key stage 4 science: a preview of the new qualifications aqa presenters: copyright © aqa and its...

Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Key Stage 4 Science: a preview of the new qualifications AQA presenters:


Agenda

• Updates from Ofqual and the Department for Education (DfE)

• Draft assessment models• How working scientifically will be assessed (including required

practicals)

• Sample of questions• Preview of the current content of separate and combined sciences • Teaching and learning resource offer

• Evaluation form

Slide 2


Ofqual (consultation March 15) and DfE updates • minimum assessment time:

• separate sciences (3.5 hours)• combined science (7 hours).

• Maths level of demand• Foundation Tier (KS3)• Higher Tier (foundation GCSE).

Assessment Objectives for specifications

AO1 AO2 AO3

40% 40% 20%

Maths weightings

Biology Chemistry Physics Combined Science

10% 20% 30% 20% overall (in ratio 1:2:3)

Slide 3

Assessment objectives

The assessment objectives proposed by Ofqual are broadly similar to those for the current GCSEs.

• .


Assessment Objectives Weighting

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:• scientific ideas • scientific techniques and procedures.

40% (current 37.5%)

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding of:• scientific ideas • scientific enquiry, techniques and procedures.

40% (current 35%)

AO3 Analyse information and ideas to:• interpret and evaluate• make judgements and draw conclusions• develop and improve experimental procedures.

20% (current 27.5%)

Slide 4


Ofqual and DfE updates

• Tiering: • Higher target grades 4 to 9 (with allowed 3)• Foundation targets grades 1 to 5.

• Minimum of 20% common marks.

• Mixed tier entry is not permitted.

• Combined GCSE is a double award, therefore students will be awarded

two grades.

• Combined GCSE double award will use a 17 grading scale 1-1, 2-1, 2-2…

through to 9-9.

Slide 5

Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.Slide 6

Science for all: Introduction to the new Key Stage 4 Science qualifications

Entry Level Certificates (ELC) in Science(single award and double award)

Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.Slide 7


STEM Technical Award (Level 1/2)

Slide 8


Combined Science: Coordinated (double award)

Slide 9

Exams

• There will be six exams: two biology, two chemistry and two physics papers.

• Each exam is 1 hour and 15 minutes, 70 marks.

• Each paper will cover different subject content to help students prepare.

• See our specimen question papers from 17 July on aqa.org.uk/ks4-changes


Combined Science: Big ideas (double award)

Slide 10

Exams

• There will be four exams: two papers covering the Life and environmental sciences topics, and two covering the Physical sciences topics.

• Each exam is 1 hour and 45 minutes,100 marks.

• Each paper will cover different subject content to help students prepare.

• See specimen questions papers from 17 July on aqa.org.uk/ks4-changes.


Separate sciences – Biology and Chemistry

Slide 11

See specimen questions papers from 17 July on aqa.org.uk/ks4-changes


Separate sciences continued – Physics

Slide 12

See specimen questions papers from17 July on aqa.org.uk/ks4-changes


Assessment of practical work

• No controlled assessment – the ISAs will finish in 2017.

• Specifications will set out the apparatus students should use and the techniques they should develop while doing practical work.

• To meet these, required practicals will be detailed in the specification content.

• Each separate science will include at least eight required practicals. In Combined Science there will be at least 16.

• Written exams will include questions that draw on students’ practical science experience.

• At least 15% of marks for each GCSE will be allocated to these.

Slide 13


Reporting of practical work

• ‘Exam boards must require centres to provide an annual statement confirming they have taken reasonable steps to secure that students complete all the defined practical activities, and have made contemporaneous records of the work they have done and the learning derived from it.’ Ofqual 2015.

• Unlike the A-levels, there will be no practical endorsement.

• Details are still to be confirmed by Ofqual.

• ‘Not having done some of the practicals, despite the school’s best efforts, will not stop a student from entering for the GCSE. It may affect their grade, because there may be questions in the exams that they won’t be able to answer if they haven’t covered that practical.’ Ofqual 2015.

Slide 14


Draft Biology required practicals

Slide 15

Biology & Combined

Investigate the effect of salt or sugar solutions on plant tissue

Investigate the effect of a factor on the rate of an enzyme controlled reaction

Investigate the effect of a factor on the rate of photosynthesis

Investigate the effect of a factor on human reaction time

Investigate the population size of a common species in a habitat

Biology only

Investigate the effect of antiseptics or antibiotics on bacterial growth

Investigate the effect of light on the growth of newly germinated shoots

Investigate the effect of a factor on the rate of decay


Draft Chemistry required practicals

Chemistry &

Combined

Preparation of a pure, dry sample of a soluble salt from an insoluble oxide or carbonate

Investigation of electrolysis of aqueous solutions using inert electrodes

Investigation of how changes in concentration affect the rates of reactions by methods involving the production of a gas and a colour change

Investigation of paper chromatography of pure coloured substances and mixtures including calculation of Rf values using different solvents

Distillation of salt solution to obtain water

Chemistry only

Determination of the reacting volumes of solutions of a strong acid and a strong alkali by titration.

Determination of the concentration of the solutions in mol/dm3 and g/dm3 (HT only

Investigation of the temperature change produced by a series of reactions in solution

Use of chemical tests to identify the ions in a single ionic compound

Slide 16


Draft Physics required practicals

Slide 17

Physics & Combined

Investigate the relationship between force and extension for a spring

Investigate the effect of varying the force and /or mass on the acceleration of an object

Investigate, using appropriate apparatus, the densities of regular and irregular solid objects and liquids, making and recording appropriate measurements

Investigate, using circuit diagrams to construct circuits, the V-I characteristics of a filament lamp, a diode and a resistor at constant temperature

Investigate, using circuit diagrams to set up a circuit, the factor(s) that affect the resistance of an electrical component

Investigate the specific heat capacity of one or more materials. The investigation will involve linking the decrease of one energy store (or work done) to the increase in temperature and subsequent increase in thermal energy stored

Physics onlyInvestigate ways of reducing the unwanted energy transfers in a system

Investigate the reflection of light by different types of surface and the refraction of light by different substances


Draft Combined required practicals

1 Use appropriate apparatus to make and then record the measurements needed to determine the densities of regular and irregular solid objects and liquids.

2 An investigation to measure the specific heat capacity of one or more materials to involve linking the decrease of one energy store to the increase in thermal energy stored

3 Investigate the effect of salt or sugar solutions on plant tissue

4 Investigate the effect of a factor on human reaction time

5 Investigation of paper chromatography of pure coloured substances and mixtures including calculation of Rf values using different solvents

6 Investigate the effect of a factor on the rate of photosynthesis

7 Investigate the distillation of salt solution to obtain pure water

8 Investigate the population size of a common species in a habitat

Slide 18


Draft Combined required practicals

9 Investigate the relationship between force and extension for a spring

10 Investigate the effect of varying the force and/or mass on the acceleration of an object

11 Set up and use a circuit to investigate a factor / the factors that affect the resistance of an electrical component/s.

12 Investigate the V-I characteristics of a filament lamp, a diode and a resistor at constant temperature

13 Preparation of a pure, dry sample of a soluble salt from an insoluble oxide or carbonate

14 Investigation on how changes in concentration affect the rates of reactions by methods involving the production of a gas and a colour change

15 Investigate the effect of a factor on the rate of an enzyme controlled reaction

16 Investigation of electrolysis of aqueous solutions using inert electrodes

Slide 19


Sample of questions - 1

Question Paper Tier Demand Type 1 Biology or

CombinedF

low Multiple choice- Recall

2 Biology or Combined

F 2.1,2Recall , 2.3 working scientifically, 2.4 & 2.5 calculation ,2.6 applying knowledge


Common F & H

Standard Extended prose


Common F & H

Standard 8.1 recall , 8.2 extended prose working scientifically , 8.3 working scientifically 8.4 interpreting


Common F & H

Standard Extended prose with level response mark scheme


H Standard & Higher

working scientifically

Slide 20

Question Paper Tier Demand Type 1 Chemistry or

CombinedF low Multiple choice- Recall 1.4 applying knowledge

3 Chemistry or Combined

F low working scientifically

2.3 Chemistry or Combined

Common F & H

Extended prose with level response mark scheme


Sample of questions - 2

Question Paper Tier Demand Type1 Physics or

CombinedF low Short answer & multi choice

6 Physics or Combined

Common F&H

standard Short answer


H standard Calculations


F low Short answer & equations


H standard Recall & explain


H High Recall & equations

3.3 Physics or Combined

H Standard Extended response

Slide 21

Question Paper Tier Demand Type3 Combined

Big IdeasF low Recall application data analysis 7 evaluation

4 Combined Big Ideas

F Low & standard Recall and application

6 Combined Big Ideas

H High Recall & application


Summary of change document - 1

• The specification content has been substantially redrafted and reorganised into coherent topics for teaching, bringing together material that was previously dispersed over three separate units.

• Many of the statements are based on those in the current GCSE specifications (4401,4402 and 4403).

• Changes have been highlighted or explained as far as possible in the ‘Further information’ column.

• indicates content for GCSE Biology only; not required for GCSE Combined Science.

• Higher Tier content is indicated in bold in the ‘Further information’ column.

Slide 22

Biology only


Summary of change document - 2

Slide 23

Visit: aqa.org.uk/ks4-changes


New content from AQA

• Small amount of new content which is ‘used to finish off the story’,eg in chemistry the carbon footprint and its reduction (9.2d).

• Some new content includes examples which are used to support clearer understanding, eg specific examples of reversible reactions.

Slide 24


Preview of the specifications - 1

Slide 25

Separates and combined content assessed for:

• GCSE Combined Science: Coordinated is a subset of the separate sciences

• ‘separate sciences only’ is indicated in italics

• Higher Tier papers only is indicated in bold

• practical requirements – yet to be finalised.

(see preview materials)



Slide 26

• right hand column gives additional information, further exemplification and limitations of the content in the left-hand column

• signposts suitable opportunities and limitations for the teaching and assessment of working scientifically and maths and any DfE skill-based criteria

Left hand side: content

Separates only

Bold H only


Preview of the specifications -3

GCSE Combined Science: Big ideas

• The first column is the content from the DfE criteria

• The third column gives additional information ,further exemplification and limitations of the content in the middle column

• The third column signposts suitable opportunities for the teaching and assessment of working scientifically , maths skills and any of the DfE criteria that are skill based

• practical requirements are still to be finalised and therefore NOT featured in this early preview version of the specification content. They will appear as part of the content column once finalised.

Slide 27



Slide 28

DfE criteria

content

additional information further exemplification and limitations


Mathematical skills

• DfE appendix

• New maths GCSE

• Standard for Foundation is Key Stage 3 and for Higher is Foundation Tier GCSE

• No new skills from current GCSE

• Students need to learn most equations in GCSE Physics

Slide 29


Resources 1: aqa.org.uk/subjects/science

Slide 30


Resources 2: aqa.org.uk/ks4-changes

Slide 31


Resources 3: Plan, Teach and Assess

Slide 32


Resources 4: Plan

Slide 33


Resources 5: Teach

Slide 34

Resources 6 – currently available


• command words

• subject specific vocabulary

• six week teaching pack-preparing for GCSE

• summary of changes (separate and combined sciences)

• schemes of work (separate sciences)

Visit: aqa.org.uk/ks4-changes

Slide 35

Resources 7 – coming soon


Autumn term:

• ‘are you ready for GCSE?’ tests• additional resources for ELC and STEM • schemes of work (combined and foundation)• digital ‘route maps’• Second schemes of work (separate sciences)• practical handbook• marked student responses (exemplars).

2016 resources:

• additional set of specimen question papers and mark schemes • co-teaching document• maths content guidance• ‘route maps’ for later schemes of work• textbooks – working with OUP, Hodder and Discovery.

Slide 36


Thank you

Please fill in the evaluation form to give us your feedback and so that you are kept up-to-date.

Slide 38

Support and contact details


GCSE science customer support team

T: 01483 477 756E: [email protected]

Slide 37

Teacher support manager Eilish GorseCPD manager Ros Nixon

T: 0161 957 3646E: [email protected]

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