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Original poster

Bridging the gap to A-level - work for current Y11

86 replies

noblegiraffe · 28/03/2020 12:41

A thread for suggestions on how current Y11 can best keep their hand in and set themselves up for the start of Y12.

For Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, CGP have made their ‘Headstart’ kindle books FREE

www.amazon.co.uk/Head-Start-Level-Maths-2017-2018-ebook/dp/B06XD29GX2?tag=mumsnetforu03-21 (this is the maths one, the science are in ‘what other customers buy’ list).

Lots of work for maths here: www.dropbox.com/sh/ppm47xsrvr054p3/AACmvv67MzUCX2foyJIMJpm-a?dl=0

Some maths youtube bridging videos here: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUNK8a8DSxXv6d9HxUuliXPZbySSeTTK-

OP posts:
JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 28/03/2020 14:37

I checked on the school website for a reading list but can’t find one and his teacher hasn’t issued one as far as 8m aware (she still might to be fair). I just don’t want his brain turning to mush playing x box for 6 months.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 28/03/2020 14:35

Thank you also @keiratwiceknightly and @estherfrewen

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 28/03/2020 14:35

@Piggywaspushed I just @ you on the other thread, I thought you had a list! 😄

estherfrewen · 28/03/2020 14:27

My DS 16 recently enjoyed Catcher in the Rye, The Secret History and Catch 22. Also very much likes Neville Shute - Town like Alice, What happened to the Corbetts and On the Beach (possibly not the last one at the moment...). He’s doing Eng Lit A level and got a booklet with enough work to last until he’s 25 yesterday from school.

Piggywaspushed · 28/03/2020 14:23

Animal Farm ; Lord of the Flies; Of Mice and Men ; To Kill A Mockingbird ; Tess of the d'Urbervilles or The Mayor of Casterbridge ; The Kite Runner ; All Quiet on the Western Front ; 1984 ; The Go Between ; The Chrysalids ; The Bluest Eye ...

I have a whole list of more!

keiratwiceknightly · 28/03/2020 14:22

Also for English Lit, students should read some bible stories and some Greek mythology - kids' versions of the stories are fine - as this will help them no end in their understanding of classic lit texts.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 28/03/2020 14:21

@noblegiraffe thanks for this thread, you mentioned on the other thread some Biology links, are these on any of the sites above?

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 28/03/2020 14:20

@totallydevoidofideas I’ve just bought Dracula, Frankenstein and the Great Gatsby for DS, any other suggestions that might persuade a 16yo DS to get some reading in this summer. I know if I try to get him to read Jane Austen voluntarily it will go down like a lead balloon (he’ll be fine if he needs to read during school time just not in the holidays!)

Oblomov20 · 28/03/2020 14:01

Nice one OP. Very helpful.
None of these apply to Ds1. But I'll keep an eye out for the subjects he is planning on doing.

totallydevoidofideas · 28/03/2020 12:55

Any wanting to do English Lit should be reading everything they can lay their hands on, especially classics, as that's a brilliant grounding for literary references later, improves vocabulary, gives them some reading stamina for later studies. What they will have read for GCSE is nothing compared to what they will need to do for A level or degree, and I think reading around in literature is better than reading the actual texts they will be studying.

ealingwestmum · 28/03/2020 12:48

Thank you Noble; this is really helpful.