Key Stage 4 Science

We offer students in Year 10 and 11 a variety of different Science courses. Students may complete GCSE Science, GCSE Additional Science, GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry, GCSE Physics or Entry Level Science.  

GCSE

GCSE Science is worth one GCSE and is taken in Year 10. Most students will then progress onto GCSE Additional Science in Science in Year 11, also worth one GCSE.
 
 

Year 10

GCSE Science (Exam board: OCR)

  • 75% of GCSE Science is comprised of externally assessed written exams in January and June. Their are two tiers of exam papers; Higher (A*-C) and Foundation (C-G)
  • 25% of GCSE Science is comprised of a controlled assessment task. This is completed in lessons and assessed by the teacher.
GCSE Science Topics:
  • Understanding organisms and Understanding our Environment (Biology)
  • Carbon Chemistry and Chemical Resources (Chemistry)
  • Energy for the Home and Living for the future (Physics)
 

Year 11

GCSE Additional Science (Exam board: OCR Gateway)

  • 75% of GCSE Additional Science is comprised of externally assessed written exams in January and June. There are two tiers of exam papers; Higher (A*-G) and Foundation (C-G).
  • 25% of GCSE Additional Science is comprised of a controlled assessment task. This is completed in lessons and assessed by the teacher.
 

GCSE Additional Science Topics:

  • Living and growing and It’s a green world (Biology)
  • Chemical economics and The periodic table (Chemistry)
  • Forces for transport and Radiation for life (Physics)
 

GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics (Triple Science)

Exam board: OCR Gateway

Students who excel at Science will be offered the opportunity to study Triple Science, which is worth three GCSEs. This is an accelerated course which will stretch and challenge the most able students.
Students will complete all of the components of Science and Additional Science, as well as two further extension units in each subject area. These units include:
  • The living body and Beyond the microscope (Biology)
  • How much (quantitative analysis) and Chemistry out there (Chemistry)
  • Space for reflection and Electricity for gadgets (Physics)
75% of each GCSE is comprised of externally assessed written exams in June. There are two tiers of exam papers; Higher (A*-G) and Foundation (C-G).
 
25% of each GCSE Science is comprised of a controlled assessment task. This is completed in lessons and assessed by the teacher.

 

Entry Level Science

Entry Level Science students study a variety of Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics; all linked to the KS4 Programme of Study.
 
These include:
 
  • Extinction, Healthy Eating, My Genes (Biology)
  • Acids and Alkalis, Cooking and Cleaning, Colours and Smells (Chemistry)
  • Getting the Message, Our Electricity Supply, Attractive Forces (Physics)
Students who excel at the Entry Level Science course may be entered for GCSE Science in Year 11.
 

Useful KS4 websites: