GCSE CORE SCIENCE: COURSE DESCRIPTION

GCSE CORE SCIENCE: COURSE DESCRIPTION

Course Specification

This specification is for a full GCSE in Science B, AQA code 4462. The course is offered at Foundation Tier which makes available grades C to G and Higher Tier which makes available grades A* to D. The course leads to a single award GCSE in ‘Core Science’, which is generally completed in Year 10.

Course Overview & Content

Students can begin their Key Stage 4 with a General Science course based on either the AQA GCSE Science A or GCSE Science B. These specifications have identical content and cover the whole programme of study for KS4 Science with the subject areas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics presented separately and taught by subject specialists. The assessment styles for Science A and Science B are different though they share a common model for coursework assessment.
The course is taught in six modules over each year:

Human Biology;
Evolution and Environment;
Products from Rocks;
Oils, Earth & Atmosphere;
Energy & Electricity;
Radiation and the Universe.

Science A can be assessed via objective ‘bite-size’ tests and Science B through structured, written examination papers. Following the successful completion of Science GCSE Year 10, Accipio offers AQA “GCSE Additional Science” for Year 11 pupils.
Most centres follow Science B as it requires only one set of exam entries per year. The full specification for Science B (4462) is available from the AQA website:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/pdf/AQA-4462-W-SP-09.PDF
The full specification for Science A (4461) is available from the AQA website:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/pdf/AQA-4461-W-SP-09.PDF

Coursework Requirements

Coursework is assessed by means of “Investigative Skills Assessments” (ISAs) and provides 25% of the total marks. Investigative work is carried out in the virtual classroom through simulation software or practical, simple and safe procedures such as measuring the drop time for differently folded pieces of paper. Following the conclusion of each ISA, Accipio’s teaching staff retain the student’s online results and any documented results via the Science Challenge Sheets. Accipio will then need you to approach your exam officer and request that they provide you with the appropriate ISA test paper which AQA will have sent them. This test paper needs to be taken under test conditions with an invigilator and then signed off as the student’s own work. Once completed, tests are marked by Accipio teachers and both results and the test paper are returned to the client.
Investigative work is carried out on one occasion over the course of five consecutive lessons. However, different classes are timetabled to complete this work at different points in the term so that late arrivals can be accommodated more easily. Any students who miss coursework lessons are also given ample opportunity to complete the necessary tasks with full teacher supervision in support sessions. The support sessions are run online on a Friday morning. All the preparatory and practical work is carried out online and there is usually no need for students to work on coursework outside of live lessons, unless they wish to improve their work for a higher mark.

Examination Procedures

GCSE Science A

The unique feature of this specification is that external assessment is available in “bite-size” objective tests.
Each of the three units, Biology 1, Chemistry 1 and Physics 1, is divided into two equal sections and each section is examined in a separate 30-minute test making a total of six tests. The tests are available online in November, March and June to fit the natural end of teaching of the relevant content.
Accipio have found that the majority of our clients do not assess their students under this regime, preferring the single set of exam entries for GCSE Science B.

GCSE Science B

In contrast, GCSE Science B does not offer assessment through the “bite-size” test route but has three 45-minute written papers with structured questions. There is one paper each for Biology 1, Chemistry 1 and Physics 1, available in January and June.
All of the modular examinations for either specification may be taken in June if this is preferred (six 30-minute tests in total), although we do not recommend this approach.