Physics demands a unique combination of mathematical skill and conceptual understanding. Here's where students get stuck.
A-Level Physics demands more than rearranging equations — it requires knowing which equation applies, what each symbol represents physically, and how units behave through a multi-step calculation. On AQA and Edexcel, questions regularly chain three or four equations in sequence, each with different unit requirements, under timed conditions.
A-Level Physics examiners use command words precisely: ‘state’ requires a fact, ‘explain’ requires a physical mechanism and cause-and-effect chain, ‘evaluate’ requires a judgment with evidence. Students who answer ‘explain’ questions with correct facts — but no connecting logic — consistently lose marks on AQA and Edexcel, even when they know the physics.
All boards require students to complete a set of practical experiments that are formally signed off (the Practical Endorsement). More importantly, these same experiments appear in written papers. AQA examiners test understanding of the method, the quantities measured, sources of uncertainty, and how to minimise systematic errors — not just the result obtained.
Extended-response questions are not just testing knowledge — they test whether a student can organise their thinking into a coherent argument within a few minutes. Students who write in bullet points or list facts without linking them consistently reach only level 2 of 3 on AQA’s level-of-response marking, regardless of how much physics they know.
Four boards, one subject — the structure and marking styles differ in ways that shape preparation.
AQA A-Level Physics (7408) is the most widely sat board. Three papers: Paper 1 (Measurements, Mechanics, Materials, Waves, Electricity), Paper 2 (Further Mechanics, Thermal Physics, Fields, Nuclear), and Paper 3 (Practical skills plus one option module). The option — Astrophysics, Medical Physics, Engineering Physics, Turning Points in Physics, or Electronics — is chosen by the school and assessed in Paper 3 Section B.
Edexcel Physics (9PH0) places greater emphasis on vector analysis and quantitative problem-solving than AQA. Papers 1 and 2 cover the core physics content; Paper 3 is a synoptic paper combining practical reasoning with general physics. Students often find Edexcel questions more mathematically demanding but more consistently structured from year to year.
OCR A follows a structure similar to AQA, with a practical skills paper alongside two content papers. OCR B, Advancing Physics, takes a more conceptual and contextual approach — it rewards students who can apply physics to unfamiliar situations rather than recall specific syllabus content. Students on OCR B benefit from a tutor who knows its distinctive assessment style.
Extended-response questions (5–6 marks) use level-of-response marking: three quality levels, not six tick-boxes. To reach the top level, an answer must give a connected, logical account using precise physics terminology. Listing correct facts in the wrong order will reach level 2 at most — the logic and language of the answer matter as much as the physics content.
Our physics tutors teach the subject the way it should be taught — with deep understanding at the centre.
Your A-Level Physics tutor steers a curated pathway to the top of your exams — keeping a clear picture of your progress, so the teaching always follows where you actually are.
Our A-Level Physics tutors are studying or have studied physics at top UK universities. They use this maths and these concepts every day, and they know how to make them click for someone seeing them for the first time.
Fraley Tutors was founded by Alex Fraley — a prize-winning MPhys graduate in Theoretical Physics from the University of Manchester (top of his class), now completing his PhD in theoretical particle physics there, with a Distinction in Part III Mathematics from Cambridge along the way. Physics runs through everything we do.
We don’t just show students how to apply equations — we explain where they come from and what they represent physically. A student who understands why F = BIl takes the form it does can identify which situations it applies to, spot errors in their own working, and handle the ‘explain’ and ‘evaluate’ questions that separate A from A* on AQA and Edexcel.
Between lessons, students submit work through our platform and receive instant, detailed feedback on their solutions and reasoning. It reinforces the lesson and catches misunderstandings early.
One simple price, everything your child needs to succeed.
Every lesson includes full platform access: instant homework feedback, a clear view of your progress, lesson resources, and Q&A support between sessions. No hidden fees, no signup costs.
See Full Pricing DetailsFor students aiming at physics or engineering at a top university, the next steps are as much about maths as physics — and the same tutor can cover both.
Physics and engineering applicants to Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial now sit the ESAT — the test that replaced the PAT — alongside the maths-focused TMUA and STEP. Our tutors sat these exams themselves and know what they reward.
The second maths A-Level that physics and engineering degrees lean on — and that many offers require. Strong further-maths fluency is the best preparation there is for university-level physics.
How much does an A-Level Physics tutor cost?
Our rate is £70 per hour — the same standard rate as our GCSE, A-Level and IB tuition — with no contracts and nothing extra to pay. Instantly marked homework, Q&A support between lessons, and a clear view of your progress are all included. See full pricing details.
Which A-Level Physics exam boards do you cover?
All of them: AQA (7408), Edexcel (9PH0), OCR A and OCR B (Advancing Physics). Your tutor knows each board’s structure, paper format and marking style, and tailors lessons, practice questions and exam technique to yours.
How does online A-Level Physics tuition work?
Lessons are live and one-to-one with your own tutor, via Google Meet. Between lessons, students submit homework through our platform — it’s marked instantly with detailed feedback, and your tutor reviews anything the marking system flags — and they can ask their tutor questions whenever they get stuck.
My child knows the physics but keeps losing marks on ‘explain’ questions — what’s happening?
This is one of the most consistent sources of lost marks at A-Level Physics, particularly on AQA and Edexcel. ‘Explain’ questions use level-of-response marking: the answer must give a connected, logical account using precise physics terminology, not just a list of correct facts. A student can know the physics and still reach only level 2 of 3 if the logic and cause-and-effect chain are missing. Our tutors work on this explicitly — teaching students how to structure an explanation, not just what the explanation should say.
What about the Practical Endorsement — do you help with that?
Yes, though the main benefit of practical preparation comes through written paper technique. All A-Level Physics boards require a Practical Endorsement (signed-off experiments), but the bigger opportunity is the required-practical questions that appear in the written papers — these test understanding of method, sources of uncertainty, and systematic error. Our tutors work through practical questions with the same rigour as calculation questions, because they carry marks at the same rate.
How will a Physics tutor help my child improve their grade?
A-Level Physics rewards deep understanding over surface recall. Our tutors teach the ‘why’ behind every equation — where it comes from and what it represents physically — so students can apply it to unfamiliar questions, not just familiar ones. Combined with board-specific exam technique and consistent practice between lessons, this is what moves students from B to A, or A to A*.
My child is applying to Cambridge or Oxford for physics — do you cover the ESAT?
Yes. The ESAT (Engineering and Science Admissions Test) tests physics and maths content directly, and our tutors sat university entrance exams themselves. Preparation for the ESAT can run alongside A-Level Physics lessons with the same tutor — the content overlaps substantially, so combining both is more efficient than treating them separately. More on entrance exam tutoring.
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