Combined Science Single Award

What Does the GCSE Combined Science Single Award Course Offer Me ?

This exciting course covers all the core Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics that students need to know about to make sense of the world around them.

What Does the Course Entail?

The Biology topics are characteristics of living organisms, cells, biological molecules, enzymes, plant nutrition, animal nutrition, transport, gas exchange and respiration, coordination and response, reproduction organisms and their environment and human influences on ecosystems.

The Chemistry topics are the particulate nature of matter, experimental techniques, atoms, elements and compounds, stoichiometry, electricity and chemistry, energy changes in chemical reactions, acids, bases and salts, the Periodic Table, metals, air and water and organic chemistry.

The Physics topics are motion, work, energy and power, thermal Physics, properties of waves, including light and sound, electrical quantities and electric circuits.

There is both a mathematical and practical element to this course, and students are expected to be able to carry out a certain number of specific calculations by the end of their GCSE studies along with a series of compulsory practical experiments. Students will not just be taught the content that they need to master in order to achieve success in their examinations at the end of Year 11, but also the exam technique and revision skills required to excel in the final GCSE assessments. The students' learning will be closely applied to real life situations. It should be noted that, whilst it is a robust GCSE, studying this course is not considered to be adequete preparation for studying any A Level Science course in the Sixth Form.

Examination

Paper 2: Multiple Choice (Extended)

•

• • • • •

45 minutes 40 marks

40 compulsory multiple-choice items of the fourchoice type

This paper tests assessment objectives AO1 and AO2

This paper assesses grades A* to G

Externally assessed

Paper 5: Practical Test

• 1 hour 15 minutes

• 40 marks

• All items are compulsory

• This paper tests assessment objective AO 3

• Candidates will be required to do experiments in a laboratory as part of this test

• This paper assesses grades A* to G

• Externally assessed

Paper 4: Theory (Extended)

• 1 hour 15 minutes

• 80 marks

• Compulsory short-answer and structured questions

• This paper tests assessment objectives AO1 and AO2

• This paper assesses grades A* to G

• Externally assessed

Paper 6: Alternative to Practical

• 1 hour

• 40 marks

• All items are compulsory

• This paper tests assessment objective AO3

• Candidates will not be required to do experiments as part of this test

• This paper assesses grades A* to G

• Externally assessed

Questions in the practical papers are structured to assess performance across the full grade range. Notes for use in qualitative analysis are provided for both Paper 5 and Paper 6.

What does GCSE French Offer me?

You will continue to build on the grammar and vocabulary you’ve already learnt and will become more confident and competent using the language in a range of different situations. You will learn to understand detailed texts, decipher information when someone talks to you and express yourself clearly both on paper and when speaking. This GCSE course offers much more than a qualification, it’s a package of skills that both employers and universities look for, as well as an ability to navigate the world with confidence in years to come.

What does the course entail?

You will carry on from the work you have begun in Year 9, studying 12 different topics from Technology to Festivals and Social Issues. As you work through these topics you will learn different tenses and other grammatical structures to help you express yourself clearly in the language. You will have plenty of practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing. At the end of Year 11 you will sit 4 papers, one each of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Each paper is worth 25% of your overall mark.

Beyond GCSE

You need to have studied French at GCSE if you want to study it at A Level. If you don’t carry on with it after GCSE, you still have a fantastic life skill that really does open the world up to you. Lots of universities also offer the opportunity to study a foreign language alongside other subjects so you may be able to pick your language up again at university, even if you don’t take it at A Level.

Curriculum Enrichment

We offer a range of activities to support you in your learning beyond the classroom. These include:

•The option to subscribe to regular foreign language magazines tailored to your ability

• Regular speaking lessons with a native speaker in Year 11

• A range of online resources including Kerboodle and Language Gym to support and extend your learning

• Access to national competitions

• Visits from theatre companies where available

• The opportunity to take part in Spellian, an online conversation exchange.

What does GCSE German Offer me?

You will continue to build on the grammar and vocabulary you’ve already learnt and will become more confident and competent using the language in a range of different situations. You will learn to understand detailed texts, decipher information when someone talks to you and express yourself clearly both on paper and when speaking. This GCSE course offers much more than a qualification, it’s a package of skills that both employers and universities look for, as well as an ability to navigate the world with confidence in years to come.

What does the course entail?

You will carry on from the work you have begun in Year 9, studying 12 different topics from Technology to Festivals and Social Issues. As you work through these topics you will learn different tenses and other grammatical structures to help you express yourself clearly in the language. You will have plenty of practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing. At the end of Year 11 you will sit 4 papers, one each of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Each paper is worth 25% of your overall mark.

Beyond GCSE

You need to have studied German at GCSE if you want to study it at A Level. If you don’t carry on with it after GCSE, you still have a fantastic life skill that really does open the world up to you. Lots of universities also offer the opportunity to study a foreign language alongside other subjects so you may be able to pick your language up again at university, even if you don’t take it at A Level.

Curriculum Enrichment

We offer a range of activities to support you in your learning beyond the classroom. These include:

•The option to subscribe to regular foreign language magazines tailored to your ability

•Regular speaking lessons with a native speaker in Year 11

•A range of online resources including Kerboodle and Language Gym to support and extend your learning

•Access to national competitions

•Visits from theatre companies where available

What does GCSE Spanish offer me?

You will continue to build on the grammar and vocabulary you’ve already learnt and will become more confident and competent using the language in a range of different situations. You will learn to understand detailed texts, decipher information when someone talks to you and express yourself clearly both on paper and when speaking. This GCSE course offers much more than a qualification, it’s a package of skills that both employers and universities look for, as well as an ability to navigate the world with confidence in years to come.

What does the course entail?

You will carry on from the work you have begun in Year 9, studying 12 different topics from Technology to Festivals and Social Issues. As you work through these topics you will learn different tenses and other grammatical structures to help you express yourself clearly in the language. You will have plenty of practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing. At the end of Year 11 you will sit 4 papers, one each of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Each paper is worth 25% of your overall mark.

Beyond GCSE

You need to have studied Spanish at GCSE if you want to study it at A Level. If you don’t carry on with it after GCSE, you still have a fantastic life skill that really does open the world up to you. Lots of universities also offer the opportunity to study a foreign language alongside other subjects so you may be able to pick your language up again at university, even if you don’t take it at A Level.

Curriculum Enrichment

We offer a range of activities to support you in your learning beyond the classroom. These include:

•The option to subscribe to regular foreign language magazines tailored to your ability

•Regular speaking lessons with a native speaker in Year 11

•The opportunity to subscribe to Spellian, an online speaking programme tailored to your needs

•A range of online resources including Kerboodle and Language Gym to support and extend your learning

•Access to national competitions

•Visits from theatre companies where available