A level Biology
Video Feedback from Students:
A level Results day 2024
Tom helped me so much when it came to understanding the true depth to biology as a subject . He is a very supportive and kind teacher who helped me to not only gain knowledge , but also enjoy studying biology. I had a great experience being one of his students and I improved immensely due to his guidance. Holi - CIE 2024 (Google reviews)
Thank you so much for your help Tom. With your help I was able to achieve a grade that i didn’t know would be achievable for me. Thank you:)) Highly recommend - Vongai OCR A 2024 Group lessons
The lessons were concise and efficient and really helped solidify key areas of OCR A-Level biology that were weak points in my knowledge. The tutoring sessions took me from a predicted D/E to a final B grade in my 2024 A - level results, helping me secure my firm place university choice - Jack OCR A 2024 Group lessons (Google reviews)
Saskia got an A in biology so thank you for all your help :) - AQA 2024
Hi Tom, I got a B in my exam. Best I’ve ever gotten so very happy. Thank you for all you help :) - Elizabeth OCR A 2024 Group lessons
I achieved an A thanks to your help and am requesting a review of marking as I was only a few marks below the boundary for A* - Rasan AQA 2024 - Group lessons
Hi Tom, I got A* and met my offer for Oxford, thank you so much for all of your help !! Isabelle - AQA 2024 - Group lessons
Saranya got A* in biology and offered a place to do medicine at the university of Manchester. Once again thanks for all the help in biology ! Saranya AQA 2024 - Group lessons
Rosie got an A star- she was accepted to do Medicine at Exeter. Thanks again Kate - OCR A 2024
Cassy did very well. She had an A in biology, short of only 3 marks to get an A* Thank you so much for all the support. - OCR A 2024 - Group lessons
Hi Tom thank you so much for helping Kierat, she achieved an A in her A level today - AQA 2024
Hello! I was very surprised with my result as even though I ran out of time in paper 1 missing 6 pages I managed to get a good A!!! Thank you so much for the help you gave! - Olivia - OCR A 2024
I got a B! Got my place at Uni. Thankyou for all your help! Tilly AQA 2024 Group lesson
Hello Tom! Thank you very much for your message. I did amazing, I got a B!! I'm very, very happy about it, this is what I need for uni💪 Your lessons and videos helped me a lot, without you I would have done much, much worse. Your explanations were always very clear, so that even the most complex part of the syllabus seemed obvious to understand. You are a wonderful teacher, I'm very grateful for your help!! I'm going back to Poland soon, I'll try again to post a review for you on Google. Thank you very, very much!!
Kaja - Group lesson OCR A 2024
Thank you so much for the tutoring! I managed to get a B today in biology, and able to get into my firm choice university. - Jack OCR A Group lessons
Hi Tom I just wanted to let you know that I got my place for medicine in Nottingham. Thank you so much for all of your help and support I couldn’t have achieved this without you !!! - Holi CIE 2024
I think Lu has messaged you but she got a B for her biology!! So so pleased for her . Many thanks again for all of your patience and help . She couldn’t have achieved that grade without you . Thank you . I hope the rest of your students are as pleased ! - OCR A 2024
A for Sophia! Very happy - Durham place confirmed. Thank you for ALL your help! - OCR A 2024
I would like to thank Tom for all the support he gave me during my A level Biology course. I achieved an A in my A level Biology exam. The A level Biology group lessons were very informative. Along with the information provided in the lesson, Tom used active recall to test us on our knowledge and engaged us in the lesson which deepened my understanding and retention of A level Biology concepts. Furthermore, when we answered long question types we would use an interactive whiteboard to answer the questions, and he would regularly check our work and provide areas of improvement for our answers. Thank you so much Tom for all your support during my A level Biology course and exam. Cassy - OCR A 2024 Group lessons (Google reviews)
A level Results Day 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
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
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
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!