A-LEVEL TUTORING
Expert A-Level English Tutors
in Hong Kong
Moving onto A-Level English Literature after IGCSE may feel simple at first, but candidates often quickly realise a large disparity between the two courses in the level of analysis expected and the amount and complexity of set texts. This can feel overwhelming without the right support, so BartyED provides this support with personalised one-to-one A-Level online English tuition.
Common challenges for A-Level English Literature
| The challenge | How BartyED helps |
|---|---|
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Thoroughly annotating set texts |
A-Level English literature requires an in-depth knowledge of a plethora of challenging set texts and their contexts, and proper analytical annotating can strengthen this knowledge. BartyED's A-Level English tutors will reinforce this practice by helping you to know what to annotate and how to use it in a literary argument. |
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Analysing unseen literary extracts |
Though candidates familiar with IGCSE may be prepared for unseen responses, A-Level English Literature unseen essay questions demand a much higher level of formal and technical awareness. BartyED's A-Level English tutors target this with frequent unseen practice that challenges their awareness of literary form and how that shapes meaning. |
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Structuring essay-style responses |
Across most exam boards and exams, students are given an average of one hour per essay, so it is important to learn how to deploy a consistent analytical structure throughout and adapt your analysis to this structure across different papers. BartyED's A-Level English tutors provide you with the skeleton and the space to practice its application. |
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Crafting sophisticated comparative arguments |
Multiple questions throughout the A-Level English Literature exams specifically assess a student's ability to compare pieces of literature on a particular theme, which with no extra time than a standard essay can be tricky to balance. With frequent practice with BartyED's A-Level English tutors, you will learn how to maintain this balance with a sophisticated comparative argument. |
BartyED ensures high-quality A-Level English tutoring
From our strict hiring process, through our comprehensive on-going tutor training, BartyED places a strong emphasis on teaching quality. Our reputation for rigour is at the heart of what we do.
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| Quality marker | What it involves | Impact on teaching |
|---|---|---|
3-phase hiring process |
Our 3-phase hiring process consists of a structured interview with Jerome, a written exam across proposed subject areas, and an engagement session to assess teaching style. |
A strong CV is not enough: candidates need to demonstrate strong subject knowledge, resilience and adaptability. We place our bar deliberately high in the full knowledge that most candidates will fail. Our students will benefit from the strong communication skills and pedagogical passion of the best applicants. |
Rigorous training programme |
Once hired, candidates undergo a six-month training programme to ensure deep subject and curriculum knowledge. This is conducted by our Heads of STEM and English/Humanities, and overseen by our Director of Studies. |
The A-Level examiners know their own curriculum, so it’s essential that we do, too. Our training programmes are designed to instil strong academic rigour, and consistent teaching across subjects. |
On-going professional development |
Whether in exam board-led workshops on the latest changes to A-Level English Literature marking criteria, or knowledge sharing across the team in informal sessions to improve our support of neurodiverse students, our A-Level English tutors benefit from continued professional development. |
A-Level specifications and mark schemes are subject to change and adaptation. It’s essential for teaching quality that our A-Level English tutors are ready and aware of all developments so we can maintain our exemplary support of all students. |
THE BARTYED DIFFERENCE
Why BartyED for A-Level English Tutoring
Specialist A-Level English tutors
Our A-Level English tutors are highly experienced, having strong academic backgrounds from UK institutions such as Oxford, Durham, and King's College London, as well as experience in providing strong A-Level English education to many A-Level English candidates.
A-Level English exam technique
Regardless of exam board, A-Level English Literature maintains a specific structure across all its 4 exams. Working with a BartyED A-Level English tutor, you will learn not only the core planning skills for essay writing, but also how to manage that around rigid timed conditions, ensuring you are able to put your best foot forward on exam day.
Writing support
All the A-Level English Literature exams specifically assess quality of writing, so the best way to prepare for these tests is through frequent writing practice. With a BartyED A-Level English tutor, you will be provided various unseen texts for written practices, as well as one-to-one feedback on written response to set texts.
Personally vetted by Jerome
Every A-Level English tutor and humanities tutor that works with BartyED is required to do an A-Level style essay question in response to an unseen extract under supervised exam conditions. This is then personally checked by Jerome, Hannah, and the head of the English and Humanities Department for quality before they join the team.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
Success stories
Our students have gone on to Oxford, Edinburgh, UCL, Duke, Brown, and Harvard.
How A-Level English Literature is assessed
The international A-Level for English Literature is taught by two different exam boards that assess the course's content with very similar exams, though with minor distinctions. These are CAIE (Cambridge International) and Pearson Edexcel. Both are equally favoured by international schools in Hong Kong.
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| Component | CAIE | Edexcel |
|---|---|---|
Paper 1 |
The Drama and Poetry paper. Candidates answer two questions, a Drama set text in Section A, and the Poetry set text for Section B. There are 50 marks available (2 hours, worth 25% of the final grade). |
Drama - students are examined on one Shakespeare play, and one other set Drama text. In the Shakespeare section, students must incorporate critical interpretations of their text. A total of 60 marks are available, with 35 for Shakespeare and 25 for the other Drama (2 hours 15 minutes, worth 30% of the final grade). |
Paper 2 |
The Prose and Unseen paper. Candidates answer two questions, a Prose set text in Section A, and the Unseen text (a poem, or an extract from a prose text or drama) for Section B. There are 50 marks available (2 hours, worth 25% of the final grade). |
Prose - students write one essay comparing two prose texts, one pre- and one post-1900 according to a pre-selected theme. There are 40 marks available. (1 hour 15 minutes, worth 20% of the final grade) |
Paper 3 |
The Shakespeare and Drama paper. Candidates answer two questions, one on their studied Shakespeare play, and one on an additional set drama text. There are 50 marks available (2 hours, worth 25% of the final grade). |
Poetry - Candidates write two essays on poetry studied in class. Section A requires students to compare an unseen poem to a contemporary poem studied in class. Section B requires students to write an essay comparing two poems from their studied poet or movement (e.g. Romanticism). There are 60 marks available, split equally across the two sections (2 hours 15 minutes, worth 30% of the final grade) |
Paper 4 / Non-Examined Assessment |
The Pre- and Post-1900 Poetry and Prose paper. Candidates answer two questions, one on their studied Pre-1900 Poetry or Prose text, and one on their studied Post-1900 Poetry or Prose text. There are 50 marks available (2 hours, worth 25% of the final grade). |
Non-Examined Assessment - Students write a comparative essay on two texts, to a maximum of 3000 words. This assessment is completed internally and is moderated by the exam board. There are 60 marks available (worth 20% of the final grade). |
WHAT WE COVER
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Set texts are released by specific exam boards in their course overview booklets available online, though the particular collections and texts you study are selected by your school.
Both exam boards maintain a lot of consistency in the content of what they assess and the structure of their exams in which they assess it. The main difference would be that CIE exams are all closed-book, while Edexcel are all open-book. Edexcel set texts may also be considered to be more 'conventional'.
The most efficient form of exam practice for A-Level English literature is always past paper exam practice under exam conditions. This ensures you are directly prepared for the kinds of questions the exam asks and how to balance your writing under a rigid time scale.
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