A-level Past Paper Review

Six weeks. One paper at a time. That is the shape of our A-level past paper review, and it is built for a particular kind of sixth former: the one who can explain the method in class, then watches marks disappear when the clock is running. They know the content. The paper is where it goes wrong.

We run the review for A-level maths, chemistry, physics and biology, one-to-one. Lessons run online, and we can also arrange one-to-one lessons at home with a DBS-checked qualified tutor. Each week your child brings a real past paper, we mark it against the official mark scheme, and we work on the exact lines where timing, wording or method cost marks. Our tutors are DBS-checked and qualified, and the science side is overseen by our head of sciences. At the end you receive progress reports for parents, plus recorded lesson notes your child can return to.

What the six-week review actually is

Revision often leaves a gap between knowing and scoring. A student can solve a quadratic, describe enzyme action, or calculate a gradient, then drop four marks on a six-mark question because they missed the command word evaluate, or because their working stopped before the final substitution. Past papers expose that gap. Mark schemes name it.

This is not a race through every paper ever published. It is a short block of weekly sessions with a narrow aim: make the next script cleaner than the last. We choose papers by exam board and specification, mark them the way an examiner would, and keep a running list of repeat errors. By week four, the list usually has a pattern your child can name. That self-awareness holds up better than another hour of copying notes.

Who it helps, and who it does not

We teach school pupils aged 7 to 18 across maths, English and science, but this block is for Year 12 and Year 13 students taking A-level maths, chemistry, physics or biology. It fits when the school report says runs out of time, method unclear or answers lack detail, and when your child can do the work untimed but not under pressure. It also fits a student with a university offer who needs the final paper to look like their best work.

It does not fit every sixth former. If your child is missing whole topics, a past paper review will expose the gaps without filling them. Start with subject tuition in that topic, then come back to papers once the content is in place. The block is also not a group revision session. It is one-to-one, so the paper we mark is your child's paper, not a class average.

• Suits: mock feedback about timing, command words or method lines.
• Suits: strong classwork, weaker timed work.
• Suits: a student who wants to review a full script with someone who will mark it honestly.
• Does not suit: a student who has not yet covered the content being examined.

How the six weeks run, step by step

The block is six weekly sessions. We agree the time when you book, and we ask for the exam board and specification before the first lesson. The weeks below are the usual shape. We change the order if your child's mock is close.

Week 1: baseline and diagnosis

We ask for a recent mock script or a full paper done under time. We mark it cold, then spend the session on the places marks went missing first. Is it timing? A command word? A method line that stopped too early? We write the targets down, and your child leaves with a short list, not a folder of new notes.

Weeks 2 to 5: targeted paper practice

Each week has a focus. In maths we look at layout, calculator use, and the number of lines a method needs. In the sciences we look at data questions, practical questions, and extended answers that need a clear chain of reasoning. Your child does the paper before the session. We do not spend the lesson watching them write. We spend it marking, explaining and rebuilding the answer.

Week 6: full paper under exam conditions

We set a full paper, your child completes it in one sitting, and we mark it before the final session. The last hour is a review of the whole script. After that session you receive the parent progress report, which sets out what changed, what still needs work, and which question types to keep practising.

After each session we record the key method notes and share the annotated script. That means your child can revisit the exact correction, not a half-remembered version of it. You do not need to buy extra papers or mark schemes. They are included in the block.

What to prepare before the first session

You do not need to turn the kitchen into an exam hall. A table, a calculator and the right paper are enough. Send us these before the first lesson:

• The exam board and specification, for example AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC or Eduqas.
• A recent mock script, marked or unmarked.
• A calculator, formula booklet or data sheet if your child uses one in school.
• A short list of questions that went wrong, in your child's own words.
• The school target grade or university offer, if there is one.

If you already have a pile of past papers at home, bring them. We will use what you have rather than ask you to buy more. For online lessons, have the paper in front of your child and a quiet room with a stable connection. We send the paper ahead, so there is no printing panic on the night. For lessons at home, the tutor brings the mark scheme and the plan. Your child brings the script and the questions.

What affects the timetable and the fee

No single fee fits every family, because the work depends on the subject, the board and how close the exams are. We quote the fee for the six-week block when you book, once we know those details. The fee is on request. We would rather give you a clear figure for your child's papers than publish a rate that does not match the work.

Four things change the plan:

• The subject and the length of the paper. A-level maths and the sciences have different paper structures and different marking demands.
• The exam board. AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and Eduqas set different question styles, and we mark against the right mark scheme.
• The start date. Starting after February half term gives more room to fix habits than starting in the last fortnight before the May exams.
• Online or at home. Online is easier to arrange at short notice. At-home lessons depend on tutor availability in your area, so ask when you book.

The block includes the papers we set, the mark schemes, the recorded lesson notes and the end-of-block progress report. There is no separate charge for those. The value is in the marking and correction, not in a folder of extra resources. If you need to move a session, ask us when you book. We confirm the arrangements then.

Questions parents ask before booking

My child knows the content but freezes in exams. Is this the right block?

If the content is genuinely there, yes. The block is built around the gap between knowing and scoring. If the mock shows large topic gaps, start with subject tuition and use the review later. We will tell you which we think fits when we see the script.

Which exam boards do you cover?

We work with AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and Eduqas. Tell us the board and specification when you book, and send a recent paper if you have one. The more precise the paper, the more useful the marking.

Are lessons online or at home?

Both. We offer one-to-one lessons online or at home with a DBS-checked qualified tutor. Whatever the setting, your child gets recorded lesson notes and you get progress reports for parents at the end of the block.

What if we start late?

A six-week block can run up to the exam window, but the later you start, the fewer papers we can mark and review. Ask when you book and we will tell you what fits before the first paper. We do not promise a grade or a university place. We mark against the mark scheme, teach the habits that hold marks, and report what we see.

How do we book?

Call +44 161 6306222 or email [email protected]. Tell us the subject, exam board and the date of the next mock or exam. We will confirm the start date and the fee for the six-week block. Opening hours are confirmed when you book.