I’ve been teaching literature and creative writing for over 30 years, both inside and outside the classroom, having studied English Literature at Cambridge and Creative Writing at Birkbeck (MA). I taught English for many years at the Godolphin and Latymer School in London, and have extensive experience of teaching GCSE and A level English for several exam boards, as well as successfully preparing many students for school entrance exams at 7-13+, sixth form entrance and Oxford and Cambridge ELAT exams. In addition to supporting specific preparation, I am always happy to provide ongoing creative support, encouraging students of all ages to develop their confidence on the page and as readers.

I continue to develop my own writing, and my poems, essays and reviews have been published in many journals and anthologies, as well as short- and long listed for a number of prizes. I love to immerse myself in nature, and many of my Poetry Garden courses take place outdoors in the urban wild or in London’s unique galleries.

I enjoy the special alchemy of people coming together to perform their work, co-founding Lodestone Poets in 2017 with Sarala Estruch and Dave Wakely to run regular events with emerging and established poets, and am a member of Red Door Poets, a group of widely-published poets who also present events with guest readers events coming up

My Approach

If you pour a glut of water upon a bottle, it receives little of it...

Ben Jonson (1572-1637)

As a parent and as a teacher, I have considerable experience of the many challenges facing young people of all ages trying to find a balance in their school and home life. The added pressure of exams can undermine the deep enjoyment to be found in reflecting upon a poem, a novel or play, and squeeze out the valuable space needed for wider reading and exploration. I encourage students to develop confidence in their own creative work, and to engage as fully as possible with the richness of the literature they are studying. Particularly with younger students, it is so important to find a rhythm that allows for the natural process of blossoming, with plenty of fun.

I also work with adults keen to develop or edit a specific writing project – a personal blog or family history, a novel, short story or poems - and also offer ways into writing poetry and prose for beginners who would like to work one-to-one or in a group. There are many ways into the kind of personal writing that helps us shape and frame our experience. I also run literature courses for those who would like to extend their reading of poetry and short stories in the company of like-minded adventurers.