How to Teach Chemistry Online (GCSE and A-Level)

October 2026  ·  10 min read

Chemistry is one of the most requested subjects for private tuition in the UK. It sits at the crossroads of maths and science, A-Level Chemistry is often required or strongly preferred for medicine, pharmacy, veterinary science and chemical engineering, and many students find the jump from GCSE to A-Level brutal. That makes it rewarding to tutor and, done well, very effective online.

This guide is for tutors teaching GCSE (separate Chemistry or Combined Science) and A-Level chemistry over video.

What do GCSE and A-Level chemistry exams actually look like?

Before planning anything, know the exact papers your student will sit. Ask for the exam board and, at GCSE, the tier in the very first lesson. Using AQA as the most common example:

• AQA GCSE Chemistry (separate science): two papers, each 1 hour 45 minutes and 100 marks, worth 50% each. Foundation tier covers grades 1–5 and Higher tier grades 4–9.
• AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy: six papers (two each for biology, chemistry and physics), each 1 hour 15 minutes, graded on a double scale from 1-1 to 9-9.
• AQA A-Level Chemistry: three 2-hour papers. Paper 1 (physical and inorganic) and Paper 2 (physical and organic) are 105 marks each and worth 35%; Paper 3 (any content plus practical skills) is 90 marks and worth 30%. Grades run A* to E.

OCR (Chemistry A and the context-led Chemistry B), Edexcel and WJEC/Eduqas all cover the same core chemistry but differ in paper structure, weightings and practical lists, so check the board's current specification rather than assuming. At GCSE, a meaningful share of marks across all boards tests understanding of the required practicals, and a portion of marks tests mathematical skills, which is why calculations deserve so much of your time.

How do I teach moles and chemical calculations online?

Quantitative chemistry is where most students lose confidence. The problem is rarely chemistry; it is usually rearranging, standard form, units and significant figures. Diagnose that first, and in your setup make sure you have a tablet and stylus: typing equations and subscripts is too slow.

Start with a concrete picture of a mole. A mole is a counting unit, like a dozen, only it is 6.02 × 10²³ particles (the Avogadro constant). Show that 12 g of carbon-12 and 18 g of water each contain one mole of particles, so the student understands why relative formula mass (M_r) in grams gives one mole.

Teach a small set of core relationships, one at a time:

• moles = mass ÷ M_r
• moles = concentration (mol/dm³) × volume (dm³)
• gas volume at room temperature and pressure: 1 mole occupies 24 dm³ (GCSE separate chemistry, Higher tier)
• at A-Level, the ideal gas equation pV = nRT, with SI units throughout

Use one consistent method for every multi-step problem. For reacting masses: write the balanced equation, convert what you know into moles, use the mole ratio, then convert back to what you want. Have the student write each step on a shared whiteboard (Miro, a similar online whiteboard, or a tablet and stylus) so you see their working, not just their answer.

Drill units and conversions separately. Converting cm³ to dm³ (divide by 1,000) is responsible for a remarkable number of lost marks. Give short, rapid-fire conversion warm-ups until they are automatic.

Teach error carried forward. Mark schemes usually award follow-through marks if a student uses a wrong earlier answer correctly in later steps. So students should always show every step.

At A-Level, add titration calculations, percentage yield and atom economy, empirical formulae from combustion data, K_c and K_p, pH of strong and weak acids, and Born–Haber cycles. Treat each as a template with fixed steps.

How do I teach bonding and structure visually on a screen?

Bonding is abstract, and online you cannot pass round a molecular model kit. The fix is to use free, high-quality visualisation tools and make the student build and draw, not just watch.

• PhET simulations (University of Colorado Boulder): “Build a Molecule” and “Molecule Shapes” let students assemble molecules and see VSEPR shapes and bond angles rotate in 3D. Share your screen or send the link and let the student drive.
• ChemTube3D (University of Liverpool): interactive 3D structures for giant lattices, metallic bonding and many organic reaction mechanisms.
• Dot-and-cross diagrams on the whiteboard: have the student draw them, using two colours for electrons from different atoms, exactly as examiners expect.

Link structure to properties every time. A student should be able to say why sodium chloride has a high melting point (strong electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions in a giant lattice, needing lots of energy to overcome) and why that is different from simple molecular substances (weak intermolecular forces, not covalent bonds, are broken on melting). This is a classic GCSE misconception.

At A-Level, extend into electronegativity, bond polarity, intermolecular forces (London forces, permanent dipole–dipole and hydrogen bonding) and shapes of molecules and ions with lone pairs.

How do I teach chemistry practicals without a lab?

You cannot give a student hands-on lab time over video, but the written exams test their understanding of practicals: method, variables, hazards, data, graphs, uncertainty and evaluation. All of that teaches well online.

For each required practical on your student's specification (for example, at GCSE: making a soluble salt, temperature changes, rates of reaction, chromatography, electrolysis and, for separate chemistry, titration and identifying ions), use this routine:

1. Watch a filmed version. Many exam boards and the Royal Society of Chemistry publish practical videos and technician notes. Pause at each step and ask “why?”.
2. Write the method. The student writes a numbered method from memory, naming equipment and quantities.
3. Identify variables. Independent, dependent and control variables, plus one hazard and how to reduce the risk.
4. Process data. Give a realistic results table to calculate means, spot anomalies, plot a graph and draw a line of best fit.
5. Evaluate. Discuss random versus systematic error, resolution of equipment and how to improve accuracy.
6. Answer past-paper practical questions on the same experiment under timed conditions.

Simulations help here too: PhET’s “Reactions & Rates” and “pH Scale” let students change variables and watch the effect. Be clear with families that the A-Level practical endorsement (CPAC) is reported separately from the A-Level grade and is assessed by the student’s school or exam centre, not a tutor. Private candidates need to arrange this with a centre well in advance.

How do I teach exam technique and mark schemes?

Students who know their chemistry still lose marks through vague language. Teaching mark-scheme thinking is the single fastest way to raise grades.

• Command words: “state” needs a fact, “describe” needs what happens, “explain” needs why, “suggest” means apply knowledge to an unfamiliar context, and “calculate” needs working and units. Each board publishes its own command word list; use it.
• Mark scheme language: show students how examiners write “allow”, “ignore” and “do not accept”. Seeing that “particles move faster” scores but “particles vibrate more” may not in a given context changes how they write.
• Levels-of-response questions: six-mark extended answers are judged holistically against level descriptors. Teach a quick plan of three or four linked points before writing.
• Precise vocabulary: “collide more frequently”, not “collide more”; “intermolecular forces”, not “bonds”; “delocalised electrons”, not “free electrons moving” where the scheme expects the former.
• Examiner reports: boards publish reports on each series describing common mistakes. Read them yourself; they tell you exactly what to drill.

What order should I teach chemistry topics in?

Exam boards list topics in a specification, but that order is not always the best teaching order. Atomic structure underpins bonding, and bonding underpins almost everything else, while quantitative chemistry needs to be introduced early and revisited constantly. The table below is an adaptable sequence based on the AQA content; map it to your student’s board.

Interleave rather than block. After stage 3, put two or three mole calculations into every lesson regardless of the main topic. Second-year A-Level content (thermodynamics, electrode potentials, acids and bases, transition metals, aromatic chemistry, NMR and more) follows the same logic: physical chemistry tools first, then the organic and inorganic topics that use them. If you also teach the other sciences, our guide to teaching GCSE science online covers biology and physics in the same format.

What does a good online chemistry lesson look like?

A 60-minute lesson that works for both GCSE and A-Level students:

1. Retrieval starter (5–8 min): four or five quick questions on earlier topics, including one calculation.
2. Check homework (5 min): go through only the questions they got wrong, and ask them to explain their error.
3. New content (15 min): one specification point, taught with a visual (simulation, diagram or worked example) and short questions every few minutes.
4. Guided practice (15 min): the student works problems on the shared whiteboard while thinking aloud; you intervene only when they stall.
5. Exam questions (10–12 min): two or three past-paper questions on today’s topic, timed, then self-marked against the official scheme before you comment.
6. Wrap-up (3–5 min): the student summarises the key idea in one sentence; you set homework and note what to retrieve next time.

In the first session, run a short diagnostic covering atomic structure, bonding and a mole calculation; it tells you more than any school report. Our guide to running a trial lesson covers how to turn that first session into a plan the family understands.

Checklist: before you teach your next chemistry student

• Confirm exam board, specification code, tier (GCSE) and exam dates.
• Download the specification, the required practical list and the last few past papers with mark schemes.
• Run a diagnostic on maths skills: rearranging, standard form, unit conversion, significant figures.
• Map the topic sequence against the student’s school scheme of work so tuition supports class teaching.
• Plan one practical routine per required practical, and set up homework and progress tracking (a platform such as Derstina includes ready-to-teach chemistry lessons for this).
• Build a calculation into every lesson’s starter.
• End every lesson with self-marked exam questions.

Students rarely struggle because the content is beyond them; it is usually shaky maths, hazy practicals or answers that miss the mark scheme’s language. Fix those three things online and grades follow. For broader online teaching strategies, see the best ways to teach students online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you really teach chemistry practicals online?

You can teach the understanding behind practicals online, which is what the written exams test. Use filmed demonstrations and simulations to show the method, then have students write the method, identify variables, process real-looking data and evaluate errors. What you cannot do online is sign off hands-on competence, such as the A-Level practical endorsement, which is assessed by the student's school or exam centre.

What is the hardest chemistry topic to teach online?

Most tutors find moles and quantitative chemistry the hardest, because weak students hide gaps in maths behind memorised formulae. Organic mechanisms at A-Level come a close second, since curly arrows must be drawn precisely. Both become easier online if the student writes on a shared whiteboard and talks through every step aloud.

How long should an online chemistry lesson be?

Sixty minutes suits most GCSE and A-Level students, with 45 minutes working well for younger or less confident learners. Shorter lessons rarely leave time for both new content and timed exam practice. A-Level students in the run-up to exams sometimes benefit from 90-minute sessions focused on full past papers.

Do I need a chemistry degree to tutor chemistry online?

There is no legal requirement for a degree to tutor privately in the UK, but parents expect strong subject knowledge, especially at A-Level. What matters most is that you know the specification your student sits and can explain the mark scheme. If you work with under-18s, many parents and agencies will also expect an enhanced DBS check.

Which exam board specification should I follow?

Always follow the exact specification your student is entered for, such as AQA, OCR A, OCR B, Edexcel or WJEC/Eduqas. The core chemistry overlaps heavily, but paper structure, required practicals and some content differ. Ask for the board and tier in the first lesson and download that specification and its past papers from the board's website.

How do I help a student who keeps losing marks on six-mark questions?

Six-mark questions are usually marked by levels of response, so the examiner judges the whole answer against level descriptors rather than counting points. Teach students to plan three or four linked points in a logical order before writing, using the command word to decide the structure. Then mark their answers against the real level descriptors so they see exactly what lifts an answer to the top level.