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A Level Chemistry Support: What I Offer (and What to Choose Right Now)

ByClaire Costello-Kelly

As we are only 7 weeks away from A Level Paper 1, I’m getting a lot of requests from students and parents about one to one tuition, as well as other support I can offer. This post is a simple overview to help you decide what will actually be most useful in preparing for A Level chemistry exams for 2026, and what I can offer for current Year 12 students.

The most valuable support right now (especially Year 13)

If you are in Year 13 with A Level chemistry exams approaching, the single most important thing you can be doing is actively testing your knowledge under exam-style conditions and then learning from your mistakes.

This is exactly what my Year 13 Revision Hub is designed for.

It includes:

  • A series of unseen practice assessments (in exam style)
  • Full video walkthroughs for every question
  • Additional practice questions and topic-specific videos
  • Six full exam papers to work through (including predicted papers for 2025 and 2026)
  • A free live exam prep class for each of Papers 1, 2 and 3

The key difference with this approach is that it builds exam skill, not just content familiarity. Students are not just being shown how to do questions; they are practising, identifying gaps, and improving their approach.

In terms of value, the full package costs less than a single hour of private tuition, but provides weeks of structured, targeted exam preparation.

May half term intensive revision courses

Alongside the Revision Hub, I also run small-group intensive revision courses over May half term.

These are available for:

  • Year 12
  • AQA, OCR A and Edexcel Year 13 students

Each course is a full-day session (6 hours) focused on exam preparation and technique.

Students on these courses also receive:

  • Access to the Exam Prep / Revision Hub
  • Access to the live pre-exam lessons for Papers 1, 2 and 3

These sessions are particularly well suited to students aiming for A/A* grades. At that level, the main barrier is rarely content knowledge alone, but how effectively that knowledge is applied under exam conditions. The small-group format allows for focused work on exam technique, common mistakes and how to approach unfamiliar questions.

Why I’m not prioritising one-to-one tuition right now

I am still receiving a lot of enquiries about one-to-one tuition, particularly from Year 13 students.

At this point in the year, I am generally not recommending it as the best use of time or money.

One-to-one sessions can be helpful, but only if a student:

  • Already has a clear understanding of their weaknesses
  • Is consistently completing exam questions independently
  • Is using the sessions to refine technique, not relearn large parts of the course

Without that foundation, tuition often becomes quite passive. The student follows along, understands in the moment, but doesn’t necessarily improve their independent exam performance.

What makes the biggest difference now is:

  • Attempting unfamiliar questions
  • Making mistakes
  • Reflecting on those mistakes
  • Reattempting similar problems

That process is built into the Exam Prep Hub in a way that one-to-one sessions often can’t replicate.

Predicted papers (2026)

I’m also frequently asked about predicted papers for 2026.

These will be released by the end of this month.

In the meantime, students using the Exam Prep Hub already have access to:

  • 15 different exam style assessments with walkthroughs, covering a wide range of topics
  • 2 sets of predicted papers from previous years
  • Structured exam masterclass videos and practice questions

So there is already more than enough high-quality material to be working through now.

What about Year 12?

If you are in Year 12, the focus is slightly different. Building strong understanding early and getting comfortable with exam-style questions will make a huge difference going into Year 13.

For Year 12 students, I offer the Chemistry Success Hub, including a range of practice assessments and walkthroughs specifically for Year 12 topics. This is an excellent way for students to prepare for AS Level exams, end of year assessments or mocks.

I am currently offering a waitlist for Year 12 one-to-one support after the summer exams, when there is more time to build skills properly.

Frequently asked questions

“Should I wait for the predicted papers before starting?”
No. The most important thing is to start practising now. The predicted papers are an addition, not a starting point.

“Is the Revision Hub enough on its own?”
For most students, yes, if used properly. The key is to actively attempt questions before watching solutions.

“I feel like I need someone to explain everything to me first.”
This is very common, but not always the most effective approach. Understanding improves much more quickly when you attempt questions, struggle a bit, and then learn from detailed solutions.

Final thought

If you are deciding where to invest your time and money over the next couple of months, I would strongly encourage you to prioritise structured, independent exam practice with feedback.

That is what ultimately improves grades.

If you’re unsure which option is right for you, feel free to get in touch, but hopefully this makes things a bit clearer.

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