.

Personal Approach

My lessons bring together intellectual rigour and a relaxed and fun approach to learning. Using my knowledge and expertise as an academic, along with 10 years’ experience private tutoring students from primary to postgraduate level, I make sure that students receive the tools they need to pass their exams while remaining engaged and excited by the subject. I am up to date with the current secondary curricula (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, IB), have three years’ experience using Skype, Zoom, Teams and other online platforms, and have a background coaching English as a Foreign Language students in a range of subjects also.

What I do when I am not tutoring

I work part-time as a lecturer in English and American literature (at Goldsmiths and Queen Mary colleges, the University of London). I write academic books and articles about my specialisms (20th century American literature, the 1960s Counterculture and the Culture Wars today), as well as essays and on culture for magazines including The Times Literary Supplement, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Literary Review. I also write, compose and – very occasionally – perform my own music.

Testimonials

''Guy taught both my sons in 2019; one was in year 7 and the other year 5. He was preparing the older one for his resit for a place at St Paul’s school and preparing the younger one for his pre-test. Personally I found him approachable, understanding and friendly. My sons enjoyed their lessons with Guy and made huge progress towards their respective goals. Overall, I found Guy to be an excellent tutor with a fantastic connection with children.'' (Parent of 11+ and 13+ students)

''Guy helped my Y6 son to improve his creative and persuasive writing, and to develop his comprehension skills. He was well prepared for the 11+ and 13+ pre-tests. Guy’s friendly manner and enthusiasm for the subject definitely helped him build confidence in his written work.'' (Parent of English student)

''Guy helped my daughter consolidate her knowledge and focus her writing to achieve an A* in English at GCSE. We took him on because she was underperforming in exams, despite enjoying and doing well in the subject throughout the year. And we found Guy’s friendly approach to be calming and effective'' (Parent of GCSE English Student)

''In 2016 Guy worked with my son to achieve a B in History despite his struggles with dyspraxia and dyslexia and some poor results before. He brought much-needed order to things, and talked my son through how to cope with revision and exam conditions.'' (Parent of GCSE History student)

''Guy tutored my daughter in A-Level history in 2017. He helped improve her source work and essay writing, which contributed to her final mark of an A overall. He was easy-going and amenable, buy on top of the materials.'' (Parent of A Level History student)

''We were very pleased with Guy’s tuition of our son for IB English. He was sensitive to our son’s mild autism, which has been a barrier to his learning in the past, and he guided him towards an A in his final independent project.'' (Parent of IB English student)

''Guy gave me excellent one-to-one guidance with my third year dissertation [on modern American fiction]. He was very attentive to the areas I needed to improve. His wide knowledge of the subject meant he was able to give me a long reading list to work from, and valuable tips on writing'' (University student)