Math'scool was started (way back in 1999), with the specific aim to encourage students to take up MATHS AND FURTHER MATHS at A-level (𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕤)...
Back then, it was commonplace for students (that showed a bit of mathematical maturity) to sit the GCSE 1-year early: Allowing them to complete '𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕤' over 3-years; which is a much more comfotable pace than doing it over 2-years. (Imagine trying to learn the entire 2-year A-level maths syllabus in 1-year, and then, the following year, learn the syllabus for further maths, which is 1.5 times as big, and much more difficult to understand...
...because that effectively what you are asking a 'Double Maths' student to do...)
League tables effectively put a stop to sitting the GCSE early; but we still encourage the students that join us in Year 8 or Year 9, complete the GCSE 1-year early and spread '𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕤' over three years... We encourage other nice things too, like picnics and walks in the park!
But, every year, we get a few parents/students that simply didn't know they needed to get a head start: They reach Year 11 and then discover the beauty of maths. That's too late to join our 3-year programme. We used to just say, "TOUGH!", but then we got sentimental and soft, so we came up with a plan to help those students:
Our Summer Bridging Course covers the prerequisite PURE maths that they'll need to to be able to leap ahead 1-year, into our A2 course. We don't cover the whole of AS maths (we couldn't possibly, in just 8-10 weeks), but we cover enough for them to land smoothly into the A2 course. Once firmly into our A2 course, they'll get the option to catch up on the bits they missed from AS maths.
It's not perfect: At the end of the Bridging Course, for some students, we advise against '𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕤'. Other times, students carry on, to A2, but drop out when they reach A3. (Our normal 3-year '𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕤' course has an almost ZERO 'drop-out rate', and nearly 100% A*/A rate, but most schools have close to a 50% 'drop-out rate' 😱)