A level Biology
“Tom is the ideal tutor. Doesn’t rush through anything until he’s sure you’ve understood it. I was sceptical about the online sessions but he’s got everything sorted to make it a smooth session. 10/10 would recommend - Pasha (Winchester College) June 2018”
“My eldest daughter has just started medicine. Tom helped her improve from a D to an A grade literally within months! So glad I found him.- Katie McNamara Sept 2021”
“Tom has been brilliant with my son and has really helped him with his understanding of the A level course. He is excellent at explaining things and builds knowledge around topics so my son has a greater understanding of the concept. He has lots of additional resources too, which my son has found really useful.
Tom also videos the sessions which are then available to view afterwards. My son is dyslexic and so prefers revising from videos and visual material rather than books and so has found this invaluable as he prepares for his exams. The videos are all clearly labelled with the topics they covered so he could go back and use them again and again,
And from a parent perspective, Tom is incredibly organised with the sessions which makes life easier. Dates are booked in in advance, links and reminders are sent automatically and he invoices at the end of the month which saves you from having to remember to pay in advance each week.
Would really recommend Tom to anyone who needs help with biology A level. My son has made a huge amount of progress and has grown in confidence over the sessions which has made an impact on his grades.”
Video Feedback from Students:
A level Results Day 2023
“Just wanted to say a huge thank you I was getting D in year 12 Bio but I got an A your lessons were fantastic and perfect detail 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻” - Verity, Tuesday Night Group Lessons, Aug 2023”
“Tom was incredibly helpful with working though my biology A-level. His understandable and concise live video explanations along side mock exam question reviews, massively helped me achieve proper exam technique and an A. I still rewatch his videos at university as part of my revision.”
“Hi :) I got an A in Biology and a place at my firm uni York!! Thank you so much for all your help I’m so greatful!!” - Eloise, Tuesday Night Group Class, August 2023”
Dejannae got an A thank you 😊 - Tuesday Night Group Lessons - August 2023
Hi Tom, hope you are well, I just wanted to say thanks for all the help you have given me over the last year and I ended up getting 3A’s and an A in my EPQ. - Alex Edexcel SNAB August 2023
Hi Tom just to say that Charlotte got her A in biology and was one mark off an A*! Thank you for all your help she is off to study medicine. So happy. Thanks for making all the difference - Charlotte Edexcel SNAB August 2023
Felicity got an A - thank you so much for your support and help. She is going to Southampton to study Oceanography - she is delighted. Felicity OCR A August 2023
Hi Tom. Aaron got an A in Biology and has made his offer for Medicine at Bristol. Thanks so much for all your help. We are delighted.
Aaron - AQA August 2023
Hi Tom I received an A in biology this year which is what I needed I just wanted to say thank you soo much for the classes as they helped me very much. Nadish OCR A - August 2023
Hi Tom! I’m pleased to say that I got an A in Biology. I’ll be starting at the London School of Economics in September studying Anthropology. Thank you so much for all your help. Emily AQA August 2023
I made my offer for Oxford ! Thanks for all your help - Shiloh Edexcel B August 2023
I have an A which got me a place in the Royal Veterinary College, Which I’m happy with, thanks so much for your help! - Aiken - CIE August 2023
A level Results Day 2022
“Hi Tom, Tanay got an A* in Biology! We are very pleased. Thanks for your help with his tuition. He will be taking a gap year and apply for Medicine next year. (AQA)
hi Tom, I got an A in Biology ! Thanks for your help this year (Yasmin OCR A)
I got an A! Thanks for all your help! (Elizabeth AQA)
Hi tom! Just wanted to say a huge thank you for everything- i achieved an A in biology :) which was vital to get into uni. Thank you very much again, hope you are having the best summer. (Tatjana OCR A)
A* in biology ofc! Off to Brighton to Study Medicine in September!! Thank you so much for all your help over the last two years, i really appreciate all you have done for me (Oliver OCR A)
Just to let you know Ruby got an A in biology. (Ruby OCR)
i got an A in biology and got into my firm choice university! (Hannah Edexcel B)
Hey Tom, I hope your summer has been great so far! Thank you so much for putting up with me for all of those months, i got my results .. I got a B for Biology😁 went from an E to a B 😊 (Antonia OCR A)
I got an A Tom couldn’t of done it without you 👍🏼(Rosie OCR A)
Hi Tom just wanted to say a massive thanks for your teaching and lessons because I have just received my A- Level Biology grades in which I received A*. Once again many thanks! (Tanay AQA)
I got an A*!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for your help!!!!! (Francesa Eduqas)
Hi Tom, I managed an A in biology. Off to study medicine at.... Sheffield! Thanks for your help last summer. (Guy CIE)
I was able to secure a place to study Dentistry at Birmingham.
Thank you for these last 2 years, your help has been invaluable and I am a better student today because of it. I wanted to repay you with an A* but I’m hoping some free dental treatment will suffice?
I wish you all the best and hope you keep grilling many students! Zaid (OCR)”
“The biology A level content is very complex, but Tom is very good at explaining complicated mechanisms clearly. As an A student looking to get an A*, Tom has helped improved my exam technique as well as showing visual representations and explaining the content to me in a way that is much easier to understand than in school. In my latest exam, I got an A*! ”
“Tom helped me go from a B in year 12 to achieving an A* in A Level Biology. Really good teacher. Would highly recommend 👌”
“ I got an offer to study dentistry at Bristol today. Thank you so much for your help!”
“I’ve found Tom’s biology tutoring immensely helpful. His sessions are engaging and interactive, and he covers each topic in detail, followed by practice exam questions, to ensure understanding.”
“Tom is a brilliant tutor! After only two lessons, Alex seemed enlighted and started receiving A* in Biology. Tom is also very supportive outside of the tutoring class and has a very fresh and extremely engaging approach! Alex really enjoys the lessons and the benefits were immediately visible! Thank you so much, Tom!”
“Was working at a D/E in biology for my first year and a half of A levels. With Tom’s help I ended up getting an A for my final result!”
“Hi Tom,
Just thought I’d let you know that I managed to get an A*, thank you so much for all of your help!”
“Hi Tom, hope your well, I just wanted to let you know I got 3A’s, again thank you so much for all your help, I hoently couldn’t of done it without your help, I’m now off to study medicine and wish you all the best in the future!!!.”
“Hi Tom, I got an A! Thank you so much for all your help and support! I really appreciate it. I Thank you again!”
“Thank you for all your help it has helped enormously improve my grade and understanding!”
“ I’d like to thank you very much for your exceptional tutoring, help and advice over the past year.
He has built confidence from learning the foundations of biology and his understanding has developed since tutoring with you. Again, I really appreciate your dedication and hard work you did to help H get through the biology course. I am grateful you tutored H.”
OCR A Exam Guide Videos
Tom’s videos have been central to my students’ exam preparations for a while now. I use them in a number of different ways to complement my teaching, from homework tasks all the way through to full “walking talking mocks” in exam conditions. Not only do they include a breakdown of the knowledge required to attempt the question, but also very critical nuggets of information to help students with their exam technique. He often uses his vast experience to reassure students and direct them back to the crux of the question. This is particularly useful for my cohorts of disadvantaged students, as they can sometimes be thrown by unusual contexts in the exam due to a lack of science capital. In a headline, it helps them develop that inner dialogue for the exam to guide them through unexpected questions in a logical way. - Ross Cooper - Biology Teacher Alec Reed Academy London 27.12.21
“I also just wanted to say that I received my report for the term and I’m working at an A* grade and I wanted to say thank you for all your help it’s brought me from a working grade of C to a working grade of A* I really appreciate it”
“Hi Tom, just to say thank you for all the help you’ve provided over the course of the year I really appreciate all the help and tuition. In my recent mock which constitutes a majority part of my actual a level grade I received an A* across paper 1 and 2”
Tom Whitburn has been extremely helpful to me in the past year. He’s helped me to raise my grade from a C to an A/A*...
Posted by Isabelle Grant on Saturday, 20 February 2021
“Hello sir! I’m just dropping a text to let you know that my remark was successful (I went up a few marks) and I now officially have an A*!! I’m very happy and once again thank you so much for helping me turn things around in such a short amount of time. ”
“Hi Tom! I got an A* in Biology!!! Just wanted to say thank you so much again! Could not have done this without you”
“Tom has really supported my learning in a friendly manner, is always available to help and is very quick at responding to any extra questions. His resources are extremely useful and make the content easier to learn. I would highly recommend Tom!”
“Tom has been a fantastic complement to my studies, his lessons are always very well prepared and attuned to my needs. He has loads of additional online resources to support me. I would definitely recommend Tom if you feel unexcited by your school lessons and a bit lost! I feel more connected now with my school work. I also like the fact that the lessons are remote - thank you Tom!”
“Tom has been a fantastic complement to my studies, his lessons are always very well prepared and attuned to my needs. He has loads of additional online resources to support me. I would definitely recommend Tom if you feel unexcited by your school lessons and a bit lost! I feel more connected now with my school work. I also like the fact that the lessons are remote - thank you Tom!”
“Excellent at improving understanding of difficult topics and concepts, by breaking them down into effective step by step explanations. Method of teaching is engaging, with live illustrations to explain concepts, and keeps tutee involved by asking questions that target understanding. Also has a multitude of great resources which approach each topic from many different sources/angles.”
“Tom has been tutoring my daughter for 4 months now and she has had a dramatic improvement in both her understanding of the Biology syllabus and the results she is achieving at school. I would thoroughly recommend him as a tutor.”
“Tom is an extremely helpful tutor with a clear teaching style, helping students understand difficult topics easily. He’s always well prepared and great for exam preparation! An A* tutor!”
“Exceeded all expectations. From the first lesson i could hear my son saying “oh NOW I get it”!...”
“Tom is an outstanding tutor. He provides high quality sessions tailored the needs of the individual student. This enables rapid progress to be made. I know my daughter has been extremely impressed by his level of preparation for her individual sessions and his knowledge. She believes he has enhanced her enjoyment and understanding of the biology syllabus and plugged any gaps in her knowledge. She rates him very highly. She is already a good student but wants to excel. She believes that with Tom’s help, encouragement and depth of knowledge she can reach her full potential.”
“Hi Tom, just to let you know I got an A in biology so am going to study veterinary next year! Thank you so much I really couldn’t have done it without your help! - Eleanor Edexcel SNAB (August 2019)”
“ Tom has really helped me to understand the a level content a lot deeper and therefore made it a lot easier for me to use my knowledge when completing exam questions. He also provides many resources that are super helpful.”
“Tom has been a real help to my son! He is great for understanding tricky parts of biology and has helped significantly with exam technique (analysis questions), which my son struggled with before the tutor sessions”
“Tom Whitburn has been extremely helpful to me in the past year. He’s helped me to raise my grade from a C to an A/A* through weekly sessions and by providing me with extensive resources that have proved helpful in creating notes and practicing what we have covered using past paper questions. He goes over and beyond improving the quality of his online sessions through altering the quality of his sound and using different tools and format to improve his methods of presenting. Tom tailors his lessons to the needs of his students effectively by going over material that we are struggling with. Thank you Tom for all your help and support. I really appreciate it.
”
“Tom is an amazing Biology tutor and is the best teacher I have ever had. He explains topics in detail and always sends relevant revision material before the lesson which helps a lot. Tom has helped me discover the depths in Biology, and I really enjoy his lessons as he covers topics at a really good pace as well as explaining everything properly. I asked Tom to tutor me after I got a bad grade for my A-level and after having lessons with him, my biological knowledge has improved a lot!! Would highly recommend him. Jananine 15.11.18”
“Comments: My daughter was initially unsure about having an online - rather than in person - tutor but Tom’s set up is professional, streamlined and seamless and - as the lessons are recorded - there is the added advantage that she can watch them back which she finds an invaluable revision tool. The online booking system is also simple and Tom is flexible about cancellations and scheduling. She has only had 2-3 lessons so far but can already see the benefits in having a tutor who teaches A level biology full time and clearly knows his stuff”
Pre-U Biology
I found Tom after missing my first term of A-Level Biology due to illness and finishing the year with a slew of bad teachers. I was predicted a M1/M2 (B/C), and after a relatively few number of lessons I was back on track and up to speed. A booster before the exams, and I managed a D3 (A), which was especially impressive as it was an exam board for which he had never taught.
Tom is easy-going and fun, and under pressure, can explain half a term's worth of topics in an hour. Skype tutoring is the future and his use of a drawing tablet makes it seem as though he were a seat away from you.
If it wasn't clear from this ringing endorsement, Tom made a big difference to my results and my Biology, and I hope he has the chance to do the same for many more.
Lukas (Eton College)
From Aisha (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom is an extremely capable tutor who is well worth the higher fees. He has been tutoring my daughter for A level Biology. She is enjoying the lessons with Tom and I am confident that he will help her achieve the A-A* she is targeting - reports from her school about how she has been doing in her homework tasks and tests shows that she is now heading confidently towards her target - so we are very pleased. Would highly recommend Tom for any biology students targeting the top grades.
From Karyna (5/5): (A-Level Biology) A very enthusiastic teacher with excellent communication skills! Is able to easily simplify any topic and make it fully understandable.
From Bakeerathan (5/5): (A-Level Biology) I would rank Tom as the best biology teacher I ever had.
From Louise (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Well, I'm beginning to understand the 'logical information' of biology- for the first ever! Very pleased with progress as well.
From Karl (5/5): (A-Level Biology) An excellent tutor, friendly, professional and provided very useful exam techniques.
Recent Students
I have recently taught students from:
Eton College, Cheltenham Ladies College, St Swithuns', Wycombe Abbey, Winchester College, Kingston Grammar School, Whitgift School, Oundle School, Downe House, UCS Hampstead, Bradfield College, St Benedicts Ealing, Concord College, Emanuel School, New English School of Kuwait, Leysin American School in Switzerland, King Edwards Southampton, Royal Grammar School Guildford, Reading School, Kingswood School, Eltham College, Harris Sixth Form, Barton Peveril, Alton College, Portsmouth Grammar School, Godolphins, Chesham Grammar, Cardiff Sixth Form Centre ,Collingham College, Duff Miller Tutorial College, The John Lyon School
Reviews from Facebook
"Tom has been an exceptional tutor who has supported my daughter in her application to study Medicine. He has been excellent in explaining content whilst maintaining a clear focus on the requirements of the exam board. As a teacher myself, I really appreciate Tom's level of professionalism. He has always been friendly and reliable." - Karen
Tom is an excellent tutor, who knows just how to target his teaching so I could get the most out of our sessions. Working at a B grade level, Tom was so helpful in explaining topics to an A grade standard. His style of teaching even the most difficult concepts made them easy to grasp, and his interactive sessions made revising biology that much easier. Thank you Tom!
Tom was an exceptional tutor, who went above and beyond to find resources that improved my knowledge and understanding of Biology. I found going through past papers was particularly useful, as Tom was able to explain how the question should be answered. Tom absolutely improved my level of understanding, and resulting grade in Biology. I would recommend Tom to anyone study A-Level Biology and looking for some help.
Liam
Who do you tutor ?
I tutor a wide range of students with different challenges and goals - here are a few common themes
Very able second year students struggling to get the A/A*s that they needed for medical school entry
2nd year A-level Biology students working hard but getting poor grades at state sixth form colleges and schools in England
One off lessons to students at very selective (and expensive) schools in London
Disheartened students at fee paying schools who got achieved excellent grades at GCSE but have very poor end of year/AS results after studying A-levels for a year
Very hard working students who didn't understand the concepts that underpin the subject and spent their time rote learning the facts
Overseas students studying International A-levels (CIE and IAL) in Switzerland, UAE and the Netherlands
Tom has been a great help over my final A-level year, tutoring me OCR Biology A. I started the year with low confidence as my AS grades were lower than expected, and I did not always find my teaching at school very clear. Tom explained concepts to me in a much clearer way which really helped me understand difficult topics and finally grasp the fundamentals of Biology and the OCR syllabus. He was always friendly and approachable, making asking questions easy! I would recommend him to anybody. His tutoring allowed me to achieve the grades I needed to study Human Sciences at Exeter Uni this September!
Tom was amazing help for me, very quick to pick up on anything I didn't understand and correct it. Easy to get on with and communicate with, and he is vey knowledgeable about the course, it's key points and exam technique. Lessons were productive and efficient, and this helped me to achieve an A* in the end. I would highly recommend.
Absolutely brilliant, always flexible about the topics you want to cover and never ignores the harder parts of the course. I for one went through the Bohr Shift etc about 4 times with Tom until finally it made sense to me. Couldn't have done the exams without him and I'm grateful to have had him as a tutor.
Tom has been an excellent tutor. Really helpful to have and easy to talk to. He helped boost my grade from a B to an A*. Thank You for all your help Tom
Absolutely brilliant. Very comprehensive teaching which links all areas of the subject to each other making them much easier to understand and remember
Excellent subject and exam technique knowledge. Tom also is very easy to understand and can clearly and efficiently teach all topics.
From Idhren (5/5): (A-Level Biology) One of the best biology teachers I've ever had, is very good at reminding about lessons so you never forget! Really good lessons as topics are explained very clearly and in detail. Very good and would recommend.
From Fiona (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Delighted to find a tutor willing to help with revision at the last minute. His techniques though online tutoring is fantastic and he is one of those who is a natural teacher who explains everything clearly. In addition, it is nice to have someone who is flexible! Thank you Tom.
From Diane (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom has been helping my son with his A-level Biology. An hour per week seems to have made a big difference! Tom has built a good rapport with my son and in doing so has both been challenging and supportive. Skype lessons seem to work well. I would recommend Tom.
From Mala (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Thank you Tom for the solid revision in preparation fro the AS exams.
From Sharon (5/5): (A-Level Biology) We have found Tom's relaxed friendly approach to teaching excellent. The sessions focus on what you need help with and his explanations are easily understood. Any student or parent queries are always promptly dealt with. Jessica's confidence in the subject has increased and her grades have improved.
From Claire (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom has been really committed in assisting our son with Biology coursework / exam revision techniques, both have noticably boosted his confidence and understanding!
Thanks Tom
From Kate (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom is currently tutoring my son for AS Salters Nuffield Biology. My son, Tom, is finding online tutoring excellent- the sessions are highly engaging with the use of an interactive whiteboard that enables active participation in the sessions. Topics are explained really well and in excellent detail. As a result Tom feels increasingly confident in this subject. I would not hesitate in recommending online tutoring with Tom.
From Karen (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Focused and driven. Student always at the centre of the learning process. Supportive and helps in any way he can. Responds immediately with effective, clear communication. Excellent teacher in delivering content and exam technique. An outstanding teacher. We are delighted to have found Tom.
From Narain (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom has been an excellent tutor. He has been very supportive and explains biology concepts very well. He has improved my understanding and helped me tackle exam questions, I really appreciate the help Tom has been giving me.
From Nima (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Excellent tutor - highly reliable and knows the specification inside out ensuring the student understands all required aspects of the course
From Sonia (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Excellent teacher and very good communicator
From Joshua (5/5): (A-Level Biology) My son has been having tuition sessions from Tom for his A2 Biology and his results have definitely improved as well as his confidence. I would definitely recommend Tom to others.
From Anne-Helene (5/5): (A-Level Biology) With short notice, tom was able to help our son with his exams in preparation for his A-levels in Biology.
An excellent tutor!
From Joanne (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom is an excellent tutor. There is no fuss - just getting on with the work. He's very proactive and works in a really productive way. An hour of tutoring covers a large amount of work and he is very thorough and easy to understand in his explanations. We would recommend him to anyone.
From Paul (5/5): (A-Level Biology) We have found Tom to be efficient, reliable, professional and patient. Our daughter enjoys her sessions, which offer come unique solutions and are a great top-up to her existing school work. One to one sessions are a great tool and will help our daughter reach her desired goal. Thanks Tom.
From Susanna (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Susanna seemed very happy with the help you gave her and has organised other dates.
Jules
From Robert (5/5): (A-Level Biology) My son got the 'B' grade he needed - many thanks!
From Jake (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Dear Tom, I really appreciate your help. You quickly found all the gaps in my knowledge and it was so easy to understand things that I had previously struggled with. Thanks for all the much needed help with exam technique, it made a real difference.
I have enjoyed every session -especially meeting Louie the cat!
Regards
Jake
If you think you might need help then contact Tom straight away. He has a great sense of humour and is so clear on the syllabus that each session is really productive. Seeing Tom for one session is more useful than two weeks revision on your own
From Tiffany (5/5): (A-Level Biology) F215 (OCR) is a difficult module to learn. My daughter is lucky to have Tom's help. Tom is very professional and explains every concept so clearly that my daughter is able to fully comprehend. She achieved a grade A on the recent school mock exam, which gave her confidence in tackling the A Leve exam. Thank you, Tom.
From Meg (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom was excellent at helping to explain many things that I did not understand in a very short amount of time, so that by the time of the exam I felt fully prepared! Thanks again,
Meg
From Teri (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Tom has been a great help, very thorough and covering many topics quickly and effectively. Very good subject knowledge and has a good way of explaining things. Also offers good advice of where to find subject material for further independent study.
From Oliver (5/5): (A-Level Biology) Very knowledgeable teacher, friendly and reliable!
