From primary school to university
培優 Academic
International curricula and tests
Usually ages 14 to 16
Tutoring for IGCSE, International A Level, the IB Diploma, AP, SAT and IELTS, built around the student's own school and exam board.
- IGCSE, IAL, IB
- AP, SAT, IELTS
- Built around your school
Where each route leads
- IGCSE
The entry qualification into A Level, International A Level or the IB Diploma. It does not lead to university directly.
- International A Level
United Kingdom university admission, treated as equivalent to the UK A Level, plus other international universities.
- IB Diploma
Universities worldwide. It is the most portable of these routes.
- AP
United States and Canadian admission and course credit, and increasingly accepted elsewhere, including Hong Kong.
- SAT
United States admission. Elsewhere it is supplementary evidence, not the main qualification.
Six things parents often get wrong
- IB 45 points
45 is the maximum, not a typical score. Higher Level is the same subject taught in more depth over more hours, not a harder subject.
- AP is not a programme
Each AP is a standalone subject exam, so how many to take is a strategy choice. A score of 3 does not automatically earn credit.
- The SAT has changed
It is now digital and adaptive, with two sections, scored out of 1600.
- IGCSE is not one thing
Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel are different boards with different syllabuses and scales, and a 9 is not simply the old A*.
- AS is not half an A Level
The final A* to E grade comes from combined AS and A2 performance.
- 5** in the HKDSE
It is not a level above 5.
How we help
- Tutoring built around your school
General Tutorial follows the student's own school and syllabus, so we can support any of these routes.
- Two questions first
Which curriculum or exam board, and which year the student sits it.
- Choosing is your decision
We do not tell families which curriculum to take. That is for the family and the school.
Our promise
We never quote an expected grade, score or university outcome. Exam boards change their rules, so we check before putting anything in writing.
IGCSE
Usually ages 14 to 16A two-year, subject-based qualification from Cambridge.
- How it works
- There are over 70 subjects and none is compulsory. Grades run from A* to G, and some subjects also offer a 9 to 1 scale.
- Choosing subjects
- Schools usually set the core subjects. Choose the rest with the next stage in mind, so they support the A level or IB subjects your child may want.
- How we help
- Tutoring in the IGCSE subjects, plus advice on which route to take next.
IAL
Two-year coursePearson Edexcel's International Advanced Level, which UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC) compares with the UK A level.
- How it works
- It is split into AS and A2. Each subject has four or six units, with exams in January, June and October. Unit results are banked and combined into a final grade from A* to E.
- Choosing subjects
- Choose the subjects that match the degree your child is aiming for, and check each university's entry requirements.
- How we help
- Subject tutoring for the AS and A2 units, plus pathway advice.
IB Diploma
Two-year diplomaThe International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, a broad two-year course.
- How it works
- Students study six subjects, each graded 1 to 7, plus three core parts: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS (creativity, activity, service). The maximum is 45 points, and the diploma needs at least 24 plus other conditions.
- Choosing subjects
- Subjects come from different groups, some at higher level and some at standard level. Balance your child's strengths with what the target degree prefers.
- How we help
- Subject tutoring at higher and standard level, plus pathway advice.
IELTS
English testAn English-language test. The Academic version is for university study taught in English.
- How it works
- Four parts: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, about 2 hours 45 minutes in total. Each skill gets a band from 0 to 9, and the four are averaged into an overall band.
- Choosing subjects
- There is no subject to choose. Check the overall and per-skill bands each target programme asks for, then work back from that.
- How we help
- Tutoring for each of the four parts, and a talk about the band your child's target programmes ask for.
Tests you may meet on the way
These are not qualifications, but they often come up when schools and universities decide the next step.
- CAT4
A reasoning test (verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial). It measures reasoning, not curriculum knowledge.
- MAP
A computer-adaptive test of maths, reading, language usage and science that tracks growth over time.
- SAT
A US university admissions test with Reading and Writing and Math sections, taken digitally.
- AP
College-level courses and exams from the College Board, often used for US applications.
How we help you get there
Whichever route you choose, support follows the same path.
Talk through the options
Tell us the year group, curriculum and goal. We suggest a route.
Match the right class
Private or small-group tutorials in the subjects that matter most.
Keep up day to day
Homework support keeps schoolwork steady between lessons.
Prepare the next step
Support with school applications and entrance tests.
Stay informed
You receive one written progress report each month.