Our Expert Tutors

Lyndsay Bawden has worked in education for over 25 years, as a Teacher of English, Lead Practitioner, and Director of English. She is also a Principal Examiner, and Senior Examiner working across both A-level and GCSE English for several exam boards. Lyndsay has used her expertise to write several books on teaching English, along with text books for GCSE English, working as a Series Editor for Oxford Revise. Lyndsay founded Top Class Learning with her colleague Jade Hickin because she is passionate about bringing expert knowledge to students. 

Jade Hickin has worked in education for over 17 years, as a Teacher of English, Head of Department, and Lead Practitioner. Having specialised in Assessment and Examining at the University of Cambridge, Jade is a Senior Examiner for several exam boards, writing and assessing national exam papers, working across both A-level and GCSE English. Jade has authored and contributed to books on teaching and educational leadership, along with being an Assessment Consultant for GCSE English textbooks. Jade founded Top Class Learning with Lyndsay. 

​Melissa is a knowledgeable English tutor with considerable experience as a Curriculum Leader for English, and Coordinator for Most Able. She trained in teaching after completing her Masters degree and PhD at St Andrew’s University, and has been published various times due to her expertise. Additionally, Melissa works as an examiner and Senior Examiner across several specifications for GCSE and iGCSE English Language and Literature, including authoring exam papers. She is passionate about using her vast knowledge of English to enable students to reach their goals. 

​Philippa holds a Master’s in Education and brings over 12 years of classroom experience to her tutoring. As a Senior Examiner for GCSE English, she offers insider knowledge of what examiners are looking for. She has a wealth of experience in teaching GCSE Language and Literature, as well as A Level Literature and Language & Literature, with particular success in helping students at both the grade 4/5 boundary and reaching grades 7-9. Her expert guidance and supportive teaching style consistently lead to outstanding results, including students achieving well above their targets.

Mary is a highly skilled teacher and Lead Practitioner of English with plentiful experience including Assistant Headteacher, Director of English, School Improvement Officer and National Strategy Consultant for English too. She has written two books on teaching English, published with Bloomsbury, and she is an examiner for both GCSE and A-level. As a tutor, she has always had excellent results, with all her tutees attaining at least their target grades, but more often higher. 

​Sue is a highly skilled English teacher with vast experience in a range of high-performing Outstanding schools where she has led the subject and worked specifically in coaching and tutoring students to develop their learning and improve their grades. She trained in teaching with Oxford University, and she is an examiner for GCSE with extensive knowledge of teaching all of the A-level English subjects at a high level too. As a tutor, she has had great results, with tutees attaining excellent grades and showing substantial improvement under her guidance. 

​Gwen has been teaching English for 20 years in a wide range of secondary school settings. She has also worked in further education teaching specialist A-Level courses. She has been a successful English tutor for several years. Educated to Master's degree level, Gwen holds an MA in Modern English Literature. She has been published by Oxford University Press and Routledge, writing about using Cognitive Grammar in the English classroom to teach the classic texts Frankenstein and Macbeth.  She has recently written a new book published with Bloomsbury: A Teacher's Guide to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Jill is a highly experienced English teacher and examiner, bringing nearly two decades of classroom expertise to her tutoring. With extensive experience at KS3 and GCSE, she has particular strength in supporting SEN and EAL learners through clear, structured, and engaging approaches. As a GCSE English examiner for several boards, Jill offers valuable insight into assessment criteria and examiner expectations. Known for her calm, supportive teaching style, Jill creates lessons that build confidence, encourage analytical thinking, and foster a genuine passion for English. with expert guidance that helps students reach and exceed their goals.