About.
One of the most exciting things about studying at AUEA is that all students get the opportunity to study separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. For the past three years all of our students have studied all three sciences.
Students currently receive 6 hours of teaching time at year 10 and 7 hours of teaching time at year 11. This includes 2 hours per subject and one hour of science study skills. We also provide lots of support and targeted intervention to assist students and give them the best opportunities to succeed.
We believe that experiments play a crucial part in helping students engage with science and make progress in their understanding. In line with GATBSY’s Good Practical Science guide we aim to have practical elements in at least half of our lessons. At GCSE there are 10 required practicals for each science and students must know them in detail as they are assessed in the GCSE exam papers. By embedding practical work throughout our curriculum we aim to give students an excellent understanding of the scientific method.
All students at AUEA will do separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
The total teaching time is eight hours a week, in one hour lessons. Students will have learning tasks to do independently as well as the lessons which will often have a practical element.
There are 24 different practical experiments that students are required to do, but in fact they will have opportunity for many more as they develop their skills of scientific enquiry.
At the end of year 11 there are two exams for each subject following the AQA (9-1) specification.
Complementary Subjects.
Science is absolutely central to the curriculum at AUEA. The practical skills are directly applicable to the Engineering and Product Design courses and the analytical and communication skills are vital in English and Mathematics. Conversely the skills gained in core subjects are also essential to success in science. In all three sciences there is a requirement to analyse graphs and data tables and to perform multiple step calculations. Students are also expected to be able to communicate the procedure for experimental methods and to evaluate advantages and disadvantages.
Mathematics is used throughout the sciences and the techniques learnt in one subject help build skills in the others. Also many of the relationships and concepts used in physics are directly transferrable to corresponding parts of the engineering course.
Career Pathways.
Doing all three separate sciences puts students in a good position for doing A-levels or level 3 BTEC in science and engineering subjects. Science is a core subject nationwide but by studying for 3 rather than 2 GCSEs our students have an increased breadth and depth of knowledge to inform their progression to post 16 education.
Assessment.
Teaching Units, Assessment Method and Weighting.
2 - Organisation
3 - Infection and response
4 - Bioenergetics
5 - Homeostasis and response
6 - Inheritance, variation and evolution
7 - Ecology
8 - Key ideas
PAPER 1
What’s assessed: Topics 1–4: Cell biology; Organisation; Infection and response; and Bioenergetics. How it’s assessed: • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • Foundation and Higher Tier • 100 marks • 50% of GCSE
Questions: Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.
PAPER 2
What’s assessed: Topics 5–7: Homeostasis and response; Inheritance, variation and evolution; and Ecology.
How it’s assessed: • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • Foundation and Higher Tier • 100 marks • 50% of GCSE
Questions: Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.
2 - Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter
3 - Quantitative chemistry
4 - Chemical changes
5 - Energy changes
6 - The rate and extent of chemical change
7 - Organic chemistry
8 - Chemical analysis
9 - Chemistry of the atmosphere
10 - Using resources
11 - Key ideas
PAPER 1
What's assessed: Topics 1–5: 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 45 minutes • Foundation and Higher Tier • 100 marks • 50% of GCSE
Questions: Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.
PAPER 2
What's assessed: Topics 6–10: 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 45 minutes • Foundation and Higher Tier • 100 marks • 50% of GCSE
Questions: Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.
2 - Electricity
3 - Particle model of matter
4 - Atomic structure
5 - Forces
6 - Waves
7 - Magnetism and electromagnetism
8 - Space physics
9 - Key ideas
PAPER 1
What’s assessed: Topics 1–4: Energy; Electricity; Particle model of matter; and Atomic structure.
How it’s assessed: • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • Foundation and Higher Tier • 100 marks • 50% of GCSE
Questions: Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.
PAPER 2
What’s assessed: Topics 5–8: Forces; Waves; Magnetism and electromagnetism; and Space physics. Questions in Paper 2 may draw on an understanding of energy changes and transfers due to heating, mechanical and electrical work and the concept of energy conservation from Energy and Electricity.
How it’s assessed: • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • Foundation and Higher Tier • 100 marks • 50% of GCSE
Questions: Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.