Our GCSE English Literature Tutors
At Hampstead & Frognal Tutors, our English Literature tutors share a deep love of literature and are passionate about inspiring the same enthusiasm in their students. Whether it’s exploring the complexities of a Shakespearean tragedy or analyzing the themes of a Victorian novel, our tutors bring literature to life. Every session is carefully tailored to meet the individual needs of each student, ensuring engaging, productive online lessons and in-person lessons—never a dull moment.
Our GCSE English Literature tutors are highly qualified specialists, ranging from experienced teachers to first-class Oxbridge graduates. Each tutor is not only academically excellent but also dedicated to fostering a love of learning. They strive to motivate and challenge students, helping them build confidence, improve their analytical skills, and achieve top grades.
We take great care in selecting our tutors through a rigorous recruitment process that includes thorough applications, in-depth interviews, and full Vetting and Enhanced DBS certification. Only the most exceptional candidates succeed. Beyond this, we provide ongoing guidance and development to maintain the highest teaching standards.
Families across the UK and worldwide trust our professional tutors to support their children in achieving academic success while nurturing a genuine appreciation for literature.
How Our Tutors Teach English Literature
Our tutors focus on developing core skills, deep understanding, and a genuine love for literature. While exam preparation is a key priority, we also ensure that students engage with texts in a meaningful way, improving both their analytical and writing skills. Since every student learns differently, our lessons are always personalised to suit individual learning styles and goals.
At GCSE, and IGCSE level, strong exam technique is essential. Our tutors equip students with the skills needed to manage time effectively, structure essays clearly, and meet assessment criteria with confidence. However, we go beyond exam strategies—we aim to ignite a lifelong passion for reading literature and critical thinking that extends far beyond the classroom.
In addition to one-on-one tuition, Hampstead & Frognal Tutors offers highly popular GCSE English Literature revision courses. With small class sizes (a maximum of six students per group), we ensure focused support from expert teachers. For students outside London, and for those that prefer online learning, we also provide high-quality online tuition, allowing learners worldwide to benefit from our outstanding tutors.
Our Results
Hampstead and Frognal Tutors has a fantastic track record when it comes to improving GCSE exam performance.
- 100% of parents agreed that our tutors helped improve GCSE and A-level academic performance.
- 91% of students improved by two grades in English GCSE Literature following completion of our tuition programme.
- Over 90% of our students gained Level 8 and Level 9
- Revision tuition course attendees improve by two whole grades on average
Testimonial
We found Hampstead & Frognal Tutors to be exemplary in every way. My son was struggling to grasp literature and we urgently needed help during his GCSE year. Alice, the GCSE English Tutor assigned to us from the company, was incredibly engaging and reignited my son’s love of reading, poetry and English Literature. Fortunately, after the course of tuition and Alice’s support and guidance my son achieved the Top Grade 9 for English. He was thrilled.
Pippa, LONDON, SW7
Exam Boards we Cover
GCSEs have undergone major changes in the past few years. The content of English Literature exams has altered significantly, as has the way they are graded. At Hampstead & Frognal Tutors, we keep our finger on the pulse. We are always up-to-date with curriculum changes and closely track the latest exam specifications.
Our tutors have experience preparing students for all exam boards, including OCR, AQA and Edexcel. Key aspects of the different syllabi are set out below.
Expert Tuition for the OCR English Literature (9-1) Syllabus
At Hampstead & Frognal Tutors, we specialise in helping students excel in the OCR English Literature (9-1) – J352 syllabus. Our experienced tutors provide tailored support to boost both exam performance and literary confidence. Whether your child is tackling Shakespearean drama or modern poetry, we ensure they master the skills required for success while nurturing a genuine love of literature.
OCR GCSE English Literature (9-1) – J352 Exam Overview
The OCR English Literature GCSE (9-1) is designed to develop students’ analytical skills, understanding of literary texts, and appreciation of cultural and historical contexts. The syllabus covers a broad range of genres, from classic plays to contemporary poetry, preparing students for both exams and lifelong literary enjoyment.
Exam Structure
The course is assessed through two written exams, both of which are closed book (students are not allowed to bring texts into the exam).
-
Component 01: Exploring Modern and Literary Heritage Texts
- Duration: 2 hours
- Weighting: 50% of the GCSE
- Content:
- Section A: Modern Prose or Drama (e.g., An Inspector Calls or Animal Farm)
- Section B: 19th Century Prose (A Christmas Carol or Pride and Prejudice)
-
Component 02: Exploring Poetry and Shakespeare
- Duration: 2 hours
- Weighting: 50% of the GCSE
- Content:
- Section A: Shakespeare (Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, or The Merchant of Venice)
- Section B: Poetry Anthology – Love and Relationships or Conflict
- Unseen Poetry: Comparison of two unseen poems
OCR GCSE English Literature Text Choices
Students studying the OCR syllabus will explore a wide range of texts, offering diverse perspectives and literary styles. Here’s an overview of the most commonly studied options:
Modern Prose or Drama (20th/21st Century)
- An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- My Mother Said I Never Should by Charlotte Keatley
19th Century Prose
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Shakespeare Plays
- Macbeth
- Romeo and Juliet
- The Merchant of Venice
Poetry Anthologies
- Love and Relationships (includes poems like When We Two Parted by Lord Byron and Love’s Philosophy by Percy Bysshe Shelley)
- Conflict (includes poems like The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson and Exposure by Wilfred Owen)
AQA GCSE English Literature (9-1) Tuition
Expert AQA English Literature (9-1) Tutors
At Hampstead & Frognal Tutors, we specialise in preparing students for the AQA English Literature (9-1) syllabus. Whether your child is exploring the tragic downfall of Macbeth or analysing the poetic beauty of Power and Conflict poems, our experienced tutors provide tailored support to help students excel. We don’t just focus on exam techniques—we also nurture a lifelong appreciation for literature, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills.
AQA GCSE English Literature (9-1) – Exam Overview
The AQA English Literature (9-1) syllabus is designed to develop students’ abilities to analyse a wide range of texts, from Shakespearean plays to contemporary poetry. The course challenges students to think critically, explore historical and cultural contexts, and express their ideas clearly and confidently.
Exam Structure
The AQA English Literature GCSE is assessed through two closed-book exams (students are not allowed to bring their texts into the exam).
-
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-Century Novel
- Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Weighting: 40% of the GCSE
- Content:
- Section A: Shakespeare (Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, or The Merchant of Venice)
- Section B: 19th-Century Novel (A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, or Pride and Prejudice)
-
Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry
- Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Weighting: 60% of the GCSE
- Content:
- Section A: Modern Prose or Drama (An Inspector Calls, Lord of the Flies, or Blood Brothers)
- Section B: Poetry Anthology (Power and Conflict or Love and Relationships)
- Section C: Unseen Poetry – Analysis and comparison of two unseen poems
AQA GCSE English Literature Text Choices
Students studying the AQA syllabus engage with a diverse range of texts, allowing them to explore various genres, historical periods, and cultural perspectives.
Shakespeare Plays
- Macbeth
- Romeo and Juliet
- The Merchant of Venice
- The Tempest
- Much Ado About Nothing
- Julius Caesar
19th-Century Novels
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
- The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Modern Prose or Drama (20th/21st Century)
- An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Blood Brothers by Willy Russell
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman
- Anita and Me by Meera Syal
- My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal
Poetry Anthologies
- Power and Conflict: Includes Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Exposure by Wilfred Owen, and The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson
- Love and Relationships: Includes When We Two Parted by Lord Byron and Love’s Philosophy by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Edexcel: There are two components
- Component one is Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature
Section A- Shakespeare
Part a) is focused on the close language analysis of an extract. The extract will be approximately 30 lines in length.
Part b) is focused on how a theme from the extract is explored elsewhere in the play. The focus will be on maintaining a critical style and demonstrating an understanding of the relationship between the text and the context in which it was written.
Section B- Post-1914 Literature
Students answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied text. Each question will be preceded by a short quotation from the text, to provide a stimulus for the response. Questions will focus on one of more of the following areas: plot, setting(s), character(s) and theme(s) and will require students to explore the question in relation to the context. It is important to note that marks will also be given for accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
This examination will last 1 hour 45 minutes, there are a total of 80 marks available, and it counts towards 50% of the total GCSE mark.
- Component two is 19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789
Section A- 19th-century novel: students complete a two-part question. Part 1 is focussed on a close language analysis of an extract of approximately 400 words. Part 2 questions may focus on different aspects of the text, requiring exploration of one of more of the following areas: plot, setting(s), character(s), theme(s).
Section B – Poetry since 1789, Part 1: students answer one question on one named poem from the poetry anthology collection, reproduced in the question paper, and one poem of choice. Students will compare the poems. Questions will focus on the language, form, structure of the poem and the contexts in which the poems were written Part 2: students answer one question comparing two unseen contemporary poems that are linked by a theme. Students are required to compare the poets’ portrayals of the theme through their use of language, form and structure.
This examination lasts 2 hours 15 minutes, there are a total of 80 marks available, and it counts towards the other 50% of the total GCSE mark.
English Language
- OCR: The course consists of three major components:
- Communicating information and ideas. This focuses on reading and writing non-fiction texts. Students read and compare two non-fiction texts (one 19th century text and one 20th/21st century text). Students also write one piece of non-fiction.
- Exploring effects and impact. This focuses on reading literary prose texts and creative writing.
- Spoken language: This focuses on speaking and listening skills. Students vocally present information and ideas, and respond to others appropriately.
Students sit two 2 hour written papers, each worth 50% of the total GCSE. There is also a Spoken Language non-exam assessment. This has 0% weighting in the GCSE.
- AQA: The course is divided into three major components:
- Explorations in creative reading and writing. This involves reading one fictional text and producing a piece of descriptive writing.
- Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives: This involves reading one non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text, and presenting a certain viewpoint in writing.
- Spoken Language: This involves conducting a presentation and responding to questions and feedback.
Students sit two 1 hour 45 minute written exams, each worth 50% of the total GCSE. There is a Spoken Language non-exam assessment. This has 0% weighting in the GCSE.
- Edexcel: The course is divided into three components:
- Fiction and Imaginative Writing. Students explore selections from a range of prose fiction. They develop skills to analyse and e 19th-century fiction extracts and hone their imaginative writing skills.
- Non-fictional and Transactional Writing. Candidates look at a range of 20th- and 21st-century non-fiction texts. They also develop their transactional writing skills.
- Spoken Language Endorsement. Students undertake a spoken presentation in a formal setting, and respond to questions and feedback.
Students sit one 1 hour 45 minute written paper worth 40% of the total qualification. They also sit one 2 hour 5 minute written paper worth 60% of the total qualification. There is also a Spoken Language non-exam assessment. This has 0% weighting in the GCSE.
As you may know, the GCSE grading system is now numerical. A*- U has been replaced with a 1 – 9, with 9 being the highest grade you can achieve. 9,8 and 7 correspond to the former top grades A* and A. Our tutors are very familiar with this new system and can answer any questions you or your child may have.
Is tuition right for your child?
Whether your child lacks confidence, feels like they are falling behind, or is striving for top marks, private tuition can be a valuable resource. In a one-to-one situation, students often feel more relaxed. They can go at their own pace, ask questions and discover their strengths and weaknesses. They can engage in lively discussions, challenge themselves and take control of their learning.
Our tutors provide a supportive, calm environment where students can flourish. Whatever the situation, a private tutor could be the key to unlocking your child’s potential.
If you would like to request a tutor or a free assessment please click here.
