CCEA Support Events GCSE Science Double Award Revised

CCEA Support Events GCSE Science – Double Award Revised Specification First teaching Sept. 2011

Agenda • Introduction • Specification and Specimen Assessment Materials (Reading Time) • Changes (Structure and Assessment Materials) • Controlled Assessment - Rationale • Controlled Assessment (Reading Time) • Overview of Controlled Assessment • Plenary

Accreditation Process • Revision every 5 years • Criteria/Regulations – Subject criteria (Content and Assessment Objectives) – Qualification criteria (Number of units allowed) – Controlled Assessment Regulations • Materials submitted to Regulator (Ofqual) – Specification – Specimen papers and mark schemes – Specimen Controlled Assessment Tasks (CATs) and mark schemes – Assessment Objective Grids

Support • Specification, SAMs, CATs – on-line and hard copy • Schemes of Work (“Word” version on-line – May 2011) • Student guides • Working with publisher to revise all CCEA endorsed textbooks • Controlled assessment guidance for teachers • Controlled Assessment support events in October 2011 • Topic Tracker

Topic Tracker • Builds examination papers • Questions selected from menu of topics • Front cover generated • Mark scheme generated • Free of charge to all centres with CCEA – Contact nbraniff@ccea. org. uk

Double Award Science • CCEA is only Awarding Body offering this qualification • Unique to Northern Ireland • New grading – A*A*, A*A, AB, BC, CD, DD etc.

Specification and SAMs Reading Time

Structure of the Course Unit 1: Biology Unit 1: Chemistry Unit 1: Physics % Weighting Raw Marks Time Availability 1 h 11% 70 H&F Every Nov, Feb and May (starting Nov 2011)

Structure of the Course Content from Unit 1 will not be assessed in Unit 2: Biology Unit 2: Chemistry Unit 2: Physics Controlled Assessment % Weighting Raw Marks 14% 90 H&F Time Availability 1 h 15 min Every Summer (starting summer 2013) From Sept (2011) 25% 45 (not tiered) -

Key Changes • How Science Works - section 1. 5 – – – data evidence, theories and explanations practical and enquiry skills communication skills applications and implications of science Assessed in Papers & CA tasks • AO 3 – “Analyse and evaluate evidence, make reasoned judgements and draw conclusions based on evidence” – Unit 1(Biol, chem, phys): 11 -20 marks out of 70 – Unit 2(Biol, chem, phys): 14 -26 marks out of 90 • Mathematical content – section 3. 8 • Extended writing assessing QWC – section 4. 4 of specification – will appear in all papers – banded mark scheme

Unit 2 H – Q 7 Q 9 b(iii) – P 1 F • A 03 - Analyse and evaluate evidence, make reasoned judgements and draw conclusions based on evidence • Mathematical Content – Extract and interpret information from tables • QWC

Controlled Assessment (Rationale) • Authenticity • Variety • Manageability

Skills that must be assessed “Develop hypotheses and plan practical ways to test them including risk assessment; manage risks when carrying out practical work; collect, process, analyse and interpret primary and secondary data including the use of appropriate technology to draw evidencebased conclusions; review methodology to assess fitness for purpose, and review hypotheses in light of outcomes”

CAT and specification (section 4) Reading Time

Tasks - overview • CCEA sets the tasks • 6 new tasks each year for each cohort (2 biology, 2 chemistry and 2 physics) • Only two tasks should be submitted • Tasks submitted must be from two different subject areas eg. Biology and Chemistry • Available in September – Teacher Guidance Notes – Candidate Response Booklets - A – Candidate Response Booklets - B • Each task has 3 parts – Part A (Planning and Risk Assessment) – Part B (Data Collection) – Part C (Processing, Analysis and Evaluation) • Can be taken at any time

Teacher Guidance Notes • Details of the task • Independent variables • Suggested method/s

Part A – Planning and Risk Assessment • • Assessed Informal (medium control) No time limit General guidance from teacher – group work – class discussion • Trial experiment • Final plan and risk assessment must be completed independently in Candidate Response Booklet A

Marking Part A (Planning and Risk Assessment) • • No redrafting allowed Use generic mark bands (section 6) Marked out of 18 3 options to allow candidates to move on after planning – plan and risk assessment are appropriate with some minor amendments – plan and risk assessment are unsuitable and inappropriate • Plan and risk assessment completed in Candidate Response Booklet A

Data Collection • Not assessed • No time limit • Teacher can give very significant help and guidance to ensure suitable results are obtained and recorded • Data/results also recorded in Candidate response booklet A

Part C – Processing, Analysis and Evaluation • • Assessed Formal (High) control Completed in Candidate Response Booklet B No assistance – must be completed independently Time limit: 1 h – to be completed in one sitting Need to refer to their plan and results taken Marked out of 27 using mark scheme supplied Contains questions relating to their own data and secondary data supplied

Moderation • Internal standardisation • Sample to CCEA in May • 2 CATs submitted (candidate response booklets and CRS) • Tolerance • Marks adjusted if outside tolerance

Contact Details • Nuala Braniff – Specification Support (nbraniff@ccea. org. uk) • Kevin Henderson (khenderson@ccea. org. uk) • Patricia Quinn (pquinn@ccea. org. uk)