GCSE Science Tuition
AQA Science, OCR 21st Century Science AQA Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Double, Triple Science
Hemel Hempstead 1:1 Private Tutors are highly qualified CRB checked (Disclosure and Barring Service) subject tutors and fully qualified experienced GCSE teachers.
Early Morning 7-8:30am, Daytime, Evening and Weekend Tuition available. Home Science using professional equipment.
We cover the OCR, AQA and Edexcel Syllabuses. Very little practical work is done in schools and we like to redress that balance. We believe that science is all about the practical world and we help the students derive the theory from the physical and chemical processes that they have seen and understood.
We have a well resourced GCSE Science facility and are able to do all the Biological, Chemical and Physics experiments necessary to support the different GCSE Syllabuses.
We make the difference. Not just tutors, but qualified experienced teachers. We cover much of the practical work not done in schools that enable students to understand Biology and how it works. Using different microscopes and by making their own slides the students see first hand what makes up organisms and how the different systems inter-relate. The students practice biological, chemical and physical techniques so when they need to do assessed practicals in schools they already have a wealth of experience. The students carry out for example, several biochemical assays of the body systems to test for all themajor foodstuffs. The students explore the world of enzymes and investigate their parameters. We look at chemical patterns in the Periodic table and look at titration's with acids and alkalis We test for the common metal using flame tests and for chlorides, bromides and the tests for gases. We look at the properties of motion using data capture devices and we look at electricity and magnetism creating transformers, motors and potentiometer circuits.
In a recent report by Ofsted it is claimed that GCSE science does not sufficiently test practical skills and that many schools do not doenough or the appropriate science practicals. As a result it concludes that pupils are poorly prepared for further science learning or any job that will involve science. Many teachers do not see the need to teach practical skills thoroughly. The report argues that ‘pupils in schools need to discover the concepts revealed through observing scientific phenomena and conducting experimental investigations for themselves. They are then more likely to continue to study science and use that learning for work, for family, and to contribute as informed citizens’.
Video of part of an experiment - Reaction of Hydrochloric Acid and Sodium Thiosulphate
Ofsted surveyed 89 secondary schools between 2010 and 2013. It found that the best teaching was driven by determined subject leadership that put scientific enquiry at the heart of science teaching and coupled it with substantial expertise in how pupils learn science. We put practical work at the forefront and with expert knownledge set you children up to give them the best possible advantage.
Approaching the Examination time we look at exam technique, finding ways to get a few extra marks that can make all the difference in the grades.
We spend time looking and practicing exam papers both those set by the examination boards and also looking and practicing many similar questions.
We spend time looking at the areas of student weakness and turn these into strengths. In schools the students must move onto the next topic, we can concentrate on any topics that the student is unsure of, strengthening those areas in which the student is weak. We try to make well rounded individuals who are confident in their own ability in the subject. From this confidence come excellent grades and a sure foundation for further work at University.