Standard Level
Support can focus on Paper 1, Paper 2, prescribed subjects, world history topics and the IA.
IB subject tutoring
$15/hour - Free 30-minute trial
Online IB History Tutors for SL and HL Students
IB History rewards more than factual recall. Students need to evaluate sources, select relevant evidence, build clear arguments and answer the exact question under timed conditions. We match one-to-one tutors to Standard Level or Higher Level, Paper 1 source analysis, Paper 2 essays, HL Paper 3, and ethical IA guidance.
- Matched to IB History HL and IB History SL
- One-to-one lessons focused on clear understanding and exam practice
- Progress updates shaped around the student's priorities
Real Specialists
Meet Our IB History Tutors.
Tutors matched by SL or HL, prescribed subject, regional option and Paper 3 experience — not generic humanities tutors.
IB History ExaminerDr Eleanor Whitfield
Oxford DPhil Modern History · IB Examiner
IB History HL and SL, A-Level History (all boards)
targeted grade support
Essay & Paper 2 SpecialistMr Daniel Okafor
LSE MSc History of International Relations · IB Teacher
IB History SL and HL — authoritarian states and Cold War
86% of students reach Grade 6+
Source Skills & IA SpecialistMs Sofia Herrera
Cambridge MPhil History · IB Teacher
IB History HL and SL, OPVL source analysis, internal assessment
Average IA score: 22/25
IB History HLIB History SLIB History HLIB History SLIB History HLIB History SL
Mark-loss diagnostic
What Is Actually Limiting the Student's History Marks?
We help IB History students turn knowledge into stronger source analysis, sharper arguments and better-supported essays.
| Student problem | Likely issue | Tutor focus |
|---|---|---|
| Knows lots of facts but essay stays descriptive | Weak argument | Build a clear thesis and analytical paragraphs |
| Uses evidence but does not explain its significance | Weak analysis | Connect evidence directly to the argument |
| Struggles with Paper 1 sources | Weak source evaluation | Practise origin, purpose, content and contextual use |
| Writes everything they know | Poor question focus | Select evidence relevant to the exact wording |
| Essays become one-sided | Weak evaluation | Compare interpretations and competing factors |
| HL Paper 3 feels overwhelming | Weak depth and synthesis | Organise detailed evidence into focused arguments |
| IA question is too broad | Weak research focus | Ethically refine scope, sources and structure |
| Runs out of time | Exam strategy | Timed planning and answer practice |
Paper 1
Source Analysis.
Paper 1 is source-based, assessed on a prescribed subject, and distinguishes between evidence found in sources and relevant own knowledge.
- Understanding what each question demands
- Extracting relevant source evidence
- Comparing sources
- Evaluating origin, purpose and content
- Integrating contextual knowledge where appropriate
- Avoiding generic provenance comments
- Working efficiently under time pressure
Paper 2 — the highest-value skill
Building Strong Historical Arguments.
- Interpreting the question
- Building a thesis
- Selecting relevant evidence
- Paragraph structure
- Causation
- Change and continuity
- Significance
- Comparison
- Competing explanations
- Balanced judgement
A high-quality History essay is not a memory dump. Every paragraph should help answer the question.
HL Paper 3
HL Paper 3 Support
HL students need greater depth, more precise evidence and stronger synthesis across the regional option they study. Tutor support can focus on detailed factual evidence, argument planning, historiographical awareness where relevant, comparing causes or consequences, thematic links, and timed essays.
Evidence technique
Using Historical Evidence Effectively
Selecting evidence rather than listing everything, using dates and names only where useful, using examples to prove a point, distinguishing evidence from assertion, linking evidence back to the question, and weighing different interpretations.
Academic integrity
Ethical Support for the IB History Internal Assessment
Tutors can help students understand:
- Whether the research question is focused enough
- Source selection
- Source evaluation
- Historical investigation structure
- Argument development
- Referencing
- Reflection and evaluation
- Interpreting teacher feedback
- Planning deadlines
Tutors do not write, rewrite or complete assessed IA work for students.
Higher Level
HL students may also need Paper 3 preparation, greater regional depth and more detailed evidence.
Pricing & Packages
Clear Tutoring Rates.
One-to-one IB History tutoring starts from $15 per hour where current pricing applies. The confirmed rate depends on level, tutor and specialist requirements.
Tutor levelRateBest for
IB History SL tutoringFrom $15/hrPaper 1 source analysis, Paper 2 essays and the IA
IB History HL tutoringFrom $15/hrThe above, plus HL Paper 3 depth and synthesis
Free trial30 minutesAssessing tutor fit before regular lessons
New students can begin with a free 30-minute trial.
Our Standard
Tutors Chosen for Subject Fit, Teaching Fit and Course Fit
Knowledge beyond the textbook
Strong subject understanding supports demanding school and exam content.
Teaching linked to assessment
Specification points, mark schemes and exam-style questions shape preparation.
Reviewed by Combo Tutors Academy
Selection includes interviews, demonstrations and suitability checks.
Matched to the exact course
AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and Cambridge students get relevant support.
Lesson Flow
What Happens In A One-to-One IB History Lesson?
Our tutors build the twin skills that decide an IB History grade — rigorous source evaluation and tightly argued essays — while grounding every response in precise, well-selected historical detail.
Step 1
Review a recent essay or source response
We start with a recent essay, source response, or mock and confirm SL or HL and the current prescribed subject or topic.
Step 2
Identify exactly where marks were lost
The tutor distinguishes weak argument, weak analysis, weak source evaluation, poor question focus, or weak evaluation.
Step 3
Clarify the knowledge or exam skill
The lesson rebuilds the specific historical knowledge or exam skill causing the problem.
Step 4
Plan a stronger answer
The student plans a clear thesis and paragraph structure before writing, rather than starting to write immediately.
Step 5
Practise a paragraph, source task or essay
The plan is turned into a relevant paragraph, source task, or full essay matched to the student's board and level.
Step 6
Compare with the original weakness
The new response is checked directly against the mark scheme and the original weak point it was meant to fix.
Step 7
Set the next priority
The lesson ends with a clear next step for the following session.
What we cover
A Syllabus Map Students Can Actually Follow.
Break the specification into manageable topics, then build confidence from the first concept to exam-ready application.
01
Paper 1 — Prescribed Subjects
Start hereSource-based analysis on one prescribed subject, such as The move to global war, Rights and protest, or Conflict and intervention. Students answer four question types: comprehension, value and limitations (OPVL), cross-referencing, and a mini-essay using sources and own knowledge.
02
Paper 2 — World History Topics
Two comparative essays chosen from topics such as Authoritarian states, Causes and effects of 20th-century wars, and Independence movements. Requires strong thematic knowledge across regions and a clear, sustained line of argument.
03
Paper 3 — HL Depth Study
HL only. An in-depth regional study — History of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania, or Africa and the Middle East — with three essays demanding detailed, specific knowledge. This is where HL students most often lose or gain marks.
04
Authoritarian States
The rise and rule of leaders such as Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, and Perón. Comparing the conditions for emergence, consolidation of power, and domestic policies is a favourite Paper 2 essay theme.
05
Causes and Effects of Wars
Analysing the long- and short-term causes, practices, and effects of 20th-century conflicts including the World Wars, the Spanish Civil War, and the Cold War. Students must weigh political, economic, and ideological factors.
06
Source Skills — OPVL
Evaluating origin, purpose, value, and limitations of primary and secondary sources. We teach a reliable OPVL method that avoids vague 'this source is biased' answers and instead links provenance to analytical value.
07
Internal Assessment
A 2,200-word historical investigation worth 25% at SL and 20% at HL. We guide question design, the evaluation of two sources, the investigation itself, and the reflection — the three-section structure examiners reward.
See this plan built around your child's exact paper.
Book Free DemoFamily trust
Why Parents Chose Combo.
A clear tutor match, a plan built around the real paper, and progress parents can follow from week to week.
✓Support that stays focused on progress
01
SL and HL taught as genuinely different courses
Paper 3 depth, regional option knowledge and pacing are matched to the student's actual level.
Tutors matched by SL or HL experience.
02
Arguments built, not facts recited
Sessions focus on turning knowledge into a clear thesis and analytical paragraphs that answer the exact question.
Essay technique is the highest-value skill we teach.
03
Ethical, criteria-focused IA support
Guidance on research focus, sources, structure and argument, within the IB's academic-honesty rules.
Tutors do not write or rewrite the IA.
Verified IGCSE feedback
What IGCSE Families Say About Combo Tutors
Focused, one-to-one support that helps students understand difficult topics and prepare with confidence.
- IB
- A-Level
- IGCSE
- GCSE
- SAT
- ACT
Experience the right tutor before you decide
Meet your recommended tutor in a private one-to-one trial. Share your child’s current priorities, see how the tutor teaches, and decide whether the fit feels right before booking regular lessons. No credit card. No commitment.
- Expert Tutors
- Flexible Schedule
- Affordable Pricing
Quick questions
FAQs About IB History
Helpful answers about exam boards, syllabus topics, tutor matching and lesson support.
How much does an IB History tutor cost?
One-to-one IB History tutoring starts from $15 per hour where current pricing applies. The confirmed rate depends on level (SL or HL), tutor and specialist requirements, and is shared before regular lessons begin.
Do you provide both SL and HL History tutors?
Yes. SL support focuses on Paper 1, Paper 2, the prescribed subject and world history topics, and the IA. HL adds Paper 3, greater regional depth, and more detailed evidence. We match a tutor experienced in your exact level.
Can a tutor help with IB History Paper 1?
Yes. We work through past Paper 1 sources on your prescribed subject, practising how to extract relevant evidence, compare sources, evaluate origin and purpose, and integrate contextual knowledge without generic provenance comments.
Can tutoring improve Paper 2 essays?
Yes — this is usually the highest-value area. We work on interpreting the question, building a clear thesis, selecting relevant evidence, and structuring paragraphs around causation, change and continuity, significance, and balanced judgement.
Do you provide support for HL Paper 3?
Yes. Paper 3 demands greater depth, more precise evidence and stronger synthesis across the student's regional option. We work on argument planning, comparing causes or consequences, thematic links, and timed essay practice.
Can a tutor help with source evaluation?
Yes. We practise evaluating origin, purpose, and content, and using sources alongside relevant own knowledge — the skill Paper 1 rewards most directly.
Can tutors help with the IB History IA?
Yes, within the IB's academic-honesty rules. Tutors can help with research-question focus, source selection and evaluation, investigation structure, argument development, referencing, and reflection. Tutors do not write, rewrite or complete assessed IA work for students.
Can I get short-term help before mocks or final exams?
Yes. Short-term, focused blocks before mocks or final exams are common — concentrating on Paper 1 source technique, Paper 2 essay structure, or Paper 3 depth, whichever is the current priority.
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