GCSE Science is Changing

GCSE Environmental and Land- based Science Continuity from: GCSE Rural and Agricultural Science GNVQ Land and Environment Taught as ‘stand-alone’ qualification, or as an Additional Applied Science (after/alongside GCSE Science)

QCA Approved!

Assessment Unit tests: externally set and marked tests taken on screen - available in January and June Coursework portfolio, saved electronically

Content units Candidates study 3 units: Unit 3 – Management of the Natural Environment And 2 others chosen from: Unit 1 – Plant cultivation Unit 2 – Amenity horticulture Unit 4 – Care of animals Unit 5 – Livestock husbandry Intended to appeal to rural schools, including those with farm units, links with agricultural colleges etc., as well as urban schools

Vocational links Unit title Employment areas Plant cultivation Amenity horticulture Management of the natural environment Care of animals Livestock husbandry arable farming, horticulture, forestry gardens, garden centres, nurseries, floristry, parks conservation, nature reserves, waste management veterinary assistants, pet shops livestock farming, zoos

Unit titleBrief outline of content Plant cultivationgrowing crop plants, including: growing media and conditions; causes of plant ill health; nutrient deficiencies; reproduction; monohybrid inheritance; soil structure. Amenity horticulturegrowing plants for gardens, parks etc., including: controlling growing conditions; maintaining cut flowers and pot plants; management of lawns; pruning. Management of the natural environment types of ecosystem; intensive and extensive production; soil structure; effects of pesticide use; organic and inorganic production; effects of pollution; conservation. Care of animalscare of small animals, including: reasons for keeping animals; reproduction and selective breeding; routine husbandry and health; handling and moving animals. Livestock husbandrycare of farm animals, including: routine husbandry and health; reproduction, including modern techniques; approaching and moving large animals.

Computer-based tests Each comprises: Objective questions – 10 marks Short answer questions – 12 marks Data analysis question(s) – 6 marks More extended writing – 8 marks Each test carries 36 marks, in 45 minutes, set in two tiers - Foundation and Higher

Testing arrangements Test is delivered to the Centre electronically Provided to candidates using Centre’s network Candidates answer on screen (NOT on line) Competed test returned electronically to OCR Marked by OCR examiners Available in January and June sessions Unit 3 examined in June 2007

Coursework portfolio Practical Skills – 12.4% Work-related report – 14.7% Investigative project – 22.9% Internally assessed (by the teacher) and externally moderated Designed to develop skills for use in the Land and Environment Sector

Coursework portfolio, saved electronically Able to include a wide variety of digital evidence (text, pictures, video, sound, computer graphics, power-points etc.) Can be accessed easily by the teacher and the student No paper!

Practical skills Marks for 3 skills are submitted from each of the 3 units studied (candidates may attempt as many as they like) Each skill marked out of 3 – total of 27 Video or photographic evidence from at least 5 of these – stored electronically within the portfolio

Examples of practical skills Layering strawberries Taking softwood cuttings Identifying signs of health in a crop Preparing hanging baskets Cloching crops with glass or plastic Pruning roses or fruit trees Testing soil for PH Making a line transect over a habitat Measuring pollution Sexing animals Candling eggs Preparing animals for showing Bottle-feeding lambs Maintaining farmyard equipment Milking goats or cows Using first aid Assessing the risk of an activity Controlling and extinguishing a fire

Work-related report Report written in the context of one of the chosen units Related to a particular workplace – the running of an enterprise Stored electronically Assessment under 4 headings –Information sources – 8 marks –Description of workplace – 8 marks –Scientific knowledge and skills – 8 marks –Quality of presentation – 8 marks

Work related report - details Assignment might arise from: Work experience A visit or series of visits School-based mini enterprise Or where these are not possible, from Information-based research Or a combination of these Report might include information in the form of a news article, power-point presentation, video clips

Investigative project A scientific study related to one of the chosen units Can be –experimental work –a livestock study –ecological work –work based on an enterprise or business Stored electronically as part of the portfolio

Examples of possible projects Planting density in relation to crop yield Effects of spraying crops Fertiliser trials Shoreline ecology Land use survey Assessment (marked out of 52) Planning, using information - 10 Quality of practical work, collecting data - 10 Quality of the report and presenting data - 6 Analysis and presentation of data - 10 Evaluating the evidence - 10 Determination and perseverance - 6

Pathways PathwayYear 9Year 10Year 11Suggested Post 16 Study AKS3GCSE Science GCSE Environmental and Land-based Science GCE Applied Science, NVQ qualifications BKS3 GCSE Science and GCSE Environmental and Land-based Science in parallel GCE Applied Science, NVQ qualifications

OCR will support you ‘Virtual’ Cluster Groups and Coursework Consultancy Teaching guidance and exemplars INSET meetings

Why choose OCR? Pedagogy underpins content and assessment Coursework = assessment of work done ‘during the course’ Avoidance of unnecessary repetition Support Innovative ‘applied’ approach Development of relevant skills for the land and environment sector

What next? Join our e-community: You can access specifications, presentations, support documents, details of INSET meetings, a forum, a registration page etc. Register your intention to use the specification Look out for a consultation questionnaire – end of June Tell us if you are willing to trial exams in the autumn