Small-group format

Small online classes where students stay visible

MathPert classes are capped at max 8 students so Teacher Au can notice weak working, ask students to explain, and reduce quiet hiding.

Max 8 students

Small group is not a marketing detail. It is part of the teaching method.

When the class is capped, Teacher Au can ask every student to show working, notice when someone is guessing, and correct a method gap before it hardens. In a large class, a quiet confused student can sit unnoticed for months. Here they cannot.

  • Students are expected to participate.
  • Questions can be checked through working, not just final answers.
  • Quiet confusion is easier to notice in a smaller group.
Eight-node abstract class structure visual
Max 8 means visibility, accountability, and fewer places to hide.

What a lesson actually looks like

Group classes run four lessons per month, 1.5 hours per lesson, live on Zoom. The 90-minute length is deliberate. Secondary maths needs time to explain, attempt, and correct in the same sitting. A short class almost always means cutting the practice phase, which is where gaps actually get fixed. A typical lesson moves through four phases:

  • Homework review. Recurring mistakes are corrected at the step where they happen, not just marked wrong.
  • New method, taught for reasons. Each technique is taught with the why behind it, because a memorised rule collapses the moment the question changes shape. This is the Understand First approach.
  • Guided working. Students attempt questions while Teacher Au watches the working, asks them to explain a step, and corrects method live.
  • Independent attempt. The lesson closes with questions done without prompting, so it is clear whether the method has landed or needs another pass.

Materials, worksheets, announcements, and recordings where applicable are shared through Google Classroom.

Small group, large centre, or 1-to-1?

Each format trades something. A large centre can cover content efficiently, but the teacher cannot see individual working. 1-to-1 gives full attention, but loses the pacing that comes from working alongside peers, and costs more per session.

The capped group is the middle path MathPert is built on. Small enough that every student's working is seen each lesson. Large enough that students hear each other's mistakes and questions, which is often where the method finally clicks. For a fuller comparison, read small group vs large tuition centres for IGCSE. Class timing and what the fee includes are on the fees and schedule page.

Who the small group fits

  • Students who manage classwork but lose marks in tests. The gap is usually method, and method only gets fixed when working is seen. See understands in class but cannot do exam questions.
  • Students who have learned to stay quiet in a big class and need to be brought back into actually attempting questions.
  • Students whose foundations need rebuilding alongside current-year topics. That requires the teacher to know exactly where each student breaks.

Some students do need 1-to-1 instead, usually when the timing is off-cycle or the gap is very specific. That route is subject to availability and quoted separately. The quickest way to find out which fits is the free diagnostic, or a WhatsApp message with the year level and the current concern.

Questions parents ask

Common questions

A smaller group gives Teacher Au room to ask students to explain, notice weak steps, and keep participation visible.

Related reading

More guides on this topic

Weak maths foundations

How MathPert rebuilds the missing earlier-year steps so IGCSE topics finally stick.

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Understands class but freezes in exams

Why method-first teaching closes the gap between classwork and exam paper performance.

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The IGCSE Maths revision map

A clear sequence parents and students can follow for the months before the exam.

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Online Add Maths tutor: what to expect

How a live online Add Maths class works week to week, and what separates a tutor from a video library.

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