The Science courses are ‘modular' and the specifications are provided by AQA. Details are available at www.aga.org.uk

All students will continue to follow the 3 sciences at GCSE and will be taught by specialist teachers. Two routes are available:

1 - Separate Sciences

Each of the three sciences - Biology, Chemistry and Physics - will be taught as 3 modules known as B1, B2,& B3; C1, C2 & C3; P1, P2 & P3. Candidates will sit the examinations for B1, C1 and P1 at the end of Year 10, B2, C2 and P2 in January of Year 11 and B3, C3 and P3 in June of Year 11. It is also possible to resit modules.

Each module is worth 25% of the course with a further 25% coming from internally assessed practical work. At the end of the two years each student will receive a separate grade for each of the three sciences.

2 - Science + Additional Science  (This replaces the old ‘Double Award' scheme)

‘Science' consists of 3 modules known as B1, C1 and P1 and the examinations for these will be taken at the end of Year 10.  When the marks are combined with internally assessed practical work (25%), this will result in the award of one GCSE grade in ‘Science'. However, it will be possible to resit any of these modules in Year 11 to improve the grade.

‘Additional Science' is a separate entity and also consists of three modules knows as B2, C2 and P2. The examinations for these will be taken at the end of Year 11 and, when combined with further internally assessed practical work, will result in the award of a second (possibly different) GCSE grade, this time in ‘Additional Science'.

Thus the two routes have much in common but we would recommend that those wishing to follow an A-level course in Biology, Chemistry or Physics should take Separate Sciences at GCSE.

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