Our Philosophy
We value a love of learning, and believe reading quality literature fosters a more informed and compassionate relationship with the wider world.
Our Aims
We aim to instil in our students an appreciation of literary language, and help them build the confidence to work towards and achieve their academic goals.
The combination of teaching critical thinking with the skills of academic writing ensures a holistic educational experience, one that embraces diverse perspectives and inspires a productive collaboration between teacher and student.
We support The Go Foundation - providing Indigenous young people access to quality education.
Dr Niven Kumar
PhD, MSocSci, BA (Hons)
Niven has been teaching literature for over twenty years at both tertiary and secondary levels. He wrote his doctoral thesis in English literature at Macquarie University where he taught English, Drama and Creative Writing. Niven has been teaching creative writing for many years, and has published a number of short fiction pieces in literary journals. He has presented his research at international and local conferences, and has published academic articles on world literature and theory.
Mr Do Hyun (Andrew) Kim
Andrew is a talented English teacher and scholar with impressive experience teaching at elite Sydney schools including James Ruse Agricultural High School, St George Girls High School and Sydney Boys High School, and teaching at tertiary level for the English Department at UNSW. Andrew teaches innovative textual interpretation skills and effective academic writing for all streams of the HSC and beyond. He has completed a double degree in Secondary Education and English (UNSW), a Master of English Studies (The University of Sydney), including a Distinction thesis on rhetoric and the works of William Shakespeare, and is currently preparing for a PhD candidacy at the University of Sydney. Andrew has Proficient Teacher Accreditation from NESA (2025), affirming his engaging and informative teaching style.
Dr Lucyna Swiatek
PhD, MA, BA, Dip Teach
Lucyna completed her doctoral thesis in English Literature at Macquarie University where she taught undergraduate and postgraduate English and Literary Theory. She has taught secondary students for many years, and has coordinated and presented at lecture days and forums for high school students and teachers of English. Lucyna has published critical articles on narrative and literary theory.
Dr Benjamin Cornford
Dr Cornford is a highly experienced English teacher and lecturer who has been working with HSC, IB, and tertiary students for over 15 years, both in Australia and overseas. He completed his PhD at St John’s College, University of Cambridge, and a Masters of Professional Writing at UTS. His research on history and literature has been published in a number of academic journals. Dr Cornford is also an accomplished creative writer, and has published prose and poetry in a range of literary journals including Meanjin, PN Review, Westerly and Island.
Mr Jeremy Blades
Jeremy is a skilled English teacher and academic mentor with wide experience teaching all streams of HSC English. After completing his Bachelor of Arts (English) / Bachelor of Laws at The University of Sydney, Jeremy completed a Master of Teaching in English and Legal Studies at the University of New South Wales. He was a recipient of a Princeton University Scholarship to study the Moral Foundations of Law, a testament to his gift with language and philosophy. Jeremy’s experience in student and staff welfare is evident in his roles as Senior Advisor and Educational Consultant, assisting academic institutions to establish effective mentoring programs that support mental health, organisational skills and proficient study habits.
WHAT WE DO
Our classes are structured around individual tuition sessions for HSC and IB senior students, and small group classes for junior students.
We focus on supporting students through the demands of the HSC and IB English curriculum by building the skills of critical interpretation, and creative and academic writing.
For university students, we outline the changing expectations from secondary to tertiary academic performance, and teach independent research skills and the required formalities of academic writing.
“Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but, most of all, endurance.”
— James Baldwin