Hamish Bailey Shackleton Bailey

My lessons are practical, supportive and shaped around what each student wants to improve. I do not believe writing should feel mysterious or intimidating, so my aim is to break the process down into clear, manageable steps. At the start, I will usually ask what the student is working towards, what they find difficult, and what kind of writing they want help with. This could be essay writing, news writing, creative writing, applications, personal statements, professional communication or simply building confidence.

I can offer one-off focused sessions or a longer personalised plan over several lessons. For a single session, we might work through a specific piece of writing together, looking at structure, clarity, tone, grammar and argument. For a longer series, I can build a structured plan around the student’s goals, starting with the basics of planning and sentence clarity before moving into stronger paragraphs, editing techniques and developing a more confident written voice.

My teaching style is collaborative. I like to use live editing, examples and discussion, so students can see why changes work rather than just being told what to correct. I will always encourage students to bring their own ideas and direction, because good writing should still sound like them.

I am a trained journalist and communications professional with experience writing for newspapers, national media outlets and a parliamentary office. I have produced more than 700 published articles, covered breaking news and public-interest stories, and written briefings, campaign materials and public-facing communications. I use that experience to help students write in a way that is clear, engaging and purposeful.

My goal is for students to leave each lesson with practical tools they can use independently, as well as more confidence in their ability to express their ideas.