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What GCSE English students struggle with most (and what I’m planning next)
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Hi Reader Over the Christmas break, I ran a live Macbeth Masterclass to help students feel clearer and more confident ahead of their mocks. The feedback afterwards really stuck with me: “This really helped me understand Macbeth more, as it was an area I struggled with.”
“No questions from me, but thank you – that was really helpful.”
“My son found it really useful.”
What parents valued most wasn’t just the content, but the clarity: knowing what examiners are actually looking for and how to turn knowledge into marks. Because of that, I’m planning to run another live workshop on: Thursday 19th February, 10.30–12.30 (UK time) This time, it will be even more interactive. Students won’t just be listening. They’ll be completing short, structured tasks during the session, with clear models and guidance so they can see exactly how strong exam responses are built. Just to reassure you, there won't be any requirement for cameras to be on, and I won't be singling anyone out. The session is designed to feel supportive and low pressure. Before I finalise the focus, I’d love your input. If I were to run one of the following next, which would be most helpful for your child?
You can simply reply to this email by selecting your preferred option above. At the moment, I’m leaning towards Power and Conflict poetry or Unseen poetry, as these are areas many students find hardest to practise independently. But I want this to reflect real needs, not assumptions. I’ll share full details very soon. Warm regards, |
Verity Bell English Educator
Sign up to my newsletter to receive weekly tips and useful resources to help you to understand what your child needs to do to improve their English grades.
Hi Reader As we move through January and Year 11 students have their mock results in hand, one area that consistently causes anxiety is unseen poetry. Unlike set texts or the anthology, unseen poetry gives students no chance to prepare content in advance. They are expected to read, interpret, analyse and often compare poems they have never seen before, all under time pressure. For many students, that feels intimidating rather than exciting. This is why the 2025 GCSE English Literature...
Hi Reader Unseen Poetry: From Confused to Confident Unseen poetry is one of the areas of GCSE English that students often find most unsettling. Not because they don’t have ideas, but because they’re unsure how to organise their thinking quickly and turn it into a clear, focused exam response under time pressure. To support students with this, I’m running a live online workshop: Unseen Poetry: From Confused to Confident 📅 Thursday 19th February 🕥 10.30–11.35 (UK time) 👉 Full details and...
Hi Reader Many parents tell me the same thing at this time of year: “My child loved English in primary school, but secondary English feels much harder.” If that sounds familiar, please be reassured: this is very common, and it is not because your child has suddenly become “bad at English”. In primary school, English quite rightly focuses heavily on creative writing, imagination, confidence, and enjoyment of reading. Detailed literary analysis and structured analytical writing are not usually...