Sheri Chriqui, PhD, English Tutor and Writing Coach

Sheri Chriqui, PhD, English Tutor and Writing Coach Developing discerning, analytical readers and confident writers. Precise writing and confident analysis through rigorous tuition.

Oxford-educated English tutor for GCSE and A-Level English Language & Literature, and university-level academic writing.

Today is GCSE results day.What interests me, as a teacher, is the process that led to the result. Progress in English de...
20/08/2026

Today is GCSE results day.

What interests me, as a teacher, is the process that led to the result. Progress in English develops gradually, through changes in the way a student reads, thinks, and writes.

Sometimes, progress is a paragraph that becomes clearer with each revision, or a quotation that suddenly makes sense. Sometimes, it is a student who stops spotting metaphors and starts asking why a particular image, word, or rhythm matters.

Progress reveals itself when ‘Macbeth’ stops being read as a collection of quotations about ambition and becomes an unsettling meditation, interrogating what human beings are capable of doing to themselves.

That is the progress I most value.

Results day makes some of that progress visible. And today, some rather lovely messages have been arriving.

There are students who achieved exactly what they hoped, and others looking at a mark they once thought was beyond them. Those successes deserve celebrating.

There will also be students disappointed today, and that matters too.

I extend my warmest congratulations to my students. I am very proud of you. I hope you are proud of yourselves, too.

Today is A Level results day.We ask a remarkable amount of eighteen-year-olds.We ask them to make decisions that may sha...
13/08/2026

Today is A Level results day.

We ask a remarkable amount of eighteen-year-olds.

We ask them to make decisions that may shape the next few years of their lives. We ask them to choose courses, universities, and futures before they have had much chance to discover who they are becoming. Then we ask them to wait while those hopes are translated into a handful of letters on a page.

By the time they arrive at this day, many have lived with it for months. Some for years.

They have revised when they were exhausted. They have abandoned essays that refused to come together. They have doubted themselves, recovered, and doubted themselves again. Parents have watched from just beyond the edge of it all, trying to encourage without overwhelming, hoping that hard work would find its reward.

For some, today will bring relief. The university place they hoped for. Marks they have worked hard to earn. The knowledge that, for now at least, they can stop wondering.

I hope they celebrate. Moments like this are worth lingering over.

For others, today will bring disappointment.

Results matter. They shape what happens next, and I would never diminish the weight of that. But they are not prophecy.

After more than twenty years of teaching, I have become increasingly aware of how much an examination cannot measure.

I have watched students move from hunting for techniques to noticing how language actually works. From repeating what they have been taught to forming an interpretation of their own. From asking, “What does the examiner want me to say?” to pausing over a line of Shakespeare and saying, “I think there is something more complicated happening here.”

That is the moment I remember.

It is the moment education becomes something larger than examination.

To every student receiving results today, whatever those results may be, I hope you remember that the examination has measured something real. It has not measured everything that is real.

A result can shape the next chapter.

It cannot write the whole story.

I’ve been thinking about last week’s Teacher Project conference more than I expected to.It was lovely to reconnect with ...
21/07/2026

I’ve been thinking about last week’s Teacher Project conference more than I expected to.

It was lovely to reconnect with old friends, make some new ones, and have conversations I’ll probably still be thinking about in a few months’ time. I was also pleased to receive an award, which felt like a rather lovely way to end a very busy academic year.

As Lettered continues to grow, I’ve found myself thinking more about how systems, habits and community can support learning and wellbeing.

What do you think has the greatest impact on learning beyond the lesson itself?

For some, the A-Level results released last Thursday brought a lift—a sense of arrival. The results presented hard-won l...
18/08/2025

For some, the A-Level results released last Thursday brought a lift—a sense of arrival. The results presented hard-won letters that reflect hours of effort, revision, and resilience. If that is you, I hope you pause to feel it fully. Let the relief, the pride, and the quiet satisfaction land. You’ve earned it. 🎓🙌

For others, the page may look different from what you’d hoped. Know this: no single set of results can contain the fullness of your thinking, your voice, or your becoming. Marks matter, but they are not everything. 🦋

I’ve spent the past months with students unpicking texts by writers such as Shakespeare, Austen, and Woolf. We’ve pursued clarity in analysis, crafting arguments that speak with purpose. I’ve seen the transformation that happens when someone begins to trust their own mind, when a sentence begins to feel like a self-portrait.

Students, whether your path continues as planned or takes a new turn, I see you. You have grown in ways no letter grade can hold.

And to every parent who stood quietly supportive behind the scenes: your steadfastness made the difference.

There are many ways to succeed. Some of them come strategically, while others unfurl more slowly.

If you’re mapping out next steps—or wondering where to begin again—feel free to reach out. I’ll be here.

It’s been a while since I’ve written here.This has not been a silence born of neglect, but one shaped by immersion follo...
31/07/2025

It’s been a while since I’ve written here.

This has not been a silence born of neglect, but one shaped by immersion followed by recuperation.

I’ve spent the past months with students on the cusp of transition. Some arrived afraid of English, reducing it to terminology and strategic acronyms to make it navigable. They were lost in the mechanics of analysis, never having been taught to see beyond the scaffolding. Others arrived brimful of insight without the structure to hold it. Some joined already alight with thought, and were simply looking for a place where their curiosity and intellect would be met and stretched.

Together, we’ve courageously confronted ourselves in literature’s mirror. We’ve refined the shape of a sentence until it rang true. We’ve asked how language remembers and how it persuades. We’ve sat with Shakespeare’s ghosts. We’ve watched self-belief form, slowly, sentence by sentence.

🏹 Sometimes, the victories have been quiet: a comma placed with intention, a quote chosen for precision rather than by rote, an essay that finally breathes.

🎯 Sometimes, however, they have been seismic: a student who no longer says ‘I’m bad at English’ because she has seen herself, at last, in control of her argument.

This is what I teach. This is what I return for.

If you’re new here, welcome.

If you’ve been here a while, I’m glad you’ve stayed.

💌 And if you’re a parent who wants this kind of teaching for your son or daughter, my door is open.

Did you know that Valentine’s Day as we know it owes its roots to poetry? While today, social convention proposes the gi...
14/02/2025

Did you know that Valentine’s Day as we know it owes its roots to poetry? While today, social convention proposes the gifting of chocolates and flowers, the original Valentine's story begins with medieval romance, matchmaking birds, and literary genius.

💌 Geoffrey Chaucer is the earliest known writer to link love and St. Valentine’s Day! In his 14th-century poem 'The Parlement of Foules', he imagines birds gathering on February 14th to choose their mates: 'For this was on seynt Valentynes day/ Whan every foul cometh there to chese his make' (l.309-10). In the poem, a female eagle refuses to select a suitor and asks Mother Nature to allow her an extra year to decide on her mate–and Mother Nature agrees to her request!

This poetic vision gave rise to centuries of love-themed literature. Shakespeare, never one to miss an opportunity to explore love, picked up the tradition in 'Hamlet', when the grief-stricken Ophelia sings 'Tomorrow is Saint Valentine’s day', and laments that the song’s speaker waits 'at your window,/ To be your Valentine', only to be 'Let in the maid, that out a maid/ Never departed more' (4.5.53-60). Cloaked in madness, Ophelia insinuates that she, like the song’s speaker, may no longer be a maiden.

We then fast-forward to the Victorian era, when the first mass-produced Valentine’s cards emerged. By this time, love letters and poems were all the rage--but unlike today’s candy hearts, these cards often featured long verses of carefully crafted poetry.

💡 As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, why not dive into a love poem that has stood the test of time? Whether it’s Wordsworth’s tender sonnets or Carol Ann Duffy’s sardonic ‘Valentine’, poetry captures love in all its shades.

✨ Share with us: What’s your favourite romantic (or unromantic!) line in literature? Let’s celebrate the enduring power of words to capture the heart.

Do you want your GCSE or A-Level teen to rise two levels in English, gain confidence in timed writing, and improve their...
07/11/2024

Do you want your GCSE or A-Level teen to rise two levels in English, gain confidence in timed writing, and improve their chances of securing admission to their top university choice? 🤩

But right now you're noticing your teen is:

❌ Overwhelmed by complex English concepts and terminology
❌ Anxious about writing academic essays
❌ Losing confidence and struggling to maintain competitive grades
❌ Stressed about missing the mark on university entrance requirements

Why is this happening?

As you know, recent disruptions in education have caused students to miss critical lessons, leading to dwindling confidence and widening academic gaps... 📉

But there is hope...

✅ Let me introduce you to the Grade Elevation Method for GCSE and A-Level English Excellence – a unique system designed to transform English struggles into standout success.

Opportunities like this are rare!

I have just opened ten exclusive spots in my GCSE and A-Level English programmes tailored for students who need a focused boost. 🌟

Eager to see your teen double their learning rate and shine in GCSE or A-Level English in as short as twelve weeks?

Discover how my Grade Elevation Method can be the game changer your teen needs. 🙌

✅ Interested? Send me a message to learn more.

The name Lettered for my tutoring service reflects my deep commitment to fostering joyful participation in literary lear...
24/10/2024

The name Lettered for my tutoring service reflects my deep commitment to fostering joyful participation in literary learning and culture. 📚😍

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "lettered" means educated, literate, or learned, embodying the values I aim to instil in my students. It also connects to the idea of literary culture—the appreciation and mastery of literature, critical thinking, and the written word.

Additionally, "lettered" symbolises the permanence of knowledge, as something that is inscribed or written down, leaving a lasting impact on a student's education and intellectual growth.

In America, the word “lettered” also indicates varsity athletic achievement. It signifies merit and quality earned through discipline and practise.

At Lettered Tutoring, I aim to cultivate not just academic success but a profound appreciation for the world of literature and learning.

Interested in working together? Please send me a message to find out more about how my services can help instil a love of English literature and language in your child. 🌱+ 👩🏻‍🏫=🌳

I’m humbled to share a heartfelt testimonial from Eton College, where I had the privilege of teaching English to some tr...
21/10/2024

I’m humbled to share a heartfelt testimonial from Eton College, where I had the privilege of teaching English to some truly talented students. I’m incredibly proud of the progress my students made and the impact I’ve had on their learning.

Here’s what members of the English faculty at Eton College had to say about my year there as a Maternity Cover teacher:

"SC has given each of the Divisions she has taught a remarkable insight into the workings of literature. If their annotated poems bear any relation to the workings of their intellectual understanding, then her former pupils are well set for literary success…

I have yet to mention that Dr Chriqui is seen as a fascinating person to her students. She has proved herself tremendously strong in Eton, being thrown in at the deep end, mid academic year, taking over other teacher’s classes, and then adapting rapidly to teaching online as well.”

It’s been an honour to work at such an historic institution and to have played a role in shaping the futures of bright young minds.

Now, I bring this same level of dedication and expertise to my Lettered Tutoring clients. Through my Grade Elevation Method, I continue helping students reach their highest potential in English.

If you’re ready to see the same kind of progress and success for your child, feel free to reach out and learn more about how I can support them on their journey! 📚🎓

⭐ Did you know?
In Latin, the word "Vale" means "farewell" or "goodbye" and is often used as a way to express a formal or heartfelt parting. It comes from the verb "valere," which means "to be strong," "to be well," or "to be healthy." When saying "vale," you are essentially wishing the other person to "stay well" or "be strong" as you part ways. This term is frequently used in classical texts and farewells, especially in more formal or literary contexts.

As a parent, you want nothing but the best for your child’s education, and choosing the right tutor is a big decision. A...
08/10/2024

As a parent, you want nothing but the best for your child’s education, and choosing the right tutor is a big decision. As an Oxford graduate, I bring a level of expertise and dedication that goes beyond standard tutoring services. Here’s why my premium tuition service is worth the investment:

1️⃣ Proven Academic Excellence: I’ve been trained at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. I know what it takes to excel in competitive academic environments, and I can pass that knowledge and experience directly to your child.

2️⃣ Tailored One-on-One and Small Group Support: Unlike large tutoring companies, I offer a truly personalised experience. I take the time to understand your child’s unique strengths and challenges, creating a customised learning plan that targets exactly what they need to boost their English skills and confidence.

3️⃣ Premium Quality & Results: My students have achieved remarkable improvements, from jumping two grades in GCSE and A Level English to securing spots at top universities. With my guidance, your child will not only improve academically but also develop the skills and mindset needed to thrive in higher education and beyond.

4️⃣ A Long-Term Investment: Quality tuition is not just about the next exam – it's about setting your child up for a lifetime of success. The skills they learn now will benefit them for years to come, from writing university applications to succeeding in future careers.

When you invest in my tutoring services, you’re giving your child the chance to learn from someone who has walked the path to academic excellence and is committed to helping them do the same.

Ready to provide your child with the best opportunity to excel? Let’s chat about how I can support them in reaching their full potential. 🌟

Send me a message today, and let’s make this investment in your child’s future together! 🚀

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