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I went to a now defunct private school in Addiscombe, Surrey called Winton House and studied at A level English Literature, achieving an A and a distinction in the 'special' paper in 1979. This was the forerunner of the current A* award. I also studied History and History of Art. I graduated from St John's in June 1983, intending to apply for post-graduate study. I was employed by St. John's to teach the Victorian paper to first year undergraduates during the two term sabbatical of my tutor Dr Richard Beadle between January and June 1984: a measure, I suppose, of how I was regarded by my college. I was offered a position as a teacher at MPW, London in May 1984 and took up that position in September of the same year. I became a head of department in June 1990. I stepped away from this role half way through 2025. I was an assistant examiner for OCR English Literature A level from June 1997 -2005 and thereafter a team leader 2005-2012. I have been with my current partner since 1980 and we have a son who is a professional musician.

In the 1980s and 90s the retake market was a buoyant one and so I learnt the art of teaching intense courses: September to November and September to January. This inculcated in me an important skill: how to teach quickly without forsaking detail, without cutting corners. With the collapse of the re-take market in the new millenium I became the teacher at MPW entrusted to teach one-year A level courses to year 14 students. This often necessitated students studying new texts with some of these students being new to this A level. Skills learnt earlier in my career have thus continued to pay dividends and resulted in exam success and university placement in respect of those students I have taught down through the years.

I am absolutely flexible and prepared to teach between 8 AM and 7 PM. I am happy to teach at weekends and over the school holidays.