Online English Literature Tutor Kirsten

Kirsten

Kirsten

2:1 MA Hons English Literature PGCE, Qualified Teacher Status

5.0

$78/hr

Fully qualified teacher of English, with over 13 years' experience in the education sector. Specialist in tutoring and coaching for A-Level English Literature. Experienced and successful in teaching both A-Level English Literature and Language and GCSE English Literature and Language. Former Sixth Form tutor with UCAS experience.

Kirsten
5.0
1664 classes

University of Edinburgh - 2:1 MA Hons English Literature - PGCE, Qualified Teacher Status

Fully qualified teacher of English, with over 13 years' experience in the education sector. Specialist in tutoring and coaching for A-Level English Literature. Experienced and successful in teaching both A-Level English Literature and Language and GCSE English Literature and Language. Former Sixth Form tutor with UCAS experience.

Recent Students: 18
Total Hours: 1608
Last Online:
All-time Students: 59
Total Classes: 1664
Signed Up:
Recent Students: 18Total Hours: 1608Last Online:
All-time Students: 59Total Classes: 1664Signed Up:

About Me

I am a fully qualified teacher of English with over fourteen years' experience in education. I specialise in creative, innovative and effective online teaching, tuition and coaching. I have extensive experience of teaching both A-Level English Literature and Language and GCSE English Literature and Language for a range of specifications.

In 2005 I graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a 2:1 MA HONS in English Literature. I then worked as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Essex in the Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies, and a cover supervisor at Uplands Community College in East Sussex before gaining my PGCE from the Institute of Education in 2012. I was a full time teacher of English at The Royal Hospital School in Suffolk until 2018, teaching the entire secondary age range from 11-18.

Since 2018, I have worked in supply teaching and as a self-employed tutor with a range of students, including those who are studying independently. I also work with international students and have worked with clients from Russia, America, New Zealand, South Korea and China, teaching international exam specifications and independent literature studies.

In addition to my exam teaching and and tutoring, I also offer bespoke individual programmes of study for English Literature, working on a one to one basis with clients to deliver a carefully planned course of texts.

Tutor Experience

I'm a fully qualified, experienced teacher of English, and have been a full time tutor since 2019. I deliver effective, successful online tutoring, specialising in A-Level English Literature. My teaching approach is effective for students seeking a top grade and those who need greater support, find English challenging, and are looking to achieve a pass in this core subject.

I specialise in creating effective and engaging teaching resources, helping students to develop their knowledge and skills and achieve their learning goals.

Most importantly, I always arrange an initial consultation session with prospective students. This enables me to find out more about the student's needs and aims, in order to plan an effective, bespoke course of study for every student. We have the opportunity to discuss challenge areas in the subject, ask questions and identify targets. This is essential and ensures we are the right fit before commencing formal tuition classes, as well as guiding the individual programme of study for each student.

Having taught young people for over a decade, I'm experienced in giving students the help they need and ensuring that I work with them in an effective and enjoyable way.

Before becoming self-employed and developing my tutoring business I taught at The Royal Hospital School in Suffolk for six years. I taught the entire secondary age range, consistently achieving high results for my GCSE and A-Level classes.

I have extensive experience of successfully teaching:
OCR, AQA and Edexcel English Literature A-Level
AQA English Literature and Language A-Level (combined course)
Edexcel English Literature A-Level (international specification)
AQA English Language A-Level
AQA GCSE English Literature and Language
Edexcel GCSE English Language and Literature
The International Baccalaureate (IB)

*PLEASE NOTE* I do not work on the NEA/Coursework component of any course with students

Topic Expertise

I hold a 2:1 MA Hons in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh and have taught GCSE and A-Level English Literature and Language since 2012.

I completed my PGCE in 2012 and my NQT year in 2012-13. I have full Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

My areas of particular interest and expertise include:

Shakespeare

C19th literature - prose writers including Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Dickens, Stevenson, Stoker and Wilde

Gothic Literature, from the C17th-C21st, including The Castle of Otranto, Frankenstein, Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, The Turn of the Screw, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Woman in Black, The Canterville Ghost, Melmoth the Wanderer, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Goblin Market, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Melmoth, The Bloody Chamber

C19th poetry - particularly the Romantic poets and the Pre-Raphaelites

Poetry from WW1

The poetry of Ted Hughes and Seamus Heaney

Dystopian literature, such as Atwood, Orwell and Piercy

Creative writing

Literary criticism and theory, including writers such as Woolf, De Beauvoir, Barthes, Said, Gilbert and Gubar, Eagleton, Butler, Jung, Coleridge, Wollstonecraft

I also specialise in:

Teaching and coaching students on the OCR, AQA and Edexcel A-Level English Literature courses

Teaching and coaching students for the AQA A-level English course

Tuition and coaching for the AQA and Edexcel GCSE English Language and Literature papers

I was a sixth-form tutor for three years, and have experience of the UCAS process. I am happy to help with UCAS applications, personal statements, CVs and job applications.

Client Reviews

Charlie learned a lot in his first lesson. He said it was very useful thank you .

- English Literature

My final class with Kirsten! As always she was clear and helpful in answering all the questions I had. We went through a practice essay she had marked for me and gave clear and insightful feedback on the ways to improve and things I had done well, showing me exemplar answers to confirm this. Thank you for all your expertise and hard work over our sessions!

- Literature

really useful and helpful

- English Language

this was my last lesson with Kirsten and it seriously has benefited and i feel a lot more confident with my exam tomorrow, but also all the lessons we have had have not only been really helpful in me improving my grades from 5/6 to 7s entering into grade 8s but also have been great fun and si i really believe Kirsten is a very good at engaging a student with the work which has been a large factor in my successes in english. i would definitely recommend her as a teacher

- English Literature

Amazing lesson before gcse

- English Literature

As always I had a great session that was well prepared and very productive.

- English Literature

As always it was great experience working with Kirsten. Thank you.

- English Literature

Very productive lesson.

- English Language

As usual, very helpful!

- English Language

My daughter enjoyed Kirsten’s lessons. Thank you so much. Will recommend to anyone.

- English Literature

Testimonials

Kirsten’s tuition transformed my Cs and Bs into As, helping me to write concisely and structure my essays more effectively. Throughout my time with her, she consistently provided invaluable resources and advice to strengthen my knowledge and argumentation, boosting my exam results and teaching me methods which stopped me from panicking in exams. I would recommend her to anyone struggling in English Literature as well as those who want to boost their grades in preparation for their final exams. (C. A-Level English Literature AQA student, 2024)

I cannot recommend Kirsten highly enough as an A-level English tutor. From the moment I started lessons with her, she personalised every session to suit my needs and put in countless hours of extra work to ensure my success. Initially, I felt like I was failing English, but Kirsten's dedication and encouragement helped me recognise my potential. If I ever needed any extra resources, she would create them specifically for me, personalising many documents to meet my needs. She marked all my essays in detail and provided invaluable feedback, all while maintaining a sense of humour and kindness that made learning enjoyable. Kirsten took a genuine interest in my life beyond academics, which made her support even more meaningful. Despite only starting with her a few months before my exams, she made a tremendous impact by helping me improve my structure and addressing my weaknesses.

Kirsten is, without a doubt, the best tutor and teacher I have ever had. She truly listened to me and made me feel heard, which I had never fully experienced with other teachers. Her amazing support and expertise were instrumental in my development in English, and I couldn't have asked for a better tutor. (Y. OCR A Level student, 2024)

Kirsten tutored my son whilst he was preparing for English literature A level. She helped my son organise his unstructured thoughts into focused essays and provided tools that he could use to develop essay plans and effective writing. She explained the complexities of the assessment objectives and marking scheme in a clear and convivial manner. She provided excellent resources and is clearly an extremely dedicated and knowledgeable teacher. I cannot recommend Kirsten highly enough. (Parent of OCR A Level student, 2024)

Kirsten is an amazing tutor - she has been invaluable in helping me gain more confidence with A level English Literature. Over the many months Kirsten created a bespoke plan for every lesson, going out of her way to make personalised revision materials for my texts. After our sessions a clear improvement could be seen in my work, which really gave me the confidence which I had lost, moreover Kirsten is very well versed with my exam board which allowed her to teach me how to score as high as possible in exams. I would highly recommend Kirsten to any English Literature students. (P. A-Level English Literature OCR student, 2024)

I’m very lucky that I have Kirsten as a tutor. She has really helped me to improve my grades in A level English Literature. Kirsten is very friendly, kind and knowledgeable. She is always prepared, making our tutorials enjoyable and useful. I am now far more confident in structuring and writing my essays as well as understanding the texts for my exams. (A. Edexcel A-Level English Literature Student, 2023)

I was struggling with the jump from GCSE to A-level and adapting my writing style to a more developed and analytical one. Upon starting sessions with Kirsten, at the beginning of year 13, my essays became more structured and my understanding of the texts I studied improved. I thoroughly enjoyed all my sessions with Kirsten and I was always looking forward to the next, as each session was engaging and relaxed as I felt I could discuss all my thoughts towards my studies and school life. I felt incredibly supported by Kirsten, and with that my confidence towards the subject and writing essays grew undoubtedly. I am so grateful for all the hard work Kirsten put towards me and the help she gave me, and I would definitely recommend her for any student taking English A-level. (L. A-level English Literature AQA student, 2023)

Kirsten tutored my son to help him prepare for his Religious Studies A-level. It was a subject that my son found difficult and Kirsten’s patient and calm manner helped build his confidence and understanding of the subject. Each week Kirsten emailed extensive feedback to my son as well as discuss the focus for the following session. My son used Kirsten’s notes to help him plan, write answers to exam questions as well as develop his vocabulary.

Weekly tutoring session helped him become more confident in answering questions in greater depth and he had a better understanding of the subject.

Kirsten is currently tutoring my daughter for her GSCE English exam. My daughter really enjoys her sessions with Kirsten and the interaction that she has with her. Kirsten is always so enthusiastic about the texts that she is tutoring and she has a thorough knowledge about them which always leads to interesting discussions between her and my daughter. They have looked at exam questions and extracts from texts and Kirsten’s written feedback is also a useful revision guide for my daughter.

Kirsten is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her subject. She is also professional and well-organised and her planning and feedback are very detailed and relevant. Kirsten has been a fantastic tutor for my children and they have greatly benefitted from their tutoring sessions with her.

Helen

I enlisted Kirsten’s services as my daughter was producing work at a level 4 GCSE. She missed schooling due to medical health, and I wanted to boost her confidence and ensure that she was covering the full curriculum. Within weeks she got her first 7!

Kirsten brings bespoke lesson plans, patience and enthusiasm to each session and managed to engage my daughter after a long day at school - I heard the giggles through the wall.

We are planning to continue sessions to enhance her learning through A levels too.

Ali

Kirsten is the best tutor you could possibly be lucky enough to have! She is so
incredibly supportive and willing to devote a lot of time to make amazing resources. I
immediately saw an improvement, after a few sessions with her, which was evident
as I had previously received 58% on an English exam and, after receiving her
guidance, I managed to obtain 84% in my next English exam.

A Level English Literature was very gruelling for me and there was a lot of pressure to perform well. I
found that all of this stress really affected my enjoyment of the subject. However,
Kirsten really helped me to rediscover my love for English again; she structured the
sessions methodically so that they weren’t overwhelming and lifted my spirits with
her lovely sense of humour! Not only were we very productive but we could also
have a good giggle too. When she would notice that I felt particularly stressed or
downcast, she came up with plans / resources to tackle my concerns.

I absolutely couldn’t have asked for a better tutor and am so glad that I found her on Spires; I
unreservedly recommend her!

Bernadette

"Hi Kirsten, I hope you're well. A. got a 5 for English Language and a 6 for English Literature. He is very pleased, as are we... Thank you again for your help."
(Mother of A., Edexcel GCSE English Literature and Language student)

"I thought you'd like to know that A. got a 5 in English Language and a 6 in English Literature, which she's very happy with indeed. Thank you so much for all of your help..."
(Mother of A., AQA GCSE English Literature and Language student)

"Dear Kirsten. Hope you're keeping well. Just to let you know K. achieved 9 for both English and English Literature papers. Thanks again for all your support..."
(Mother of K., AQA GCSE English Literature and Language student)

"Hi Kirsten, I thought I'd let you know how today went. I got an A in English also meaning I got into my first choice university. I can't express how much I appreciate your help this year :) A."
(A. AQA A-Level English Literature student)

A-Level and GCSE Exam Results 2021:

"Dear Kirsten, I hope you are well - I just wanted to give you one final update. I got all A*s in my A-Levels and I am so delighted! I really wouldn't have been able to do so well in my English Literature A-Level without you and your amazing guidance! Best wishes, B."
(B. OCR A-Level English Literature student)

Hi Kirsten, I just wanted to tell you that I did really well in my GCSEs… I got an 8 in English language and a 7 in English literature so I am very very happy. I just wanted to thank you for being such a great tutor, your tutoring made a massive difference plus your lessons were always great fun as you’re always so nice and understanding… You really helped me, thank you so much.

Year 11 GCSE English Literature and Language AQA student

GCSE 2022


Thank you so much for your help Kirsten, I can’t thank you enough. A year of weekly sessions with you has helped me more than my whole time in English at my school! You are so nice and I will miss seeing you every week! You’ve been such a good tutor: you are so hardworking, so good at English, so good at explaining, so polite and lovely, funny, and just amazing! Again, thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!


Hi Kirsten,
I’m so happy !!!!
I got a 7 in English literature and 8 in English language!!!

Thank you so much for your help… I couldn’t have done it without you!


Year 11 GCSE English Literature and Language AQA student

A-Level 2022

Dear Kirsten T. got 3 A s in her A levels. We are so thrilled and wanted to say a huge thanks for all your amazing work and support in helping her achieve this. Thank you. She is heading to Bristol and is so thrilled.

We are so thrilled and could not have reached the target without your dedication and time.

L, mother of student taking A-Level OCR English Literature

Kirsten is a fantastic teacher, very clear and brilliant at explaining complicated ideas in an easy way! She is organised and devotes time to making invaluable resources. Kirsten brings even the most difficult and tedious English literature texts to life and I always look forward to the interesting discussions we have in our sessions. Not only this, but I have seen a real improvement in the quality of my work since starting the lessons with Kirsten. There is so much that can be learnt from her breadth and depth of knowledge of literature. I would recommend Kirsten to all English students, her enthusiasm for her subject and engaging style of teaching is unmatched! (N. A-Level English Literature OCR student, 2023)

It was only since starting with Kirsten in September that I fully began to enjoy English Literature. I had picked it as an A Level thinking it would be like GCSE, so I was really overwhelmed by how different it was and how much more challenging it had become. At first, my grades were low, and I couldn’t find the motivation to try harder. I had seriously considered dropping the subject completely. When I started with Kirsten in year 13, however, not only did the quality of my essay planning and writing improve, and thus my grades, but also it has expanded the way I think about the texts I study and inspired me to enjoy English again. Kirsten is an incredibly insightful and inspiring person. She is full of energy and brings a different perspective to her sessions which I don’t find in lessons at school. Moreover, it is clear that she has worked really hard to ensure that I have had the support I need to get through the past year, as I’m sure she does with all her students. I would recommend her to anyone doing English A level, whether they are struggling with the subject or just in need of some extra support. (A. A-Level English Literature OCR student, 2023)

Background Checks

Verified

Qualifications

2013: QTS

2012: PGCE, the Institute of Education

2005: 2:1 MA Hons, English Literature, the University of Edinburgh

2000: A Level English Literature (A) Latin (A) History (A)

Availability

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