Mrs Fiona MacLeod
Parent, George Heriot's School — IGCSE Physics
Our daughter was juggling SQA Higher and Cambridge IGCSE Physics at George Heriot's. Combo Tutors matched a tutor who knew both — she finished with an A* and an A.
Edinburgh · IGCSE Physics
IGCSE Physics Tutors in Edinburgh, United Kingdom Outcomes
Online 1-to-1 IGCSE Physics tutoring for Edinburgh families. Specialist tutors aligned to your child's exam board, school scheme of work and the United Kingdom academic calendar.
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Why IGCSE Physics in Edinburgh needs a specialist tutor
Edinburgh is unusual in the UK: the dominant state-school pathway is SQA National 5 (not GCSE), inspected by Education Scotland — but the city's leading independents run a dual track. George Heriot's School sets Cambridge IGCSE Physics (typically 0580/0625-series codes) alongside SQA Nationals; Edinburgh Academy mixes selective Cambridge IGCSE entries with the Scottish curriculum; St George's School for Girls Edinburgh enters cohorts for Cambridge IGCSE Physics ahead of A-Level. That dual-system reality is exactly why specialist IGCSE Physics tuition matters here — most local Higher tutors have never marked a Cambridge or Edexcel script, and most class teachers are juggling two syllabuses at once. Our Edinburgh IGCSE Physics tutors are matched by exact board (Cambridge or Edexcel), the school's scheme of work, and the May/June or November sitting — preparing pupils for the A-Level or IB DP track that follows at Fettes College, Loretto and the Merchant Company schools.
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Exam boards we cover
IGCSE Physics boards taught in Edinburgh
Cambridge IGCSE Physics
0625The chosen IGCSE pathway at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh Academy and St George's School for Girls Edinburgh — sat alongside, not instead of, SQA National 5 in Scotland's dual-track independent sector. Extended tier is required for any student progressing to A-Level Physics.
Edexcel IGCSE Physics
4PH1Used by Edexcel-aligned British curriculum schools in and around Edinburgh. Higher tier broadly comparable to Cambridge Extended, with slightly different question phrasing.
Oxford AQA International GCSE Physics
A smaller cohort of Edinburgh students sit Oxford AQA International GCSE — particularly those moving between UK and United Kingdom schools mid-cycle.
Syllabus coverage
IGCSE Physics topics covered for Edinburgh students
Our IGCSE Physics tutors cover the full specification with extra depth on the topics where Edinburgh students most consistently lose marks.
Forces & motion
Newton's laws, momentum, motion graphs and resultant forces.
Energy & power
Work, energy stores, efficiency, GPE and KE calculations.
Waves & light
Reflection, refraction, sound, EM spectrum and ray diagrams.
Electricity & circuits
Current, voltage, resistance, series and parallel circuits.
Magnetism & electromagnetism
Magnetic fields, motor effect, transformers and induction.
Thermal physics
Specific heat capacity, latent heat, kinetic theory and gas laws.
Atomic & nuclear physics
Radioactivity, half-life, fission and fusion calculations.
Practical & required-practical writeups
Practical and lab-based assessment varies by school; we focus tutoring on written paper performance and required-practical writeups.
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Book Free DemoEdinburgh school support
Supporting IGCSE Physics students from Edinburgh schools
Edinburgh schools offering IGCSE. 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 IGCSE 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 IGCSE 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 IGCSE Physics families say
Hamish C., Fettes Year 13
Student, Fettes College — IB DP Physics HL
I needed IGCSE 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 — IGCSE Physics
We chose the 5-year Scottish degree route for our son and needed IGCSE 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.
IGCSE Physics in Edinburgh
Common Questions.
George Heriot's School typically enters its IGCSE 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 IGCSE 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 IGCSE 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 IGCSE 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 IGCSE 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.
IGCSE 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.
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