Science

Combined and Seperate Science GCSE

Exam board: Edexcel   

Course code/specification number: GCSE Separate Sciences (6 Papers in total)

                                                             GCSE Combined Science (6 Papers in total)

Level of qualification: GCSE

Students will study in depth all three discipline of Sciences including Biology, Chemistry and Physics. They will engage in understanding the world around them from atomic structure to particles of matter, building up to physical and chemical changes. They will study the Key concepts of Biology and the organisation of organisms at cellular level to the evolution of species through natural selection. Furthermore, the impact of medicine and technology such as drug trials, genetic engineering and the use of Science for farming and food production. Pupils engage in demonstrating the Newton’s laws and evaluate the action of forces on objects. This is a small taster of all that they cover in Science. Pupils are to learn the theory and actively engage in a number of required practical so there is also large practical element to the course which they are assessed on in their final exams. This will require them to evaluate and analyse data, interpret the data and provide explanations to support the results. Ultimately, as Scientists they will be expected to construct a safe method identifying independent, dependent and control variables. They will use appropriate mathematical calculations where appropriate.

Both Combined Science and Separate Sciences will cover the same topics. However, Separate Science will have additional content within the topics as well as further topics. Triple Science will be studied by top set (Set 1) who would have demonstrated the academic rigour to accomplish the Triple Science content. Set 2 and below will follow the Combined Science pathway.

 

Separate Sciences: Students will sit two exams for each discipline. There is a total of 6 exams to sit in order to obtain 3 GCSE grades.

Each exam is a Written examination

Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Each paper makes up 50% of the qualification with 100 marks

 

Combined Science: Students will sit two exams for each discipline. There is a total of 6 exams to sit in order to obtain 2 GCSE grades.

Each exam is a Written examination

Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Each paper makes 16.67% of the qualification with 60 marks

 

What grades can students access?

Three GCSE Grades (9-1) from Separate Sciences course

Two GCSE Grades (9-1) from Combined Sciences course