Science tutor in Barking for GCSE and A-Level

Who teaches Science at LCB?

Science at LCB is led by me, Abdus. I co-founded LCB Tutors and I am our Head of Science. I did my PhD at Imperial College London and I have published research, but most of my week is spent doing something simpler: helping teenagers understand why a reaction happens, not just memorise that it does.

I plan our Science courses and train our tutors. Every Science tutor at LCB studied at a top UK university, is DBS checked, and teaches the same group every week.

Which sciences do you teach?

We teach all three sciences at every level from Year 7 to Year 13.

Students can join for one science or several. The Progress plan covers up to two subjects and Exam Ready covers up to three.

Combined or triple Science: what is the difference?

Combined Science is worth two GCSEs; triple Science is three separate GCSEs. In Combined Science, students get two equal or adjacent grades from 9 to 1, such as 7-7 or 7-6, based on their overall mark across all three sciences. That means a strong Chemistry mark can make up for a weaker Physics mark.

Triple Science covers more content and gives a separate grade for each science. It suits students who enjoy science or are thinking about science A-Levels, though Combined Science is also accepted for many A-Level courses. Always check the sixth form's own entry requirements.

Because the grades come in pairs, Ofqual explains that exam boards set 17 grade boundaries for Combined Science, from 9-9 down to 1-1. Combined Science also has higher and foundation papers, so ask the school which tier your child is entered for. We can help you understand what that means for their target grade. Our full guide on combined vs triple Science goes into more detail.

Why do required practicals matter so much?

Required practicals are tested in the written exams, so a student who has never really understood them loses easy marks. In AQA Combined Science, for example, there are 21 required practicals, and exam questions based on them count for at least 15% of the overall marks.

In my experience, students often remember what they did in the lab but not why. They can describe a titration, but cannot explain why the reading is taken at eye level, or how to make the result more accurate. We teach each practical step by step: the method, the variables, the sources of error, and the exact language mark schemes reward.

At A-Level, practical work goes further. Science students also complete a practical skills endorsement, and the written papers ask harder questions about methods and data. Our guide to A-Level Chemistry required practicals explains these.

How do you teach Science to the exam board?

We use your child's own exam board specification, past papers and mark schemes. AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR cover similar science, but they phrase questions differently and reward different key words. One parent, Fatima A. from Canning Town, whose daughter went from a grade 5 to an 8 in Biology, put it this way: "They actually teach to the exam board, not just general revision."

How do you help with A-Level Science?

A-Level Science is a big step up, mostly because students must apply ideas to situations they have never seen. We focus on the topics students find hardest, practise long-answer questions, and build the maths skills that Chemistry and Physics need. If your child is aiming for a competitive course, our guides to the hardest A-Level Biology topics and Imperial, UCL and King's entry requirements may help. See our A-Level tutoring page for more.

How LCB can help

The first step is a free 30-minute assessment, in person in Barking or online. We find the topics your child is losing marks on, set a target grade and recommend a plan. Book a free assessment, or read more on our GCSE tutoring page and pricing page.