1. GCSE Double Award Science
Mr West

2. The Course
Your child will study for two GCSEs – Core Science in year 10 and Additional Science in year 11.
Each GCSE is assessed through 2 exams and 1 piece of controlled assessment (coursework).

3. The Exams
Each exam will involve some Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The first is worth 35% and the second is worth 40% (totalling 75%) of the whole GCSE.
All exams will be sat in the summer term. There is no longer an option for resits, unless there are extreme circumstances.

4. Exam Timetable Summer 2015 – B1, C1, P1 and B2, C2, P2
1 piece of coursework submitted.
Summer 2016 – B3, C3, P3 and B4, C4, P4
A second piece of coursework submitted.

5. Controlled Assessment
This is the chance for the students to carry out a full investigation with as much independence as possible.
The assessment is split into sections and students receive marks for each part.

6. Controlled Assessment
They are assessed on:
Research
Planning
Carry out the experiment
Results tables and graphs
Conclusions
Analysing and Evaluating

7. Controlled Assessment
The research section will be set as a homework and students will need to make sure they find reliable sources (NOT Wikipedia!!) as they have to provide a full list of resources too.
The rest of the assessment is carried out under supervision and so cannot be taken home.

8. How Can You Support Your Child?
Offer help for completing homework.
Check regularly how lessons are going. Can your child confidently explain what they have done? If not you can direct them to go and see their teacher, or help them by using a revision guide, their exercise book or BBC bitesize (other revision websites are available…)
At exam time provide them with a supportive structure to revise well – little and often is much better than binge revision!