When to Start Exam-Focused Tutoring
The earlier the better, but it is never too late. Starting 6 months before exams allows time for both content gaps and exam technique. Starting 3 months out means focusing ruthlessly on the highest-impact topics. Even 6 weeks out, a good tutor can make a meaningful difference by targeting the topics most likely to appear and drilling exam technique. The key is not starting date but diagnostic accuracy: knowing exactly which topics to prioritise.
What Exam-Focused Tutoring Looks Like
Effective exam preparation tutoring is fundamentally different from general maths tutoring. It is not about teaching the whole syllabus from scratch.
- Gap identification: Pinpointing exactly which topics and question types cause the most lost marks.
- Mark scheme fluency: Teaching students how examiners award marks and how to present working to maximise them.
- Paper technique: Time management, question selection strategy, and knowing when to move on.
- Past paper practice: Working through real exam questions under timed conditions, with targeted feedback.
The Exam Board Factor
AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and Cambridge IGCSE each have distinct styles. AQA favours problem-solving and reasoning questions. Edexcel tends towards more structured, multi-step problems. OCR has its own patterns. Cambridge IGCSE uses a different grading system entirely. A tutor who knows your specific exam board can focus preparation on the question styles your child will actually face. This specificity is one of the biggest advantages of diagnostic-led matching.
Start with a Diagnostic, Not a Guess
Most parents know their child is struggling but cannot pinpoint exactly where. Is it algebra? Geometry? Statistics? A free diagnostic quiz takes 15 minutes and produces a detailed gap report showing strengths and weaknesses by topic. This means the first tutoring session starts with a plan rather than guesswork, and every session after that builds on real data about what your child needs most.