Would you get a tutor for DD (15) in these circumstances?

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DD is at a selective grammar. She has a great work ethic and always strives to do her best. She's very good at all the arts - english, history, art etc. Recently done end of Y10 exams and they were graded according to the new GCSE grades - she got mostly grades 7 and 8 for all her best subjects which obviously is fantastic.

Her school makes them do all 3 sciences - in these subjects she got 5-6. She isn't going to pursue sciences, we've had numerous conversations about how this isn't that important, everyone has strengths and not-so-strengths and obviously she's on course to pass them which is great.

However, she herself is pro-actively asking for a tutor to try and improve her grades. On the one hand that's admirable and great that she's taking initiative and willing to put in extra work. On the other hand I don't want her thinking she is 'failing' in science or comparing herself to her peers and finding herself wanting when there really is no need.

Financially we can afford it so that's not really an issue. What would you do? I just don't know if it would be fuelling the notion that sciences are a problem for her. She doesn't really appear stressed about it.

Does she know why her grades were lower in the sciences?
Did she revise properly?
Does she not understand some of the topics?
Is she unfamiliar with the form the science exams take - especially with regard to the mark schemes?
Did she sit actual GCSE papers, and perhaps not covered all the topics yet?
How did her marks compare to the rest of her class - were they all lower than other subjects (indicating perhaps harder exams, tougher marking or poorer teaching?)

The answers to those questions might help with your decision. It might simply be that getting some GSCE revision books, watching some Bitesize clips and/or analysing some past papers with the mark schemes by herself might help.

If she is seriously not getting some whole sections of the syllabus, then a tutor might be the answer.

She did revise properly and a lot of her peers scored higher, but she is average. It was a GCSE level paper, but only on the topics already covered. Her exam technique is good.

In Physics and Chemistry she struggles to understand some of the concepts. I guess that answers my question! Maybe just tutoring specifically targetted in the areas she wants is the answer.....

I would do it as she’s asked herself.
It sounds like she wants to the best she can, which is brilliant.

I would if I could afford it and she's actively asking for help.

Yes I would do it, she wants to do well in sciences irrespective of not continuing with them. If you can afford it then it's worth giving it a shot, she only has one chance and if she is motivated then why not. She may regret it otherwise.

I have always said yes to my dds when they have asked for private tuition.

It is often frowned upon - people assume if a child 'needs' private tuition it means either the child is struggling or that the education provided is inadequate. Neither have been the case with my dc. Having a topic explained by someone else on a 1-to-1 basis can do wonders and give them a real confidence boost.

Correct me if I am wrong , but I suspect grade 5/6 GCSE year 10 will probably mean attainment @ grade 7 this time next year.

Regarding tutoring what grades does your DD need for sixth for. Does the school require grade 7s in a Science based subject/s for 6th form admission . This being even if your DD wants to do English E.T.C at A Level.

I would, especially as she's been sufficiently self-motivated to ask. She wants to do her best and that is admirable. A good tutor can make a significant difference in a relatively short space of time.

Sciences are extremely important for teacung data anaylisiys, research skills and reasoning. If she improves her science skills it will help her with her existing strengths. I am in law school but did mostly sciences for a levels because I was going to go into medicine. The skills I learned in those classes have given me a real edge in my legal studies. Scientific literacy is also very important as a life skill. Antivaxxers are only antivaxxers because they don't get scientific studies for instance. Economists and social sonceitist often come out with utter garbage because they don't understand causal links (great for criminal law BTW) so base their arguments on falicies. It's wonderful that you daughter is so driven. You shoukd Encourage her.

Looking at the answers to those questions, it sounds as though there are specific areas that she needs help with. Tutoring could well be the answer. It may only take a few sessions if she is happy with other areas.

Buy the GCSE revision guides for each subject! They demystify everything! She'll soon come to grips with the concepts that she can't get her head around!

Her 6th form at the grammar is v significantly bigger than the main school, so becomes less selective effectively.
Entry requirements are obv math, english and at least 6 grade 5's. To do a particular subject you need a 6/7 (they are still feeling their way with the new gading system so this may change) so there is no need for her to achieve more than 5/6 in a subject she knows she's not taking forward. She's taking 10 GCSE's.

I think I will go for tutoring having thought about it and seen your responses - you are right if someone is asking for assistance there's no reason to say no if you can say yes!

My son had a block about one of the sciences whilst doing very well in his other gcses. As you say it wouldn't have hurt to have one lower grade but what we found was that he would spend too much time trying to get that grade up, revising excessively and that eventually that might be to the detriment of his other grades. He had some tutoring in that one science. He went over the areas that he was struggling to understand and because he felt he now got it he was more confident about the subject, did not spend all his time on it and allocated revision slots across all his subjects.

Obviously until 23 August we won't know whether it has boosted his grade in that subject (and frankly I don't mind if it isn't raised) but it made him more confident, less stressed and enabled him to dedicate his time to his other subjects - especially those that he will do at A level rather than wasting time on a subject he will be dropping.

I actually found him an A level student to help him rather than a tutor and it worked very well. I know some people frown on this but as it was specific concepts rather than "teaching" for an entire exam it worked well for us. (In fact I found the student on here via his mum who is a poster).

If she is in a grammar school, it's likely she is feeling under pressure to improve her grades. Personally, I think if you can afford it - I would provide her with one. Not so much because of the grades - but because she has decided she has an issue with something, wants to fix it and has come up with a solution. It would show her you have confidence in, and are supportive of, her deciding what's best for herself.

Just make sure it’s the right tutor who is aware of the particular exam board syllabus and her weaknesses. Worth taking time at the start to target carefully what she wants to be taught.

Hmm your DD sounds like my DS, OP. He really struggled with doing three sciences (and the huge amount of revision all those exam papers required). He was adamant the he didn't want a tutor but really he should have had one. He didn't do nearly as well in his GCSEs as he should have done and missed As in quite a few of his stronger subjects and indeed the sciences by 1-2 marks. I reckon with a tutor even for one science subject it would have massively pulled up his grades across the board. So do it.

If she asks herself then why not? It would be different if it was you implying her grades aren't good enough but that's not the case. Perhaps check that she's not feeling the pressure from other girls in the school though.

If she’s asking for a tutor I absolutely would. In the meantime, revision books & have you looked at something like Tassomai online - they guarantee that a few minutes a day doing the recall questions will increase results...