Mrs Fiona MacLeod
Parent, George Heriot's School — IB Physics
Our daughter was juggling SQA Higher and Cambridge IB Physics at George Heriot's. Combo Tutors matched a tutor who knew both — she finished with an A* and an A.
Edinburgh · IB Physics
IB Physics Tutors in Edinburgh, United Kingdom Outcomes
Online 1-to-1 IB Physics tutoring for Edinburgh families. Specialist tutors aligned to your child's exam board, school scheme of work and the United Kingdom academic calendar.
+1.8
average grade improvement
Free
first trial lesson
From £11/hour · First lesson free · cancel anytime
Cambridge CAIE
Edexcel
AQA
IB Diploma
OCR
IGCSE
A Levels
O LevelsSAT
ACT
IELTS
TOEFLCambridge CAIEEdexcelAQAIB DiplomaOCRIGCSEA LevelsO LevelsSATACTIELTSTOEFLWhy Edinburgh students
Why IB Physics in Edinburgh needs a specialist tutor
Fettes College is the dominant IB Diploma school in Scotland and one of the country's biggest IB feeders, with Loretto School running the IB DP alongside A-Level for senior pupils choosing the international route. IB Physics — especially at Higher Level — is unforgiving: the IA, EE, TOK essay and six-subject load all land inside an 18-month window, with May exams as the hard finish. The University of Edinburgh, St Andrews and Glasgow all publish IB tariffs (typically 38–42 with HL grades specified) for competitive Scottish degrees, and the five-year Scottish degree structure means IB Maths AA HL / Physics HL / Chemistry HL choices are load-bearing for direct entry into Year 2. Our Edinburgh IB DP Physics tutors are examiners or IB-trained specialists matched to Fettes' or Loretto's HL/SL track, with IA and EE drafting structured around school deadlines.
Get started
Book a free demo lesson.
- We reply within 30 minutes with tutor recommendations.
- Free trial lesson · no credit card · cancel anytime.
Exam boards we cover
IB Physics boards taught in Edinburgh
IB Diploma Physics (Higher Level)
HL Physics is the standard route for Fettes College (Scotland's largest IB Diploma cohort) and Loretto School students targeting top medicine, engineering or quantitative university courses. Heavier content and a more demanding internal assessment.
IB Diploma Physics (Standard Level)
SL Physics suits Edinburgh Diploma students keeping a balanced six-subject load. Same internal assessment framework, lighter syllabus depth.
Syllabus coverage
IB Physics topics covered for Edinburgh students
Our IB Physics tutors cover the full specification with extra depth on the topics where Edinburgh students most consistently lose marks.
Mechanics
Kinematics, Newton's laws, momentum and energy.
Thermal physics
Ideal gases, thermodynamics and entropy.
Waves & oscillations
SHM, wave behaviour, standing waves and Doppler effect.
Electricity & magnetism
Fields, circuits, electromagnetic induction and AC.
Atomic & nuclear physics
Atomic models, radioactivity, fission and fusion.
Energy production
Power generation, efficiency and environmental impact.
Internal Assessment (Physics IA)
Research question, methodology, uncertainties and evaluation.
Past-paper exam technique
IB Paper 1, 2 and 3 mark-scheme drilling.
Book a free demo with a Edinburgh Physics specialist.
Book Free DemoEdinburgh school support
Supporting IB Physics students from Edinburgh schools
Edinburgh schools offering IB. We match each tutor to your child's exact board and syllabus.
George Heriot's School
Fettes College
Edinburgh Academy
Loretto School
Merchiston Castle School
Stewart's Melville College
The Mary Erskine School
St George's School for Girls Edinburgh
What we fix
Where Edinburgh IB Physics students lose marks
01
SQA Highers vs IGCSE / A-Level pathway choice
How we fix it:At George Heriot's School, Edinburgh Academy and the Merchant Company schools, families often have to choose between SQA National 5 / Higher Physics and the Cambridge or Edexcel IGCSE / A-Level route. We start with a pathway diagnostic — target university, intended degree length (3-year English vs 5-year Scottish), and current attainment — then match a tutor for the chosen track in Physics.
02
Fettes College IB IA / EE deadlines
How we fix it:Fettes' IB DP cohort hits internal IA and Extended Essay milestones from late Year 12 through autumn of Year 13. We sequence Physics tutoring against the Fettes-published deadlines so drafts are tutor-reviewed before they reach the school supervisor.
03
George Heriot's and Stewart's Melville Mock Week pressure
How we fix it:Edinburgh independents run intense pre-Christmas and February mock weeks where Physics performance directly drives predicted grades for UCAS. We back-plan past-paper sessions from each school's published mock dates.
04
5-year Scottish degree decision for STEM students
How we fix it:Choosing between a 3-year English degree and the 5-year Scottish structure at the University of Edinburgh, St Andrews or Glasgow changes which Physics qualifications maximise direct Year 2 entry. Our tutors brief families on the Advanced Higher vs A-Level vs IB HL trade-off before exam entries are locked.
05
Scottish school holiday calendar
How we fix it:Scottish schools break in early October, mid-February and finish the summer term in late June — earlier than England. We schedule Physics sessions and revision intensives against the Edinburgh holiday calendar, not the English one.
Why Combo Tutors
Why families in Edinburgh pick us for IB Physics
01
Dual-track Scottish + UK curriculum expertise
Most Edinburgh tutors specialise in either SQA Highers or A-Level — rarely both. Our Physics tutors regularly support families navigating a George Heriot's or Edinburgh Academy dual track, so the same household can keep one tutor across Cambridge IGCSE, A-Level and SQA Advanced Higher entries.
02
Fettes College IB DP specialism
Because Fettes runs the largest IB Diploma in Scotland, we maintain a dedicated bench of IB Physics examiners and HL specialists who know the Fettes scheme of work, IA criteria and EE supervisor expectations — a depth of IB cover that simply isn't available from generalist local tutors.
03
University of Edinburgh UCAS preparation, London-level depth
Securing an Edinburgh, St Andrews or Oxbridge offer in Physics-led degrees needs personal-statement, admissions-test and interview support normally only available in central London. Our Edinburgh-matched tutors deliver that examiner-level UCAS prep online, in UK time.
What Edinburgh IB Physics families say
Hamish C., Fettes Year 13
Student, Fettes College — IB DP Physics HL
I needed IB Physics at HL for an Edinburgh medicine offer. My Combo Tutors tutor structured the IA and got me through the May exams with a 7.
Dr Catriona Robertson
Parent, Stewart's Melville College — IB Physics
We chose the 5-year Scottish degree route for our son and needed IB Physics pitched against an Edinburgh STEM offer. The tutor delivered London-level depth, online.
Sarah M.
Parent of IB Student · London
Grade 4 → 6
My daughter was struggling with IB Mathematics HL and had almost given up hope of getting a 7. After just two months of weekly sessions with her Combo Tutors tutor, her confidence soared and she went from a predicted 4 to a final grade of 6. The personalised approach made all the difference—her tutor identified exactly where the gaps were and worked through them systematically.
James P.
Parent of A-Level Student · Manchester
B → A*
My son started tutoring for A-Level Physics about three months before his exams. His tutor was incredibly patient and broke down complex topics like electromagnetic induction into simple, intuitive steps. He ended up getting an A* which we genuinely didn't think was possible. I'd recommend Combo Tutors to any parent who wants a tutor that actually cares about your child's progress.
Priya K.
Parent of GCSE Student · Birmingham
+2 Grades
We needed help with GCSE Science for my son who found chemistry particularly challenging. His tutor made the sessions engaging and relatable—using real-world examples that finally made reactions and bonding click for him. He improved by two grades and, more importantly, actually enjoys science now.
IB Physics in Edinburgh
Common Questions.
George Heriot's School typically enters its IB Physics candidates for Cambridge International (CIE) — the 0580/0625/0610-series at IGCSE and the 9709/9702/9701-family at A-Level — alongside SQA Nationals and Highers. We confirm the exact IB Physics board with the family at matching, then place a Cambridge-trained specialist.
Yes. Many Edinburgh families at George Heriot's, Edinburgh Academy, Stewart's Melville and The Mary Erskine sit a dual track — SQA Higher / Advanced Higher Physics alongside Cambridge or Edexcel IB Physics. We match a tutor who has worked both curricula so one tutor can carry the whole pathway through to the University of Edinburgh, St Andrews or an English Russell Group offer.
Yes — Fettes College is the largest IB Diploma school in Scotland, and IB DP Physics (HL and SL) is one of our core Edinburgh specialisms. We match Fettes pupils with IB Physics examiners or HL specialists who structure sessions around the school's published IA and Extended Essay deadlines and the May exam series.
Competitive Edinburgh offers in Physics-led degrees frequently sit at AAA (A-Level) or 38–42 (IB DP) with specified HL grades. We layer IB Physics tutoring with personal-statement coaching, admissions-test prep (MAT / PAT / TMUA / BMAT where relevant) and interview practice — sequenced against the 15 October Oxbridge / medicine deadline and the main UCAS deadline.
Yes. Edinburgh schools break in early October, take a February mid-term and finish the summer term in late June — earlier than English schools. We schedule IB Physics lessons, mock-week intensives and Easter revision against the Scottish calendar, not the English one. The Edinburgh Festival in August is also factored into pre-AS / pre-Year-13 prep.
IB Physics tutoring for Edinburgh families starts from £11/hour, with the first trial lesson free and no minimum-term contracts. Pricing is the same whether your child is at George Heriot's, Fettes College, Edinburgh Academy, Loretto or a state school sitting SQA Highers.
More tutoring in Edinburgh
01IGCSE Mathematics02IGCSE Physics03IGCSE Chemistry04IGCSE Biology05IGCSE Computer Science06IGCSE Business Studies07IGCSE Accounting08IGCSE Economics09A-Level Mathematics10A-Level Physics11A-Level Chemistry12A-Level Biology13A-Level Computer Science14A-Level Business Studies15A-Level Accounting16A-Level Economics
Ready to start IB Physics tutoring in Edinburgh?
Book a free trial lesson with a specialist tutor who understands Edinburgh's schools and the IB Physics exam.