IGCSE tutoring, built around your syllabus

What the syllabus covers

• Number — Types of number, fractions, decimals and percentages, ratio, rates, standard form, surds (Extended).
• Algebra and graphs — Manipulation, equations and inequalities, sequences, functions, graph sketching, differentiation (Extended).
• Coordinate geometry — Gradients, midpoints, equations of lines, parallel and perpendicular lines.
• Geometry — Angle facts, circle theorems, similarity and congruence, constructions.
• Mensuration — Perimeter, area, volume and surface area of 2D and 3D shapes, compound solids.
• Trigonometry — Right-angled and non-right-angled triangles, graphs of sin/cos/tan (Extended), 3D problems (Extended).
• Transformations and vectors — Reflection, rotation, enlargement, translation; vector geometry (Extended).
• Probability — Single and combined events, tree and Venn diagrams, conditional probability (Extended).
• Statistics — Averages, charts, scatter diagrams, cumulative frequency and histograms (Extended).

Exam tips

1. 1Show every step of working — method marks are awarded even when the final answer is wrong.
2. 2Never round mid-calculation. Round only the final answer, to 3 significant figures (or 1 decimal place for angles) unless told otherwise.
3. 3Use the calculator's own value of π, or 3.142 if instructed — don't mix the two in one answer.
4. 4'Simplify' and 'factorise' both mean go all the way; partial simplification loses marks.
5. 5On non-calculator papers, leave answers as exact fractions or surds rather than estimating decimals.
6. 6Bring a ruler, protractor and compasses to every paper — construction and scale-drawing questions appear on both tiers.

What the syllabus covers

• Functions — Domain and range, composite and inverse functions, the modulus function.
• Quadratic functions — Completing the square, the discriminant, graphs.
• Factors of polynomials — Factor and remainder theorems.
• Equations, inequalities and graphs
• Simultaneous equations — Linear and non-linear.
• Logarithmic and exponential functions — Laws of logarithms, exponential and log equations.
• Straight-line graphs
• Coordinate geometry of the circle
• Circular measure — Radians, arc length, sector area.
• Trigonometry — Identities, equations, exact values.
• Permutations and combinations
• Series — Arithmetic and geometric progressions, the binomial theorem.
• Vectors in two dimensions
• Differentiation — Stationary points, rates of change, tangents and normals.
• Integration — Definite integrals, area under a curve.
• Kinematics — Displacement, velocity and acceleration via calculus.

Exam tips

1. 1Memorise every identity and rule — there's no formula sheet to fall back on.
2. 2A calculator is allowed, but most marks reward exact method rather than a numeric answer.
3. 3Show full working on calculus questions: writing dy/dx = 0 and solving earns marks before you classify the turning point.
4. 4Practise multi-topic questions — algebra, calculus and trigonometry are often combined in one structured question.
5. 5Keep surds and exact trig values unrounded until a decimal answer is explicitly requested.

What the syllabus covers

• Number, algebra and functions — Largely mirrors 0580, but leans on the GDC for solving and graphing.
• Coordinate geometry, geometry, mensuration and trigonometry — The same core geometric toolkit as 0580.
• Transformations, vectors, probability and statistics — Includes GDC-based regression and averages (Extended).
• Investigation and modelling — Unique to this syllabus: exploring an open problem, forming a model, and testing it against data.

Exam tips

1. 1Practise the specific GDC skills the syllabus lists — sketching graphs, tabulating functions, finding zeros and turning points, and linear regression (Extended). These are examined directly.
2. 2On Papers 5 and 6, communication is marked explicitly. Explain your reasoning in full sentences, not just working.
3. 3Don't over-rely on the GDC: the non-calculator papers still test algebraic fluency.
4. 4In modelling questions, state your assumptions clearly before building the model — this is often credited separately.

What the syllabus covers

• Understanding business activity — Business types, objectives and stakeholders.
• People in business — Motivation, recruitment, training, organisational structure, communication.
• Marketing — The marketing mix (4Ps), market research, segmentation, product life cycle.
• Operations management — Production methods, quality, location, technology.
• Financial information and decisions — Costs and revenue, break-even, cash flow, sources of finance.
• External influences — Government policy, the economy, ethics, the environment.

Exam tips

1. 1Always apply your answer to the specific business in the question or case study. Examiner reports repeatedly flag generic, textbook answers that ignore the context given.
2. 2Learn definitions precisely — added value, cash flow problem, lean production and similar terms are assessed on exact meaning.
3. 3Practise break-even and other standard calculations until they are automatic, and show your working for method marks.
4. 4Match your response to the command word: 'state' wants a fact, 'analyse' wants developed reasoning, 'evaluate' wants a justified conclusion weighing both sides.
5. 5For Paper 2, read the whole case study before answering — later questions often depend on details introduced earlier.

What the syllabus covers

• A — Everyday activities — Time, food and drink, health, travel and transport.
• B — Personal and social life — Family, home, clothes, leisure activities.
• C — The world around us — People and places, the natural world, communication and technology, the built environment.
• D — The world of work — Education, employment, careers, the workplace.
• E — The international world — Countries, nationalities, international travel and issues.

Exam tips

1. 1Build topic-based vocabulary banks rather than random word lists — questions are always set within one of the five content areas.
2. 2For Listening, recordings play twice. Use the first pass for gist and the second for detail.
3. 3For Reading, skim for the general idea before scanning for the specific detail a question asks about.
4. 4For Speaking, rehearse the role-play structures and a general conversation on familiar topics — yourself, family, school, holidays. Fluency matters as much as accuracy.
5. 5For Writing, use a range of tenses deliberately. Examiners look for range, not just accuracy.

Skills assessed

• Research — Locating, selecting and using relevant, varied and credible sources.
• Analysis — Identifying causes, consequences, perspectives and the reasoning behind a claim.
• Evaluation — Judging the reliability and relevance of evidence.
• Reflection — Considering how research and teamwork shaped your own thinking.
• Communication and collaboration — Presenting a clear argument and contributing to a shared team outcome.

Global topics

Every component draws on the same topic list, each examined through personal, national or local, and global perspectives.

• Arts in society
• Change in culture and communities
• Climate change, energy and resources
• Conflict and peace
• Development, trade and aid
• Digital world
• Education for all
• Employment
• Environment, pollution and conservation
• Globalisation
• Health and wellbeing
• Law and criminality
• Media and communication
• Migration and urbanisation
• Political power and action
• Poverty and inequality
• Social identity and inclusion
• Sport and recreation
• Technology, industry and innovation
• Transport, travel and tourism
• Values and beliefs
• Water, food and agriculture

Exam tips

1. 1Always argue from more than one perspective — personal, national or local, and global — even when the question doesn't ask for all three.
2. 2Use a mix of source types (news, data, expert opinion) and note who each source represents. Relying on a single viewpoint is a common way marks are lost.
3. 3In the Individual Report, keep the research question narrow and answerable. Broad questions are hard to support with real evidence.
4. 4In the Team Project, document your own contribution clearly — you are assessed individually even though the project is collaborative.
5. 5Practise structuring a source-based answer: identify the claim, state the evidence, then evaluate how strong that evidence actually is.