A Level tuition in Dubai: Cambridge or Pearson Edexcel International A Level?

British-curriculum schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi mostly teach one of two international A Levels: Cambridge International AS & A Level or Pearson Edexcel International A Level (IAL). Both are accepted by universities, but they are built differently, and a tutor needs to know which one your child sits, and which papers are already done.

How the two are structured

Pearson Edexcel International A Level is unit-based. Each subject is split into units that can be sat in different exam series. In Mathematics (YMA01), for example, the full A Level is six units of 1 hour 30 minutes each: four Pure units (P1 to P4) and one pair of applied units, such as Mechanics 1 with Statistics 1. Science IALs have six units, three for the International AS and three more for the full A Level. Units can be resat to raise the overall grade.

Cambridge International AS & A Level is staged. The AS papers can be taken at the end of the first year and carried forward, or every paper can be sat together at the end of the course. In Physics (9702), for example, Papers 1 to 3 make up the AS Level and Papers 4 and 5 complete the A Level.

Why it matters for tuition

• Edexcel IAL: tuition is planned unit by unit. A student about to sit P3 needs P3, not a general revision of everything, and a weak unit grade can be targeted for a resit.
• Cambridge: if AS papers have already been sat, the focus moves to the A Level papers; if every paper will be taken together, the whole course needs revising before the final series.
• Either way, the teacher should work from that specification’s own past papers and mark schemes. An Edexcel P1 question and a Cambridge Pure Mathematics 1 question test similar content in different ways.

Which A Level subjects are taught

Pearson Edexcel International A Level: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Business, Accounting and English Literature.

Cambridge International AS & A Level: Mathematics 9709, Physics 9702, Chemistry 9701, Biology 9700, Economics 9708, Business 9609, Accounting 9706, Computer Science 9618 and more, listed on the UAE page.

Class times and fees from the UAE

The UAE is one hour behind Lahore all year, so a 5:00 pm class in Dubai is 6:00 pm in Lahore. Group class times are agreed with the families in each group before the trial; one-to-one classes can be arranged at a time that suits you. Every class is taught live online by a named subject teacher from our academy in Lahore. Marlbridge has no office, branch or teacher in the UAE.

Group classes have a set UAE fee in dirhams, per subject per month; one-to-one classes are charged per class. The UAE page shows the current fees. Our guide to how online tuition works from the UAE covers the rest.

Before the trial class

1. Check the specification code on a past paper or school report, and note which units or papers have already been sat, with the grades.
2. Bring a recent test, so the teacher can see where marks are being lost.
3. Book the free trial class in the format you are considering, group or one-to-one.