Small Group Chemistry Home Ed Classes
KS3, IGCSE & (I)A Level
"Kate is without doubt the best Science teacher / tutor I have come across... Kate combines subject mastery with teaching brilliance. She is a rare find."
I set up CanDoChem when I left the classroom in 2019. My first IGCSE group classes for home educated students began in September 2020. In September 2021 I added KS3 group classes and Pre-Recorded Courses at both KS3 and IGCSE.
IGCSE Class Chemistry Exam Results:
2022 - 2 year course cohort achieved 100% Grade 9
2023 - A bigger 2 class cohort achieved over 50% Grade 9 and over 80% Grades 8 - 9
Live Classes on offer - starting September 2024
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Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry 2-year course with weekly live class - 1 hour class per week
Tuesday 9.15 - 10.15 am or Wednesday 9.15 - 10.15 am
Cost - £17.50 per week
For more information please download my course guide for IGCSE Chemistry courses starting in September
2024 here
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Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry for Combined Science 2-year course with weekly live class - 45 minute class per week.
Thursday 11.00 - 11.45 am
Cost - £12.50 per week
This is taught in collaboration with specialist Physics and Biology teachers, who offer the other two components for Combined Science.
For more information please download my course information for Chemistry for Combined Science here
Unsure as to whether Separate Sciences or Combined Science would be a better fit? Please see my blog post:
IGCSE Course Dilemmas for Home Ed Students - Chemistry vs Combined Science and Linear vs Modular
Pre-Recorded options available rather than live classes for both KS3 and IGCSE, but with very similar resources. Find out more here.
All courses come with workbook style notes to accompany each lesson, self-marked consolidation work and access to my electronic course site. My electronic course site contains activities to support independent learning between lessons, including pre-recorded lessons for catch up / revisiting purposes, electronic quizzes and practical footage. IGCSE courses include marked topic tests and mock exams, access to twice weekly drop-in help sessions, as well as access to my Quizlet class with sets for every topic to help with the more rote learning based aspects of the course.
You can sample a pre-recorded lesson for both KS3 and IGCSE to get a flavour of my teaching style and resources:
IGCSE: https://courses.candochem.com/courses/self-paced-igcse-chemistry
KS3: https://courses.candochem.com/courses/ks3-chemistry
Exams
You are responsible for making your own exam entries, although I am very happy to provide support with any advice. I am also able to contribute evidence of ways of working, to support applications for access arrangements.
At A Level, I recommend students take Pearson Edexcel Advanced GCE in Chemistry (9CH0) or Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level (YCH11), although I can also offer AQA (A Level / IA Level). Both Edexcel specifications can be taken in the UK, although the only exam centres currently offering the IA Level are those run by Tutors and Exams. Students intending to take their exams outside the UK will usually need to take the IA Level. Students taking A Level Chemistry will need to pass their CPACs through an organisation recognised by their exam centre. This means they will achieve the practical endorsement on their A Level certificate, which is generally required for university admissions. The CPAC courses currently cost £940 per Science subject through Tutors and Exams. (Please note they are also available through other organisations.) A Level exams are sat in June and students have to take 3 papers. Students taking IA Level require knowledge of the practicals, but do not have to pass the CPACs. The IA Level consists of 6 modular exams that can be taken in January or June.
At IGCSE, my classes prepare students for Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Chemistry (4CH1). This can be sat in November or May / June. Students have to take two exams - Chemistry Paper 1 (4CH1/1C), which is a 2 hour paper and Chemistry Paper 2 (4CH1/2C), which is a 75 minute paper. The papers contain a mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer question, calculations and extended open-response questions.
I am pleased to be working as a Learning Partner with Tutors and Exams. Tutors and Exams provides examination and assessment facilities primarily aimed at private and home educated candidates. They currently have five exam centres located in Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, St. Neots Cambridgeshire and Wimbledon, with a sixth one coming soon in Taunton. Having worked with them to award TAGs for a number of my students I have been really impressed with their professional approach, particularly towards Access Arrangements. As a Learning Partner, my students receive 15% off the cost of their IGCSE Chemistry exam entries. You will need to enter a code at the time of booking your exam entries. Please do contact me for the code (before making your exam entry) if you wish to enter through Tutors and Exams.
Privacy Notice
Describing how I collect, process and store your data. Available to download here.
Live class reviews
"I'm delighted we found a tutor with both a deep Chemistry knowledge and brilliant tutoring skills. I've been so impressed with the organisation and the class notes, and so grateful for the post lesson notes, and guidance through the inevitable difficulties. I feel he's been learning both Chemistry and how to study well, and has come on really well in both!
When we looked round sixth forms his enthusiasm shone out, and in the end, I think that's what I'm most grateful for: that within the discipline of the lessons you have also kept alive the joy of the subject.
So whatever the outcome, a huge thank you from us all!"
Parent, June 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“I highly recommend Kate’s IGCSE class. Kate is a true expert in her field and has created a thoroughly engaging, well thought out and detailed course. The structure is excellent, the resources detailed and thorough. The extra video course and online quizzes for each topic invaluable, as well as the drop in sessions. Kate is an extremely conscientious teacher, and appears fully aware of how each student is getting on at all times. She’s easy to get hold of, quick to respond to any queries and contacts us as parents directly if she feels our child hasn’t quite been on track that particular day. I couldn’t be more confident going forward. It is a cut above anything else I have found out there for IGCSE. I only wish I could find similar courses for other subjects!”
Parent, February 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“Kate’s lessons are thorough and engaging. My daughter appreciates the structure and completeness of the course. The online learning materials, homework and classes work well together to ensure comprehensive learning and practice.”
Parent, February 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“Kate has a passion for teaching Chemistry and her enthusiasm is infectious. My daughter has flourished since taking up classes and it means I don't have to put in the effort myself to make sure she is on top of her game.”
Parent, February 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“Kate is very thorough and gives excellent individual feedback. The course is very well organised and I am confident my son is in good hands!”
Parent, February 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“Kate is an excellent teacher and out of all my teachers, she is the best and I look forward to her lessons!”
Student, February 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“A very helpful, and encouraging teacher. She helps a lot with any questions and all the homework solidifies the learning. I found the Kahoots very useful as it solidifies the learning and keeps you on top of the work. I don't recommend missing the lesson, but there are recordings available as well, so those helped ensure that I didn't miss out on anything. The newly added online course was also very useful for revising old topics, watching videos, and completing quizzes. It was also very well structured, and the ability to mark something as completed gives you an idea of what you've covered and what you need to work on. All in all, I would definitely recommend her as a teacher.”
Student, February 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“I really enjoy the Chemistry classes and look forward to them. I am confident in my understanding of Chemistry due to these classes. Thank you.”
Student, February 2023, (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“We are delighted that we have found Kate to teach our daughter Chemistry. It is now her favourite subject and she is growing in confidence. Kate is professional, easy to contact and clearly knows her subject! I am very happy to recommend Kate.”
Parent, February 2023, (KS3 live classes)
"The course is fun and interactive.”
Student, February 2023, (KS3 live classes)
“While doing the KS3 course I have found that I really enjoy Chemistry. It is a small class which is nice because you can engage more with it, and you get work to do yourself either inside or outside the class, which means you learn more as well.”
Student, February 2023, (KS3 live classes)
“Kate has created a comprehensive, well-organised course that makes chemistry fun!”
Parent, February 2023, (KS3 live classes)
"My daughter absolutely loves Kate’s KS3 classes, they are genuinely the highlight of her week, and of all the teachers we have come across throughout our home education journey, Kate is, by far and away, the best we have encountered. Her attention to detail, meticulous planning and provision of high-quality resources (including practical demonstration videos), together with Kate’s wealth of experience, evidently high level of expertise, enthusiasm, sense of humour and genuine concern for her students means my daughter has felt inspired and supported throughout the course so far and cannot wait to move on to studying Chemistry at IGCSE level and beyond. Thank you so much Kate!"
V.C. April 2022 (KS3 live classes)
“I feel very lucky to have found Kate at CanDoChem. She is an expert and obviously knows her subject inside out, making top grades accessible to home ed students. Her lessons are enjoyable and very well planned. All resources are available online and everything about the course is incredibly well organised. She cares about her students and notices if one is struggling or having a tough day and is very quick to feedback to parents. I could not recommend her highly enough.”
S.H., April 2022 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“We have found Kate to be highly knowledgeable and effective at delivering a really engaging Chemistry course at both KS3 and IGCSE levels. The sessions have been fully interactive and enjoyable for the kids, and Kate is careful to ensure the whole class understands new topics. Homework is marked very quickly, with lots of feedback and encouragement, including practical experiments we have been able to do at home in the kitchen with the kids. Classes are kept to a small size. Very highly recommended!”
C.P., April 2022 (KS3 and IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“Kate is an absolute treasure and we feel very lucky to have found her. Her teaching style is very clear, she takes huge trouble to ensure all the students enjoy Chemistry, and is very responsive to emails and queries. I really don't know how we would have managed Chemistry without her. Thank you Kate.”
S.D., April 2022 (KS3 live classes)
“My daughter really enjoys Kate’s lessons, the small group size is great for her concentration and the lessons are both interesting and fun. I get regular feedback from Kate about how my daughter is doing, and the half termly tests are also very helpful. Really happy that we found Kate, I would thoroughly recommend her!”
K.R., April 2022 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“We pay a bit more for Kate's classes, but the standard of teaching and resources is very high and we get much more feedback. It's very well structured. Our son is keen on Chemistry and one year in we are finding that this is teaching him how to work for an exam as well as the subject. Kate’s expectations are high, and she supports the students to do well.”
S.P., April 2022 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“I would highly recommend CanDoChem for IGCSE Chemistry. My child enjoys the classes, the structure and the teaching is of an excellent standard with plenty of support available.”
C.W., April 2022 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
“My daughter Ruby struggled with Chemistry, but very soon after commencing online classes with Kate, it began to fall into place! Kate is a great teacher and her enthusiasm and knowledge has helped Ruby gain a much better understanding of the subject.”
K.A. April 2022 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
"I have to thank you for having the course incredibly well structured. Your clear and precise explanations make it easy for Finn to follow the 1 year course (considering he had virtually no previous knowledge) and he knows what is expected to get the high grades he is aiming for. Your immediate feedback and clear instructions on how to improve make it a pleasure for me as a parent who has very little knowledge, as it means I can leave it to your teaching and Finn revising to achieve what he wants. It is a real pleasure to have you so passionate about your subject and being such a great teacher. Thanks so much, wish there were more like you out there.”
A.R. March 2021 (IGCSE 1-year live classes, Grade 9)
"Kate is, without doubt, the best Science teacher/tutor I have come across. She has become the bar with which I now compare others. Kate combines subject mastery with teaching brilliance. She is a rare find."
L.E. January 2021 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
"We are big fans of Dr Kate's Home Ed IGCSE Chemistry online group classes! My son was a beginner at Chemistry (albeit with a good general Science knowledge) but he is motivated to rise to the high standards that Dr Kate sets in the class as a result of the meticulous planning, personal attention, gamification (my son loves the Chemistry Kahoots) she provides and through creating an encouraging and friendly environment.
Regular homework and tests ensure that the skills the students learn in this tricky subject are consolidated. While reviewing one of the class recordings, I found myself following on for a good 15 mins re-learning atomic structure as Dr Kate broke down the topic into manageable chunks, while gently checking the students' understanding as she went along.
As an examiner, Dr Kate encourages the depth and precision required to answer questions to exam standards. Exam paper questions have been introduced from the beginning and students are shown how to answer in a way that gains full marks.
The small size of the groups is a huge bonus; the students can have their camera on and use the mic to answer questions, which makes the class a highly interactive experience
My son takes / has taken quite a few online group classes and this is undoubtedly one of the best we have experienced so far."
C.M. January 2021 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)
"My son is taking the 1 year intensive IGCSE class with Kate and I can say she has been brilliant all the way through. His confidence and enthusiasm for the subject has grown week by week and he now feels, with her help, he can achieve a top grade. The small class size offers just the right balance of personalised support and friendly interaction. Kate also offers extra drop in sessions for any lingering questions and excellent feedback for homework. I cannot recommend her highly enough."
S. M. January 2021 (IGCSE 1-year live classes, Grade 9)
"I'd just like to say thanks for all the encouragement, support and amazing teaching. I now find Chemistry an engaging and interesting subject to learn and am aiming for a top grade."
J.M. (student) January 2021 (IGCSE 1-year live classes, Grade 9)
"My daughter was keen to study IGCSE Chemistry in one year and so she started the course. Very soon it became clear that the course was moving too quickly for her. After speaking with Kate, we all decided to change to the two-year course. This pace is perfect for her, she’s really enjoying it and gaining confidence. The majority of homework is self-marked and Kate is always available to answer questions. Exams are set at the end of each topic; Kate marks them and provides very useful feedback.
I could not recommend Chemistry with Kate more highly. She is clearly passionate about her subject and provides interesting and stimulating lessons with positive feedback."
C.C. February 2021 (IGCSE 2-year live classes)