Product reviews for The A Level Mindset – Revised Edition

Anyone who has ever worked with young people recognises that helping them achieve success is a complicated affair - and simply telling them to study harder rarely has the desired effect. What is special about this book is that Oakes and Griffin haven't tried to reinvent the wheel but have searched through the work of some inspirational characters whose work has implications for coaching young people. They have gathered an impressive array of gems and then packaged them into a structure which is immensely useful. Their VESPA skeleton is powerful and offers an exciting array of practical tasks that can be used to help young people. This is not a one-size-fits-all book - not every activity suits every child - the authors recognise that this is a 'pick and mix' approach to coaching. If I were still head of a school that taught A levels I would immediately order a copy for all staff teaching in that area - if it didn't teach A levels, I would probably still buy the books: some of these activities are real gems and suitable for young people of a wide age range, so much so I think I might try some myself (and it is a long time since anyone has called me young!).