CGP Text Guides or York Notes

[Balletgirlmum]

Which are the best. It was always York in my day - dd is using CGP study & revision guides for other subjects but the York notes look good too.

She's very good at English & a real bookworm but doesn't always like writing about writing. She was Old Level 8c at the end of year 9 but her school arn't making predictions on the new grades.

Any opinions?

DS1 found York Notes better than CGP for his GCSE texts. He had both for one text so was able to do a direct comparison. York notes had more depth and less spoonfeeding, so started him off with an idea but then encouraged him to think for himself. Possibly personal preference though?

He did use the CGP guide for the poetry anthology, but it was not enough on its own, he also used a couple of other sources when revising.

He got a B.

DS2 is doing the new (9-1) syllabus and has chosen York Notes for the texts he has studied so far. He uses these as a starting point and then makes quote banks for each character & theme.

She was Old Level 8c at the end of year 9 She sounds very able. The school have given DS2 a target of grade 8 in the GCSE, but I think that's more of an aspirational target than a realistic expectation.

She did win the school prize for English however she was hugely underachieving on entry to the school (writing issues related to aspergers). Can't fault both her & the school.

She read one of her texts over the holidays to try & give herself a head start.

I've bought ds a mixture - the A level York Notes for his nineteenth century novel, because the GCSE ones are ridiculously basic and also the Connells Guide.

Also A level York Notes for his modern text because it's a text that always used to be on the A level syllabus and so there are no GCSE guides out yet!

He has a Collins guide for the poetry anthology. That's really good.

Nothing separate for the Shakespeare as the copy of the text they had to buy was one with plentiful notes and they've studied it inside out in class.