I have been tutoring since 2013, teaching English at all levels (including degree level), as well as A-level religious studies and classical civilisation. I have taught AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC/Eduqas, and CAIE (Cambridge International), and am constantly familiarising myself with the new texts that my students are studying. I have experience helping students who have autism and ADHD.
During my teacher training, I taught all age groups at two west London secondary schools.
While at Oxford, I was part of an ‘e-mentoring’ scheme to help candidates from schools without a history of Oxbridge applications.
At Christ College, Brecon, I ran two series of seminars, for sixth-formers studying RS and English literature.
A selection of feedback and testimonials:
2026
Kate, a parent, June: ‘We are so grateful to you for your endless patience and how you supported [G.]. The way you ran sessions with him prepared him so well not just for the A level paper but also for this year.’
A student, April: ‘As usual- thank you for your creative sessions- my assignments, and my writing, have received such grades because you inspire me to be uninhibitedly creative, which is a long process after four years of formal academic writing.’
A student, February: ‘Very personalised lessons, focusing exactly on what you need to improve! You can tell Joshua loves what he does and has a genuine interest in helping you get the best grades.’
2025
A parent, November: ‘We would also like to mention how much [S.] has benefited from your lessons. Her confidence in English has grown significantly, and she has always enjoyed your classes. Thank you so much for all your guidance, support, and patience. We truly appreciate everything you have done for her’.
A student, August: ‘my exams went amazingly, and I got just 3 marks short of an A* in English! I’m so happy with my grades […] Thank you so much for all your help, I really couldn’t have done it without you. Also, thank you for making sure I had the most fun I’ve ever had studying English! I will miss our sessions a lot, and thanks again!’
A parent, August: ‘[L.] got an A and is absolutely thrilled!!! Thank you so so much for all your help.’
Kate, a parent, August: ‘Thank you so much for all your support for [G.] this year -you were amazing. […] he only dropped 1 mark on the […] Hamlet paper!’
Charlotte, a parent, June: ‘Thank you so much for all your help and support for [L.]. We are so grateful for everything you have done with him’.
Ann, a parent, June: ‘[Z.] has thoroughly enjoyed her lessons with you and has gained so much from your guidance. We’re very grateful for all the support you’ve given her.’
A student, June: ‘thank you very much for all the sessions! It has not only boosted my confidence in English literature but they really reminded me of how much I love the subject. It’s always a pleasure to discuss nuance readings of the texts, and it has been a great help leading up to my exams.’
A parent, May: ‘Thank you so much again for everything you’ve done to help [G.] prepare for these exams - he has really enjoyed his sessions with you and he and we really appreciate your support’.
Akiko, a parent, May: ‘[N.] just received the below. It’s an A* if the grade boundaries is same as last year. She couldn’t have done it without your help. We really appreciate it.’
2024
Liz, a parent, August: ‘I wanted to write to say a huge thank you to you for all the help, support and inspiration you have given [E.] over the past year. You have not only given her the technical advice and support to help her make the most of her essays and exams, but more importantly you have helped her keep the love of the subject alive. I know a big part of the reason she is so excited to study English at university is because of how much she has enjoyed your conversations, and how you have helped her to consider texts in a way that the rather narrower scope of teaching at school does not allow. I am so very grateful to you and I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into her sessions - thank you so very much. […] You’ve been so great, and any other student/parent would be lucky to have access to your teaching.’
Anna, a student, August: ‘I have just opened my results and am happy to confirm that I am off to Bristol this September with an A* in English! I just want to thank you again for making this possible.’
A student, August: ‘I got an A in English, and will be going to Exeter, so mission accomplished. I wanted to thank you for all your help, not only for helping me to get what I needed, but for giving me back my confidence and enjoyment of the subject in the process.’
Imogen, a parent, August: ‘Just to let you know [I.] got her results this morning and achieved an “A” in English. We are over the moon […] Thank you again for all your help with the English, it’s much appreciated.’
A student, August: ‘thanks for your help this past academic year! Got two A*s in English and Philosophy’.
A student, August: ‘I got a B and I was accepted into my firm university (Durham) which I am very happy! Thank you for all your help and support.’
A student, August: ‘I was really happy to receive […] A in English Literature […] I secured a placed at my firm university. I will be studying English Literature at Durham University this September and I am very excited! Thank you so much for all of your support, I really appreciate it!’
A student, August: ‘i got into Warwick with […] an A* in English!!!!! I am very happy :) Thank you for all your hard work, wisdom and wit over the last year or two’.
Pat, a parent, August: ‘Thank you so much for all your coaching and advice that you shared with [L.], it made such a difference to his confidence leading up to his exams. He is (as are we) delighted with his English result.’
Philip, a parent, August: ‘an A awarded in English […] so she is off to her first choice of Edinburgh University to study History of Art and English Literature.’
A student, August: ‘Results day went well and I’m going to the university of Kent. Thank you so much again for all the time spent helping me to prepare for my exams it means a lot I’m very excited to continue my English literature journey.’
A student, June: ‘I […] wanted to say thank you for the tremendous help you have provided with the English content throughout the A level period. The resources that you provided for me were quite helpful in refining my knowledge in many areas of the syllabus so thank you very much.’
A student, June: ‘It has been such a valuable journey, I have learnt so much from GCSEs to continuing with more amazing literatures in A-levels amongst my STEM subjects.’
Kath, a parent, February: ‘We would both like to thank you for all your invaluable help, especially all the helpful feedback on the coursework essay. [S.] has definitely learnt a lot and grown in confidence, especially in her knowledge of Twelfth Night.’
A parent, February: ‘your help has kept her love of the subject and her enthusiasm alive and I can’t thank you enough for that.’
Deborah, a parent, February: ‘You were such a huge help to [S.], we will always be very grateful to you.’
A parent, January: ‘Thank you as always for all your continued help and support for [E.]. I know she gets a tremendous amount from your sessions and I’m very grateful.’
2023
A student, December: ‘So thank you so much again for all your help; your insights have been very useful and I have really enjoyed talking about literature with you.’
Tara, a parent, November: ‘you are really helping [R.], he is becoming much more confident. Thank you so much’.
Paula, a parent, November: ‘[M.] is always delighted with your teaching. You are asking questions no one else does. My husband and I see her grow academically after every session with you.’
Liz, a parent, October: ‘Thank you so much for all the work you have done with, and the kindness you have shown, [E.] to date. She really enjoys her sessions with you, and you’ve helped keep her enthusiasm for English very much alive. I’m so grateful.’
A student, August: ‘wanted to let you know I ended up getting an A* in English, thanks so much for all the help!’
A student, August: ‘I really enjoyed our lessons and think it has really helped prepare me for the Oxford style tutorials.’
Kim, a parent, August: ‘I cannot tell you how happy we all were and your help was clearly instrumental in that. Not sure if he told you but he got 12 points above an A* and it was his best A level result!’
A parent, June: ‘Many thanks Josh for you tutoring! [W.] certainly has felt it’s been really helpful so at the very least given him more confidence. I’m very grateful and he’ll let you know the outcome in August.’
Mark, a parent, June: ‘Many thanks josh for your help this year. [E.] has said to me it has really helped, you started assisting her at a time when she felt behind her class mates for the whole of the first year, having switched to English half way through term one.’
Melanie, a parent, June: ‘Thank you so much for all your time and effort with [T.]’s English literature. She really enjoyed your sessions together and it really boosted her confidence and inspired her to think more deeply and critically about the texts. It also confirmed that she is happy and excited to study a literature based course at degree level.’
Kathryn, a parent, January: ‘You were such a great help to [E.] in her preparation for the Cambridge application and interview and we were all delighted when she was offered a place this week. Thank you for all the support you gave her.’
Shaun, a parent, January: ‘[E.] has found the sessions really very helpful (and has enjoyed them!)’
2022
Guifang, a parent, December: ‘From what I hear from [S.], she really enjoys her discussions with you, it’s really one of the highlights of her week.’
A student, November: ‘I’m extremely happy to tell you that I received an 8.3 for the literary review […] Thank you for explaining to me what a literary review is […] I remember whilst working on it I was so worried about my grade, but it appears I’ve survived.’
Deborah, a parent, September: ‘a huge thanks again to you for all your work with [S.]. I know he has been in touch to let you know that he got 9s in both English Language and Literature. He was over the moon - well beyond his best hopes, so thank you again for being instrumental in helping him attain those grades.’
Monica, a parent, September: ‘[L.] came home from university yesterday to attend her school prize giving ceremony, and this morning as she was leaving she asked me to let you know that she won a special prize in English […] Until last night, she wasn’t aware of any of her awards, apart from her scholarship, so it was all a lovely surprise. Furthermore, the essays she wrote in her A level English exams have somehow found their way into her teachers’ hands; they told her, with beams of pride , that the three marks dropped overall were actually in her non exam assessment, so 30/30 in all questions across all papers under exam conditions, something she had never achieved before. She had admitted to me in the aftermath of the exams that when she was writing her English papers she had really enjoyed the process, her thoughts flowing pretty effortlessly on to the paper. But she had also worried this stream of ideas might not be fit with the mark schemes. […] she […] wanted you to know about her prize, as she thought you’d be pleased, and she also wanted to say thanks one last time for your inspirational teaching that led to it.’
A student, August: ‘I got AAA* for my results much higher than my predicted! particularly for english’.
A parent, August: ‘[G.] got an A star in English. And is off to Oxford. […] Thanks so much for everything - you were honestly amazing and really helped her get there’.
A parent, August: ‘[L.] got 3 a stars and an A star as well in her EPQ. Her highest marks were in English Literature (197/200)’.
A student, August: ‘I achieved 4A*s in my Alevels - one being in English Literature. My teachers also let me know that I got full marks in both the exam papers’.
A parent, August: ‘[T.] smashed English Literature, A* […] she is absolutely over the moon . Thank you so much for all the work you put in with her !’
A student, August: ‘I got a D[distinction]2!!! […] I got full marks on my PI!’
A student, August: ‘I got an A* in English!!! Thank you so much for all of your help I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you!’
Karen, a parent, August: ‘Both my girls really like your way of teaching and talking to them, they feel really listened to and respected for their opinions (as well as respecting yours obviously), so thank you :)’.
Helen, a parent, July: ‘Thanks so much for all the help you gave [J.], he really benefitted from the sessions he had with you.’
Tara, a parent, June: ‘Thank you so much for all your help and patience - I think you have been brilliant for her confidence. She found English exams really very difficult before she started talking to you and it’s amazing to see how much calmer (relatively speaking!) she has been going in to her A level English papers. Whatever the result, her sessions with you have definitely helped her to enjoy English again and I’m really grateful.’
A student, June: ‘This is incredibly insightful and thought provoking feedback. Thank you so much.’
Mei, a parent, June: ‘She found your lessons very helpful and always remarked to me how much you went the extra mile for her ; looking up and sending on links to whatever you'd been discussing. Much appreciated!’
Marguerite, a parent, June: ‘Thank you so much for all you’ve done for [T.] in the past year . […] you are a very talented teacher.’
Monica, a parent, June: ‘You have been an absolutely wonderful tutor to [L.], and how time has flown since she first met you! […] Many a time she has needed someone to talk to, not so much about AO1-5, but rather about the beauty and burden of literature and life. You have always been willing to do that, and she is richer for it.’
A student, June: ‘Thank you for teaching me for the last year; I have enjoyed our lessons and I feel I have grown as an English student, with thanks to your teaching.’
A student, April: ‘I received an 8 for my essay!! I want to thank you for your tutoring on Keats and Wordsworth- I wouldn’t have gotten such a grade without it!! […] I learned tons because of you.’
Ngozi, a parent, March: ‘Thanks for everything that you’re doing for [G.] - it has been very helpful.’
A student, February: ‘Really, thanks so much. Was such a good and efficient service. Your feedback looks really good and I’m going to implement it today. […] Thanks again for doing this on such short notice’.
2021
A student, December: ‘I just wanted to let you know that I got the news today that I managed to receive the art scholarship for sixth form. So I want to say thank you again for the help that you have given me on my statement and interview notes. They were really helpful and I really appreciate it.’
Deborah, a parent, October: ‘[S.] said you make it really fun - he said at school his energy goes down in English lessons and with you it goes up! So that is praise indeed from a teenage boy!’
A student, August: ‘I got the A grade ! I’m so pleased, thank you for all the help and the essays really paid off :).’
Monica, a parent, July: ‘As would be expected from his first class qualifications, Josh is extremely intelligent. However, in my opinion, he has a a very particular advantage over others of a similar academic background, namely his ability to exhibit an authentic interest in the ideas his students express. He is always kind and encouraging, but without sacrificing rigour; this approach has had a hugely positive impact on my daughter when speaking, writing and reading. Furthermore, Josh has introduced her to a range of authors, poets , films and philosophical thought, thus enriching her far beyond the school curriculum. In the future, my daughter will undoubtedly look back on her time with Josh with both fondness and gratitude. I have no hesitation in recommending Josh as a tutor’.
Guifang, a parent, July: ‘I have know Joshua for 2 months and He has been supporting my daughter excellently through her GCSE courses, helping her to achieve a 9 in predicted grades. From this, Joshua has always been very serious with the work, needless to say, always punctual and gives detailed homework feedback. I know him to be a wonderful tutor to my daughter.’
Susan, a parent, May: ‘[T]hank you so much for all your help with [N.] […] [N.] found your lessons extremely helpful which enabled her to enjoy and understand English in a greater depth […] it was excellent tuition . Thank you’.
Jamal, a parent, May: ‘Thank you Josh for all your efforts, you have greatly assisted [S.] in better understanding English Literature as whole.’
Zahed, a parent, May: ‘We are grateful for all your help and support. We are in no doubt that [A.] has improved a lot in English Literature under your guidance.’
A student, May: ‘I just got my coursework back and got an A in it. Just thought i should let you know thanks you!’
Margaret, a parent, March: ‘Thanks for helping [M.] to improve her English understanding. She really enjoys her lessons and chats!’
Chris, a parent, March: ‘[R.] is benefiting immensely from your lessons and is definitely getting more confident in expressing his thoughts in writing! Thank you.’
2020
Amanda, a parent, December: ‘Josh has really helped join the dots, encouraged a depth of questioning and ways to interpret and compare ideas, extracting and bringing fresh meaning to narrative styles and creative use of language. Josh has been a great support and steered [R.]’s confidence to look more thoroughly and develop a greater understanding all round. Josh has a kind, approachable style and encouraged [R.] with debating aloud and suggestions for further reading which all continue to be an invaluable help and inspire greater confidence in approaching exams and further reading in future!’
A student, December: ‘He helps focus my understanding and makes sure i understand the topic we are learning before moving on. Josh will make sure to ask you questions throughout the process and is always ready for your ideas even if you think it's wrong. He will set homework but makes sure to switch it up each week to make it more interesting and gives his feedback to help me understand what i need to do to improve.’
Susan, a parent, September: ‘Joshua is an excellent tutor with great communication skills . He is very patient , helpful , approachable and takes time to explain everything clearly to my daughter . Joshua has been able to breakdown and explain in full detail all aspects of the A Level content.’
A student, September: ‘He has been absolutely brilliant in just about every area a tutor could be brilliant in. Wonderfully kind, exceptionally reliable, and fiercely intelligent with a clarity of thought and communication that could get the most daft writing to be the most deft. My recent A-level result in Eng Lit (A*) can attest to this. He should claim credit for everything that was good in my work, and the rest can be attributed to me. Not to mention the fact that he quite miraculously gets you really to engage with and enjoy texts which usually have had the life bludgeoned out of them by a prescriptive syllabus.’
A parent, September: ‘Josh worked with my daughter for her A Level in English Literature. He was outstanding with his ideas and expanding her critical thinking. He went above and beyond to develop her analytical skills and as a result helped her obtain an A*. He is an absolutely lovely, gentle but dynamic and reliable tutor who has a rare ability combine his academic achievement with a natural talent for teaching. A real gem and we cannot thank him enough.’
A student, August: ‘Thank you so, so, so much for your brilliant, brilliant help throughout the last year. You really have been the most wonderful teacher.’
A student, June: ‘it’s been great being taught by you, I’ve learned so many critical thinking skills in such a short space of time.’
Diana, a parent, March: ‘I can’t thank you enough for everything that you’ve done for her - you’ve been the best English teacher she’s ever had and she has loved her time with you.’
