Work for students joining Coombe Sixth Form in September 2008

Courses at the Clarence Avenue site.

Art & Design

Art assignment

Biology

The first module is on cells and transport systems in plants and animals. Read “AS Biology – Mind the gap” for the new OCR specification, available from all good book shops.

Start to read journals, such as New Scientist, that cover new scientific discoveries and visit your local library to investigate some of the A Level biology texts available to familiarise yourself with the terminology used.

Start a collection of relevant articles from newspapers, journals or the internet (but not Wikipedia!).

Maths and English resits

Please bring your coursework to your first lesson in September – absolutely essential!

English Literature & Language

Aim to read at least two texts for pleasure – perhaps a novel or some short stories, together with a modern play.  You might pick something from last year’s Booker prize list.  In addition, regularly read a quality newspaper and sample some magazines.  Begin

to think how language is used in the Media, for example in advertisements, in news bulletins and in information handouts.  The aim is to increase your awareness to language and how it can be used effectively for a range of purposes.

A Level Travel and Tourism

We shall be studying tourist destinations in UK, Europe and Worldwide. If you are on a day trip or holiday, be aware of the facilities, how the destination has been marketed and the customer service you receive. You need to remember your travel experience, how you got to your destination, which company, how it was organised and other customer’s views! Please collect promotional leaflets, maps and guide books and tickets.

Travel or tourism is often headline news during the summer months due to a variety of issues such as strike action, delays, problems, carbon emissions, fuel prices or terrorism. Watch lots of travel programmes and read the Travel sections in newspapers, preferably the Times, Guardian and Observer. Please keep interesting articles.

Enjoy your day trip or holiday but remember to keep

aware of the companies & people making it

Design Technology – Resistant Materials

Over the holiday search for one product that you could bring into school in the first week that answers the following specification:
- A product you regard as good design
- A product you like
- A product that is successful
- A product targeted at a particular market group.

In Yr 12 you will be studying:
The USA in the late 20th Century
The UK in the late 20th Century

Films to watch:
The Long Walk To Freedom
The Colour Purple
Malcolm X
The Queen

Statistics

- Read through your GCSE work on probability.
- Look in newspapers and magazines to see how data is displayed.

Mathematics

Look over your GCSE work on algebra, indices and surds since these are the first topics that we will be studying.

You could also
- Revise factorising quadratics.

- Buy a copy of Core Mathematics 1 published by Heinemann, ISBN 0 435 51097 5

- Check the Edexcel syllabus for Statistics 1 or Mechanics 1.

Modern Languages

- If you get the chance, pack your bags and go abroad to soak in the culture! Extend your worldly wisdom by watching the news and comparing the angles in different newspapers.
- Use a revision guide such as Letts, Longman or BBC Bitesize to brush up your grammar in short, regular bursts.
- Watch a few foreign language films from your local library - ask a few chums round and make an evening of it.

Physics

What is going on in the world of Physics today? Start a collection of relevant articles from newspapers, magazines or the internet. Revise the Electricity section of GCSE making sure you understand current, voltage and resistance and all related the equations. This will be one of your first topics in AS.

A recommended preparatory book to consult before the AS course commences is ‘Head start to AS Physics – bridging the gap between GCSE and AS-level’ published by CGP. See www.cgpbooks.co.uk Look particularly at section 3: Electricity and section 4: Waves.

Psychology

We shall be looking at some areas of Psychology which are often in the news: stress and how to control it, eating disorders, the bond between young children and their carers, memory and forgetting, for example. Look out for newspaper and magazine articles that deal with these subjects. Build up your own collection of articles that contain the words 'Psychologists have discovered….'

A simple introduction to this subject can be found in Simple Psychology (2nd Edition) by Michael W Eysenck ISBN 1-84169-309-X

Physical Education

- Get into the habit of reading the sports pages in a newspaper such as The Times, Telegraph or Guardian.
- Watch Transworld Sport Saturday 8.00am Channel 4
- Visit the following websites:
www.physical education.co.uk
www.ncf.org.uk

Drama

Visit the theatre at least once over the holidays. Aim to see something that you would not normally go to see. Find out about the Globe Theatre / National Theatre. Both are easily accessible from New Malden – why not pay them a visit?
You should read up on some theatre history over the summer looking at key practitioners who have influenced theatre across the centuries.

A good introduction to Drama is: Theatre Studies: An Approach for Advanced Level by Cooper & Mackey ISBN: 0-7487-21215

Philosophy and Ethics

If you have not already done so, read Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder, which gives a real insight into the world of Philosophy. Books from your library will give you key names, movements and ideas in the study of Philosophy. Familiarise yourself with these and be prepared to hotly discuss and criticise in September! Also, look out for material on moral issues in the media, such as War and Pacifism, Sexuality and Freedom and Conscience. Finally, be prepared to blow your mind!!

ICT

ICT assignment

Health & Social Care

Make contacts in the community such as nurseries or nursing homes.  Be aware of current health issues: AIDS, SARS, obesity.  Collect newspaper articles and watch TV programmes on these topics.

Food technology

During the summer, carry out research on food issues and
nutrition. Read food magazines and watch TV programmes
about topical food issues.

The text book Food & Nutrition
by Anita Tull is very useful and informative. Also visit
http://www.nutrition.org.uk for excellent background reading.

Sociology

This course is a fascinating blend of social analysis, politics and topical issues. Start to take an intelligent interest in the news – especially anything to do with the family or education. Read broadsheet newspapers such as the Guardian or Independent. Remember – you don’t have to read every word! Just pick articles that interest you.

Chemistry

Access and explore Chemistry internet sites. Focus on developing the open mind vital for accepting new, weird and wonderful concepts.

Review GCSE work, in particular mole calculations, % compositions, empirical formulae, molecular formulae, atomic structure, mass number and the periodic table.

The online work book available at http://www.edexcel.org.uk/VirtualContent/48132/UA008883_GCE_Chem_Moles_wkbk_Iss3.pdf is excellent practise!

The book AS level Chemistry – mind the gap is highly recommended and is available from the website www.cgp.co.uk

Geography

Read newspapers and listen to the news for features that will help you with your HUMAN geography eg asylum seekers entering Britain, problems in the Developing world.

Take note of the PHYSICAL geography of places you visit on holiday – Tenerife has been formed from a volcano, Brighton has extensive coastal defences etc.

Watch films such as ‘Dante’s Peak’, ‘The River Wild’, ‘Twister’, ‘City of Joy’ or ‘The Perfect Storm’.

Visit The Natural History Museum, The Eden Project in Cornwall, the coast or take a trip on the London Eye!

Film Studies

Watch films from a range of different genres and periods of time. Broaden your experience by watching a wide range of modern and classic films including musicals, westerns, gangster, foreign language and black and white films.

Start to consider the role of film in reflecting ideas and values that become part of our cultural expectations. Think how the direction, cinematography and editing has helped to shape the meaning of films.

Visit the website www.filmstudies.co.uk and read magazines such as ‘Empire’ and ‘Sight and Sound’. Also read reviews and articles on films in broadsheet newspapers such as The Guardian and The Observer

Music

- Prepare a performance on your instrument or voice to perform to the group at the start of the course. It should be at least Grade 5 standard.
- Go to several concerts eg one of the Prom Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall (tickets start at £5) which are on every evening of the holiday.
- Visit these websites:
www.edexcel.org.uk
www.musictheorygrade5.co.uk
- Review your GCSE Music work on listening.
- Buy an Associated Board Music Theory book at your standard and work through the exercises which can be marked in September.

Politics

Read: Quality newspapers, Spectator New Statesman
Listen to: Westminster Hour (Radio 4)
Watch: News bulletins, Newsnight

Design Technology

- Open your eyes and look around, try to absorb the constructed world around you.
- Don’t take anything at face value: be critical of everything you see.
- Have a rest and come back refreshed!!

Business Studies

- Develop your interest in the world of business – think about the management structure in your place of work.
- Start reading the business sections of newspapers.
- Take an interest in the news, because almost every story involves business.
- Start thinking of business as something that effects every part of our lives and enjoy it.

Media Studies / Media (Double Award)

Keep an eye on new developments in all areas of the media (press, television, radio, film and Internet). Broaden you understanding by reading the media supplement of The Guardian every Monday.

Watch lots of films but don't limit your viewing to big budget US blockbusters. Aim to watch a couple of classic older films, which will probably be in black and white, and consider tackling some foreign language films.

Start to think about your viewing and reading critically. Question dominant ideas and representations in the magazines that you read, radio stations that you listen to, and the television programmes that you watch.

Write a 250 word review of any media text that you have engaged with over the last few weeks. This can be a TV programme, a magazine, a film, an advert, a pop video or song, a video game, blogsite or website. Explain the factors behind your opinions, compare your views with those held by other reviewers and aim to use correct media terminology.

This must be brought to your first Media Studies lesson as your passport onto the course.

Courses at the College Gardens Site

Travel and Tourism :

If you go on holiday or even a day trip collect brochures and leaflets on tourist attractions, accommodation, transport and entertainment. Watch travel programmes, use an atlas to find the destinations both in the UK and abroad. Collect local leisure information.

Business:

Over the summer read newspapers and listen to the news for features on business. Watch any business related programmes. See how the businesses such as shops, markets, cafes and pubs in your favourite soaps work and the issues they face.

Notice how products are advertised and displayed in shops. Compare prices in different stores.

Art & Design:

During the holidays collect imagery to do with the natural world such as fossils, shells, bones, fruit, foliage and fungi and make some preliminary sketches.
See the African art collection at the British Museum or visit the Tate Modern.