Online GCSE Physics tutors, matched to your child

GCSE Physics sits at the intersection of science and mathematics. More than any other GCSE science, it asks students to solve problems — to set up an equation, rearrange it, substitute values with the correct units, and arrive at an answer that makes physical sense. For students who are confident mathematically, Physics often becomes their favourite science. For students who find maths challenging, it can feel like an obstacle course.

The mathematical demand of GCSE Physics

Physics is unusual because the difficulty is often not the physics itself but the mathematical fluency it requires. Students are expected to rearrange equations — sometimes through two or three steps — to substitute values expressed in unfamiliar units, to read gradients and areas from graphs, and to work with powers of ten. These are skills that sit partly in maths and partly in physics, and they can fall through the gap between the two subjects if they are not addressed directly.

Students no longer have to memorise the equations: since 2022 every board has provided an equations sheet with the papers, a support Ofqual made permanent in March 2026 for the remaining lifetime of the current specifications. But the sheet only lists relationships — it never says which one a question needs. Students who learn the equations through repeated application in context — understanding what each symbol represents and practising different rearrangements — treat the sheet as a safety net and work quickly; students meeting the equations cold lose time hunting down the sheet for something they half-recognise.

What a GCSE Physics tutor typically covers

A tutor will start by reviewing your child’s test papers and identifying the topics and skills costing the most marks. Typical focus areas include:

• Forces and motion — velocity-time graphs, acceleration calculations, Newton’s laws, and the stopping distance questions that combine applied thinking with data interpretation.
• Energy — stores and transfers, efficiency calculations, and the conservation of energy applied to real-world systems.
• Waves — the wave equation, reflection, refraction, and the electromagnetic spectrum in order of frequency and wavelength.
• Electricity — series and parallel circuits, resistance, Ohm’s law, power and the equations linking voltage, current and energy.
• Magnetism and electromagnetism — how motors and generators work, Fleming’s rules, and the transformer equation.
• Particle model and atomic structure — density, specific heat capacity, specific latent heat, and — at Higher tier — nuclear fission, fusion and radioactive decay.
• Required practicals — each required practical has a predictable set of exam questions about method, controls, sources of error and evaluation; a tutor will make sure all of these are covered.

Required practicals — what examiners actually ask

Required practical questions in Physics typically ask students to describe a method to measure something (specific heat capacity, the speed of sound, terminal velocity), identify the independent and dependent variables, suggest how errors might be reduced, and interpret results — sometimes from data the student has not seen before. This is a learnable skill that rewards systematic preparation. A tutor will go through each required practical for your child’s specific exam board and ensure they can handle the associated exam questions with confidence.

Combined Science or Triple Physics?

Students taking Combined Science (Trilogy or Double Award) cover a reduced Physics curriculum. Triple Physics students sit a separate GCSE and cover additional material including more detailed electromagnetism and, on AQA, the Space physics topic. A tutor will work through the correct specification for your child’s route — it is worth specifying which they are taking when you fill in the form.

How exam boards differ

AQA and Edexcel are the most widely sat boards for GCSE Physics. OCR offers two specifications (21st Century and Gateway) with different required practical lists and slightly different topic ordering. WJEC/Eduqas is common in Wales. The equation lists, practical requirements and question styles differ between boards. We match your child with a tutor who knows their specific specification rather than a generic physics tutor.

How matching works

Tell us your child’s exam board, tier (Foundation or Higher), and the topics or question types causing the most difficulty. We pass that to one trusted, Enhanced DBS-checked partner who will be in touch to arrange a tutor — usually within a day or two. There are no placement fees, lessons are pay-as-you-go, and there is no obligation to continue if it is not the right fit.