summer science learning for pre year 9

[Suki2]

DS is about to start boarding school in September as a 3rd former. He's just finishing off year 8 at an international school. I'm aware that its a very long holiday this year and that the majority of new entrants at his new school have been to prep schools where the standards are much higher. Also he's missing the last two weeks of school abroad.

I'd like to do some science with him over the summer holiday, to prepare him for his next school. It would have to be online. I've seen a few names of apps/online courses in previous conversations; Tessomai, Seneca, Mygcsepod etc but don't know a lot around them. Do any of them introduce GSCEs in a fun way eg through videos and quizzes? Or do they just test? Just testing is not useful to me as he won't know the material. His next school starts the gcse course in September so that would be more relevant than recapping key stage 3.

What about that good old basic BBC Bitesize?

Science needs to be experienced hands-on, not got off a computer or app!

Visit science centres. Try stuff off Steve Spangler's site. Grow plants in different conditions. Look at food labels. Make gadgets. Get a raspberry pi. Just Do Stuff.

Seneca is good, gives little chunks of information then a quiz. More revision I would say.
Mygcsescience has some free videos on YouTube or you can subscribe for a fee.
Fuseschool.org is good too.

Perhaps use videos in conjunction with a revision guide/ workbook.

Thanks fluffylabcoat. I didn't know about the free mygcsescience videos, and had never heard of fuse school.org. Both look like a good introduction to the new topics DS will be learning.

Good idea TeenTimesTwo; I've just had a look and there are some good videos there; thanks!

Bringonthescience thanks for the suggestions; I know you're right...I'm not a very practical person but will have a look...

Not wildly exciting but if you are concerned about gaps between him and his new year 9 peers, why not just buy the science revision book by galore park which covers the common entrance science course that his peers will presumably have studied at prep school?

michaelahpurple that's a great idea, thank you

Do you know which exam board the new school is following? I'd tailor it to that. There are some differences between each specification. I echo the science museum visits and doing experiments at home.