GCSE Science
Science GCSE courses have undergone a radical rethink over the last years and new criteria have been developed which place a far greater emphasis on the skills, Knowledge and understanding of how science works and less emphasis on knowing scientific facts.
The science faculty has decided to adopt the Edexcel specification, 360Science, which allows us to offer GCSE Science and Additional Science.
GCSE Science (Year 10)
GCSE Science is a stand alone qualification and is roughly equivalent to the present single award GCSE. It is the minimum study requirement at GCSE. Most students will have sat this examination before the end of year 10.
By the end of this course students should be able to answer questions such as:
- Is evolution still taking place?
- Why are so many people worried about GM technology?
- How can cows make drugs in their milk?
- When traveling in a car, why do I duck down when a bird flies low over me?
- What chemicals do they use in laser light shows?
- How can sweeteners taste like sugar but have no 'calories'?
- Why do some scientists need to work in exotic locations like Hawaii and Antarctica?
- How do you make beer?
- How can i make the batteries in my MP3 player last longer?
- What if all the electricity in the World went off and stayed off?
- Why does helium make your voice go high?
- How do we know black holes exist when they're completely black?
Assessment of GCSE Science
Internal Assessment (40%) - ongoing throughout year
- 10% - teacher assessment of practical skills (following instructions, collecting data, using ICT and presenting results of experiments)
- 30% - assessment activities provided by Edexcel, marked by the teacher but externally moderated
External Assessment (60%)
- Six tiered multiple-choice tests, each worth 10%, available in June
We will be starting GCSE Science in the summer term of year 9. It is therefore essential that students have a good attendance during the summer term of year 9.
GCSE Additional Science (Year 11)
GCSE Additional Science is also a stand alone qualification and is roughly equivalent to the second qualification of the present double award GCSE. Most students will have sat this examination before the end of year 11. Studying Additional Science provides sufficient background for students wishing to continue their science education to AS and A2 level.
By the end of this course students would be able to answer questions such as:
- Why do I get cramp?
- Why don't I keep on growing forever?
- Can we set up a biosphere on Mars?
- Why is there a variety of birds in the park and not just one species?
- If homeopathy works, why don't scientists believe it?
- If particles in solid are closer than in a liquid, why doesn't ice sink?
- Are there actual flesh eating bacteria?
- Can chemical reactions be undone?
- People have survived a fall from 20,000 feet - how?
- If you could design a roller coaster ride, what would it look like?
- Irradiating food makes it last longer, so why don't supermarkets sell it?
- What does E=mc2 really mean?
Assessment of GCSE Additional Science
There are several different assessment routes available offering up to 70% internal assessment. We follow the simplest of these.
Internal Assessment (40%) - ongoing throughout year
This follows the same pattern as GCSE Science
External Assessment (60%)
There are three tiered multiple-choice tests and three structures tiered papers each worth 10%, available in June.
