VCE Physics Tutoring in Mount Waverley

Many tertiary STEM courses list VCE Physics as a prerequisite. For example, entry into Monash’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) requires a Units 3&4 Physics study score of at least 25 (otherwise you must complete a foundation physics subject) and admission to The University of Melbourne’s Physics 2: Advanced subject normally requires an unscaled raw study score of at least 35 in Units 3&4 Physics.

Even when not formally required, studying Physics equips you with high-level quantitative reasoning, modelling and experimental skills that underpin fields from renewable energy and medical imaging to telecommunications and aerospace engineering, making it a powerful choice for students aiming at both science- and technology-focused pathways.

A tutor can break down the complex models of energy, motion and fields into clear, step-by-step explanations, ensuring you’re not just memorising formulas but truly understanding the “why” behind each concept. With personalised feedback on your lab reports and SAC practice, a tutor helps you refine your experimental design, data analysis and evaluation skills so you consistently meet the key science-skill criteria. They can also tailor problem-solving sessions to target your specific weaknesses, whether that’s vector mechanics, circuit analysis or relativity, so your study time is far more efficient. Importantly, a tutor will guide you through past exam-style questions and SAC formats, building your confidence in applying physics concepts under timed conditions and helping you develop effective exam strategies. Having that one-on-one support often makes the difference between a satisfactory and a top study score.

Unit 1: How is energy useful to society?
Students explore fundamental models for energy, studying light via the wave model and thermal energy via the particle model, and extend these ideas to radioactivity, nuclear processes and basic electricity.  They apply these concepts to real-world issues such as optical communications, climate change, medical treatments, home electrical safety and Australia’s energy needs, while developing skills in modelling, experimentation and data analysis .

Unit 2: How does physics help us to understand the world?
This unit centres on mechanics and experimental inquiry: students describe and analyse force, energy and motion (including vector forces, equilibrium and energy conservation), investigate a contemporary context chosen from a range of options (e.g., biomechanics, renewable energy or astrophysics), and undertake a student-designed practical investigation to deepen their understanding of physics in action .

Unit 3: How do fields explain motion and electricity?
Building on Newton’s laws, students compare gravitational, magnetic and electric fields to explain motion, examine the generation and large-scale transmission of electricity (including modelling household circuits and safety devices), and explore applications such as motors and particle accelerators.  They also refine their skills in circuit analysis, quantitative laboratory investigation and evaluation of electrical systems .

Unit 4: How have creative ideas and investigation revolutionised thinking in physics?
Students investigate major paradigm shifts, wave–particle duality of light and matter, quantum explanations of classical phenomena, and Einstein’s special relativity (length contraction, time dilation, mass–energy equivalence), examining the experiments and models that transformed our understanding of the universe and honing their ability to analyse and apply advanced physics concepts .

The end-of-year VCE Physics examination is the sole external assessment for Units 3 & 4 and contributes 50 percent of your final study score. According to the Study Design:

• Duration & Timing
  – 2.5 hours under supervised, closed-book conditions.
  – Sat at the end of the VCE year on a date published annually by VCAA.
• Content Covered
  – All key knowledge and key science skills specified for Units 3 & 4 are examinable.
• Administration & Marking
  – Paper set and marked by VCAA-appointed panels and assessors under VCAA examination rules.
• Specifications
  – VCAA publishes a detailed Examination Specification in the year prior, which spells out:
  • the number of sections and their relative weightings
  • question formats (e.g. multiple-choice, short-answer, extended-response)
  • any permitted resources (formula sheet, data tables)
  • sample questions and marking schemes.

If you need the precise breakdown of sections and marks, refer to the current VCAA Examination Specification for VCE Physics (available on the VCAA website).

Here are some of the most important things to know if you want to do well in VCE Physics:

• Practice consistently and use your teacher as a resource: Regular, focused practice is irreplaceable—work through lots of past SAC and exam questions, and don’t hesitate to ask your teacher to clarify tricky concepts or mark your work.
• Handwrite theory and challenging problems: Writing out definitions, models and tough questions by hand helps cement understanding and creates a personalized reference booklet for review.
• Treat assessments as a mark-collecting game: In reading time, plan your approach by spotting high-value questions and allocating time strategically. In writing time, tackle the easiest marks first, then circle back to harder problems.
• Learn the patterns in exam questions: Many questions repeat or follow narrow templates; familiarising yourself with past papers guarantees you secure those “almost-certain” marks.
• Balance study with self-care: Schedule daily breaks, hobbies and downtime to keep stress in check—maintaining your well-being is just as important as polishing physics skills.

For more insights, please check out an article our tutor wrote about how to score a 49 in VCE Physics.

VCE Physics employs both school-based assessment in Units 1–4 and an external examination for Units 3–4.  Here’s a concise overview of the assessment components and their contribution to your final study score:

• Units 1 & 2 (School-based only):
  Assessment tasks are determined by each school and must align with the unit outcomes and key science skills.  Tasks may include laboratory reports, data analyses, problem-solving exercises, scientific posters and other written or multimodal activities.  Levels of achievement for these units are not reported to VCAA but must be satisfactorily completed to progress .
• Units 3 & 4 (Scored assessment):
  • School-assessed Coursework:
    • Unit 3 SACs contribute 30 % of your study score.
    • Unit 4 SACs contribute 20 % of your study score.
      These in-class tasks (each typically 50 minutes plus a brief presentation) are chosen from prescribed options—such as data analysis, experimental design critiques, problem-solving or investigations—and must be completed under teacher supervision .
  • End-of-year Examination:
    A 2.5-hour written exam set and marked by VCAA assess all key knowledge and science skills from Units 3&4, contributing 50 % to your study score .

To earn a study score, you must receive at least two graded SACs and satisfactory (S) results in both Unit 3 and Unit 4 SACs.

Many students find VCE Physics one of the more challenging VCE sciences, largely because it requires a solid grasp of algebra, trigonometry and data analysis alongside understanding abstract models (e.g. fields, quantum phenomena and relativity).  Compared with subjects like Biology or Chemistry, Physics often demands greater mathematical fluency and comfort with modelling, so success usually hinges on strong quantitative skills and regular practice, but for those who enjoy problem-solving and exploration of fundamental principles it can be highly rewarding.

A raw study score of 40 in any VCE subject, places you in roughly the top 9 percent of the cohort, meaning only about one in eleven students reaches it.In Physics, with its substantial mathematical and conceptual rigour, hitting that mark demands consistently strong SAC performance and external‐exam results, underpinned by regular practice, solid quantitative skills and effective exam strategy.

VCE Physics tutoring typically begins with a diagnostic assessment or discussion to identify your strengths and weaknesses, whether in mechanics, electricity, quantum concepts or data analysis. From there, your tutor will design targeted lessons that build foundational understanding, reinforce key science skills (like experimental design and quantitative reasoning) and progressively tackle more challenging SAC-style and exam-style questions. Regular review sessions ensure you consolidate learning, while timed practice exams and feedback on written responses help you develop effective strategies and confidence for both school-assessed coursework and the end-of-year exam.

According to the VCAA’s 2024 scaling data, Physics is the second-highest-scaling science subject (behind Chemistry) and delivers a consistent upward adjustment across the score range:

• A raw study score of 30 scales to 32 (+2)
• A raw study score of 35 scales to 38 (+3)
• A raw study score of 40 scales to 43 (+3)
• A raw study score of 45 scales to 47 (+2)

The cohort’s average scaled score is 32.2, and as with all science subjects, a perfect raw 50 remains 50 after scaling