English Literature A Level and GCSE Audio Tutorials

Animal Farm by George Orwell - AQA

Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is one of the great dystopian novels of all time. It is layered with many different meanings, making it a joy to read and to interpret. The series is written by Aimee Coelho, a passionate English Teacher at Millfield and an examiner. It analyses the genre, structure and form of the novel, examines context and key characters , gives an in-depth review of each chapter, and finally helps you prepare for that all important GCSE examination.

Great Expectations GCSE Podcast series for AQA

Our series on Great Expectations is written and recorded by Ian Brinton, a former Head of English for Dulwich College and Sevenoaks School, and also a prolific writer on Dickens. The series analyses the major characters and themes that run through the book. There are individual podcasts on MIss Havisham, Estella, Wemmick and Magwitch, there and on the key themes including prisons, the concept of a gentleman and guilt. It also looks at the different endings Charles Dickens wrote.

DNA – Dennis Kelly.

A group of teenagers do something bad, really bad, then panic and cover the whole thing up. But when they find out that the cover-up unites them and brings harmony to their once fractious lives, where’s the incentive to put things right? DNA is a fascinating play and our series will take you through all you need to know for your GCSE. Produced by Mark Richards, a senior examiner, he certainly knows how to cover all the different elements to achieve a good grade.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon is a fabulous book. A story written from the viewpoint of an autistic child it addresses many issues, such as attitudes to mental illness and parent-child relationships. Our GCSE Literature series explores the key themes, characters, context, genre, form and structure of the book. We also look at all the chapters in detail before rounding off with tutorials on key quotations and how to answer the all important exam questions. Written by Laura Broadbent, an experienced writer and teacher. We are delighted that the part of Christopher is played by Chris Ashby who played the part in the West End

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's greatest and best loved tragedies. In this series for GCSE English Literature we analyse all aspects of the play ensuring that you gain a full understanding of the various complexities, including key themes, characters, context and structure. As with Macbeth we have brought together Stella Vassilou and Catherine Hartley, both of whom received Masters in English Literature from Oxford and Cambridge University and are now teaching GCSE English Literature.

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen was one of the most popular novels of its day and it continues to be so, with many film and small screen adaptations. In this series we examine all the key aspects that you will need to know and understand for GCSE English Literature, ranging from its context, major themes, character analysis and look at all the different chapters. It's penultimate tutorial examines some of the most pertinent of quotations, including; "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”, which gives a clue to the type of book it is. Written by Jan Heron, a English teacher of many years and one who holds 5 stars on the Rate My Teacher website, Jan is also an exam board examiner so knows what is required to achieve good grades.

Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is a turbulent love story with many different themes, twists and compelling characters, making it a fascinating novel to study. In our tutorial series, written by Charlotte Unsworth, an experienced English teacher, we will analyse the key characters and themes within Jane Eyre, as well as having a detailed look at the importance of the settings. We finish with a tutorial that has been designed to help approach exam questions. Best of luck.

The Sign of Four

This classic novel by Arthur Conan Doyle provides many discussion points and intrigues. We examine Sherlock Holmes as a character, The Victorian serial novel, Detective fiction & associated tropes, the themes of Colonisation, Imperialisation, class, the Fear of the Other and Drug consumption! We look at the structure and form of the novel, including serialisation, Novella and Mystery / Detective Story, provide further detailed character analysis and how they reflect the context and the major themes. We examine each of the individual chapters of The Sign of Four, providing a precis of each and provide a podcast on quotations as well as exam guidance to help when it comes to your English Literature GCSE.

Blood Brothers

In these podcasts on Willy Russell's Blood Brothers, we’ll be revising each section of the play in some depth, and picking out ideas or details which might come up in your Literature exam. In addition, there are in-depth podcasts on the characters within the play and the first couple of podcasts will give you a bit of background which will, hopefully, help you get the most out of your reading of the text.

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is amongst the most famous of Dickens’ works, and Ebenezer Scrooge, the chief character, is perhaps the best-known and most distinctive of all his creations. Our AQA GCSE English Literature series for A Christmas Carol will guide you through everything you need to know about this classic of Victorian literature and help you understand how best to approach it in your exams.