Thorogood English

Category: Tutoring Advice

How to choose the right English tutor, what to look for in online tuition, and how to get the most from your child’s lessons. Practical advice from a professional tutor and former Cambridge examiner.

  • How to Help Your Child Prepare for the 11+ Without Burning Them Out

    The 11+ is one of the most pressurised educational moments in a child’s life — and one of the most pressurised for parents too. The competition is real. The stakes feel enormous. And in that context, it’s easy for preparation to tip over from focused and productive into relentless and counterproductive.

    Here’s how to support your child’s 11+ preparation in a way that’s effective, sustainable — and doesn’t teach them that learning is something to be feared.

    Start Earlier Than You Think — But Don’t Start Too Early

    The optimal window for structured 11+ preparation is roughly 12–18 months before the exam. Starting earlier than that often means children plateau before the exam arrives and feel burnt out by September of Year 6. Starting later than about six months before the exam makes it very difficult to cover enough ground comfortably.

    In Years 4 and 5, the most valuable preparation isn’t exam practice — it’s reading broadly and widely, developing vocabulary through conversation and books, and building the general confidence and curiosity that underpin strong 11+ performance. This is enjoyable preparation that doesn’t feel like preparation at all.

    Separate Preparation from Performance

    One of the most common mistakes in 11+ preparation is treating every practice paper as a performance rather than a learning opportunity. When a child gets a question wrong on a practice paper and the response is disappointment or concern, the child learns to fear mistakes rather than learn from them.

    The purpose of a practice paper is to find out what the child doesn’t know yet — and then address it. A low score on a practice paper in Year 5 is information, not a verdict. Treat it accordingly: “Let’s look at the questions you got wrong and understand why. That’s exactly what this practice is for.”

    Vocabulary Is the Foundation — Invest in It Early

    The 11+ English paper rewards strong vocabulary more than almost anything else — in comprehension, in writing, and in the vocabulary-specific questions that appear on some papers. The good news is that vocabulary builds gradually over time through reading and conversation; the bad news is that you can’t build it quickly through cramming in the final few months.

    The most effective vocabulary investment is reading books that are slightly challenging — books where the child encounters unfamiliar words regularly, has to infer meanings from context, and has the opportunity to ask “what does that mean?” Books written for adults but accessible to bright ten-year-olds (Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, Michael Morpurgo) are excellent. So are newspapers at a level slightly above what feels comfortable.

    Practice Under Conditions — But Not All the Time

    Timed practice under exam conditions is necessary preparation for the 11+ — the time pressure is one of the hardest aspects of the exam, and children who haven’t practised working at pace will struggle regardless of their underlying ability. But timed practice every day, relentlessly, is exhausting and counterproductive.

    A better rhythm: one or two timed practice sessions per week, with careful review afterwards; other sessions focusing on skill-building in areas of weakness without time pressure. The ratio should shift as the exam approaches — more timed practice in the final two months.

    Be Careful With Your Own Anxiety

    This is the hardest piece of advice to give — and receive — but it matters enormously. Children absorb their parents’ anxiety about the 11+, often without anyone saying a word. A parent who visibly stiffens when the topic comes up, who checks homework with tight-jawed concentration, who asks “how many did you get right?” before “how did it feel?” — that parent is communicating something about the stakes of failure that a child carries into the exam room.

    This is not a counsel of indifference — you care about your child’s future and that’s right and appropriate. But the most useful thing you can model is the belief that your child is capable, that mistakes are part of learning, and that the outcome of this exam does not define them. Children who sit the 11+ believing that their worth as people is contingent on the result do not perform as well as children who sit it knowing they’ve prepared well and will do their best.

    On the Day

    A good breakfast. An early night. Familiar clothes. A straightforward conversation: “You’ve prepared well. Do your best, read carefully, and if you get stuck move on and come back.” Then let them go.

    What you do on the day of the exam cannot meaningfully change the outcome. What you’ve done in the months before it can.

    Thorogood English’s 11+ English preparation groups are designed specifically for this — effective, focused, and confidence-building rather than anxiety-inducing. Small groups mean every child is known and supported. Join the waiting list for January 2027 places.

  • Why Small Group English Tutoring Beats 1-to-1 (For Most Students)

    The assumption runs deep: if you want the best results, you hire a private tutor and pay for one-to-one sessions. One adult, one child, total focus. What could be better?

    Quite a lot, as it turns out — particularly for English. Here’s why small group teaching often outperforms individual tuition, both academically and in terms of value for money.

    Discussion Is Central to English

    Mathematics can be learned in solitude. You work through problems, you apply techniques, you get answers right or wrong. English doesn’t work like that. Interpretation is inherently social — the meaning of a poem, the motivation of a character, the effect of a writer’s choice of language — these ideas sharpen and deepen through discussion with other people.

    In a one-to-one session, the only perspective available to the student is their own and the tutor’s. In a small group, a student encounters four or five other readings of the same passage. That process of comparison — “Oh, I hadn’t thought of it that way. But actually, doesn’t the word ‘bitter’ suggest…” — is itself an advanced analytical skill that IGCSE and A-Level examiners reward.

    Peer Learning Builds Confidence

    Many students are more inhibited in front of a tutor — someone older, more qualified, whose response to their ideas feels weighted with judgment — than they are among peers. A student who sits in nervous silence during a one-to-one session will often surprise themselves in a small group, where the dynamic feels more like a conversation between equals.

    This matters enormously for writing. Students who won’t take creative risks in their essays because they’re afraid of getting it wrong often loosen up when they see peers attempting the same risks and being praised for them. Risk-taking in writing — unexpected structure, unusual perspective, distinctive voice — is exactly what gets the top marks.

    The Tutor Can See the Range

    A good tutor teaching a group of six knows instantly when three students have understood an idea and two haven’t — because you can read the room. That information is diagnostic: who needs this explained differently? Who has a misconception that might be shared by others?

    In a one-to-one setting, a student who has quietly misunderstood something can go weeks before the misunderstanding surfaces. In a group, it surfaces faster — because the contrast between students who understand and students who don’t is visible and immediate.

    Timed Practice Feels Like Real Conditions

    IGCSE and A-Level English are timed exams. Practising under time pressure, with other people in the room doing the same thing, replicates exam conditions in a way that sitting at home alone simply doesn’t. The mild tension of knowing others are writing alongside you is, counterintuitively, useful preparation. Students who are unaccustomed to that feeling often find it distracting when it actually matters.

    When One-to-One Really Is Better

    One-to-one tutoring makes most sense in specific circumstances: a student who needs significant remedial support that would slow down a group, a student with very particular learning needs, or a student who has a specific exam in two weeks and needs intensive, targeted drilling on one area.

    For students at a roughly similar level preparing for the same exam over a period of months, a small group taught well will generally outperform individual tutoring — while costing significantly less per session.

    The Key Word Is “Small”

    None of this applies to large groups. A class of twelve students isn’t small — it’s a class. The benefits described above depend on a group small enough that the tutor knows every student’s work, every student’s specific weaknesses, and every student’s name without having to check a register. That means six students at most. Ideally four or five.

    All Thorogood English groups are capped at six students — the maximum at which personalised teaching remains genuinely personal. Join the waiting list for January 2027 to secure a place for your child.

  • How to Choose an Online English Tutor for IGCSE: A Parent’s Checklist

    Finding the right English tutor for your child’s IGCSE can feel overwhelming. The market is flooded with options — agency-listed tutors, freelance profiles, online platforms — and the quality varies enormously. This checklist will help you cut through the noise and find someone who will actually make a difference.

    1. Do They Actually Know the IGCSE English Exam?

    This sounds obvious, but it’s the most common pitfall. A tutor can be an excellent English teacher without knowing the specific demands of the IGCSE papers. IGCSE English Language Paper 1 and Paper 2 have very particular question types — summary writing, directed writing, language analysis — that require specific, practised techniques.

    Ask: “Can you walk me through the structure of IGCSE English Language Paper 1?” A good tutor will answer fluently and specifically. Vague answers about “building reading comprehension skills” suggest they don’t know the exam inside out.

    2. Do They Have Experience Teaching This Exam Board?

    Cambridge IGCSE, Edexcel IGCSE, and CIE are not all the same. The question types, mark schemes, and assessment objectives differ between boards. A tutor who knows Cambridge IGCSE well may be unfamiliar with the nuances of the Edexcel version — so check which board your child is sitting, and confirm the tutor knows it specifically.

    Former examiners — teachers who have actually marked the exams — are particularly valuable here. They know precisely what gains marks and what doesn’t, in a way that no amount of revision guide reading can replicate.

    3. What Does a Typical Session Look Like?

    Good tutors can describe a session in specific terms: “We’d spend 20 minutes on a timed comprehension question, then go through it together using the mark scheme, then I’d give feedback on how to improve the answer structure.” Vague answers — “it depends on the student,” “we work on whatever they need” — can be a sign of a tutor who improvises rather than teaches with purpose.

    This doesn’t mean sessions should be rigid, but there should be a clear pedagogical approach behind the flexibility.

    4. Do They Provide Written Feedback on Essays?

    English is a written exam. If your child’s tutor isn’t reading and responding in detail to their written work, something is missing. Marking an essay takes time — it can’t be done properly during a session. Ask whether the tutor marks extended writing between sessions and provides written comments that students can refer back to.

    This is also how good tutors build a picture of the student’s specific weaknesses over time, rather than treating every session as a fresh start.

    5. What Is Their Group Size?

    If they offer group tuition, how many students are in each group? A group of 12 is not a small group — it’s a class. A group of 4–6 is genuinely intimate: every student’s work gets read, every student’s questions get answered, and the tutor can differentiate between students who are struggling with structure and students who struggle with analysis.

    Ask how the tutor handles students at different levels within the same group. A good answer involves adapting feedback and questions to the individual — not simply pitching everything at the middle of the room.

    6. Can They Provide References or Evidence of Results?

    Not every tutor will have a long list of public testimonials, particularly if they’re new to private tutoring. But they should be able to tell you something concrete: students who improved by X grades, specific challenges they’ve helped students overcome, or former students who are willing to speak with you.

    Be sceptical of very general claims (“all my students get top grades”) but don’t write off someone honest enough to say “I’ve worked with five IGCSE students and I can point you to two of their parents.”

    7. Is There a Trial Session?

    Any good tutor should be willing to offer a trial lesson. This matters for two reasons: it lets you assess the quality of teaching before committing, and it lets you see whether your child connects with the tutor’s style. Chemistry between student and teacher is real and important — a technically excellent tutor who your child finds boring or intimidating won’t deliver the results a slightly less experienced tutor with real rapport can achieve.

    Sit in on part of the trial session if possible, or ask your child specific questions afterwards: Did they explain things clearly? Did they feel comfortable asking questions? Did they come away feeling more confident or more confused?

    Red Flags to Watch Out For

    • No specific knowledge of the exam — can’t describe the paper structure or question types
    • Large groups (10+ students) marketed as “small group tutoring”
    • No written feedback on essays — feedback only given verbally during sessions
    • Inability to give specific examples of their teaching approach
    • Pressure to commit to a long block of sessions before a trial
    • Claims of guaranteed results or specific grades

    Thorogood English offers a free trial lesson before you commit to anything. Jacqueline is a qualified teacher with experience as a teacher of twenty-six years, and groups are capped at six students. Join the waiting list for January 2027 classes — or get in touch with any questions.

  • How to Choose the Right IGCSE English Exam Board

    If your child is studying at an international school or is being tutored independently, you may have some choice over which IGCSE English exam board they sit. The three most common options are Cambridge (CIE), Edexcel (Pearson), and — less commonly internationally — AQA. Each has slightly different emphases, structures, and marking styles.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    Cambridge IGCSE English (0500 / 0990)

    Cambridge IGCSE First Language English is the most widely sat English qualification internationally and the default choice at most British international schools worldwide.

    Key features:

    • Two papers: Paper 1 (reading comprehension and directed writing) and Paper 2 (directed writing and composition)
    • Option to include a coursework portfolio (Component 3) as an alternative to Paper 2 at some centres
    • Graded A*–G (though many schools report using the 9–1 scale internally)
    • Strong emphasis on directed writing tasks — writing a letter, report, or speech in response to stimulus material
    • Widely recognised by UK universities and international institutions

    Best for: Students at British international schools, expat families, students planning to apply to UK universities.

    Edexcel IGCSE English (4EA1)

    The Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE is an alternative to Cambridge, used by some international schools and increasingly popular for UK independent schools that prefer the IGCSE route.

    Key features:

    • Uses the 9–1 grading scale, making it directly comparable to GCSE results
    • Two exam papers plus an optional spoken language endorsement
    • Paper 1 focuses on reading non-fiction texts; Paper 2 focuses on reading fiction and transactional writing
    • More similar in structure to the GCSE than the Cambridge IGCSE
    • Fully exam-based — no coursework component

    Best for: Students who may transition back to UK schools, or who want their results to sit easily alongside GCSE-graded subjects.

    Does It Matter Which Board Your Child Sits?

    For most students, the choice of exam board matters less than the quality of their preparation. UK universities accept all three qualifications, and the core skills being tested — reading comprehension, analytical writing, creative and transactional writing — are the same across all boards.

    Where the choice matters more:

    • If your child’s school dictates the board, the choice is made for you — focus on preparing for that specific paper format
    • If you’re registering independently, check which board your nearest exam centre accepts candidates for
    • If your child plans to sit English Literature alongside Language, check that the board offers both qualifications at the same centre

    At Thorogood English

    We prepare students for both Cambridge IGCSE and Edexcel IGCSE English. The teaching focuses on the transferable skills that underpin strong performance in both — and we adapt exam technique practice to whichever board your child is registered with.

    Join the waiting list for January 2027 — and mention which exam board your child is registered with when you get in touch.

  • Exam Technique vs Knowledge: What Actually Gets You Higher Grades in English

    A student who reads widely, knows their set texts thoroughly, and has strong analytical instincts can still underperform in English exams if their technique is poor. Equally, a student with moderate knowledge but excellent exam technique will often outperform expectations.

    This is a truth that surprises many students and parents — but it’s consistently borne out by what examiners reward. Here’s how to think about the relationship between knowledge and technique.

    What “Exam Technique” Actually Means

    Exam technique is not about tricks or shortcuts. It means understanding, at a granular level, what each question is testing and responding in a way that directly meets those criteria.

    In IGCSE English, technique includes: knowing when to analyse language vs when to retrieve information; understanding how to structure a response for maximum marks; knowing how much to write for each question based on the marks available; and recognising what “in your own words” means and why copying the text loses marks.

    None of these require sophisticated literary knowledge. They require understanding the exam.

    Where Knowledge Matters Most

    In English Literature, knowledge of the text is obviously important — you can’t write a convincing essay about Macbeth if you haven’t read it. Context (the historical, social, and biographical circumstances in which a text was written) also contributes marks, and understanding context requires genuine learning.

    In English Language, however, the source texts are provided in the exam. You can’t revise the content in advance. What you can revise is how to read and respond to any text — which is pure technique.

    The Most Common Knowledge Trap

    Students who know their set texts very well sometimes fall into the trap of writing everything they know about a text rather than answering the specific question. This is a technique failure, not a knowledge success. An examiner marking a timed essay is not rewarding breadth of knowledge — they are awarding marks for how precisely the response addresses the question set.

    The student who selects three well-chosen, deeply analysed quotations that directly address the question will always outscore the student who cites twelve quotations broadly relevant to the theme.

    How to Develop Both Together

    The most efficient preparation combines knowledge acquisition and technique development deliberately:

    • Read the set texts actively, annotating as you go, so that relevant quotations are already located and partially analysed before the exam
    • Study past papers and mark schemes together — not just to practise writing, but to understand the specific criteria being applied
    • Write practice responses under timed conditions, then mark them against the mark scheme yourself
    • Get feedback from someone who can tell you specifically what would improve each response

    Knowledge without technique produces students who know a lot and express it poorly. Technique without knowledge produces students who write well about very little. The combination of both, developed deliberately, is what produces consistently high grades.

    At Thorogood English, both are developed together across the programme. Join the waiting list for January 2027.

  • Zoom for IGCSE and A-Level English: How Online Lessons Actually Work

    For many families, online tuition via Zoom is new territory. The questions are understandable: Will my child be able to concentrate? Is a screen as good as a real classroom? What do they actually need? And what happens if the technology fails?

    Here’s an honest, practical answer to all of it.

    What a Zoom Lesson Actually Looks Like

    A Thorogood English session runs exactly like a small classroom lesson — the difference is that the classroom is on a screen. The teacher and all students are visible via webcam. Work is shared via screen share: a shared document, a PDF of the text being studied, or a digital whiteboard where everyone can annotate together.

    Students contribute verbally (just as they would in a classroom), in writing via the chat function, and through collaborative annotation of shared texts. Good online teaching doesn’t mean sitting passively watching slides — it means active participation throughout the lesson.

    What Your Child Needs

    • A device with a camera and microphone — a laptop is ideal; a tablet works; a phone is manageable but not ideal for longer sessions.
    • A reliable internet connection — standard broadband is fine. Very slow or unstable connections cause problems, but most home connections are adequate.
    • Zoom installed — free to download and use. No account needed for students joining a session.
    • A quiet space — not necessarily silent, but somewhere your child can speak without embarrassment and concentrate without constant interruption.
    • Pen and paper — some students prefer to take notes by hand. Others use a document on screen. Either is fine.

    Cameras On

    At Thorogood English, cameras on is the default expectation. This is not about surveillance — it’s about maintaining the feeling of a real classroom, where eye contact, body language, and engagement are all visible. Lessons where cameras are off tend to be less dynamic and less productive.

    We understand that some students are self-conscious about being on camera. This usually passes within a session or two, once the group has established rapport.

    What Happens if the Technology Fails?

    Technical problems are rare, but they do happen. If a student’s connection drops, they can rejoin using the same link — sessions are not locked after they start. If the teacher’s connection has issues, the lesson may be briefly paused and rescheduled if the problem cannot be resolved quickly.

    In practice, the technology rarely causes significant disruption. A minor audio or video blip resolves within seconds in the vast majority of cases.

    Is Online as Effective as In-Person?

    The research is clear: for small-group and one-to-one tuition, online and in-person produce equivalent outcomes. What matters is the quality of the teacher, the size of the group, and the consistency of the sessions — not the medium.

    For families in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia, online tuition offers something in-person simply cannot: access to a UK-based, British-curriculum-qualified teacher who understands the exact exam your child is sitting. That access is worth a great deal.

    Thorogood English’s classes are fully online via Zoom, starting January 2027. Join the waiting list — no technical expertise required.

  • Reading for Pleasure and IGCSE English: Why It Matters More Than You Think

    Every English teacher says it, and most students roll their eyes when they hear it: read more. It sounds like generic advice. It sounds like something teachers say when they don’t have a better answer.

    It is, in fact, the single most evidence-backed intervention in English education. Students who read for pleasure regularly and consistently outperform those who don’t — not just in English, but across the curriculum. Here’s why it matters specifically for IGCSE, and how to make it a sustainable habit.

    What Reading for Pleasure Actually Does

    It Builds Vocabulary Effortlessly

    Vocabulary is tested directly in IGCSE English (vocabulary questions in comprehension tasks, language analysis questions in both papers) and indirectly everywhere else — in the quality of your own writing, in your ability to understand complex source texts, and in your capacity to select precise words over vague ones.

    Research consistently shows that reading is the most effective route to vocabulary growth. Not vocabulary lists, not apps — reading, because it teaches words in context, which is how the brain retains them.

    It Models Good Writing

    Students who read a lot absorb sentence structures, narrative techniques, and stylistic choices unconsciously. When they sit down to write, they have a far richer repertoire to draw from than students who rarely read. They know, instinctively, what a good opening sounds like — because they’ve read hundreds of them.

    It Develops Inference and Comprehension

    The higher-order comprehension skills tested in IGCSE — inference, deduction, understanding authorial intent — are not skills you can learn from a revision guide. They develop gradually through regular engagement with complex texts. Every book a student reads is training for the unseen comprehension task they’ll face in the exam.

    What to Read

    The simple answer: whatever the student will actually read. A reluctant reader who finishes a thriller or a fantasy novel has done more for their IGCSE English grade than a student who starts a literary classic and abandons it after two chapters.

    That said, variety helps. Fiction develops narrative understanding and empathy. Non-fiction (quality journalism, essays, memoir) develops the kind of reading stamina and analytical attention that comprehension tasks demand. Mixing both is ideal.

    Some accessible starting points for reluctant readers:

    • For engaging, plot-driven fiction: Philip Pullman, Malorie Blackman, Marcus Zusak, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go
    • For non-fiction: Bill Bryson (accessible and funny), Mary Beard (classical history, very readable), longform journalism from The Guardian or The Times
    • For those who prefer short reads: The New Yorker‘s online archive has thousands of essays and articles — short enough to finish in one sitting, high enough quality to be genuinely beneficial

    Making It a Habit

    Habits form through consistency, not intensity. Twenty minutes of reading every day is worth more than two hours on a Sunday. Some practical suggestions:

    • Keep a book by the bed — reading before sleep is both effective and calming
    • Replace five minutes of scrolling with five minutes of reading. Build from there.
    • If your child resists reading, try audiobooks. The benefits of being read to are similar, and it’s far better than not engaging with books at all.
    • Talk about what you’re reading. Even brief conversations about plot, characters, or an interesting idea reinforce engagement.

    There is no shortcut that replicates the long-term benefit of reading. It is the best exam preparation — and it has value far beyond any qualification.

    At Thorogood English, we recommend reading lists to all students as part of our IGCSE and A-Level programmes. Classes launch January 2027 — join the waiting list.

  • IGCSE English vs GCSE English: What’s the Difference?

    If your child is studying at an international school, an independent school, or is preparing for exams from abroad, they may be sitting IGCSE English rather than GCSE. Many parents aren’t entirely sure what this means — or whether it matters for university applications and future prospects.

    Here’s a clear, honest breakdown of the differences.

    What Is the IGCSE?

    IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is the international equivalent of the GCSE, developed originally by Cambridge Assessment International Education (Cambridge IGCSE) and also offered by Edexcel (Pearson IGCSE). It is designed for students aged 14–16 studying outside the England and Wales national curriculum.

    IGCSE qualifications are accepted by universities, employers, and further education institutions across the world — including all UK universities, who treat them as equivalent to GCSEs.

    IGCSE English vs GCSE English: The Key Differences

    Grading

    GCSE English (in England) uses the 9–1 grading scale, where 9 is the highest grade. IGCSE typically uses letter grades A*–G (Cambridge) or 9–1 (Edexcel IGCSE, which mirrors the GCSE scale). Most universities and employers understand both systems.

    Content and Papers

    Both qualifications test reading comprehension, analytical writing, and creative or transactional writing. The Cambridge IGCSE English Language paper tends to place slightly more emphasis on directed writing tasks (writing a letter, report, or article in response to a stimulus), whereas GCSE English Language in England leans more towards descriptive and narrative writing in Section B.

    IGCSE English Literature also follows a similar structure to GCSE, covering prose, poetry, and drama — though the set texts differ and there is no requirement to study specific texts mandated by Ofqual.

    Coursework vs Exam

    Some Cambridge IGCSE English courses include a coursework component (an oral assessment or a written portfolio) alongside the written exams. Most GCSE English courses in England are now entirely exam-based, with no coursework since the 2017 reforms. The exact balance depends on which IGCSE syllabus and centre your child is registered with.

    Where Students Sit Them

    GCSE English is sat by students in state and independent schools in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland following the national curriculum. IGCSE English is typically sat by students at international schools, British schools abroad, some UK independent schools, and home-educated students registered with a Cambridge centre.

    Does It Matter Which One My Child Sits?

    For most practical purposes, no. UK universities accept both qualifications, and A-Level admissions tutors are familiar with both systems. What matters is the grade, not the specific qualification route.

    For students planning to apply to selective universities, a strong grade in either IGCSE or GCSE English demonstrates exactly the same thing: the ability to read, analyse, and write effectively.

    Is Preparation Different?

    The core skills are the same: reading comprehension, analytical writing, and creative or transactional writing. The exam techniques differ slightly depending on the specific paper and exam board, but any student who is a strong analytical writer will succeed in either system.

    At Thorogood English, we prepare students for both IGCSE English (Cambridge and Edexcel) and GCSE English, and our teaching focuses on the transferable skills that underpin strong performance in both.

    Classes launch in January 2027. Join the waiting list to be among the first families contacted when booking opens.

  • When Should My Child Start IGCSE English Preparation?

    One of the most common questions parents ask is: “When should we start?” The worry is usually one of two things — starting too late and scrambling, or starting too early and burning their child out before the exams even begin.

    The honest answer is: it depends on your child, their current level, and which exam board they’re following. But there are some clear markers that help guide the decision.

    The Short Answer

    For most students, beginning structured IGCSE English preparation in Year 9 or the start of Year 10 strikes the right balance. That’s typically 18–24 months before the exams — long enough to develop skills properly, not so long that momentum becomes difficult to sustain.

    But the right time for your child may be different. Here’s how to think about it.

    Signs Your Child Would Benefit from Starting Now

    • They find written analysis difficult — analytical writing is a skill that takes time to develop. Starting early means there’s room to practise and improve without pressure.
    • They’re confident in other subjects but not English — this is very common. Students who excel at maths or science often find the “no right answer” nature of English frustrating. Early intervention helps reframe how they approach the subject.
    • They’re in Year 9 or above — by Year 9 the IGCSE syllabus is well within reach, and starting here gives 2 years of gradual preparation.
    • They want top grades — a Grade 7, 8, or 9 requires sophisticated skills that don’t develop overnight. If those are the target grades, starting earlier gives more time to reach that level.
    • They’re behind on writing skills — if your child struggles to structure an argument, write with variety, or punctuate accurately, these are foundational skills that benefit most from early, consistent work.

    Is It Ever Too Early?

    For IGCSE English specifically, Year 8 is generally the earliest that focused preparation makes sense — and only if your child is already reading widely and writing comfortably. Beginning in Year 7 risks introducing exam content before a child has the maturity to engage with it meaningfully.

    The most effective early preparation for any age is simply reading broadly and often. Fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, quality blogs — all of it builds the vocabulary, comprehension, and literary awareness that IGCSE English rewards.

    What About Starting in Year 11?

    Starting focused preparation in Year 11 is late, but it’s not too late — especially if your child already has solid writing foundations. In Year 11, the priority should be exam technique: understanding mark schemes, practising timed responses, and targeting the specific question types that appear on the paper.

    What Year 11 preparation cannot do is build skills from scratch. A student who has never written an analytical paragraph cannot learn to do so convincingly in eight weeks. That’s why earlier is always better for students who need fundamental skill development.

    The “Ideal” Timeline

    • Year 7–8: Focus on wide reading, vocabulary development, and enjoying writing. No formal IGCSE prep needed.
    • Year 9: Begin structured preparation. Learn to write analytically, understand the exam format, develop comprehension technique.
    • Year 10: Systematic work through both Language and Literature papers. Essay practice with feedback. Build exam confidence.
    • Year 11: Targeted revision, timed practice, past papers, and addressing any remaining weak areas.

    At Thorogood English

    Our IGCSE English courses are designed for students from Year 9 upwards. Classes run online via Zoom in small groups of no more than six, with a qualified teacher and former examiner who knows exactly where marks are won and lost.

    Classes launch in January 2027. Join the waiting list now to be first in line when booking opens.

  • Online English Tutoring vs In-Person Tutoring: Which Is Better for Your Child?

    The question comes up regularly: is online English tutoring as effective as in-person? For many parents, particularly those who grew up with traditional education, the idea of learning via a screen can feel like a compromise.

    It’s a fair question. Here’s an honest answer based on both research and experience.

    The Case for In-Person Tutoring

    There’s no denying the advantages of face-to-face interaction. For younger students especially, being physically present with a teacher can make it easier to build rapport, maintain focus, and pick up on non-verbal cues. Some children simply respond better to the proximity of a real person in the room.

    In-person tutoring also removes the technical variable — there’s no risk of Zoom dropping out, no concerns about microphone quality, no distraction from a glitching screen share.

    The Case for Online Tutoring

    Online tutoring has matured enormously over the past decade, and the evidence increasingly suggests that — when done well — it is equally effective. A growing body of research, including studies from the Education Endowment Foundation, has found no significant difference in learning outcomes between online and in-person small-group tuition.

    But beyond the research, there are practical advantages that in-person tutoring simply can’t match:

    Access to the Best Teachers

    In-person tutoring limits you to whoever is within travelling distance. Online tutoring removes geography entirely. Your child can work with the best teacher for their specific needs — whether that teacher is in London, Edinburgh, or, in Jacqueline’s case, returning from Malaysia in January 2027.

    No Travel Time

    For busy families, the logistics of in-person tutoring can be exhausting — school run, homework, dinner, and then a 45-minute round trip for a one-hour lesson. Online sessions happen from home. The lesson ends and your child is already there.

    Familiar Digital Tools

    Today’s secondary school students have grown up using screens for learning. Shared documents, annotated PDFs, digital whiteboards, and screen-shared texts are second nature to most. In many ways, online tools make the collaborative analysis of a text easier, not harder.

    Consistent Environment

    Your child learns in their own home — their own desk, their own chair, no commute, no unfamiliar environment. For some students, this consistency is genuinely beneficial for concentration.

    What Actually Makes the Difference

    Here’s the honest truth: the format (online vs in-person) matters far less than the following:

    • The quality of the teacher — their subject knowledge, teaching skill, and ability to give meaningful feedback
    • Group size — a one-to-one session online will always beat a one-to-twelve session in person
    • Regularity and consistency — tutoring that happens every week, at the same time, with clear goals, produces results; sporadic sessions don’t
    • Feedback quality — students improve when they know exactly what to change, not just that something needs improving

    A brilliant teacher in a small online group will produce better outcomes than a mediocre teacher sitting across a kitchen table. The medium is almost never the limiting factor.

    Our Approach at Thorogood English

    All Thorogood English sessions are delivered online via Zoom — small groups of no more than six, with a qualified teacher and former examiner who knows exactly how marks are awarded at IGCSE and A-Level.

    Classes launch in January 2027. If you’d like to secure a place — or simply find out more — join our waiting list.