It’s officially the Easter Holiday—and we can hardly believe it! With summer exams now within touching distance, we’re ramping things up here at BA English Tuition. Across every year group, we’ve seen a fantastic burst of energy and commitment this term.
We’ve been especially excited to see our Key Stage 3 students beginning to tackle more advanced texts as they prepare for their own GCSE journey. Some of our Year 9s have started their work on An Inspector Calls, and we’ve been so impressed by the level of insight and empathy they’ve shown. As we like to remind our students—strong English skills don’t start at GCSE; they’re built and nurtured well before that.
Behind the Scenes: How Are Grade Boundaries Set? 🎓
There’s often chatter around grade boundaries—how they’re decided, whether they’re “fair,” and whether they change from year to year.
Here’s the truth: grade boundaries are never arbitrary. They’re carefully set by exam boards using a process called awarding. This involves senior examiners reviewing a sample of marked scripts across the range of marks and comparing them to previous years' performance standards. Statistical data—including normal distribution curves, candidate prior attainment, and overall paper performance—helps ensure fairness. In short, the aim is always the same: to make sure that the same level of ability always receives the same grade, no matter the year. So, if a paper was tougher than usual, boundaries may shift slightly—but never randomly.
Our message? Trust the process and focus on demonstrating your best work.
Mastering Language Paper 1 – Webinar This Easter! 🖊️
As mentioned in last week’s blog, our next Mastery Webinar is fast approaching:
📅 Tuesday 15th April | 10.30am – 11.30am
Topic: Mastering AQA English Language Paper 1
This session will take a deep dive into both the reading and writing sections. We’ll explore how to analyse structure effectively in Q3, how to tackle Q4 with a high-level critical response and how to plan and write creative descriptions that are original, confident and sophisticated. Many of our current tutees have been exploring this paper in recent sessions, particularly the creative writing elements, so this webinar is perfectly timed.
May Sessions – Book Early to Avoid Disappointment
As we edge closer to exam season, we know some of our students will want to book in additional one-to-one sessions to boost confidence and consolidate knowledge. If you’re interested in securing extra slots (separate from your usual timetable), please email us at info@ba-english-tuition.com.
Slots are limited, but we’ll do our absolute best to accommodate all requests.
Mental Health Focus: The Power of Routines 🧠
An abundance of academic research now exists that highlights the benefits of daily routines, exploring how they reduce stress and improve focus. When we automate simple decisions—like setting aside a fixed time each day for revision, using checklists, and preparing bags the night before—we free up cognitive space for more creative and demanding tasks (like English essays!).
Routine reduces decision fatigue and helps create predictability during an unpredictable time—like exam season.
Tip of the Week: Quotation Mastery for the Win! 🔍
Want to be smarter with your revision? Choose quotations that work harder for you. Studies in cognitive psychology (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006) show that memory improves when we retrieve information through repeated low-stakes testing. That means:
– Make flashcards with high-value quotes from Macbeth, Jekyll & Hyde, the poetry cluster, or An Inspector Calls
– Focus on those quotations that link to multiple themes
– For example, in Macbeth: “Stars hide your fires…” shows ambition, guilt, fate, AND deception. One line. Maximum impact.
Choose well, and you’ll cut down your revision while boosting your marks.
Life Outside the Books: Mothers’ Day BBQs & Comedic Chaos 🍗🎤
Mother’s Day was a big one this year—with Bradley and Arlo cooking up a BBQ feast for Jemma, who, to Bradley’s relief, declared it delicious. Arlo has his new favourite word of the week—“Yuck!”—which he’s been using at every opportunity (though, thankfully, not in relation to Bradley’s BBQ chicken).
We also enjoyed a hilarious evening out watching Paul Chowdhury live—although it did end in a bit of audience drama. The aftermath of the show made the news (click here to see how – thankfully we were ok). Meanwhile, we’re all loving the longer evenings, lighter mornings, and the spring energy that’s motivating our learners. With Easter sessions around the corner, we’re raring to go.
Through all of the hard work you are putting in, remember to stay focused and to stay BA…Tuition!
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