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Best video resources for revising GCSE or A-level English

student vaulting over stack of books

Visual learner? These video channels could help boost your English grades

If you’re revising for English at GCSE or A-level, you just know you’re going to be doing a tonne of reading. It kind of goes with the territory.

Watching revision videos can help mix things up a bit. 

The best English revision videos will summarise key topics, bundle up essential quotes and explain model essay structures. Your brain will get a break from reading and a chance to absorb information in a different way. 

As you might expect, there are stacks of experienced teachers and examiners sharing advice on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. 

So we've picked the ones we think are the best across both GCSE and A-level. We've outlined why they're worth your watching time and what The Student Room community have been saying about them in the discussion forums.

Take a look through our round-up, give them a watch and then let us know your favourites over in the English study help chat section.

Mr Bruff

GCSE, A-level

If you’ve not already discovered Mr Bruff, now’s a good time to get acquainted. His immense YouTube channel covers both GCSE and A-level revision for English literature and language and it’s constantly being updated. YouTube’s ‘channel search’ is the best way to find your way through more than 750 revision videos; the playlists are also good for focusing your study time on specific papers. Oh, and if you do pop by, don't leave without watching the Macbeth-inspired rap Mac's Not Hot. It really shouldn't work, but...

Find Mr Bruff on: YouTube; X

"Back when I did my GCSEs I used Mr. Bruff religiously for GCSE literature exam revision and it paid off."

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MrSallesTeachesEnglish

GCSE

Another of the English teacher megastars, MrSallesTeachesEnglish publishes quick revision fixes on TikTok and deeper dive stuff over on YouTube. His content focuses specifically on GCSE revision: you’ll discover quote collections and analysis videos for key set texts including Macbeth, An Inspector Calls and Lord of the Flies. This is another channel with a tonne of content to get through, and so a lot of year 11s just want to know: who's the boss out of Mr Salles or Mr Bruff? According to this chat, The Student Room community has the answer to that one...

Find MrSallesTeachesEnglish on: YouTube; TikTok

"I used to get 5s in English in yr 10, got a few Mr Salles revision guides and starting [to] get 9s from yr11."

ram1235

Stacey Reay

GCSE

Watch a few videos by Stacey Reay, an award-winning English teacher, and you’ll probably be wishing she was your teacher. Stacey has a knack of explaining the key themes and characters from GCSE texts in a way that’s both interesting and easy to understand. Most of her videos are somewhere around the 15 minute mark, making them a great way to add some variety into your own revision timetable.

Find Stacey Reay on: Youtube; Instagram; Facebook; TikTok

“I mainly used Stacey, but I would build upon her points with my own ideas and quotes. I don't think it's enough to just copy what she says word for word, but her ideas tend to be very perceptive so a good starting point. I definitely found Stacey more useful than the other Youtube channels."

languagestudent0

MrEverythingEnglish

GCSE

You’ll find plenty of quote collections and plot summaries on this channel, but MrEverythingEnglish also goes deep on the skills GCSE students need in the exam hall. So there are videos on how to write more quickly to avoid running out of time, there are story ideas you can use for your creative writing and there are explainers on how exams actually work. With masses of content across YouTube, Insta and TikTok, you’re not going to run out of MrEverythingEnglish vids anytime soon.

Find MrEverythingEnglish on: YouTube; Instagram; TikTok;

"I suggest you use MrEverythingEnglish as his website is top notch. He has the best videos out there for English revision."

Zainxbbb

Tutoring with Gavin

GCSE, A-level

What’s happened to Tutoring with Gavin? It’s been more than two years since English teacher Gavin added his last video to this channel but we’re keeping it in our round-up because what’s here is still so good. There’s a mix of videos for GCSE and A-level students; the quote analyses of Macbeth and A Christmas Carol are great for the former; while those year 13s can check character summaries from the likes of Streetcar and Othello. The lack of updates means this channel is by no means comprehensive, but it's still worth your time.

Find Tutoring with Gavin on: YouTube

First Rate Tutors

GCSE

Another channel that focuses specifically on GCSE, First Rate Tutors is filled with video titles that will make you keep on clicking. When you’re trying to cram everything into your brain, topics such as ‘five quotes you can use in any Jekyll & Hyde essay’ or ‘use these three points in any Macbeth essay’ are basically manna from heaven. Where some channels pitch their content at grade 7-9 students, this one is a bit more open than that - and it’s all the better for it.

Find First Rate Tutors on: YouTube; TikTok; Instagram

“I personally love First Rate Tutors and used their free videos on YouTube, and I got a 9 (highest grade) in English literature with them.”

axmm

Need more? You might also try…

  • Dr Aidan
    Notable for its Shakespeare study videos, which are presented with memorable animation to help the information stick.
     
  • DystopiaJunkie
    Former English teacher Liam mixes his own study vlog with some stellar GCSE revision guidance. Key texts from the GCSE syllabus are broken down into manageable chunks.
     
  • Easy as GCSE
    Only a handful of videos to be found here, which is a shame as the animated guides are great. Still well worth a watch to help cement your understanding of a text.
     
  • A-Level English Language
    Quality triumphs over quantity in this insightful but sparsely populated YouTube channel. The presenter is both a teacher and an examiner, making videos such as ‘common mistakes to avoid making in exams’ essential viewing.
     
  • Paul Heselton
    Need more revision guides for English language at A-level? Try Paul Heselton’s channel: a rabbit hole of in-depth analysis and guidance.
     
  • The Lightup Hub
    Short and snappy videos to help you focus on key points for GCSE English.
     
  • English with Watson
    Clear and concise summaries of the knowledge you need for GCSE. There are some great collections of quotes from key characters here.
     
  • Comics and Lit
    The comic book presentation of the videos on this channel could help the text summaries stick in your mind.

English study help on The Student Room

Throughout the academic year, A-level and GCSE students come together on The Student Room to help each other study and revise. Head over to the English study help section to find the latest revision chat or use the links below to go straight to specific exam discussions.

 

GCSE 2024 exam paper discussion

GCSE English Literature

GCSE English Language


A-level 2024 exam paper discussion

A-level English Literature

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Article by Nik Taylor on Tuesday 09 April 2024
Last edited by Monica Hudson on Tuesday 22 April 2025