Science – Key Stage 4 GCSE
The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
- are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future
New GCSEs are now graded 9 to 1. From summer 2018, GCSE Combined Science students will receive a double grade on a 17-point scale, from 9-9 to 1-1.
This double award is worth two GCSEs, and is made up of two equal or adjacent grades. There are 17 possible grade combinations, for example, (9-9), (9-8), (8-8), (8-7) – through to (1-1).
This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course. The required practical activities listed in the GCSE Combined Science specifications have been written to ensure that students have the opportunity to experience all of the Apparatus and Techniques (AT) criteria required by Ofqual.
At Treloar’s we are currently following the AQA Combined Science Trilogy GCSE (8464): www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464/specification-at-a-glance
Subject content
Biology
- Cell biology
- Organisation
- Infection and response
- Bioenergetics
- Homeostasis and response
- Inheritance, variation and evolution
- Ecology
Chemistry
- Atomic structure and the periodic table
- Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter
- Quantitative chemistry
- Chemical changes
- Energy changes
- The rate and extent of chemical change
- Organic chemistry
- Chemical analysis
- Chemistry of the atmosphere
- Using resources
Physics
- Energy
- Electricity
- Particle model of matter
- Atomic structure
- Forces
- Waves
- Magnetism and electromagnetism
Assessments
There are six papers: two biology, two chemistry and two physics. Each of the papers will assess knowledge and understanding from distinct topic areas.
Biology Paper 1
What’s assessed
Biology topics 1–4: Cell Biology; Organisation; Infection and response; and Bioenergetics.
How it’s assessed
- Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Foundation and Higher Tier
- 70 marks
- 16.7% of GCSE
Questions
Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response.
Chemistry Paper 1
What’s assessed
Chemistry topics 8–12: Atomic structure and the periodic table; Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter; Quantitative chemistry; Chemical changes; and Energy changes.
How it’s assessed
- Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Foundation and Higher Tier
- 70 marks
- 16.7% of GCSE
Questions
Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response.
Physics Paper 1
What’s assessed
Physics topics 18–21: Energy; Electricity; Particle model of matter; and Atomic structure.
How it’s assessed
- Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Foundation and Higher Tier
- 70 marks
- 16.7% of GCSE
Questions
Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response.
Biology Paper 2
How it’s assessed
- Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Foundation and Higher Tier
- 70 marks
- 16.7% of GCSE
Questions
Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response.
Chemistry Paper 2
What’s assessed
Chemistry topics 13–17: The rate and extent of chemical change; Organic chemistry; Chemical analysis; Chemistry of the atmosphere; and Using resources.
How it’s assessed
- Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Foundation and Higher Tier
- 70 marks
- 16.7% of GCSE
Questions
Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response.
Physics Paper 2
What’s assessed
Physics topics 22–24: Forces; Waves; and Magnetism and electromagnetism
How it’s assessed
- Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Foundation and Higher Tier
- 70 marks
- 16.7% of GCSE
Questions
Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response.