We started out in 1997 offering predominantly science revision, hence the name. Physics being one of the more popular subjects we will have offered it on every course since the first. Currently roughly 5% of A Level students sit Physics, figures from a 2024 Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) report. We currently have more than 80 tutors offering this subject, many with decades of experience and all degree educated, keen to share their enthusiasm and insight.
Like all our courses our A Level (& AS Level) Physics revision courses are bespoke and exam board and paper specific, as appropriate. All our exam-based courses are student-led – the student(s) in the class determine what is covered during the course. See our Student-led Revision Courses page for how this works in practice.
We cover all A Level exam boards and do differentiate, for example, between OCR A and OCR B (Advancing). We also offer International A Level (IAL) Physics for AQA (also known as Oxford-AQA), CIE, and Edexcel International.
For our bigger courses the main three science subjects often will be taught in small groups, typically 2-4 students, with a maximum of 6 timetabled per class. Physics A Level is one of the more popular subjects, currently the 9th most popular with 5% of A Level students taking it – the most popular (at least numerically) is Maths with 11.9%. See the JCQ for Summer 2024 figures.
Although the content of all our courses is student-led the tutors will also have a list of topics that they know students often get wrong or struggle with, Newton’s 3rd law as a likely example here.
From a tutor and student point of view the student-led approach is a huge advantage. Focusing on problem areas is the most effective use of the limited time on a revision course. For example, it may be the case that a tutor will spend a third of the course on magnetism if that is what the group dynamics dictate.
In the case of magnetism, at least for A Level students, it’s useful to be able to explain that the underlying maths is essentially university level and what they are presented with is a bunch of rules designed as a shortcut passed the problematic maths. The “problematic maths” (Maxwell’s equations – see Wikipedia to see the problem) is the foundation for truly understanding electromagnetism (and hence magnetism) and unlike most other topics they will cover, these foundations are inaccessible to most A level students, even those doing Further Maths.
Getting the students to understand that, for the meanwhile, they just have some seemingly arbitrary rules, actually helps. Oddly the trick for this topic is to just accept these rules – this is counter to almost all of the rest of the syllabus, where understanding foundations is key.
The vast majority of revision is typically done at home – we are here, above all else, to speed up the revision process and clarify troublesome topics. The structured timetables of our revision courses provide students the opportunity for focused student, with expert tutors, there to help them with the areas they find challenging. To help them better apply their knowledge to the exam questions, and look to achieve higher marks.
All students need to learn the skill of revising on their own. It might seem like a nice idea to guide a student through every minute of their revision, but actually you would be doing them a disservice – they need to develop the skill of self-directed revision/learning for use for future application.
Like playing the piano, practicing Physics (and Maths) is absolutely key – sitting down and solving problems is vital to becoming good at these types of exams.
We are here to help students through problem areas, refine their exam technique and show them how to answer certain problematic questions. We can’t do the revision for them, but we can make it easier for them and speed up the process.
Many students do just revise for their Physics A Level at home, but they may find the revision process slightly more enjoyable and efficient by attending an intensive revision course. With the benefit of support from engaging subject specialist, focused content review and collaborative study with like-minded students.
If the student doesn’t understand how to (for example) apply equations of motion to projectiles, then they can’t ask themselves to explain. The easiest thing to do is to be able to ask an experience physics tutor. As helpful as forums, Google, etc., are, there are serious limitations – firstly, are the explanations A level appropriate, and secondly, are they correct?
During our residential course we also have study skills sessions and workshops. Although these are not subject specific their aim is to provide some tools for making revision easier and improving exam techniques.
Recommended for students aged 16 years and onwards – ideal read for A Level and IB Physics students
Our expert tutor Emma recommends this book because Rovelli manages to make the physics of time both rigorous and deeply human. He blends science, philosophy, and poetry in a way that invites you to see the world differently. It’s a rare example of a book that’s intellectually challenging yet accessible, and it sparks curiosity well beyond physics itself. It’s one of those rare books that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.
Top tips from Emma, who studied as below:
MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence at the University of Cambridge
Physics degree with a specialization in Medical Physics from University College London (UCL), graduating with top honors).
Emma would advise students to be curious, practice consistently, and always ask questions, especially to yourself.
Emma suggests that breaking problems into smaller steps and applying concepts actively helps build understanding and confidence.