He can always make the grade, of course (5)

I believe the answer is:

edgar

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'he' is the definition.

'always make the grade of course' is the wordplay.
'grade' anagrams to 'EDGAR'.
However, I'm unsure how this is indicated.

'can' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for edgar that I've seen before include ". . . . . Allan Poe, master of the macabre" , "... Allan Poe, author" , "character in King Lear" , "- Rice Burroughs, US novelist" , "Fellow" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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