A select few of our students went to Isaac Physics Summer Bootcamp at Cambridge University. These free residential camps focus on an intense workout of key physics concepts and were aimed at students specifically from widening participation backgrounds studying in state-maintained schools or colleges in England.
One of our students that attended the Bootcamp – Robbie Watkinson explains…
“I went with David Dow from Runshaw and we spotted at least one other Runshaw student as well on the trip. It was really helpful for revision over topics we had covered in AS, ready for September, such as circuits, mechanics and waves etc (all on the timetable below). We had lessons on general skills to improve our problem solving using techniques like simultaneous equations/drawing diagrams, units and conversions and now I understand proportion questions which I struggled on. For each topic, there was a lecture and then they would set us the task on Isaac physics for 20-30 minutes leave us to do the tasks whilst the lecture hall was full of physicists to help if we had problems. We were given Isaac physics activity books to work from as well and we worked with the physicists who created the Isaac Project and who wrote the books. It was very exciting to be inside the Cavendish laboratory. After we had worked through the tasks on Isaac they would move on to the next part of the topic and repeat. They also introduced A2 topics like circular motion (including a demonstration where a hanging mass was lifted and in equilibrium from circular motion) seeing the topic again in college is more familiar now. Nuclear physics and fields were also introduced. They concluded with a presentation on the applications of physics and future career paths, it was an invaluable trip as regard to A Level physics and completely free.”
