IB Physics SL Tutoring
One-to-one online preparation for the Physics Standard Level syllabus
Most students take IB Physics SL because a science is required, and what actually stops them is the maths inside the physics – rearranging a formula, converting units, reading a gradient. We build those one at a time in 90-minute sessions, then move on to uncertainties in the data-based questions and the graphing section of the Scientific Investigation.
Quick Answer
Most students who ask for Physics SL help are stuck not on one topic but on the maths underneath, so the first session diagnoses which skill is missing before we propose a 10- or 20-lesson plan. If that first 90-minute lesson disappoints, we refund it.
SL
Level
Fully Online
Format
90 min
Lesson length
€85 per 90 min one-to-one lesson
Not happy after your first lesson? Full refund.
See packages and lower per-lesson rates
SLIB Specialists
Experienced Team
About IB Physics SL Tutoring
Our IB Physics SL tutoring programme fully covers the Physics Standard Level syllabus, one of the core science courses in the IB Diploma Programme. We cover the fundamental laws of physics in a clear, step-by-step way. Our experienced IB teachers make physics concepts concrete with visual materials and real-world examples.
The course covers mechanics (kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum), thermodynamics (heat, temperature, gas laws), waves (sound, light, optics), electricity (circuits, current, resistance) and the fundamentals of nuclear physics. Each topic is taught together with the mathematics behind it.
At SL the focus is on a solid understanding of core concepts and developing problem-solving skills. Rather than the complex HL topics, we study the core topics in depth. Our teachers balance conceptual understanding with application skills.
The Internal Assessment (IA) makes up 20% of the IB Physics SL grade. We provide support during the IA: choosing a research question, experimental design, data analysis, uncertainty calculations and report writing.
Exam strategy gets particular attention, with separate preparation for Paper 1 (multiple choice) and Paper 2 (structured questions), plus regular past-paper practice and mark scheme analysis.
Every programme is built around the student's current level and goals. Together we plan the content, the problem-solving practice and the exam strategy each student needs to reach an ambitious target.
IB assessment experience
Lessons are planned with teachers who have relevant subject experience and a strong command of the IB assessment criteria. Matching is done by subject, level, the student's current standing and teacher availability.
Syllabus Topics
And what does the board look like at HL?
The same topics, taught at HL
HLExam Papers
First exams 2025IB Physics SL exam structure and focus areas
| Paper | Duration | Weighting | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 36% | Paper 1A multiple choice + Paper 1B data-based questions, 1 hour 30 minutes total |
| Paper 2 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 44% | Short and long-response questions, 1 hour 30 minutes |
| IA | — | 20% | Internal Assessment – individual research project (Scientific Investigation) |
Source: the assessment components and weightings on this page follow the IB Physics SL subject guide published by the International Baccalaureate Organization (First exams 2025). Your school's IB coordinator can access the current session documents. ibo.org
About grade boundaries: According to the grade boundary documents the International Baccalaureate Organization publishes for each exam session, the total percentage needed for a 7 varies by subject, level and session in a band of roughly 55–85%. Your school's IB coordinator can access the relevant May/November Grade descriptors and boundaries document. In our one-to-one lessons we review the student's realistic grade range together using past-session boundaries and mock results.
IA / Written-Task Support
Where do one-to-one lessons help with the Internal Assessment and written tasks?
The gradient has to be the quantity you are after
A physics report is built on extracting a quantity from the gradient of a graph you drew. If the gradient of your two measured quantities has no physical meaning, the analysis section stays empty. So while choosing the experiment we draw that graph first, on empty axes: what goes across, what goes up, and which quantity the gradient is.
Error bars and the uncertainty in the gradient
In physics uncertainty is not a sentence, it is something visible on the graph. You need error bars on every point and an uncertainty in your result taken from the steepest and shallowest gradients. We build that calculation before the experiment, so the number of readings follows from it.
A wide enough range of readings
At least five values of the independent variable are expected, but what matters more is that they are not bunched together. Points taken across a narrow range make the gradient unreliable. We set the range by looking at the limits your instrument can read.
Showing where the deviation came from
Comparing your value with the accepted one is not enough; you have to show which step of the measurement produced the difference. Naming friction, air resistance or reaction time specifically earns marks even when the experiment went badly.
The lab window and drafts
Your school decides when you can run the experiment, and there is usually a single day. We finish the design beforehand so the lab time goes on taking readings. We do not write the report for you; the IB's academic integrity rules do not allow that.
Comparing Preparation Paths
How self-study, group classes and one-to-one support compare for IB Physics SL
| Preparation path | Pros | Limitations | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working on your own |
|
| Students comfortable with algebra who work through questions regularly. |
| School lessons and group courses |
|
| Students meeting the syllabus for the first time. |
| One-to-one online lessons with us |
|
| Students taking the subject because they have to, who feel they cannot keep up. |
Lesson packages
Not happy after your first lesson? Full refund. Split 10- and 20-lesson packages across any subjects you like, with no expiry date.
Study Plan Framework
A typical five-phase plan for IB Physics SL in one-to-one lessons, adapted to the student's exam date.
Locating where you are stuck
week 1
- Separating whether the wrong answers were physics errors or manipulation errors
- A short check on rearranging equations and converting units
- The weighting of the programme follows from that split
The maths inside the physics
weeks 2-4
- Isolating the variable the question asks for
- Unit conversion and orders of magnitude
- Reading a gradient as a physical quantity
The themes
weeks 5-13
- Motion, forces and momentum
- Thermal physics, waves and fields
- Atomic structure and radioactivity
Scientific Investigation
5-6 weeks, set by your school's lab calendar
- Choosing an experiment whose gradient means something
- Setting up error bars and the uncertainty calculation in advance
- Rounds of draft feedback
Exam practice
the 6 weeks before the exam
- Talking through the distractors in Paper 1
- Uncertainty in data-based questions
- Full-length past papers under timed conditions
This framework is a sample plan; it is customised for each student based on exam date, target grade and current level.
How One-to-One Lessons Work
How IB Physics SL sessions are structured
First we find where you are actually stuck
Students usually believe they do not understand the physics, when what defeats them is rearranging an equation or converting a unit. Those two need completely different programmes, so we make the distinction in the first session; a term spent on the wrong diagnosis does not come back.
We read graphs as physical quantities
In this subject the gradient, the intercept and the area under a curve each correspond to a quantity. Drawing the graph correctly is half the mark; the rest is being able to say which quantity the gradient is. We have you write that sentence on every graph question.
A pace that suits students taking it because they have to
Plenty of students say they took Physics SL for the diploma rather than for their plans. With them the aim is not to make the subject enjoyable but to secure the grade they need. The programme follows from that: a small set of question types, heavy repetition, and no detours into detail unlikely to appear in the exam.
A written progress report every two weeks
We share which topics were covered, what stage the report is at and what comes next, in writing.
IA Grader
Evaluate your Internal Assessment report yourself. IA Grader for all subjects →
Upload Your IA Report
Upload your IA report in PDF or DOCX format and let our AI assess it automatically.
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IA Preparation Checklist
Check the key elements of your IA report before moving on to scoring.
0/15 completed
0%Research Design
Data Analysis
Conclusion
Evaluation
Criterion-Based Scoring
Assess yourself on each criterion. Use the slider to set your score.
A: Research Design
0/6Assesses the Physics research question, its context (dependent/independent variables, description of the system) and whether the methodology can be repeated.
Does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
B: Data Analysis
0/6Assesses how raw data are recorded, how uncertainties are considered and how the data are processed (tables, graphs, statistics) to answer the RQ.
Does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
C: Conclusion
0/6Assesses how consistently the conclusion follows from the analysis and how it is compared with the accepted scientific context (literature, theoretical values).
Does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
D: Evaluation
0/6Assesses how methodological weaknesses and limitations are identified, how their impact is discussed and whether realistic improvements are proposed.
Does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
Total IA Score
Areas for Improvement
Want feedback on your IA from a teacher?
Work one-to-one with teachers who know the IB assessment criteria and IA rubrics inside out, and strengthen your report with feedback on each criterion.
If you'd like personalised feedback on your IA from a teacher, you can work with one of our tutors. This tool produces an estimated score; it does not replace official IB assessment.
Where Students Struggle
Our experienced IB teachers help you get past each of them.
Our Teaching Approach
IB-Focused Methodology
Work with teachers who know the IB assessment criteria inside out.
Where We Start
The first lesson sets the level, and the topic order follows from it.
The IA and the Exam
From the research question to the report, from past papers to mark schemes.
Past-Paper Focused
Real exam questions and mark scheme analysis.
Share before your first lesson
The information below helps the lesson plan focus on the student's real needs from the very first minutes.
- Target IB grade (e.g. 6 or 7) and exam date
- Current level: latest mock grade, predicted grade or weak topics
- School curriculum: the textbook used, IA / EE topic, deadlines
- Study schedule: lessons per week, available days and time slots
Who Is This Programme For?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my maths good enough for IB Physics SL?
How different is IB Physics SL from HL?
Does IB Physics SL tutoring help with the IA?
Programme Features
- Finding out whether the block is physics or the maths under it
- Rearranging formulae and converting units
- Reading a gradient as a physical quantity
- Uncertainty in data-based questions
- The graph section of the Scientific Investigation
- A pace that suits students taking physics out of necessity
- First lesson refunded if it does not meet expectations
Contact us for a lesson plan
Tell us your target grade, where you are now and when you sit the exam, and we will work out the weekly schedule with you.
Quick Info
Tutors who teach this course
- Emre Ç.
IB Physics SL Teacher
- Nurseli T.
IB Physics SL Teacher
- Sercan B.
IB Physics SL Teacher
Our teachers are currently working in IB schools, so we cannot share their full surnames.
Our tutors provide mentoring, structure suggestions and feedback during the IA / EE process. IB Courses does not write a student's IA or assignment for them.
Related IB Courses & Support
Other IB support often chosen alongside IB Physics SL
IB Maths SL Tutoring (AA and AI)
Compare IB Maths SL Analysis and Approaches (AA) and Applications and Interpretation (AI), then plan tutoring, IA and exam preparation.
Go to the IB Maths SL Tutoring (AA and AI) pageIB SLChemistryIB Chemistry SL Tutoring
For IB Chemistry SL we work on atomic structure, bonding, stoichiometry, organic chemistry, the IA and exam questions with a rubric-focused plan.
Go to the IB Chemistry SL Tutoring pageIB ProgrammeInternal AssessmentIB Internal Assessment Tutoring
IB IA support covers topic choice, research structure, data analysis and interpretation, with improvement suggestions aligned to the rubrics.
Go to the IB Internal Assessment Tutoring pageIB HLPhysicsIB Physics HL Tutoring
IB Physics HL tutoring covers mechanics, waves, electricity, quantum physics, the IA and exam preparation, planned around the student's level.
Go to the IB Physics HL Tutoring pageLet's work out where to start with IB Physics SL
On a free intro call with our experienced IB teachers, we'll decide together how many lessons you need and what to focus on.
The intro call is free and non-binding. We do not guarantee a specific IB grade.