Please click on the links below to access the relevant bridging material for the course that you intend to study at Blue Coat Sixth Form from September 2022.

The material for each subject has been carefully designed and put together by your A-level teachers to make sure that your transition from GCSE to A Level is as smooth and successful as possible. Below each subject title you will also see a link that takes you to the course details for your chosen subject.

For those of you who are thinking about Medicine, Dentistry or Oxbridge after your A-level studies, have a look at the bottom of the page where you will find some general reading advice.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. All Year 11 offer holders should complete the bridging unit for your subject of choice for study from September 2022. (Scroll down to find your chosen subjects).

2. If you have registered to complete the Core Maths course as part of the Futures Pathway then you will also need to complete the bridging materials for this subject (also listed below).

Advice for those of you thinking about Medicine or Dentistry:

The pandemic is big news, as is its far-reaching effect on the NHS, so read up on this. TED Talks are excellent for dealing with the big ethical issues in Medicine. You can also join the junior British Medical Association to keep up to date and read the British Medical Journal. The General Medical Council publish Tomorrow’s Doctors. The British Dental Association’s website is worth a look, as are the Dental Schools and Medical Schools Councils. ‘Do No Harm’ by Henry Marsh and ‘It’s All in Your Mouth’ by Dominik Nischwitz are good books to read.

Advice for those of you thinking about Oxford or Cambridge:

It is imperative that you read around your subject! Both universities want students who are willing to go above and beyond their A-level specifications. The University of Oxford has a fantastic online reading list for almost all of the subjects that it offers, which are also applicable to Cambridge. https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/suggested-reading-and-resources?wssl=1

Undertaking a MOOC (online course) is also an excellent and highly valuable way to supplement your reading. Explore respected sites such as FutureLearn, Coursera, EdX, Khan Academy to see what MOOCs are available in the relevant academic areas. But don’t pay for anything!

There are many TED Talks and Podcasts out there at the moment – and if you search for free lectures from Oxford and Cambridge, you may find a few that are useful.

Try to keep a reading log and each time you read a book make a note of the author, the title of the book, its main ideas and your learning. You should do this also for any articles, podcasts or MOOCs you have engaged with. This will be a fantastic resource for when you come to complete your application to university and prepare for interview.