How My A Level Maths Tuition Works
My Role As A Maths Tutor
When considering what makes an exceptional A-Level Maths tutor, it’s essential to define the role clearly—not just what the tutor does but what they should do to truly make a difference. A skilled A-Level Maths tutor must adapt to their student’s needs, which can shift both unexpectedly and over time. Here’s what I believe defines a top-quality A-Level Maths tutor:
1 - A Subject Expert
One of the most critical aspects of being an A-Level Maths tutor is possessing a deep and comprehensive understanding of the A-Level syllabus. Over my career, I’ve encountered students who previously worked with tutors who, despite being accomplished mathematicians—such as university lecturers or PhD students—lacked in-depth knowledge of the A-Level curriculum.An expert A-Level Maths tutor knows the nuances of the syllabus, including how mark schemes have evolved and the differences between various exam boards. This expertise enables them to provide valuable guidance on improving subject knowledge, mastering techniques, and ultimately boosting exam performance. Tutoring sessions should not simply involve solving questions together in the hope of improvement but should be structured and purposeful, offering clear strategies for success.
2 - A Qualified Teacher
While subject expertise is vital, the ability to effectively convey that knowledge is equally important. A-Level Maths and Further Maths tutors must have teaching experience to deliver content in a way that engages and resonates with their students.A skilled tutor, particularly one with classroom teaching experience, can quickly recall syllabus content and offer immediate support with any challenges a student may face. This ability ensures the learning experience is seamless and productive, fostering confidence and understanding in the subject.
3 - A Mentor
An excellent A-Level Maths tutor does more than just teach—they inspire and motivate. They take the time to understand their student not just academically but personally, identifying what drives and motivates them. By building this connection, the tutor can tailor their approach to encourage and support the student, helping them overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential in A-Level Maths.
My Approach As An A Level Maths Tutor
I often get asked by parents and students “what is your approach to tutoring?” This is a very difficult question to answer because it depends entirely on the individual needs and characteristics of the student. For this reason, so you can get a better idea of how my tuition works, I have put together a few different scenarios to best get across what my approach would be.
Student Profile #1: Lacks confidence in own ability and doesn't like to ask for help
Laura, a hypothetical student, often feels overwhelmed. While she understands most topics covered in class, she struggles to grasp certain concepts. However, she rarely asks her teacher for help. The thought of admitting she doesn’t understand something in front of her peers fills her with anxiety. Laura’s experience isn’t unique—many A-Level Maths students feel the same way.
Unfortunately, this reluctance to ask questions often leads to students falling behind. While teachers are there to support them, the reality is that some students simply find it too intimidating to speak up in class.
My Approach as a Tutor
This scenario is incredibly common, and I’ve worked with many students who share similar traits. In fact, I’ve even written an article about how an A-Level Maths tutor can help students who have fallen behind. The key to helping students like Laura is early intervention through thorough assessment.
However, the word “assessment” can be daunting for many students. It often conjures up images of timed exams, which can leave struggling students feeling exposed and discouraged. But assessment doesn’t have to be stressful—it can be integrated seamlessly into lessons.
Over the years, I’ve found that the best way to identify and address gaps in knowledge is by incorporating assessment into teaching. Using past paper questions during lessons allows me to uncover areas of weakness while simultaneously helping students strengthen their understanding. This method is far more effective than simply assigning a past paper and emphasising their shortcomings, which can be demoralizing and counterproductive.
Once we’ve addressed these initial gaps, I shift my focus to teaching slightly ahead of the class schedule. This proactive approach gives students a head start, enabling them to enter their lessons with confidence. Being one step ahead allows them to engage more actively in class discussions, ask questions, and even answer them, transforming their classroom experience from one of apprehension to one of empowerment.
Student Profile #2: Did well in GCSEs but doesn't work hard enough at A-Level
Simon, a hypothetical student, excelled in his GCSEs, achieving top grades across the board. However, a few terms into A-Level Maths, his school grades have started to slip. While Simon believes it’s just a temporary blip and feels confident in his progress, as a parent, you’re beginning to have doubts. This scenario is incredibly common. Many students who perform effortlessly up to GCSE level often struggle when A-Level Maths demands a higher level of independent work and deeper understanding.
My Approach as a Tutor
This situation is particularly common among high-achieving GCSE students, especially boys. The key to addressing this issue lies in early intervention, which helps rebuild confidence and establish a strong work ethic—essential for success at A-Level.
The first step is identifying gaps in the student’s knowledge and designing a structured plan to address them. However, it’s important to approach this carefully. Simply presenting a long list of areas where a student is struggling can be overwhelming and demotivating. Instead, I take a more gradual approach, introducing gaps one at a time during lessons and simultaneously working to close them. This method allows students to make steady progress without feeling discouraged.
Once the initial gaps are addressed and the student is back on track, the approach shifts. To ensure lasting success, I focus on getting the student ahead of their class syllabus. By teaching upcoming topics before they’re covered in school, the student gains a strong foundation and enters lessons with confidence. At this stage, the confidence they exude is well-earned, creating a positive feedback loop that enhances their performance and motivation.
Student Profile #3: Naturally high-achieving but suffers from test and exam anxiety
Sarah is an exceptional student—engaged, diligent, and proactive. She asks questions in class, completes her homework, takes detailed notes, and creates beautifully concise revision cards to summarise her studies. However, Sarah struggles with examinations. The pressure of controlled testing often overwhelms her, causing her to underperform despite her strong academic habits.
The issue lies in how Sarah allocates her time. While her note-taking and revision card-making are meticulous, they divert attention from the area she finds most challenging: practising exam questions.
My Approach as a Tutor
In my experience as a classroom teacher and A-Level Maths tutor, helping students like Sarah requires a gentle, supportive approach. While it might be tempting to directly point out that her study habits aren’t as effective as they could be, this risks undermining the confidence of a hardworking high achiever. Instead, I aim to guide students towards discovering a more effective way of working for themselves.
The key to success in A-Level Maths and Further Maths is, without a doubt, practice—specifically, practice with exam-style questions. However, encouraging a student to shift their focus from producing polished notes and revision cards to solving practice questions must be handled delicately. Rather than framing it as a criticism of their past habits, I help the student gradually recognise the benefits of a more targeted approach.
By integrating exam questions into lessons and emphasising their value in improving performance, I help students build confidence in their ability to tackle exams. This process doesn’t disrupt their existing study routines but instead complements them, leading to a natural and positive shift in their preparation strategy.
Student Profile #4: Didn't do well enough in Year 1 to progress to Year 2
Dan (another hypothetical student) struggled significantly during his first year and never quite managed to bridge the gap between GCSEs and A Levels. A few weeks before his end-of-year exams, Dan realised the extent of the predicament he was in and put in more effort than he ever had before. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. He was informed that his marks on the end-of-year test were insufficient to progress to the second year. If Dan wants to continue with Maths, his only option is to repeat the year.
My Approach as a Tutor
In situations like this, it’s crucial for a tutor to step in promptly before the student loses hope. Dan’s confidence is understandably shaken, but an experienced A Level Maths tutor knows this setback can be turned into an opportunity.
As a tutor, I would focus on harnessing the improved work ethic Dan demonstrated during the exam period and use it as a foundation for his success. While Dan spent the year feeling like he was at the bottom of the class, he will still have absorbed much of the material taught, even if it isn’t yet fluent or readily accessible. This underlying knowledge can be built upon.
By working with Dan to keep him slightly ahead of the classroom schedule, he can transition from feeling behind and overwhelmed to feeling prepared and confident. This proactive approach will allow Dan to engage more effectively, perform well in homework and class tests, and regain a sense of achievement and self-belief.
Student Profile #5: Studying Further Maths and struggling to keep up with the pace
Nathaniel (yes, another hypothetical student!) was a high achiever at GCSE but is finding the pace of A-Level Further Maths overwhelming. He feels that the teacher moves on too quickly and that only “the brainboxes” in the class can keep up. Meanwhile, the teacher insists that Further Maths students should be able to handle this pace. Nathaniel is becoming increasingly demoralised and is even considering dropping A-Level Further Maths altogether.
My Approach as a Tutor
The worst thing Nathaniel could do at this stage is to give up. From my experience tutoring Further Maths, this is a common scenario for many talented and capable students—self-doubt creeps in when they lack adequate support.
In these situations, it’s crucial for a tutor to strike the right balance between addressing past gaps in knowledge (which are often prerequisites for future topics) and helping the student stay on top of the current material being taught in class.
The key is to take a gradual, supportive approach that allows the student to rebuild their confidence and realise that they can succeed. With the right guidance and enough time to properly absorb the content, even the most challenging topics become manageable. It’s about showing students that their potential is well within reach when they’re given the tools and support they need.
How Online Tuition Works
It is only natural that parents and students may have some scepticism about the effectiveness of online tuition.
- Students can feel more comfortable by doing a lesson in their own environment, such as a bedroom or a study.
- You can have access to the best tutors as there are no longer any geographical constraints.
- Using the latest online whiteboard software, the tutor and student can see exactly what the other is writing without any awkard having to look over each other's shoulder.
You may by this point still have reservations about the effectiveness of online tuition so to ease these anxieties and give you a full picture of how online tuition works, I have written an article on this very topic entitled “Online vs In-Person A Level Maths Tuition”.
And that’s everything! As long as you have access to both of the above then online tuition is as interactive, personal and effective as in-person tuition, as you can see from the video below.
What Equipment Is Needed For Online A Level Maths Tuition?
In order for online tuition to be effective, it needs to be truly interactive. Below is the basic equipment needed to ensure that you get the most out of online tuition.
A strong and stable interet connection
This is essential to ensure that the lesson runs smoothly without interruptions.
A tablet (e.g. iPad with Apple Pencil or touchscreen PC with a stylus)
This will be used in conjunction with live online whiteboard software to provide an interactive lesson. I will be able to see what you are writing and you will be able to see what I am writing in real-time allowing me to demonstrate, give explanations and feed back to you as you work. The ideal equipment to have is an iPad with an Apple pencil or a touchscreen windows laptop (such as a Microsoft Surface) with a stylus. A cheaper option that would still allow truly interactive online lessons to occur would be a Wacom graphics tablet.
24-Hour Cancellation Policy
I completely understand that life doesn’t always go to plan and that things can come up unexpectedly. To make things fair for everyone, I’ve put a 24-hour cancellation policy in place.
Let Me Know in Advance
If you need to cancel or reschedule a lesson, please let me know at least 24 hours beforehand. This gives me time to adjust my schedule and possibly offer the slot to another student who might need it.Late Cancellations
If you cancel within 24 hours of the scheduled lesson, I may need to charge a cancellation fee, which will usually be the full cost of the session. That said, I understand emergencies happen, so please get in touch if something unexpected comes up—I’ll always try to be as understanding as possible.Missed Lessons
If a lesson is missed without any prior notice, the full session fee will apply.Rescheduling
If you let me know with more than 24 hours’ notice, I’ll happily reschedule the lesson for you at no extra cost, as long as there’s a suitable time available.
I want to make sure this arrangement works for both of us while respecting the time and effort we both put into these lessons. If you have any concerns or special circumstances, please don’t hesitate to get in touch—I’m always here to help!