I believe students produce their best work when high expectations are combined with thoughtful, individual support. My lessons are designed not only to improve exam performance, but to help students become more confident readers, sharper thinkers and more capable writers.

UK-TRAINED TEACHER OF ENGLISH 12 YEARS' EXPERIENCE FORMER HEAD OF DEPARTMENT ACTIVE CAMBRIDGE EXAMINER

About Me

A woman with dark hair smiling in a narrow, stone-paved alleyway, with white walls on either side and greenery hanging from above. In the background, there is a historic building on a hill.

  • Qualified Teacher of English since 2014, with experience in high-performing schools across England, Hungary and Mexico.

    Former Head of Department, with experience in curriculum design, student assessment and tailored improvement strategies.

    Active examiner for Cambridge International Education at GCSE and IGCSE level.

    • GCSE and IGCSE: WJEC, AQA, Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge

    • A-level English Literature: AQA and Pearson Edexcel

    • International Baccalaureate English A: Language and Literature

    • National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership - Department for Education

    • Postgraduate Certificate in Education with Qualified Teacher Status - University of Leeds

    • BA English Language and Literature, 2:1 - University of Leeds

    • A-levels in English Language and English Literature

    • International Child Protection Certificate

    • Cambridge International Examinations training

    • Category 2 IB training for English Language and Literature

Outside the Classroom

I love to travel and explore new places, cultures and food, and have been fortunate to live and work in both Hungary and Mexico. In both countries I had the opportunity to study a new language, something I never did at school. This has been an enjoyable but humbling experience and reminded me what it is to be a student!

You can often find me spending time outdoors - whether hiking, running or simply wandering with a coffee. I’m happiest when I am by the sea, even when it is the cold and windy coastline of North East England!

I have two cats (one lazy and one full of energy), and I love nothing more than cosying up with them and a good book!

A woman hiking on a trail at sunrise with mountains in the background.
A street vendor selling colorful flower leis, straw hats, woven bags, and other accessories under a large white umbrella on a city sidewalk.
A woman with glasses and a gray sweater is sitting on a beige and black patterned couch, smiling while looking at a laptop. She is using a pillow to support a calico cat that is lying on her lap, looking to the right.

Currently Reading

Book cover of 'When We Were Birds' by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo featuring colorful tropical birds, flowers, and lush green leaves on a dark background.

I am currently reading a new prose text for the Cambridge IGCSE 2027 specification: When We Were Birds. It is a beautifully crafted story of grief, love and identity. Told from two narrative perspectives, it follows the story of Yejide and Darwin as they grapple with their own family histories and navigate ways to build a future together. A refreshing and exciting addition to the IGCSE syllabus!

“I found it incredibly helpful how Ms Brown pushed us to go beyond easy interpretations of the text, asking us to look at it within the social context of the time it was written and explore alternative interpretations. We looked at analysing texts from economic, gender and racial lenses which was helpful in getting a deeper understanding of the relevance of the literature and for reaching for higher grades.”

— Zoe, IGCSE Student