INFORMATION ABOUT GCSE SUBJECTS: Below is a list of all the GCSE subjects offered at Aylesbury Grammar School. In some case the Heads of Departments have also included some information about coursework/controlled assessment requirements. Each subject listed has a link to an exam board website where you can download the GCSE specification, past papers, mark schemes and other guidance materials. English Language and English Literature Mr A Skinner http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/english-language-2015.html http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/english-literature-2015.html All students study for two GCSEs: English Language (Edexcel 1ENO) and English Literature (Edexcel 1ETO) English Language There are no longer any controlled assessment tasks in either GCSE, with both being 100% exam based qualifications. There are two exams in Language both taken at the end of Year 11, paper 1 is worth 40% (1 hour 45 mins), paper 2 60% (2 hours). In addition, students will undertake one formal Speaking and Listening task. Students will now be awarded a separate mark (Pass, Merit or Distinction) for this as it is no longer part of the English Language GCSE. This will occur at the beginning of Year 10, and is assessed in lessons. English Literature Again, no controlled assessment tasks, with two exams sat at the end of Year 11, both worth 50%. Paper 1 is 1 hour 45 minutes, paper 2 is 2 hours 15 minutes. Students will study The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Animal Farm, a collection of poetry and a Shakespeare play. Mathematics & Statistics Mr C P Smith A detailed information sheet was issued to all students at the start of term, depending on their set. They can also access this on their Maths page of SharePoint. MATHS (EDEXCEL): Mathematics A (all maths sets): http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/mathematics-2015.html All sets follow a linear Higher Tier course leading to GCSE Mathematics
Extension sets also study for an additional qualification, either Level 2 Certificate in Further Maths, or FSMQ (Free Standing Maths Qualification) in Additional Maths. All maths exams will be taken in Year 11. Coursework is not required for GCSE Maths. STATISTICS (EDEXCEL): http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse09/statistics/pages/default.aspx All boys in both standard and extension mathematics sets will take GCSE Statistics in Year 10. They have been working toward this goal since Year 7. The statistics is incorporated in the mathematics curriculum. Unit 1 One exam in Thursday 22nd (June) of Year 10 (75%) Unit 2 One Controlled Assessment Task in November of Year 10 (25%) SCIENCES: All the Sciences follow the GCSE (9-1) Gateway Science Specifications. All students study three separate GCSE Sciences. Biology Mr M T Pilkington Gateway Science (9-1) Biology A: Syllabus code J247 None Details Information for parents and resources for students: See Share Point Biology via the school website for a PDF copy of the specification and other useful documents. Students sit two written examinations, all at the end of Year 11. These are: Paper 3: 1 hour, 45 minutes Paper 4: 1 hour, 45 minutes There is neither formally assessed coursework nor any Controlled Assessment Tasks. Practical work is carried out throughout Years 9, 10 and 11. Knowledge of practical methods, techniques, skills, and the analysis and evaluation of results are assessed in both paper 3 and paper 4. The Biology Department sets homework every week. Unsurprisingly, successful students tend to complete homework assignments thoroughly and on time!
Chemistry Dr C J Gardner GCSE (9-1) Gateway Science Chemistry A None Students sit two written examinations, all at the end of Year 11. There is no formally assessed coursework, nor any Controlled Assessment Tasks. Practical work is carried out throughout Years 10 and 11. Knowledge of practical methods and techniques and skills in the analysis of results are tested in the written papers. Physics Mr J P Kemp GCSE (9-1) Gateway Science Physics A (J249) None Students sit two written examinations, all at the end of Year 11. There is no formally assessed coursework nor any Controlled Assessment Tasks. Practical work is carried out throughout Years 10 and 11. Knowledge of practical methods and techniques and skills in the analysis of results are tested both written paper. Geology Mrs C S Jiggins WJEC 4250 http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?subject=61&level=7 The course consists of one externally assessed on-line module at the end of year 11. Coursework will be completed early in year 11 following fieldwork visit and will take about 6 weeks altogether. This comprises 25% of the final mark
COMPUTING & TECHNOLOGIES: Computer Science Mr J E Chappell AQA 8520 This course consists of three units. Paper 1: Computational thinking and problem solving in programming contexts. Written Exam 80 marks. 40% of GCSE Paper 2: Written assessment: data representation, computer systems, computer networks, cyber security, and ethical, legal and environmental aspects. Written exam 80 marks. 40% of GCSE. Non Exam Assessment (aka project): 20% of GCSE. Design Technology Mr A Twissell http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse09/pages/default.aspx We have groups following GCSE in Resistant Materials, Graphic Products, and Electronic Products this year. RMT, GMT and EP follow the Edexcel specification and each have a 60% coursework element. The coursework starts in the summer term of Year 10. MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES: French Mr TJ Crapper http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658 AQA 8658 We follow the new AQA GCSE specification. There are no longer any controlled assessments. Boys will build up their knowledge and skills in the language before taking terminal exams at the end of Year 11 in Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Each skill is worth 25%.
German Head German: Mr R E Sloan http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/german-8668 AQA 8668 We follow the new AQA GCSE specification. There are no longer any controlled assessments. Boys will build up their knowledge and skills in the language before taking terminal exams at the end of Year 11 in Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Each skill is worth 25%. Spanish Mrs R J Corbould http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698 AQA 8698 We follow the new AQA GCSE specification. There are no longer any controlled assessments. Boys will build up their knowledge and skills in the language before taking terminal exams at the end of Year 11 in Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Each skill is worth 25%. HUMANITIES - INCLUDING BUSINESS STUDIES: Ancient History Head of Department Miss S E Holliday http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gcse/classics/ancient_history/index.html J151 Controlled Assessment: 25% of GCSE completed in Autumn term of Year 11 Students will take the three examined modules in Year 11 worth 75%. The controlled assessment is based on the Hellenistic World will be conducted in the Summer Term of Year 10/Autumn Term Year 11, this is worth 25% of the overall GCSE and develops from the Alexander the Great module, which students are currently studying.
Business Mr A R Grant J204 None The course uses a variety of business contexts to consider issues and challenges facing entrepreneurs and commercial organisations. Students have the opportunity to develop as enterprising individuals with a practical set of key skills, including problem solving and decision-making, interpreting, analysing and evaluating data. The final assessment consists of two exams, of 90 minutes each, both taken at the end of Year 11. Paper 1 is concerned with business activity, marketing, and people. Paper 2 is concerned with production, finance, and the influences on a business Each paper contains multiple choice and discursive questions. www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-business-j204-from-2017/ Economics Mr A R Grant J205 None The Economics GCSE has been designed to provide students with an engaging and relevant course of study, enabling them to appreciate that we are all part of the economy and how economic choices and issues impact on our lives. The final assessment consists of two exams, of 90 minutes each, both taken at the end of Year 11. Paper 1 is concerned with an introduction to the subject and the role of markets. Paper 2 is concerned with national and international economics. Each paper contains multiple choice and discursive questions. www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-economics-j205-from-2017/
Latin Miss S E Holliday http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-latin-j282-from-2016/ J282 There are no controlled assessments for the course. All four exams are taken at the end of Year 11. Geography Syllabus: Mr M Corby AQA A Geography GCSE http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-a-9030 Students in year 10 will already have covered the GCSE units of Ecosystems, UK Landscapes and Natural Hazards during year 9. In year 10 year, the AQA A GCSE course begins by covering the units of Ice, Rivers and Urban Issues. February until April is dedicated to the planning and the completion of the geography fieldwork which prepares students for the fieldwork exam paper. This will involve a trip to the Lake District to complete the preparation required. In year 11, students complete the remaining topics covering; Resources, the Economic World and Hot Deserts. Throughout the units the pupils will be introduced to new concepts and theories backed up by detailed case studies and examples. History Mr J M Barrie www.educas.co.uk/qualifications/history/educas-gcse-history-spec-from-2016 WJEC/Educas Syllabus A From September 2016 the History Department will studying a new WJEC/Educas GCSE syllabus. There is no Controlled Assessment in the new specification. Students will study 4 units that are all examined by an exam at the end of the course. Students will study: The Elizabethan Age, 1558-1603 The USA: A Nation of Contrasts, 1910-1929 The Development of Germany, 1919-1991 The Development of Warfare, c500 to the present day. This unit involves a study of a site of historic interest.
Religious Studies Mrs K L Crussell Exam board: AQA 8062 The specification can be downloaded at http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religiousstudies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062 Year 10 will focus on paper 1: study of the beliefs and practices of Christianity and Buddhism and an introduction to the themes (to be developed in year 11) Year 11 (paper 2) will involve consideration of a range of religious approaches to four key ethical or philosophical themes. There is no coursework and both examinations will take place at the end of year 11. ARTS: Art Mrs L M Tangi GCSE Art and Design 171 GCSE (9-1) Fine Art Syllabus The GCSE Fine Art course (9-1) has TWO components Component 1: Portfolio Candidates should produce a portfolio of practical work showing their personal response to either a centre or learner set starting point, brief, scenario or stimulus. Component 2: Externally Set Task - The early release paper will be issued on 2 January each year and will provide learners with five themes, each with a range of written and visual starting points and stimuli. Part of the syllabus will be concerned with the critical aspect of the subject. This means looking at other art work and appreciating it. A visit to gallery is intended to provide enrichment and support for this process. The art course during Year 10 and Year 11 offer learners the chance to master many new skills and techniques. Learners will be encouraged and expected to take the fullest advantage of the Art Department's facilities and to explore the potential of the wide range of media at their disposal. Exploration and experiment, in fact, will be the mainspring of the course and originality and skill will be the standard by which pupils' work will be measured. Learners will be given the opportunity to formulate and develop ideas, to choose the appropriate media and to produce a well finished piece of work. Assessment The requirements of the Art and Design syllabus are that each candidate must develop a portfolio of work, which incorporates both a controlled assessment portfolio and a timed
externally set task. This means that learners will have to work hard throughout the whole course to do well in the continuous assessments and to progress to a high standard to do well in the final examination. The Component 1- Coursework Portfolio, is worth 60% of the total and Component 2 - Set Task is valued at the remaining 40%. Both components are internally assessed and externally moderated by. At the end of the course submission will be awarded levels within the new grading scale which runs from 9-1. Further details can be found via the following hyperlink http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-art-and-design-j170-j176-from-2016/ Drama Mr R J Warner EDUQAS Qualification Accreditation Number: 601/8420/6 The GCSE drama course comprises 60% coursework (40% for development and performance of a devised piece of drama and 20% for the performance of an extract from a published play) and 40% written exam (20% for answering a question about the Tempest and 20% for writing a review of a live theatre performance.) For the coursework pupils can choose to be assessed in acting or in a technical skill such as lighting. Pupils will attend at least two professional theatre productions. The specification can be downloaded from this link: http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/drama-and-theatre/gcse/wjec-eduqas-gcse- Drama-specification.pdf?language_id=1&dotcache=no&dotcache=refresh Music Mr C Nathan http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/music/ Music (9-1) J536 70% (Performing and Composing) The exam is divided into three equal parts listening, performing and composing. 1. The Listening Paper is a series of questions on a dozen or so short extracts of music. 2. For the Performing Paper students must perform and record two pieces: one of which is (usually) a solo, the second piece must be a duet, a trio or as part of a larger ensemble (but the performed part must not be doubled by another player). Both pieces need to be of Grade 4 standard or above. Most candidates perform at grade 5. 3. For the Composing Paper students must submit two original pieces; both need to be scored out and recorded onto CD.
SPORTS: Physical Education Mr P N Dean GCSE (9-1) Physical Education The GCSE (9-1) Physical Education specification content is divided into three components. Each component is further sub-divided into topic areas and the detailed content associated with those topics. Components 1 and 2 are assessed via written examination papers. Component 3 is NEA, and is internally assessed, externally moderated. The written papers are designed in manageable bite-size chunks rather than massively long papers, thus aiding your teaching and your candidates revision. Component 1 Component 2 Component 3 Physical Factors Affecting Performance Anatomy and Physiology Physical Training Section A 30 marks, 20 questions ranging in size/mark allocation across the topics Section B 3x 10 mark questions, 2 on A&P and 1 on Physical Training; broken down into part questions. Including the use of extended response and use of data Socio-Cultural Issues And Sports Psychology Sports Psychology Socio-cultural Influences Health, Fitness and Wellbeing Section A 30 marks, 20 questions ranging in size/mark allocation across the topics Section B 3x 10 mark questions, one on each topic, broken down into part questions. Including the use of extended response and use of data Performance with Physical Education 1) Performance practical in three activities, equally 60 weighted at 20 marks each 2) Analysing and Evaluating Performance (AEP) 20 Marks Duration Weighting 60 1 hour 30% 30 30 60 I hour 30% 30 30 80 NEA 40%