Bespoke English tuition, focusing on strategy and clarity.
Step 1
Initial Consultation
We find a time to talk over the phone or online to establish the individual situation of your child and how I can help. No commitment or pressure.
Step 2
Diagnostic Assessment
If we decide to work together we will arrange a weekly slot and I will send over an initial assessment for your child to complete. From this, I can establish which gaps need filling and how best to approach the sessions.
Step 3
Personalised tuition
Each session will be planned to target one or two objectives and will contain a mix of recall, modelled examples, independent practice and specific feedback.
About me
My name is Mel West and I have been an English teacher since 2004. I have seen an incredible number of changes in that time, and I am aware that now the pressure on young people has never been greater.
Grades based on 100% examination, the need to study complex texts for Literature, and bafflingly-worded questions in Language can all mean that sometimes, students aren’t able to showcase their best skills.
With so much riding on exam success, including college places and competition for university spots, I set up Axis of English to help young people do their best.
My goal is to find the logic and order amongst the creativity so students have structures and approaches that they can rely on.
testimonials
“Mel has been an excellent support to my daughter throughout her GCSE English preparation, providing clear guidance, encouragement, and helping her grow in both confidence and ability.”
— KH, Parent“We’ve been incredibly grateful for the support and dedication our son has received from Mel with his English GCSE preparation. From the very beginning, she created a positive and encouraging learning environment that helped build his confidence.
Mel is patient, reliable, and genuinely invested in her students’ success. We’ve seen first-hand how much care and effort she puts into each session, and it truly shows in the results.
We would highly recommend Mel to any parent looking for a supportive and effective English GCSE tutor.”
— NW, Parent“Mel provided me with excellent instruction for my English exams helping me to fill in the gaps in my understanding of the exam format.
Her knowledge of the mark scheme helped me to achieve well over the grade my school hoped I would achieve, especially in English Language, taking me from a 4 to an 8.”
— PW, StudentTuition options
One hour weekly of one to one, bespoke tuition. The style of these sessions allows for rapid, individualised feedback and the content of every session is guided by the unique needs of the student. These can be appropriate at any stage of education to boost confidence and close learning gaps.
Small group sessions of between two and four students at a similar stage. Each student will have access to their own resources and online whiteboard during the class, allowing for individual feedback and practice. These sessions give young people the opportunity to share ideas between themselves and work collaboratively, while also getting a high level of personalised input.
Frequently Asked Questions
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First of all, we'll have a phone conversation to establish what you hope to achieve from the sessions and what your child's goals are. Then, all new students will undertake a diagnostic assessment before their first session. This will be a short response to a written text and a piece of writing; the content will vary depending on the focus of the tutoring. This should be supervised by the parents or carers to ensure that it has been completed independently and in timed conditions, and then submitted to me so I can assess areas of need.
In addition, for GCSE students who are in school, it is useful to obtain copies of any formal assessments completed in school under exam conditions.
I use my own scaffolded assessment criteria to track students' progress across all key English skills and identify priority areas. This can be shared with parents at any time.
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This is entirely a personal choice and depends largely on your knowledge of your child. For longer-term tuition, many students prefer to work in small groups as it gives them a chance to bounce ideas off each other, and learn from their peers. If you are looking to close substantial gaps in the run up to exams, or your child prefers to work independently, one-to-one tuition may be more suitable. Small groups will be curated to ensure students are at a similar stage of learning and will only run with a minimum of two students.
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In short - almost certainly, yes. There are a range of adjustments I will make as standard for students with a range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, ADHD, autism, SEMH and PDA. We can discuss this in full in our initial consultation.
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I will track your child's progress using my own progress trackers. These can be shared with parents at any point; you can always contact me for a progress report and to ask any questions. Equally, I will get in touch if I feel there is anything not working, or if I have concerns about effort or progress.
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When we agree to work together, we will sign a contract that agrees a two-week notice period on either side. The only exception to this is students who are soon to take exams, where the contract will automatically end after the final English exam.
You will be invoiced in four-weekly blocks, to be paid in advance. Unless by prior arrangement, tuition pauses during school holidays, therefore you will only be invoiced for the sessions that will take place in that four-week block. If you choose to end the contract, any payments outside the two-week notice period will be refunded.
Please note that, although sessions are generally term-time only, I am often able to make bespoke arrangements on request when exams are approaching, such as the Easter holidays and May half term.