When GCSE Tutoring Works and When It Does Not

GCSE tutoring has become a popular choice in the UK for parents looking for extra academic support. In fact, the Sutton Trust reports that 46% of children in London have accessed private tutoring. This figure has risen due to several factors, including more demanding exams, increased international competition driving higher grade requirements, and growing classroom sizes.

Tutoring is an excellent option for many students, but it is not always what every child needs. In this article, I outline, from the perspective of a tutoring company owner, the most common issues I see among students.

1. Low confidence

One of the most common challenges I observe is a student who struggles to put their hand up when they are confused. In a class of around 30 students, the lesson may move quickly through a topic such as quadratic equations. Your teenager may be quiet or shy but genuinely may not understand the material. They may think they will push through and try to figure it out later, but this often does not happen. Staying after class can feel uncomfortable or overly eager, so they avoid it.

In the following lesson, the teacher builds on that knowledge with more advanced questions. By this stage, your child may be completely stuck. If this pattern continues, a student who once enjoyed maths can begin to believe that the subject simply is not for them. By the time mock exams arrive, the gap has become significant. The exam question may require a Level 4 understanding, but your child never fully grasped the Level 1 foundations.

This is where GCSE Maths Tutoring can be particularly effective. Tutors work patiently with students and create a safe space where questions are encouraged. In a one-to-one setting, students are far more likely to ask for clarification and address gaps early.

2. Exam technique struggles

Some students understand the content well but struggle to demonstrate this in exams. Each UK exam board uses specific assessment objectives to mark papers, commonly referred to as AO1, AO2, AO3, and AO4. Even with strong subject knowledge, marks are not awarded unless answers are structured in a way that meets these criteria. As I often say, it is not what is in your head that matters, but what appears on the paper.

This is especially true for GCSE English. GCSE English Tutoring is effective because tutors understand exactly how exam papers are marked. Many tutors are teachers or examiners, so they know what separates high-achieving responses from average ones and can teach students how to apply this in practice.

3. Neurodivergent students

This is a sensitive area, but one group of students who often benefit greatly from tutoring are neurodivergent students, including those with ADHD or ASD. These students may find it particularly difficult to build effective revision strategies close to exams or to answer command words such as “describe” in English papers.

One-to-one tutoring allows f

or a personalised approach, which is often essential for students with ADHD or ASD. A tailored plan that works for the individual is far more effective than a one-size-fits-all classroom approach.

As an additional point, developing strong revision habits sometimes requires support beyond subject tutoring. ADHD coaching by companies like Rikta Psychiatry can help students better understand their symptoms and put practical daily systems in place. Techniques such as time blocking allow students to allocate tasks to specific periods of the day, reducing overwhelm and procrastination.

This news piece was brought to you by Harry Godfrey, Co-founder of The Degree Gap, whose company specialises in GCSE & A-level Tutoring.