Online Tutoring for the UK Curriculum
One-to-one online tutoring across the UK curriculum in maths, English and science, from Key Stage 1 through to A-Level. Britain runs four separate education systems, so every tutor is matched to your child's nation and to the exam board their school actually enters them for.
Board-Matched
AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC or CCEA
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Understanding the UK Curriculum
There is no single British curriculum. Education is devolved, which means four nations each set their own standards, qualifications and regulators, and the differences are larger than most families outside the system expect.
England
National Curriculum, Key Stages 1–4, GCSE and A-Level
Scotland
Curriculum for Excellence, National 5, Higher, Advanced Higher
Wales
Curriculum for Wales and the reformed Made-for-Wales GCSEs
N. Ireland
CCEA curriculum, GCSEs and A-Levels under CCEA grading
Two of the four are mid-reform right now. Scotland's qualifications are now awarded by Qualifications Scotland, which replaced the SQA, and Wales is partway through introducing its reformed GCSEs. Tutoring that treats Britain as one system will be wrong for roughly a fifth of UK families before it starts.
Tutoring Matched to Your Key Stage and Exam Board
An AQA GCSE Maths paper and an Edexcel one reward different things, and a tutor who knows the mark scheme is worth considerably more than one who simply knows the maths. We match on nation, key stage and awarding body.
Not sure which board your child sits? Check the front of any past paper they have been set, or ask us during the free trial lesson and we will work it out with you.
Subject Specialisms
Subject specialist teachers across the whole UK curriculum, from Key Stage 1 through to A-Level and Further Maths. Follow any subject through to its own page for tutor profiles and full topic coverage.
Online Maths Tutors
- KS1–2 number, fractions & times tables
- GCSE Foundation & Higher tier
- A-Level Maths & Further Maths
Online English Tutors
- Reading comprehension & inference
- GCSE English Language & Literature
- Essay technique & unseen texts
Online Science Tutors
- KS3 working scientifically
- Combined Science (Trilogy & Synergy)
- Required practicals & six-mark questions
Online Physics Tutors
- Forces, energy, waves & electricity
- GCSE Physics & Combined Science
- A-Level Physics and the maths behind it
Online Chemistry Tutors
- Atomic structure & bonding
- Moles, titrations & rates of reaction
- A-Level organic and physical chemistry
Online Biology Tutors
- Cells, organisation & infection
- Genetics, evolution & ecology
- A-Level Biology and practical endorsement
How the UK Curriculum Progresses
Terminology differs across the four nations, but the underlying shape is similar. These are the stages where students most often lose ground, and what tends to be behind it.
Key Stage 1 & 2, Years 1–6
Phonics, number bonds, times tables, fractions and reading fluency, with KS2 SATs at the end of Year 6. Fractions are the single most common source of difficulty later on, and they are almost always the real problem when GCSE algebra goes wrong.
Key Stage 3, Years 7–9
Algebraic thinking, ratio and proportion, and the transition to subject-specific science. This is the most overlooked stage in the whole system: nothing is formally examined, so gaps open quietly and only surface in Year 10.
Key Stage 4, Years 10–11
GCSE content across nine or ten subjects, with tier decisions in maths and science. Course grades now matter for sixth form entry, and students who do not reach a grade 4 in maths and English normally continue studying them post-16.
Key Stage 5, Years 12–13
A-Levels, coursework and practical endorsements, alongside UCAS applications. Three or four subjects studied in far greater depth, where the step up from GCSE catches out even strong students in the first term.
Exams We Prepare Students For
Knowing the content and knowing how to earn marks for it are two different abilities. Our tutors work through mark scheme strategy, timed past papers and the specific question styles each board favours, alongside the underlying subject content.
One thing worth knowing about tiering: Foundation tier caps the available grade at 5, while Higher runs from 9 down to 4. Pushing a struggling student onto Higher often produces a worse result than the top of Foundation, and the decision is worth revisiting after each set of mocks rather than settling it once in Year 10.
Book a Free Trial LessonExams & Boards We Cover
- GCSE and IGCSE across AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA
- A-Level, AS-Level and Further Maths
- National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher in Scotland
- KS2 SATs and the Year 6 transition
- 11+, 13+, Common Entrance and independent school scholarships
- GCSE resits in maths and English
Specifications and grade boundaries are set by the awarding bodies and change periodically. Check current requirements with your child's school before making decisions on them.
How Math Make Smart Supports the UK Curriculum
Matched to Nation and Board
Tutors are assessed on the specification your child is actually examined against, whether that is an AQA GCSE in Manchester, a CCEA paper in Belfast or a Higher in Glasgow.
Marks, Not Just Method
Examiners award marks for working, not only for answers. We teach students how marks are actually allocated, which for many is worth more than additional content revision.
Progress You Can Read
Written summaries after every session and a fortnightly report showing topics mastered and topics still needing work, in the language of the specification.
FAQs About UK Curriculum Tutoring
The questions British parents ask us most often about key stages, exam boards, tiering and getting started.
Do you follow the National Curriculum?
Which exam boards do your tutors cover?
What year groups do you tutor?
Should my child sit Foundation or Higher tier maths?
What is the difference between a grade 4 and a grade 5?
Can you help with 11+ and independent school entrance exams?
How are lessons conducted?
Is there a free trial lesson?
Ready to give your child the best academic support?
Whether your child needs help catching up at Key Stage 3, pushing for a grade 7 at GCSE, or preparing for A-Level exams, our UK curriculum specialists are here to help. Book a free trial lesson today, no credit card required.