Tutoring with Dr Sarah Cole

Yesterday I had a visit from one of my tutees, just for a chat and a Pippin fix no tutoring involved 😊

Who wouldn't want to receive a card like this one through the post?

This GCSE student already had a science tutor but felt that they needed a "different approach".

Face to face sessions were not possible as they lived too far away so all of the sessions were online.

I only took them on at the start of the February half term 2026. Did I make a difference? I think the writing in the card tells you all you need to know 😊

It's always lovely to be appreciated for what you do and I have been very remiss in not thanking all of the tutee's (and their parents of course) for the lovely gifts that I have received as tuition came to an end.

Is this because I feel ungrateful, nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is I find the whole finishing and saying goodbye hard, and I need to spend some time just processing this.

The science cookie cutter set shows just how much this student understood just how obsessed I am about science 😊. I feel seen 😁

Can a tutor make a real difference in a short period of time?

Absolutely!

Is it terrible to say I have a love / hate feeling with this time of year?

Why?

Transitions and change, not that this is a bad thing but the emotion involved, but then that makes us human.

This was the fabulous gift I received this week from a student who's exams finished this week. To be so appreciated for what you do is a wonderful thing, especially since I love what I do. It does bring with it the danger of tears, even as I feel so very grateful.

Revising for Physics paper 1 on Tuesday?

Focussing on frequent flier topics (eg Electricity, radioactivity, energy transfers, particle model of matter and the atomic model of the atom is fine but don't forget to practice some calculation questions too.

Check you "know" you units many students drop marks for not converting data into the correct unit.

Practice rearranging equations, boring yes will it help? DEFINITELY.

Try some calculations from past papers, use these rules as a guide.

Practising will help ensure you don't loose marks and the name of the game is to get as many marks as possible 😁

The first phase of your GCSE's are done.

How to make the next phase of revision the most effective that it can be in the time you have available?

Firstly remember you will be a bit rusty when it comes to the content for these exams (having focussed on the exams and content before half term).

Test your self, find out what you don't know and then target those things when you are revising

This will improve your knowledge and marks for the exams after half term faster than anything else.

You also need to take breaks, this should be easy with the weather being as lovely as it is now. Get outside and move.