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

[noblegiraffe]

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-

Thank you Noble; this is really helpful.

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.

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 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!)

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

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.

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!

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

Thank you also @keiratwiceknightly and @estherfrewen

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.

Just the free CGP Biology version of the maths book in the OP is here:

www.amazon.co.uk/Head-Start-level-Biology-Level-ebook/dp/B00VE2NIOI/ref=pd_cp_351_1/259-6284306-9107434?psc=1&pf_rd_p=7f1b6edf-b341-4013-8da3-b019d0a14f8d&_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_wg=3V8ky&pf_rd_r=SYDN1WVDQ39S4SXAWZ44&pd_rd_i=B00VE2NIOI&pd_rd_w=MQswq&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&refRID=SYDN1WVDQ39S4SXAWZ44&pd_rd_r=7062e6f8-3ccd-4ef5-878c-65d6fa504300

(I couldn’t figure out how to get a smaller link...)

Thanks noble 👍🏻

Thank you for starting this thread noblegiraffe

DS got a 6 in his Maths GCSE mock in January; he had been working hard on bringing this up to a 7 or even an 8, doing at least one paper per week.

He very much wants to do Maths A-level and is motivated to continue working, but his school has not (yet) set any work and the long gap will make the jump even greater.

I have ordered the CGP headstart book for him and he has also expressed an interest in trying to teach himself some (AQA) Level 2 Further Maths. Luckily he has an older brother who is good at maths, if he gets stuck.

thanks very much noblegiraffe!

there's an alternate universe where DS would be so self-motivated.

Thanks so much. This is really useful.
My son wants to do BTEC Sport so I’m not sure what he can do to get ahead!

@noblegiraffe I feel happy that I can actually help you for a change! (I name change a lot but you have been and continue to be incredibly knowledgeable and helpful)

To get a smaller link just add a space at the end of the link, add a word which then becomes the clicky link, then close the square brackets. Obviously to make this work I have had to remove the front square brackets in the example below

www.mumsnet.com Mumsnet]] gives Mumsnet

Well that is weird because that Amazon link won't shorten

Has anyone seen anything for Classical Studies?

I think for classics reading any Greek/ Roman myths is good : perhaps Stephen Fry and Circe by Madeleine Miller. Also, the new Pat barker The Silence of the Girls. I loved Ovid when I was 17!

I think you can do some kind of virtual visit to the British Museum!

@Twisique
Which classical studies is your DC doing for A level?

If anyone is doing French or German (ha!) most boards study at least one film so it might be worth watching some - for French Dd did au revoir Les enfants but other options are Les 400 Coups or La Haine.

Germah spec includes goodbye Lenin which is great and Lola rennt which is really accessible.

Or read some books - Mutter Courage by Brecht or Durrenmatt's Der Besuch are not too hard, linguistically and both brilliant plays. French books I would suggest from the AQA spec are Bonjour Tristesse and L'Etranger.

@Piggywaspushed
My DD is reading Pat Barker’s ‘The silence if the Girls’

Les Choristes is also a popular choice for A Level French.