An IGCSE home tutor in Pune should know the exact Cambridge syllabus your child is entered for, how its papers are marked, and whether your child is on the Core or Extended level. Cambridge IGCSE is a two-year course for ages 14 to 16, so in Indian schools it usually covers Classes 9 and 10. Cambridge says more than 700 schools in India offer its programmes, and in Pune it is mostly private international schools that teach IGCSE.
How Cambridge IGCSE works
- Subjects. Cambridge offers more than 70 IGCSE subjects, and each school decides which ones it runs, so subject combinations vary from school to school.
- Grades. Results are graded A* to G. A few syllabuses are graded 9 to 1 instead, so check which version your child is entered for.
- Exam series. Exams are held in June and November, and schools in India can also enter students in a March series. Your school decides which series your child sits.
- Assessment. Most of the result comes from written papers at the end of the course. Some subjects add coursework, practical tests or speaking exams, depending on the options your school chooses.
Because each subject has its own syllabus code and papers, the syllabus document is the single most useful thing a tutor can work from. Cambridge publishes one for every subject and exam year, listing each topic and how it is assessed.
Core or Extended: the decision to understand early
In many subjects, including maths and the sciences, students are entered for either Core or Extended papers. In IGCSE Mathematics, for example, Core candidates can get grades C to G and Extended candidates A* to E. So a student entered for Core cannot get above a C, however well they do on the day.
Schools often decide the level from class work and mock exams. If your child is near the line, ask the school when it makes the decision and what would change it, and tell the tutor the target. The tutor's job then is to close specific gaps, such as the Extended-only topics in maths, rather than reteach the whole course. The choice matters beyond Class 10, too: Cambridge says students with A* to C in IGCSE Mathematics are well prepared to go on to AS and A Level Mathematics.
What good IGCSE tuition looks like
- Syllabus first. The tutor plans from the Cambridge syllabus for your child's subject and exam year, not from a generic textbook.
- Past papers and mark schemes. Cambridge publishes past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports. A tutor should use them to show your child exactly where marks are won and lost.
- Command words. IGCSE questions turn on words like describe, explain, suggest and calculate, and each asks for a different kind of answer. Good tutors teach these explicitly.
- Exam technique. Timing, showing working and reading the number of marks as a guide to how much to write.
- Honest coursework support. Explanation and feedback, never writing the work for the student.
If maths or science is the worry, our maths and science pages explain what tutoring in those subjects should cover.
After IGCSE: A Levels, the IB Diploma or an Indian board
Class 11 is a real fork in the road for IGCSE students, and the right tutor depends on which way your child goes.
- Cambridge AS and A Levels in Classes 11 and 12, usually three or four subjects studied in depth.
- The IB Diploma, which many international schools in India offer after IGCSE. Our IB vs IGCSE guide explains the jump from one to the other.
- An Indian board such as CBSE, ISC or the State Board, often chosen with JEE, NEET or MHT-CET in mind. Cambridge says five IGCSE subjects including English are accepted in India as equivalent to Class 10, but each school and junior college sets its own admission rules, so check them well before results day.
A move to an Indian board in Class 11 usually means new textbooks and a different question style, especially in physics, chemistry and maths. A few weeks of bridging work over the summer with the new books makes the first term much calmer.
How to choose an IGCSE tutor in Pune
- They have taught the exact syllabus recently, ideally by its code, for example Mathematics 0580.
- They know whether your child is on Core or Extended and what that means for the target grade.
- They work from real Cambridge past papers and mark schemes, not only textbook exercises.
- They are clear that coursework stays your child's own work.
- They can plan around your school's mocks and the exam series your child is entered for.
- They can reach you reliably. If no IGCSE specialist lives nearby, a tutor who has taught the same subject at A Level or in the IB may be a good fit.
On TutorUp, choose IGCSE as the board when you post a requirement, pick the class and subject, and add a note on the level and exam series, for example Extended Maths for the June series. Verified tutors near your home can then apply. Before a tutor's profile goes live, a person on our team checks their identity, on a short call or from a photo ID and a selfie. It is not a police or background check and not a judgement of teaching quality, so read how verification works and meet the tutor first. To compare IGCSE with the Indian boards, see our guide to all five boards, or browse home tutors across Pune by area.