1. GCSE Physics Practical Support Event
November 2018

2. Agenda Welcome Practical Overview Practical Requirements
JCQ- Student Guidance
Support- Ongoing
Q&A

3. Specification Unit 3 Booklet A Students carry out two
pre-release practical tasks in the final year of study.
There are two tiers of entry. Students must take both Booklet A and Booklet B at the same tier.
Foundation and Higher Tiers: 2 hours 19
Booklet B
External written examination
Students answer compulsory structured questions that include short responses, extended writing and calculations, all set in a practical context.
Foundation Tier: 1 hour Higher Tier: 1 hour 15
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4. Unit 3 Practical Skills Booklet A
Booklet A contains two practicals from the prescribed practical list. We send a Materials and Apparatus list in November(2018). (20th this year)
We send a copy of Booklet A for each student to schools for January (December Dispatch). All students must carry these out between 2nd January and before the First Friday in June submission date. These are marked externally by CCEA.
PSA guidance booklet on each microsite

5. Practical Skills Booklet A
Students carry out two externally marked pre-release practicals in the final year of study.
2 hours for Foundation and Higher Tier
Weighting 7.5%
Available for completion from January 2nd and before First Friday in June each year beginning in 2019

6. Unit 3 Practical Skills Booklet B
Booklet B is a timetabled, externally assessed exam taken at the end of final year of study. It consists of questions about planning and carrying out any of the prescribed practicals as well as more general questions about any practical situation that arises from the specification.

7. Practical Skills Booklet B External written examination
Students answer compulsory structured questions that include short responses, extended writing and calculations, all set in a practical context
There are two tiers of entry; Foundation and Higher (1 hour for F Tier and 1hour 15 mins H tier)

8. Practical Skills Booklet B (continued) Weighting 17.5%
Available every summer beginning 2019 on the date specified in the summer examinations timetable.

9. Conducting the Practical
6.3 Specification
Booklet A is a practical skills assessment and must be carried out under a high level
of control. Both practical components must be completed within the same session
on the same day.
An appropriate teacher should be present with an invigilator to ensure compliance
with health and safety regulations.
Teachers and invigilators should not offer direction or guidance to candidates where
this would assist them in completing Booklet A.
Foundation and Higher Tier candidates can carry out the practical skills assessment
in the same room, but they can only work with others taking the same tier.
Candidates may work collaboratively in groups of up to three when carrying out the
practical tasks. However, all candidates must work individually and independently to
complete Booklet A.
Candidates have 2 hours to complete this assessment.
The examinations officer must keep all Booklet A papers (completed and unused)
securely at all times.
Centres must return Booklet A papers to us for marking after 1 May.( Now June return Date)
We will provide additional information relating to Booklet A as a support document (PSA Guidance doc/ Confidential instructions with the apparatus list in November)

10. For Booklet A, the level of control for task taking is high
For Booklet A, the level of control for task taking is high. The table below exemplifies
high levels of control for this practical skills assessment.
Areas of Control
Authenticity Booklet A is an externally set and externally marked practical skills assessment.
Teachers must ensure that all candidates are in direct sight of the supervisor at all times.
Interaction between candidates is tightly prescribed during the practical tasks.
They should not communicate with each other when completing their response in Booklet A.
We will publish a timetabled period for this practical skills assessment on the examinations timetable.
Candidates must carry out the practical tasks and complete Booklet A in 2 hours.
We send an apparatus and materials list to examinations officers in December of the last year of study. They should distribute this list to the relevant head of department.
Feedback Teachers should not provide guidance or feedback during the practical skills assessment except to intervene on the grounds of health and safety.
Page limit We set Booklet A. It has no prescribed page limit.
Collaboration Candidates for the same tier of entry may work collaboratively to carry out the practical tasks, but they must provide an individual response in Booklet A.

11. Suggestions for Conducting the PSA
Before the PSA Exams Officer will receive Apparatus list and confidential instructions in November, this will give full details of conduct and responsibility. They will explain to the HOD security arrangements for this document. Ensure equipment is ordered including spare equipment for the time assigned to the assessment. Ensure all invigilators and supervising teachers are familiar with JCQ Instructions for Conducting Examinations, (ICE) Ensure all students have been explained JCQ regulations on the Use of Social Media- Information for Candidates.

12. Suggestions for Conducting the PSA
Teacher Organisation
Assign groups or individuals to an area for the PSA- could do before you start or previous lesson
You may put timeframes on board, group orders of experiment completion. ( just before the exam starts)
During the Practical
Control is High- students must only communicate if necessary on the collection of raw results/ practical method, if working in a group
The supervising teacher may deal with technical difficulties which arise or to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and their risk assessment.

13. JCQ Social Media
Ensure that students have been explained the new guidance

15. The NI Curriculum was introduced in 2007 and we want to hear from teachers about their experience of it. We will be listening to views about:
- The design and implementation of the curriculum
- The effectiveness of the Cross Curricular skills and Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
- Progression and continuity
- Assessing Progress
- Priorities for Teacher Professional Learning
- Support

16. ALC Principals’ meetings Subject specific panels of key stakeholders
Online questionnaires (a series of 5 min questionnaires for all teachers) 
School visits to hear from a wide range of teachers and leaders within schools 
ALC Principals’ meetings 
Subject specific panels of key stakeholders 
Pupil interviews 
Parent consultation through partnership with parenting organisations 
Different schools will be involved in different aspects. Randomly selected schools and ALCs will be contacted by  .
This slide is about how it will be done.
It will be done between October 2018 and March 2019.
The report will be completed by end of June All information will be gathered confidentially and stored in line with CCEA privacy notice. No identifying information will be recorded or retained.

17. To start professional discussions
A systematic programme of listening to empower teacher voice
To inform planning for support
To identify gaps and connections in the curriculum
Inform CCEA’s programme of support for 2019/20
Why are we doing this project?

18. For further information, please contact: Post-primary Róisín McCreesh T: ext: 2635 M: E: Primary Emma Holmes T: ext: 2670 M: E:
This is year one of an ongoing project. All suggestions about the process, or about the areas you would like to raise should be brought directly to Róisín or Emma who are looking after the programme.

19. CCEA Support Physics microsite at www.ccea.org.uk and
specimen assessment materials;
past papers; mark schemes;
Chief Examiner’s reports;
guidance on progression from Key Stage 3;
planning frameworks;

20. Past Papers Past papers will be available on the CCEA microsite.
After an exam has been taken the management of all papers transfers from QPP and the Education Manager to the CCEA Copyright team.
Papers can only be published when the CCEA Copyright team has received permissions for all images. CCEA cannot redraw copyright images as this is to do this is a breach of copyright( adaptation)

21. Support from other Providers
ASE- Teachmeets and Science Conferences
Institute of Physics
Student Awards/ Schools support/ Affiliated Schools
Scientix – EU
Resource Repository/ MOOCs

22. Q&A

23. Contacts: GCSE Physics
Education Manager: Gavin Gray Telephone: Ext Subject Support Officer: Nuala Tierney Telephone: Ext

24. Working with CCEA The benefits: teacher cover provided
first-hand experience of how the examining system works
user insight to the standards required for the assessment
opportunity to examine assessments across a range of abilities
improved learning and teaching outcomes
creates links with CCEA personnel/subject officer
opportunity to network with other professionals
provides recognition and enhances the professional development of teachers
Examiners and moderators are vital to the success of the examining system
Teachers provide expert knowledge of the specification content
Understanding of the capabilities of the candidature at a specific level

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27. Thank You for attending