FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• It depends on what degree of self motivation the student has and whether they would prefer something that is very self-paced (you can access lessons completely in her own time) or something that has a regular weekly schedule (ie. the weekly Sunday classes) where it is more interactive, you can ask question, etc.

I’ve found students who purchase the AQA / Edexcel / IGCSE course find it helpful specifically in just learning specific areas they are very weak in (eg, if they have been doing pretty badly in Inspector Calls for instance, they just watch the Inspector Calls lessons and plug the gaps in their knowledge). Also the course is completely self directed and students can access it any time so your daughter would thus be able to watch the lessons in her own time.

The weekly masterclasses are more for students who need a bit more direct guidance and also some motivation for the week. As I do the online classes each Sunday live, students ask questions in the class group chat and basically it’s just designed to give them a boost for the coming week and guidance on specific areas to revise / practice following on from the class. For students who need more structure - this is what I recommend.

Yes but I only take on a small number of private students at £120 per hour. I am currently fully booked with a waiting list - hence I am no longer taking on any new students for now. Email [email protected] if you would like to be added to my waiting list and once I have spaces available, I'll be happy to get in touch with you.

No, I don’t teach any other boards such as CIE or OCR English.

The mini-courses provide a detailed summary of the play or book, including context, key characters and quotations, a mindmap of the entire play, and exam model answers. For a detailed overview, please refer to the course outline.

If you're looking for something more comprehensive, consider the Ultimate English Language and English Literature GCSE Course. This course covers language, structure, form, meaning, themes, characters, and effects on the audience/reader in greater depth. More information is available at https://www.firstratetutors.com/gcse-course.

The best way to contact me is via email: [email protected]. Please note we do not pick up any unsolicited phone calls.

There’s a NO REFUND POLICY once the material has been received, except in cases where it can be reasonably demonstrated as a mistake (e.g., accidental double payment). This policy is clearly outlined on the sales page. Refunds can only be provided in such cases.

Any payment made before 6pm on Sunday counts towards attending that Sunday's class.

Yes, subscriptions can be cancelled anytime. Simply cancel your subscription after the class if you don't wish to attend the next week's session.

The GCSE English Masterclasses follow the school year - from September each year until June in the following year.

As we cover how to pass the GCSE English exams, the GCSE English Masterclasses are only suitable for Year 10 and Year 11 students. Younger years are welcome to join in but please note the content covered is advanced.

When you sign up for the Masterclass, you subscribe to weekly classes. Before each class, you will receive an email with all the necessary materials. After the class, you will receive another email informing you that the class recording has been uploaded, along with all documents used during the class. This includes the model answer, the question paper, and any other relevant materials covered during the lesson.

The Masterclasses follow a cancel-any-time policy if you have paid for the weekly option. For example, if you pay for one lesson, the payment covers just that week. If you decide the classes aren't for you, you can cancel afterward. Additionally, during your subscription period, you can watch and rewatch all previous lessons at your convenience.

Yes, all classes are recorded and uploaded to the portal approximately 2 hours after each session. They are accessible via login and you will be able to access all past Masterclass recorded lessons.

You will not get previous model answers if you have missed those classes emailed to you. What you will get is access to the model answers covered in each Masterclass you pay for plus also access to all past lesson recordings.

At present, the regular Masterclasses cover the AQA syllabus. However, I will be running one-off EDEXCEL Language Paper 1 and Paper 2 Masterclasses - if you are interested in joining these classes, please email: [email protected].

Yes - subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. Simply login to our platform where you subscribed and unsubscribe from there. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] and we will unsubscribe you from the Masterclass

Yes, the Masterclass covers Language Paper 1, Section A; Language Paper 1, Section B as well as Language Paper 2, Section A and Language Paper 2, Section B in separate sessions.

Yes, all materials used and annotated in class will be sent via email after the session - as long as you have paid for the Masterclass. Please note that you will get the model answers for only the weeks you have paid for - not previous past lessons.

Unfortunately, individual answer grading isn't possible due to time constraints, especially considering the large number of subscribers in the class. However, this is a service we plan to launch very soon.

To aim for a Grade 8 or Grade 9, it's recommended to dedicate a minimum of 2-3 hours of study every week. Also getting external help and following a structured programme like our Masterclasses - which show you exactly how to put together Grade 9 answers (which you then practice separately) will be crucial to getting a Grade 8 and 9 in your final GCSE exams.

P.E.E.L stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link. This is the paragraph structure that we use in the Masterclass model answers.

None. All paragraph structures are correct - the quality of your analysis is what matters. You don't get points for using P.E.E.L paragraphs or any specific paragraph structure; it's just a suggested method that is easy to use and we have seen many of our students use to get Grade 8s and 9s. If you prefer another paragraph structure, that's perfectly fine - use that structure - just make sure your answer is detailed and analytical.