MG
Mrs Gillian Ross, parent
Verified
A*My daughter kept losing marks on mechanisms — curly arrows in the wrong places. The tutor rebuilt her understanding from scratch and she went from a B to an A* ...
AQA A-Level Chemistry · London
A-Level specialist tutoring
A-Level ChemistryTutoring
Expert 1-on-1 A-Level Chemistry tutoring for AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and CIE. Master organic mechanisms, equilibria, and spectroscopy — and reach Grade A or A*.
91%
reach Grade A or above
+1.9
average grade improvement
11+
years average tutor experience
Free
first lesson, no commitment
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Tell us the subject, exam board and current level.
AQAEdexcel (Pearson)OCR ACIE AAQAEdexcel (Pearson)OCR ACIE AAQAEdexcel (Pearson)OCR ACIE A
Real specialists
Meet tutors with examiner instincts.
Specialist tutors with board knowledge, strong academic backgrounds, and proven grade-improvement records.
AQA Senior ExaminerDr Emma Clarke
Cambridge PhD Chemistry · AQA Examiner
A-Level Chemistry (all boards), IGCSE Chemistry, IB Chemistry
Avg +2.0 grade improvement
Organic SpecialistMr Yusuf Ibrahim
UCL MSc Chemistry
A-Level Chemistry AQA and Edexcel, organic mechanisms specialist
94% student success rate*
CIE ExaminerDr Priya Nair
Imperial PhD Chemistry
CIE A-Level Chemistry 9701, IB Chemistry HL
Physical chemistry and spectroscopy specialist
Our standard
Every tutor clears a high bar.
UK-qualified teachers
Degree-level subject specialists, many PGCE-trained, who teach to the UK exam standard.
Examiner insight
Tutors who know the mark schemes and coach the exact phrasing that earns every mark.
Vetted & background-checked
Tutors complete interviews, teaching demonstrations and the academy's structured approval process before student assignments.
Matched to your board
You are paired with a specialist in your exact board and tier — never a generalist.
Lesson flow
From confusion to calm, one lesson at a time.
Our tutors cover the full A-Level syllabus with particular emphasis on organic mechanisms and the calculations that determine grade boundaries at the top end.
Step 1
Pinpoint the gaps
We start with recent marks, confidence blockers, and the exact exam board so sessions feel personal from lesson one.
Step 2
Teach the mark scheme
Tutors connect concepts to examiner language, worked examples, and the habits that turn knowledge into marks.
Step 3
Track the lift
Parents see what changed after each session: topics covered, next steps, and the grade trajectory we are building toward.
What we cover
A syllabus map students can actually follow.
Physical Chemistry — Atomic Structure & Bonding
Ionisation energies, electron configuration, ionic and covalent bonding, shapes of molecules (VSEPR), and intermolecular forces — with exam application at every stage.
Physical Chemistry — Energetics & Equilibrium
Enthalpy changes (Hess's law, Born-Haber cycles), entropy, Gibbs free energy, equilibrium constants (Kc, Kp), and Le Chatelier's principle.
Physical Chemistry — Kinetics & Electrochemistry
Rate equations, order of reaction, activation energy (Arrhenius equation), electrode potentials, electrochemical cells, and electrolysis.
Inorganic Chemistry
Periodicity, Group 2 (alkaline earth metals), Group 7 (halogens), transition metals (ligand substitution, colour, redox), and qualitative analysis.
Organic Chemistry — Core Mechanisms
Nucleophilic substitution, electrophilic addition, electrophilic aromatic substitution, nucleophilic addition-elimination, and free radical substitution.
Organic Chemistry — Synthesis & Analysis
Multi-step synthesis routes, functional group interconversions, retrosynthesis, chromatography, and spectroscopic analysis (IR, mass spec, NMR).
Practical Skills & Synoptic Chemistry
Required practicals, data analysis, evaluating experimental results, and synoptic questions that link topics across the full specification.
Physical Chemistry — Atomic Structure & Bonding
Ionisation energies, electron configuration, ionic and covalent bonding, shapes of molecules (VSEPR), and intermolecular forces — with exam application at every stage.
Physical Chemistry — Energetics & Equilibrium
Enthalpy changes (Hess's law, Born-Haber cycles), entropy, Gibbs free energy, equilibrium constants (Kc, Kp), and Le Chatelier's principle.
Physical Chemistry — Kinetics & Electrochemistry
Rate equations, order of reaction, activation energy (Arrhenius equation), electrode potentials, electrochemical cells, and electrolysis.
Inorganic Chemistry
Periodicity, Group 2 (alkaline earth metals), Group 7 (halogens), transition metals (ligand substitution, colour, redox), and qualitative analysis.
Organic Chemistry — Core Mechanisms
Nucleophilic substitution, electrophilic addition, electrophilic aromatic substitution, nucleophilic addition-elimination, and free radical substitution.
Organic Chemistry — Synthesis & Analysis
Multi-step synthesis routes, functional group interconversions, retrosynthesis, chromatography, and spectroscopic analysis (IR, mass spec, NMR).
Practical Skills & Synoptic Chemistry
Required practicals, data analysis, evaluating experimental results, and synoptic questions that link topics across the full specification.
See this plan built around your child's exact paper.
Book Free Demo
+1.9
average grade improvement
Common blockers
Where students struggle, and how we fix it.
1Organic mechanisms under exam conditions+
Mechanisms must be drawn with correct curly arrows, lone pairs, charges, and intermediates. We build each mechanism systematically — nucleophiles attacking electrophiles, leaving groups departing, and delocalised systems stabilising — until students can draw any mechanism from first principles.
2Equilibrium and thermodynamics calculations+
Kc, Kp, Born-Haber cycles, and Gibbs free energy calculations involve careful unit tracking and multi-step reasoning. We practise with real past-paper questions and teach a consistent method for each calculation type.
3NMR and spectroscopic analysis+
Students often lose marks on spectroscopy because they do not know the systematic approach. We teach the method: use the molecular formula, then IR, then ¹H NMR (integration ratios, chemical shifts, splitting patterns), then mass spectrum fragmentation — to deduce the structure step by step.
Proof that feels close to home.
NK
Nathan K., student
Verified
ANMR interpretation was completely lost on me. After two sessions with a clear systematic method, I could work out any structure. The spectroscopy questions beca...
Edexcel A-Level Chemistry · Birmingham
MW
Mr William Fong, parent
Verified
AWe needed a CIE Chemistry examiner for our son at an international school. The tutor's knowledge of the CIE question style and mark scheme was exactly what he n...
CIE A-Level Chemistry 9701 · Hong Kong
Sarah M.
Verified
Grade 4 → 6My 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 ComboTutors tut...
Parent of IB Student · London
James P.
Verified
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 electromagn...
Parent of A-Level Student · Manchester
Priya K.
Verified
+2 GradesWe needed help with GCSE Science for my son who found chemistry particularly challenging. His tutor made the sessions engaging and relatable—using real-world ex...
Parent of GCSE Student · Birmingham
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Family trust
Why parents chose Combo.
Families usually want three things: a tutor their child respects, a plan that fits the real paper, and updates that make progress easy to follow.
Handpicked tutors
We shortlist tutors who know the curriculum, teach clearly, and can coach the exact exam habits that lift marks.
Top-university academics and exam-savvy specialists.
Clear weekly updates
Parents see what was covered, what improved, and what needs attention next, so progress never feels vague.
Structured feedback after every lesson block.
A plan built around your child's paper
Sessions are matched to the student's board, tier, topic gaps, and exam timeline instead of generic subject tutoring.
Board-specific support with a measurable target grade path.
Ready to close the gaps? Start with a free demo.
Book Free DemoA-Level FAQ
Common Questions.
Organic chemistry makes up approximately 30–40% of most A-Level Chemistry specifications. Mechanisms, synthesis routes, and spectroscopic analysis appear in all three papers. Strong organic chemistry knowledge is arguably the single biggest factor separating B from A/A* students.
AQA, Edexcel, and OCR each specify a set of required practicals that must be completed at school. Questions based on these practicals appear in the written papers. We cover the procedures, data analysis, and evaluation for all major required practicals across all boards.
A-Level Chemistry has a heavier calculation burden and requires more mechanical skill (mechanisms, equation writing). A-Level Biology has more descriptive content and longer essays. Many students find Chemistry the harder step-up from GCSE. Both reward consistent practice.
Yes — spectroscopic analysis is a major section of all A-Level Chemistry specifications. We teach a systematic approach to IR (functional group identification), mass spectrometry (fragmentation), and ¹H and ¹³C NMR (chemical shifts, splitting patterns, integration).
Ready to Excel in A-Level Chemistry?
Book a free consultation and we will match you with a specialist A-Level Chemistry tutor who can make a real difference.