Melanie Courtney-Holt

Independent writing and assessment practice exploring humane pedagogy, authentic student voice, and AI‑supported writing processes. Write essays and thinkpieces, publish educational resources, and offer guidance on extended writing, literacy development, and assessment. Provide mentoring and consultancy for students and educators (schools, colleges, universities).

Led English department and coordinated Level 2 and Level 3 English programmes, ensuring alignment with team needs and educational standards.

Specialist in extended writing, coursework supervision, and high‑quality written feedback. Deliver CPD on writing craft, assessment literacy, and AI in education. Experienced in online teaching via Teams and Google Docs. Currently an 'Early Adopter' of Canvas within the college: designing the Canvas provision for GCSE English. Secured 'Sarsen Grant' to lead trial of AI tutor for English, contributing to innovative teaching methods and student engagement.

Published 14 educational resources for A Level English Literature, A Level English Language, A Level Creative Writing, and GCSE English Literature, sold to English departments internationally.

I'm proudest of of my first resource Birdsong: Comprehensive Guide for A Level AQA A, published initially in 2008 and then as a revised second edition for the 2025 specifications, and my most recent resource Structured Cover Lessons for A Level AQA English Language, written to provide high-quality lessons for students; independent study, published in July 2026.

I have also provided detailed reviews from a professional perspective on other educational writers' materials, to maximise the efficacy of published resources in the classroom since 2008.

A Level English Literature. Cambridge. OCR (June 2026)

A Level English Language. Cambridge. OCR (June 2025)

A Level English Language (creative writing component). Eduqas +

A Level English Language NEA moderator. Eduqas (May/June 2022-24)

No examining during Covid

GCSE English Language AQA (June 2017-2019)

A Level Creative Writing AQA (June 2015-18)

A Level English Literature AQA (June 2007-9)

KS3 SATs English Edexcel (June/July 2005-6) Joined a residential marking panel following successful marking at home

Led a range of Level 3 English and Journalism programmes, teaching A Level English Language, Literature, combined Language & Literature, GCSE English, Creative Writing. Supervised EPQ projects.

Established A Level Creative Writing and Level 3 Journalism courses, designing the curricula from scratch (whilst co-authoring the main resources with ZigZag used by Creative Writing departments nationally). Developed RARPA systems for modern languages. Organised writing and MFL festivals to celebrate the disciplines and raise recruitment of students. 'Change Agent', researching and implementing blended learning platforms. Pastoral support of students as an academic tutor.

Taught English (Years 7–13) and German A Level, focusing on the extended essay for coursework.

Provided pastoral leadership in girls’ boarding, living by the girls' boarding house, including academic tutoring for Year 12.

Sports coach for lower school.

Taught English across KS3–KS5. Sixth Form tutor.

Completed a conversion year for essay-based subject graduates to English, with a placement at Ivy Lane Primary School in Chippenham to study literacy development.

Teaching placements at St Peter's Catholic High School and Hereford Sixth Form College.

Short-term assignments to explore a range of teaching settings.

Managed licensing of literary intellectual property at the world’s oldest literary agency. Developed strong editorial, communication, and organisational skills.