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Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 1:54 pm
by copella
I really would appreciate any help. My son is lagging behind in science. He is in y8 and at his recent academic review he clearly is making no progress at all. I am therefore looking for a tutor for him, preferably someone or an organisation which others can recommend. I have posted this request in the Herts section and the tutor section and had no luck. So I would be grateful for any response. Even if no one knows of a tutor, just letting me know where I could best look would be useful. It is different to the 11 plus when there were friends who were in the same boat who I could ask, now he is at senior school I barely see any of his freinds and do not know the parents well enough. Many thanks for any PM's I receive.

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 2:38 pm
by wonderwoman
You could try asking his teachers - it would be worth chatting to them anyway if you think he is falling behind.

They will definitely know who is good and who isn't, it is difficult for them to suggest or recommend, but there are ways round that!

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 2:40 pm
by tiredmum
Also what about getting some of those CGP workbooks and revision books - my dd1 used these - one of hr science teachers was dreadful so she used these books to catch up on the areas he was supposed to be teaching. :)

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:19 pm
by copella
Thank you for your suggestions. We are going to make an appt to see the science teacher and his form tutor who is lovely has suggested some websites which we will use. He has a test on Weds and we will see how he does and look at what the teacher says we can do to help him but I think he would welcome some help. Once again thanks.

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:32 am
by Milla
and the Unsworth encyc. of Science. I asked for recommendations last year (year eight then - under Physics, or Chemistry) and this book was recommended, bought and VERY good! I think it can be bought as separate sciences but I got all three in one for a good price on Amazon. If nothing else, it helps me - and is clear and well laid out and meant to include enough stuff up to GCSE. Bit simplistic occasionally (no drawing of villii which was needed once) - if you trawl back through and find the physics and chemistry threads people recommended good websites, too.BBC bitesize and so on.
And, yes, ask at the school. I'm sure, acually, few schools would WANT to think of their pupils needing outside back up - not a very good reflection on them.
Anything useful you learn, let us know.

PS edited to add, while my son, now Y9 doesn't like biology much (those pesky villii) he is storming ahead in physics and chemistry - sometimes it can be a different teacher, a sudden "getting it" thing. Don't despair!

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:13 pm
by copella
Yes, I am hoping that this is a blip and that he just needs to understand how the write answers in the correct way. Coincidentally he is doing human biology at the moment and today was revising the intestine's so villi are on our agenda now. He seems to be OK at home when revising with me, but I think needs some help to structure his answers. Will look out for the books you suggested. Many thanks for the suggestions.

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:46 am
by wurzel
There's also a Dorling Kindersley book 'Science', edited by Adam Hart-Davies. It's not ostensibly linked to National Curriculum, but is beautifully laid out and covers a wide range of subjects in some depth and in a very readable format, with history of science as well as technical matters. It's quite expensive, but I got it cheap through a book scheme at work, and I've also seen it cheap in one of those stack-it-high bookshops you find in town centres. Both my kids read it for pleasure and have found it useful for school too.

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:16 pm
by hilltop
Take a trip to the Natural History Museum where there's a large section on human biology. We go there and the Science Museum, British Museum, Imperial War Museum etc frequently to reinforce what has been studied at school.

There's the BBC Bitesize KS3 site which revises each topic and then gives an on-line test. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/science/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also there are schools programmes on BBC2 during the night Monday-Friday 4am-6am. Keep an eye out for the science KS3 ones and record them.

Re: Help needed to find ks3 science tutor in north London

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:35 pm
by copella
Thanks for the idea re the TV programmes, i will have a look at these and see what is on.