Science

In Years 10 and 11, all students study a GCSE course in Science. This leads to a GCSE in Science and a GCSE in Additional Science. Students may also choose Triple Science, which leads to three separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

All courses are designed to allow students to progress through the levels of the National Curriculum at a pace suitable to their abilities. Individual and group practical work forms a central part of all courses to help foster a spirit of enquiry and involvement in the learning process.

GCSE Combined Science

Students will complete a GCSE Combined Science. They will receive two GCSE grades for this (unless they are studying Triple Science).

SPECIFICATION LINK: J250

COURSE INFORMATION: OCR GCSE Combined Science (601/8687/2)

Students will study:

Biology (B1- Cell level systems, B2 – Scaling up, B3 – Organism level systems, B4 – Community level systems, B5 – Interaction between systems, B6 – Global challenges)
Chemistry (C1 - Particles, C2 – Elements compounds and mixture, C3 - Chemical reactions, C4 - Predicting and identifying reactions and products, C5 – Monitoring and controlling chemical reactions, C6 - Global challenges)
Physics (P1 - Matter, P2 – Forces, P3 - Electricity and magnetism, P4 - Waves and radioactivity, P5 - Energy, P6 - Global challenges).

During the course they will cover a series of practical activities. The skills developed through the course will be assessed in the examination at the end of the two-year course.

ASSESSMENT STRUCTURE

The assessment of combined science falls into two main categories.

Examination students will sit six exams in May/June of Y11.
Each will cover the three modules covered (B1, B2, B3 and practical skills), (B4, B5, B6 and practical skills), (C1, C2, C3 and practical skills), (C4, C5, C6 and practical skills), (P1, P2, P3 and practical skills) and (P4, P5, P6 and practical skills).
Each exam will last 1 hour 10 minutes

GCSE Triple Science

Students complete extra content from each module, which together with the compulsory content taught during combined science lessons (see earlier entry) will lead to three separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

This course has been designed for students who will gain a level 6 or more in their Y9 tests and, therefore, acceptance on the course will be on condition that this criterion has been met.

SPECIFICATION LINK: Biology J247, Chemistry J248, Physics J249

COURSE INFORMATION: OCR Biology A (601/8589/2), Chemistry A (601/8663/X), Physics A (601/8651/3)

ASSESSMENT STRUCTURE

GCSE Biology (one GCSE)

This course is covered by studying six modules during the two-year course.

GCSE Chemistry (one GCSE)

This course is covered by studying six modules during the two-year course.

GCSE Physics (one GCSE)

This course is covered by studying eight modules during the two-year course.

The assessment of separate sciences are as follows:

Examination students will sit six exams in May/June of Y11.
Each will cover the three modules covered (B1, B2, B3 and practical skills), (B4, B5, B6 and practical skills), (C1, C2, C3 and practical skills), (C4, C5, C6 and practical skills), (P1, P2, P3, P4 and practical skills) and (P5, P6, P7, P8 and practical skills).
Each exam will last 1 hour 45 minutes.