A Cambridge Thinking Skills tutor helps students solve multi-step problems with clear methods and analyse arguments by identifying conclusions, assumptions and flaws, with lots of timed practice. Thinking Skills is unusual because it tests reasoning rather than content. This guide explains what the course involves and how tutoring helps.

Written by Tutopiya, an online tutoring company that teaches A Level students one-to-one.

Key takeaways

• Two main strands: problem solving and critical thinking.
• Methods can be taught and practised.
• Timing is a key challenge.
• Feedback on reasoning is essential.

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What does Thinking Skills involve?

Cambridge International AS and A Level Thinking Skills 9694 assesses problem solving with numerical and logical data, and critical thinking about arguments and evidence. See the Cambridge Thinking Skills 9694 syllabus.

Strand	What students do
Problem solving	Extract data, model and solve problems
Critical thinking	Analyse, evaluate and write arguments

Where do students lose marks?

Area	Common problem
Problem solving	Misreading the question
Multi-step problems	Losing track of working
Argument analysis	Confusing reasons and conclusions
Evaluation	Missing assumptions
Writing arguments	Weak structure

Signs your child needs a tutor

• problem-solving scores vary a lot;
• your child runs out of time;
• argument questions feel vague;
• school has few specialist resources.

How to choose a tutor: step by step

1. Check familiarity with 9694.
2. Ask about their maths and logic background.
3. Ask how they teach argument analysis.
4. Ask about timed practice.
5. Book a trial lesson.
6. Plan the term.

Browse our Cambridge A Level tutors and the A Level tuition overview.

What should a good tutor offer?

What to check	Why it matters
Clear methods	Builds reliability
Variety of problems	Prepares for anything
Argument vocabulary	Precise analysis
Timed practice	Exam readiness

What does a good lesson look like?

1. A warm-up logic puzzle.
2. Teach a problem-solving method.
3. Analyse a short argument.
4. Timed mixed questions.
5. Feedback and homework.

A problem-solving method

1. Read the question twice.
2. Identify the data needed.
3. Organise it in a table or diagram.
4. Solve step by step.
5. Check the answer makes sense.

Analysing arguments

1. Find the main conclusion.
2. Identify reasons and evidence.
3. Spot assumptions.
4. Look for flaws, such as generalisations.
5. Judge how strong the argument is.

When should students start?

Starting early in AS lets students build methods before timed practice. Later, focus on past papers.

How to tell tutoring is working

• more consistent problem-solving scores;
• better timing;
• precise argument analysis;
• clearer written arguments.

How parents can help

• play logic and strategy games;
• discuss arguments in the news;
• ask your child to spot a flaw in an advert’s claim.

Questions to ask a tutor

1. Have you taught 9694?
2. How do you teach problem solving?
3. How do you teach critical thinking?

A sample term plan

Weeks	Focus
1–3	Problem-solving methods
4–6	Argument analysis
7–9	Evaluating evidence
10–12	Timed papers

How much tutoring is enough?

One weekly lesson plus short daily practice works well. Before exams, timed papers with feedback help most.

Common argument flaws

Flaw	Example
Hasty generalisation	One case used for all
Correlation as cause	Two things linked without proof
Straw man	Misrepresenting a view
False choice	Only two options presented

Writing your own argument

Some questions ask students to write a reasoned argument. A clear structure is a conclusion, two or three reasons with evidence, a counter-argument and a response.

Thinking Skills and admissions tests

Students preparing for problem-solving or critical-thinking admissions tests often find Thinking Skills practice useful. Each test has its own format, so practise official sample papers too.

Online lessons for Thinking Skills

Online whiteboards make it easy to work through diagrams and tables together. Students can share their working and get instant feedback.

Who takes Thinking Skills?

Thinking Skills is often taken alongside sciences, maths or humanities because it develops reasoning that supports every subject. Some students take it at AS Level only, while others continue to the full A Level. Because few teachers specialise in it, many students use past papers and examiner reports with limited guidance. A tutor familiar with 9694 can explain what examiners reward, demonstrate model answers and give targeted feedback, which is often the missing piece for students who understand the ideas but lose marks on precision or timing.

How Tutopiya tutoring works

Tutopiya offers one-to-one online tutoring.

• A tutor matched to your child’s subject, level and exam board.
• A free first trial lesson, with no card needed.
• From 4 hours a month per subject. Each tutor sets their own rate, shown before booking.
• AI lesson analysis gives a written summary, flashcards and quiz questions after each lesson.

See our online tuition page.

Common mistakes

• Rushing the question → read twice.
• Messy working → organise data.
• Confusing reasons and conclusions → label them.
• No timing practice → do timed papers.

Talk to us

For related guides, see an A Level global perspectives tutor and exam technique tutoring. Contact our team to check availability. If you already study with Tutopiya, log in and raise a ticket from your portal dashboard by clicking the + icon in the bottom-right corner.

Summary: a Thinking Skills tutor teaches reliable methods for problem solving and argument analysis, with timed practice for the 9694 exams.

Frequently asked questions

What is Cambridge A Level Thinking Skills? +

Cambridge International AS and A Level Thinking Skills 9694 assesses problem solving and critical thinking: working through numerical and logical problems and analysing and evaluating arguments.

Can thinking skills be taught? +

Yes. Students improve with clear methods, practice on varied question types and feedback on their reasoning.

Is it useful for admissions tests? +

The skills overlap with some university admissions tests that assess problem solving and critical thinking, though each test has its own format.

What do students find hardest? +

Multi-step problems under time pressure and identifying flaws or assumptions in arguments.

Does Tutopiya offer Thinking Skills tutoring? +

Tutopiya offers one-to-one online A Level tutoring. Contact us to check Thinking Skills tutor availability; the first trial lesson is free with no card required.

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