A tutor can help with coursework by teaching the skills and knowledge it draws on, explaining the assessment criteria and practising with other examples, but the coursework itself must be the student’s own work. Coursework, NEA and IB internal assessments count towards final grades, and exam boards take authenticity seriously. This guide explains what’s allowed, what isn’t and how to get the right support.

Written by Tutopiya, an online tutoring company. Always check your school’s and exam board’s rules.

Key takeaways

• Tutors teach skills; students do the work.
• Exam boards require coursework to be the candidate’s own.
• Schools authenticate coursework.
• Breaking rules can lead to disqualification.

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What counts as coursework?

Coursework is assessed work completed during the course rather than in an exam, such as GCSE and A Level non-exam assessment (NEA), IGCSE coursework components and IB internal assessments. In the UK, JCQ publishes guidance on non-examination assessments.

Qualification	Example
GCSE and A Level	NEA in subjects such as Geography, History, Computer Science
IGCSE	Coursework options in some subjects
IB Diploma	Internal assessments in every subject, Extended Essay, TOK

What a tutor can and can’t do

Can	Can’t
Teach subject skills and concepts	Write any part of the work
Explain assessment criteria	Rewrite or edit drafts
Practise with different examples	Choose the student’s topic or argument
Teach research and referencing	Provide data or results
Help plan time to deadlines	Give feedback beyond school rules

How to get support within the rules: step by step

1. Read your school’s policy on outside help.
2. Tell the tutor which piece of coursework is due.
3. Focus lessons on skills, not the actual work.
4. Practise on similar tasks that aren’t assessed.
5. Keep evidence of your own drafts.
6. Ask the teacher if unsure.

Why the rules matter

Teachers must confirm that coursework is the student’s own, and boards can disqualify work that isn’t. That protects fairness for everyone and protects your child’s qualification.

What does a skills-focused lesson look like?

1. Review the assessment criteria.
2. Teach one skill, such as analysing data.
3. Practise it on a different example.
4. Discuss how the student might apply it.
5. The student works on their own coursework independently.

Browse our IB Diploma tutors, A Level tutors and Cambridge IGCSE tutors.

IB internal assessments

IB internal assessments follow IB academic integrity rules. See our guide to IB internal assessment tutoring and IB Extended Essay tutoring.

Red flags

• a tutor offers to write sections;
• requests to send drafts for editing;
• promises of specific coursework marks.

Avoid any service that offers to do the work.

How to tell support is working

• your child understands the criteria;
• skills improve in practice tasks;
• deadlines are met with the student’s own work.

How parents can help

• read the school policy;
• encourage early starts;
• avoid editing the work yourself.

Questions to ask a tutor

1. How do you support coursework within the rules?
2. Will you practise skills with other examples?
3. How will you help with time planning?

Time management

Most coursework problems come from leaving it too late. A tutor can help plan milestones, so the work is done steadily.

Common skills tutors can teach

Skill	Subjects
Data analysis	Sciences, Geography
Source evaluation	History
Programming	Computer Science
Essay structure	English, humanities
Referencing	All

If you’re unsure

When in doubt, ask the teacher before any help is given. Teachers would rather answer a question than deal with an authentication problem later.

Practising on a similar task

One of the most useful things a tutor can do is set a practice task similar to the coursework, but not the same. For example, analysing a different data set or writing a paragraph on a different question. The student builds the skill, then applies it to their own work independently.

Questions to ask the school

1. What outside help is allowed for this piece of coursework?
2. Can a tutor see drafts at all?
3. What are the deadlines for drafts and final submission?

Getting clear answers early protects your child and lets the tutor plan the right support.

Coursework vs exam preparation

Many students need help with exam papers as well as coursework. A tutor can focus on exam preparation while coursework continues independently, which keeps support clearly within the rules.

Keeping dated drafts also helps show the work is your child’s own.

Small, steady steps usually work better than big changes.

How Tutopiya tutoring works

Tutopiya offers one-to-one online tutoring.

• Tutors teach skills and concepts within coursework rules.
• 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 summary after each lesson.

See our online tuition page.

Common mistakes

• Tutor editing drafts → keep work the student’s own.
• Ignoring school rules → read the policy.
• Starting late → plan milestones.
• Trusting “coursework writing” services → avoid them.

Talk to us

If you’re unsure what support is appropriate, contact our team.

Summary: tutors can teach coursework skills and explain criteria, but the coursework itself must be the student’s own; follow school and exam board rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can a tutor help with coursework? +

A tutor can teach the skills and knowledge the coursework draws on, explain the criteria and give general feedback, but the work itself must be the student's own. Schools and exam boards set specific rules.

What can't a tutor do? +

A tutor shouldn't write, rewrite or edit the coursework, choose the student's ideas for them, or give feedback beyond what the rules allow.

Do exam boards have rules on outside help? +

Yes. Boards such as those governed by JCQ in the UK, Cambridge and the IB require coursework to be the candidate's own work. Schools must authenticate it.

What happens if the rules are broken? +

Coursework could be disqualified, and in serious cases the student may lose the qualification. It's not worth the risk.

Do Tutopiya tutors follow coursework rules? +

Yes. Tutopiya tutors teach skills and concepts but don't write or edit assessed coursework. The first trial lesson is free with no card required.

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