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😵*💫 📏 Fresh New International Student 🫤 🏠

❓️🧐I’m in Ireland and brand new to the UK education system. I’ll be completely self‑teaching Cambridge A‑Levels (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) as a private candidate with zero tutor support it’s my only option, so practical advice only, please.

⚡️My goal is purse Electrical Engineering.⚡️

😵I’m starting from absolute zero from the uk education system😵*💫. What I need:

🤔A step‑by‑step resource list (which textbooks, websites, YouTube channels actually worked for you?).

Any pitfalls I should know about before starting.
How do you verify your understanding without a teacher? 📏
If you’ve done this successfully, I’d really value your first‑hand experience. 😃

Reply 1

Original post
by Thedoorislocked
❓️🧐I’m in Ireland and brand new to the UK education system. I’ll be completely self‑teaching Cambridge A‑Levels (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) as a private candidate with zero tutor support it’s my only option, so practical advice only, please.
⚡️My goal is purse Electrical Engineering.⚡️
😵I’m starting from absolute zero from the uk education system😵*💫. What I need:
🤔A step‑by‑step resource list (which textbooks, websites, YouTube channels actually worked for you?).
Any pitfalls I should know about before starting.
How do you verify your understanding without a teacher? 📏
If you’ve done this successfully, I’d really value your first‑hand experience. 😃

Ok, wow. That's ambitious.

I take Cambridge A-level maths. I would probably advise you to switch to AQA or Edexcel (something with more resources) but you my very well not want to or be able to.

The advice:

Get the textbooks the exam board recommends.

Crawl through the specifications (in order!) and learn everything they say there.

Test yourself regularly and make sur eyou understand everything.

Don't get AI to teach you as it will get stuff worng frequently without you noticing.

Some maths channels are "The Ginger mathematician" and "intuitive".

I would seriously recommend some kind of course. Even if it is just UpLearn.

It is very, very hard to check understanding without a teacher. You'll just have to google any questions you have to death.

Reply 2

you're classed as a home student.

Reply 3

Since you're in the UK, see about taking AQA or another home board instead.

https://old.reddit.com/r/6thForm/comments/1nb0nq7/i_selftaught_a_level_maths_and_further_maths_in_6/

Also check out drfrost maths

Reply 4

Original post
by Thedoorislocked
❓️🧐I’m in Ireland and brand new to the UK education system. I’ll be completely self‑teaching Cambridge A‑Levels (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) as a private candidate with zero tutor support it’s my only option, so practical advice only, please.
⚡️My goal is purse Electrical Engineering.⚡️
😵I’m starting from absolute zero from the uk education system😵*💫. What I need:
🤔A step‑by‑step resource list (which textbooks, websites, YouTube channels actually worked for you?).
Any pitfalls I should know about before starting.
How do you verify your understanding without a teacher? 📏
If you’ve done this successfully, I’d really value your first‑hand experience. 😃
Extra note: You can study CIE if you want to. I only suggested another board as there are more resources.

Reply 5

Original post
by Thedoorislocked
❓️🧐I’m in Ireland and brand new to the UK education system. I’ll be completely self‑teaching Cambridge A‑Levels (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) as a private candidate with zero tutor support it’s my only option, so practical advice only, please.
⚡️My goal is purse Electrical Engineering.⚡️
😵I’m starting from absolute zero from the uk education system😵*💫. What I need:
🤔A step‑by‑step resource list (which textbooks, websites, YouTube channels actually worked for you?).
Any pitfalls I should know about before starting.
How do you verify your understanding without a teacher? 📏
If you’ve done this successfully, I’d really value your first‑hand experience. 😃


I do AQA chemistry but I think study mind has some really good notes for CIE chemistry as well. I like to make notes and find YouTubers that I can understand - this will be beneficial for you since you won’t have a teacher to listen to and listening is another good way to learn.

Reply 6

Original post
by _Odysseus_
Extra note: You can study CIE if you want to. I only suggested another board as there are more resources.

🤔Yeah i was thinking to change to pearson edexcel as i found it more suitable as more people do it, has more resources. 😄Could please list me some resources, websites, books, yt channels i should know about for edexcel👍😃

Reply 7

Original post
by Anonymous
🤔Yeah i was thinking to change to pearson edexcel as i found it more suitable as more people do it, has more resources. 😄Could please list me some resources, websites, books, yt channels i should know about for edexcel👍😃

I can't help you there as I don't take Edexcel for anything. I think Mr Astbury does maths for Edexcel on youtube, but that's all I know.

Reply 8

Original post
by _Odysseus_
I can't help you there as I don't take Edexcel for anything. I think Mr Astbury does maths for Edexcel on youtube, but that's all I know.

what board u do

Reply 9

Original post
by Thedoorislocked
what board u do

Oh, no, I do take Edexcel for Physics. I completely forgot about that (I'm used to being on really obscure boards). I'm still not able to help much. Personally, I don't find the textbook that useful. I mostly revise with past papers and PowerPoints from my school's classes... not external resources.

Reply 10

Original post
by _Odysseus_
Oh, no, I do take Edexcel for Physics. I completely forgot about that (I'm used to being on really obscure boards). I'm still not able to help much. Personally, I don't find the textbook that useful. I mostly revise with past papers and PowerPoints from my school's classes... not external resources.

could u provide the resources u use for phy

Reply 11

Original post
by Thedoorislocked
could u provide the resources u use for phy

Unfortunately, I can't because they are from my school and only for use within the school. It would also take a very long time to hunt them all up.

Reply 12

Original post
by _Odysseus_
Unfortunately, I can't because they are from my school and only for use within the school. It would also take a very long time to hunt them all up.

teell me the ones u know

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