Key Stage 4
Biology
Course outline
The GCSE Biology course builds on skills developed in KS3 and explores specific topics allowing the students to:
- Apply knowledge to new contexts
- Build Analytical skills
- Deepen understanding of Biological content
- Further develop practical skills
The GCSE course is studied at either Foundation or Higher level. You can find out what level your son/daughter is studying for by looking in the front cover of any of their Science books.
The majority of GCSE double award (Trilogy) and GCSE Triple award (Separate Science Biology) content is identical. Additional material is taught throughout the course for those in higher sets who may go on to study for Separate, Triple award GCSE exams in Year 11.
Assessment and revision:
To monitor progress and provide support and extension for individuals, regular assessment takes place. At the end of Year 11 students will sit:
- Trilogy (Combined Science; Double award) 2Biology exams, 1 hour 15 minutes
- Biology (Separate Science; Triple award) 2 Biology exams, 1 hour 45 minutes.
Each year, the three terms are divided in to four teaching blocks to accommodate the regular assessments. The following structure of delivery enables regular reflection of topics taught previously, promoting the importance of developing revision skills and keeping to a revision schedule right from the start in Year 9. (Tests can draw on content taught in previous blocks to promote revision and recall).
Press on each topic to navigate to its BBC Bitesize revision pages.
Main Topics covered in Year 9
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Block |
Assessment date(s) |
Double award: New topics taught |
Triple award: New topics included
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1 |
1/11/18 |
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2 |
29-30/1/19 |
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3 |
7-8/5/19 |
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4 |
*Wb24/6/19 (End of year assessment) |
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration (2nd Half) |
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration (2nd Half) |
*Wb – Week beginning
Main Topics covered in Year 10
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Block |
Assessment date(s) |
New topics included |
Triple award: New topics included
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1 |
29/10/18 |
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2 |
28/1/19 |
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3 |
Wb 6/5/19 |
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4 |
*Wb1/7/19 (End of year assessment) |
Biodiversity, *Immunity review (Studied in Year 9* |
Biodiversity, *Immunity review (Studied in Year 9* |
Main Topics covered in Year 11
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Block |
Assessment date(s) |
New topics included |
Triple award: New topics included
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1 |
29/10/18 |
Inheritance and variation, Homeostasis (Part 1) |
Inheritance and variation, Homeostasis (Part 1) |
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2 |
Wb21/1/19 |
Homeostasis (Part 2)Homeostasis (Part 3) |
Homeostasis (Part 2) Homeostasis (Part 3) |
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3 |
Wb 1/4/19 |
Throughout the course, there will be a focus on practical skills. Students can be asked to recall and apply information from the practical’s that have performed in their exams. It is important that they therefore revise the methods and understand how to use the apparatus and techniques.
Chemistry
Science GCSE Chemistry
The GCSE Chemistry course builds on skills developed in Years 7 and 8 and explores specific topics allowing the students to:
- Apply knowledge to new contexts
- Build Analytical skills
- Deepen understanding of Chemistry content
- Further develop practical skills
Course content
Across the three years of the GCSE course, starting in Year 9, students will study the main topic areas of: Bonding and Structures, The Periodic Table, Rates of reaction, Carbon Chemistry, Equations, Quantitative Chemistry (calculations), Energy Changes, Earth’s Resources, Using Resources, Atmosphere, Electrolysis and Analysis. There is common content for students following the double award (Trilogy) GCSE course, with additional material for those who go on to do the separate GCSE exams at the end of Year 11.
The course content for each year has the following structure, with lessons differentiated to mirror the levels within the AQA GCSE (9-1) Chemistry course. Each year, the three terms are divided into four teaching blocks to accommodate the regular assessments.
Regular assessment takes place throughout the course at the end of Year 11, students will sit two chemistry exams (those for the separate Chemistry course being longer than the double award papers: 1 hour 45 minutes, compared to 1 hour 15 minutes for the double award).
Main Topics covered in Year 9
Block one
Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table – this is assessed in the tests of the 1st November.
Block two
Chemistry of groups 1 and 7, Chemical Bonding and Equations– this is assessed in the tests of the 29/30th January.
Block three
Further Bonding and Carbon Chemistry– this is assessed in the tests of the 7/8th May.
Block four
Completion of Carbon Chemistry and review of the whole year’s work – this is assessed in the end of year assessment of the week beginning 24th June.
Main Topics covered in Year 10
Block one
Energy Changes and Rates of Reaction – this is assessed in the tests of the week beginning 29th October.
Block two
Atmosphere, Analysis and Review of Periodic Table– this is assessed in the tests of the week beginning 28th January.
Block three
Earth’s Resources and Quantitative Chemistry– this is assessed in the tests of the week beginning 6th May.
Block four
Using Resources and a review of the Bonding topic– this is assessed in the end of year assessment of the week beginning 1st July.
Main Topics covered in Year 11
The decision as to whether students take the double award or separate Chemistry course, is decided at the beginning of Year 11 and so the route through the next three blocks changes depending on the course taken.
Block one (double award)
Earth’s Resources and a review of the Bonding topic – this is assessed in the tests of the week beginning 29th October.
Block one (separate award)
Carbon Chemistry and Further analysis – this is assessed in the tests of the week beginning 29th October.
Block two (double award)
Review of the topics Rates of reaction and Electrolysis as well as work to reinforce the required practicals – this is assessed in the mock exams of the week beginning 21st January.
Block two (separate award)
Bulk Properties of Matter, Using Resources and Further Quantitative Chemistry – this is assessed in the mock exams of the week beginning 21st January.
Block three (double award)
Review of the topics of The Periodic Table, Carbon Chemistry and Chemical Changes – this is assessed in the tests of the week beginning 1st April.
Block three (separate award)
Review of the topics Rates of reaction and Electrolysis as well as work to reinforce the required practicals – this is assessed in the tests of the week beginning 1st April.
Physics
Science GCSE Physics
The GCSE Physics course builds on skills developed in Years 7 and 8 and explores specific topics allowing the students to:
- Apply physics knowledge to new contexts
- Build Analytical skills
- Deepen understanding of core Physics concepts
- Develop practical skills
Course content
The GCSE course is taught over three years starting in Year 9. Students will study main topic areas including: Energy and Energy resources; Electricity and Circuits, Radioactivity, Particles, Forces, Motion, Waves and Electromagnetism. There is common content for students following the double award (Trilogy) GCSE course, with additional material for those who go on to do the separate GCSE exams at the end of Year 11. Either path may lead on to A level courses at Exmouth Community College.
The course content for each year has the following structure with lessons differentiated to mirror the levels within the AQA GCSE (9-1) Physics course. Each year the three terms are divided in to four teaching blocks to accommodate regular assessments.
Regular assessment takes place throughout the course at the end of Year 11, students will sit two physics exams of 75mins each. (Those taking the separate physics course sit longer exams of 1 hour 45 minutes each).
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2018-2019 |
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Yr9 |
Block 1 P1: Conservation and Dissipation of Energy A |
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Block 2 P1: Conservation and Dissipation of Energy B |
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Block 3 P2: Energy Transfer by Heating |
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Block 4 P3: Energy Resources |
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Yr10 |
Block 1 P7: Radioactivity + Revision (Triple: Recap P1) |
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Block 2: Revision/Recap P1(trilogy), P2, P3 (Triple:P16 Space) |
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Block 3: P8 Forces in Action + Revision/Recap P4 |
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Block 4: P9 Motion + Revision P5,6 |
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Yr11 |
Block 1 P12: Wave Properties P13 Electromagnetic Waves |
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Block 2 P14: Light P15 Electromagnetism |
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Block 3 P6: Molecules and Matter+ Revision/Recap P1-P11 |