What a first week of the school holidays it has been!
We’ve had a blast working with so many of our wonderful tutees during this first half of the holiday. The energy and focus have been incredible, and we’ve loved seeing our students hone their exam skills—particularly with how they approach questions and structure their answers for maximum marks. This is the crunch point, and the progress we’re witnessing makes us genuinely excited for the final run-in.
As we head into the second week, we’re looking forward to even more brilliant sessions. Whether it's Jekyll and Hyde revision, poem comparison practice, or crafting the ultimate creative writing response—we’re all in. Bring it on!
🗂️ What Does AQA Want? Inside Their Exam Reports
Let’s cut through the mystery: every year, AQA publishes reports to schools after exams. And guess what? These reports are full of clues about what students do well—and where they fall short.
Here’s what they LOVE:
- Clear structure in essays (hello, PETAL paragraphs!)
- Students writing about the effect of language and linking to the question, not just the text.
- Perceptive, exploratory responses that show thinking, not just knowing.
Here’s what they DON’T like:
- Descriptive retellings. You’re not being asked to summarise the story!
- Misfiring terminology. If you mention a metaphor, explain it properly—don’t just name-drop it.
- Generic responses. Saying “this shows the character is sad” won’t cut it in 2025.
Top Tip: Read every question on every paper three times. Underline the key words. Then… answer it directly.
📚 Jemma’s Exam Insight
At BA English Tuition, we’re all about giving you every possible edge—so Jemma has spent some time digging through past AQA English Literature exam papers to spot any patterns that might help guide your revision (though, of course, nothing is guaranteed!). Check out the document at the bottom of this post to see what she has found!
⚠️ Important reminder: AQA has complete freedom to test any theme, character or poem—there’s no rule saying they can’t repeat a previous question or go with something unexpected. Use Jemma’s analysis to help steer your prep, but don’t let it narrow your focus too much. Your best bet? Prepare broadly, revise smartly, and make sure your technique is exam-ready.
🖋️ Mastering English Language Paper 1 – This Tuesday!
We’re so excited for our next webinar: Mastering English Language Paper 1 taking place on Tuesday 15th April at 10.30am. This one’s all about:
- Tackling Questions 1–4 with confidence.
- Structuring the perfect narrative response for Q5.
- Developing original story ideas from simple image prompts.
- Understanding how to max out the mark scheme.
Sign up now 👉 Click HERE to book your place
📅 Book Your Pre-Exam Sessions NOW
We will be offering one-to-one sessions on the day before each AQA GCSE English exam:
- English Literature Paper 1: Sunday 11th May
- English Literature Paper 2: Monday 19th May
- English Language Paper 1: Thursday 22nd May
- English Language Paper 2: Thursday 5th June
We are opening up various time slots throughout the day, but spaces will be limited—email us now at: info@ba-english-tuition.com if you’d like to secure one!
💭 Mental Health: Little and Often Wins the Race
It’s easy to fall into the trap of “panic cramming,” but science shows that spaced repetition is far more effective than long revision marathons. According to research published in Psychological Science, short, frequent study sessions increase the brain’s ability to store and retrieve information. Plus, shorter sessions reduce anxiety and help avoid burnout.
Try this formula: 30 minutes x 2 sessions per day → One topic in the morning, one in the evening. Add breaks, fresh air, and some snacks for balance.
📚 Tip of the Week: Unseen Poetry Strategy
The Unseen Poetry section can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s our foolproof formula:
- Read the poem once for gist.
- Read again and annotate: tone, imagery, structure.
- Ask yourself: What’s the poem about? What’s the emotion behind it?
- Write a P-E-T-A-L paragraph x2
- Avoid over-complicating. Focus on meaning and methods.
Want a poem to practice on? Drop us an email and we’ll send one over!
💡 Life Outside the Books
This week, we’ve been deep in all things English and enjoying a few personal highlights. White Lotus Series 3’s finale—wow! We won't spoil it, but let’s just say... we did NOT see things turning out like that. Bradley’s still riding high from Arsenal’s demolition of Real Madrid (he hasn’t stopped talking about it), while Jemma has been sneakily catching episodes of her new guilty pleasure—‘Stacey and Joe’—in between tuition sessions. And Arlo? He’s just happy that we are all away in Bournemouth at the end of the week. Whether or not he knows it’s to recharge ahead of exam season is another story…
🐣 No Blog Next Week – See You On Friday 25th April
As it’s Bank Holiday Friday next week, we’ll be pausing the blog—but we’ll be back with more tips, updates, and learning wins on the 25th April.
Remember to stay focused and to stay BA...Tuition!
Add comment
Comments