Feedback on Applied Science units Double Award and

Feedback on Applied Science units (Double Award and Single Award)

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier Contact Details Liane Adams Maximum mark = 75 Biology Subject Officer C 029 2026 5126 liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Grade 33 boundary Lowri Evans Cumulative 9. 3 Subject Support Officer % at grade 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk Mean mark = 15 Entry = 344 D E F G 26 19 13 7 14. 2 30. 7 50. 6 81. 9

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier ITEM LEVEL DATA All candidates performance across questions Question N Mean SD Max mark FF Attempt % 1 344 2. 6 1. 3 5 52. 2 97. 7 2 334 2. 2 12 18. 3 94. 9 3 299 0. 7 1. 0 5 14. 7 84. 9 4 338 2. 7 1. 5 8 33. 2 96. 0 5 339 3. 8 2. 4 12 31. 8 96. 3 6 317 3. 3 3. 7 14 23. 8 90. 1 7 312 1. 8 2. 2 19 9. 5 88. 6

GENERAL COMMENTS FROM PRINCIPAL EXAMINER • There is an additional 15 minutes allowed for reading time not all candidates used this to their advantage. • Many candidates exhibited gaps in their knowledge and understanding. • Candidates had difficulty in: • applying knowledge and understanding to novel situations. • using equations and substituting values into them. • reading questions carefully. • interpreting data. • giving clear explanations.

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier Contact Details QUESTION 2 Liane Adams Practical based question. Biology Subject Officer 029 2026 5126 (a)(i)(iii)(iv) Completion of the circuit diagram was poor. Common errors were: liane. adams@wjec. co. uk • Using square symbols for ammeters and voltmeters • Adding a voltmeter in series Lowri • Not. Evans knowing the variable resistor symbol Subject Support Officer (ii) (v) Candidates 029 2026 5140 did not know the purpose of the ammeter or voltmeter. lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk (vi) Some candidates stated the lamp would not work if the diode was reversed but could not give a reason why. (b) It was very rare for the correct selection to be made. (c) About half of candidates completed both calculations correctly. Some candidates were unable to identify the value of the voltage that was required.

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier Contact Details QUESTION 3 Liane Adams (a) Names of positive or negative ions were expected but frequently observations Biology Subject Officer were copied 029 2026 5126 out. Therefore most candidates were unable to name a chemical even though an ecf was allowed. It was frustrating to see some candidates liane. adams@wjec. co. uk identify iron but omit (II). Lowri Evans Subject Support (b) Candidates did. Officer not know what a flame test is used for. 029 2026 5140 QUESTION 7 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk This was the least-well answered question on the paper. Candidates usually gained marks for plotting the data on the grid. Apart from that, they did not respond well to any other part.

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier Contact Details Liane Adams Maximum mark = 75 Biology Subject Officer A* 029 2026 5126 liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Grade 36 boundary Lowri Evans Cumulative 11. 1 Subject Officer % at Support grade 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk Mean mark = 25. 8 A Entry = 9 B C D E 31 26 22 18 16 11. 1 33. 3 55. 6 88. 9

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier ITEM LEVEL DATA All candidates performance across questions Question N Mean SD Max mark FF Attempt % 1 9 8. 3 3. 3 19 43. 9 100 2 9 3. 2 1. 2 9 35. 8 100 3 9 7. 0 3. 3 15 46. 7 100 4 9 1. 3 1. 4 14 9. 5 100 5 9 4. 8 3. 0 12 39. 8 100 6 9 1. 1 2. 0 6 18. 5 100

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier Contact 4 Details QUESTION – Practical question (a)Liane A space was left to allow candidates to draw a circuit diagram, which might have helped Adams them construct written answer. Completion of the circuit diagram was poor if done Biology Subjecttheir Officer at all. 029 2026 5126 liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Accounts were poor. Candidates did not know the purpose of the ammeter or voltmeter. The purpose of the variable resistor was not known. There was no description of how the current Lowri could be Evans varied. This was disappointing since this is one of the specified practicals. Subject Support Officer 5140 line was drawn. (b)029 Not 2026 one correct lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk (c) The fact that this would make no difference to the operation of the lamp was not known. (d) No correct explanations seen. (e) Candidates could not apply their knowledge to this scenario.

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier QUESTION Contact 6 Details (a) The flame test was not known by all candidates. Liane Adams Officer (b)Biology (i) Most. Subject candidates were unable to name a chemical. It was frustrating to see 029 candidates 2026 5126 identify iron but omit (II). some liane. adams@wjec. co. uk (b) (ii) Candidates failed to provide a correct formula. Lowri Evans Subject Support Officer 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier Contact Details Liane Adams Maximum mark = 75 Biology Subject Officer C 029 2026 5126 liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Grade 32 boundary Lowri Evans Cumulative 22. 7 Subject Support Officer % at grade 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk Mean mark = 22. 8 Entry = 1 671 D E F G 26 21 16 11 40. 5 55. 7 70. 3 85. 3

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier ITEM LEVEL DATA All candidates performance across questions Question N Mean SD Max mark FF Attempt % 1 1 625 1. 6 0. 9 3 53. 3 97. 3 2 1 615 2. 3 1. 6 8 28. 4 96. 7 3 1 642 5. 3 2. 6 13 41. 0 98. 3 4 1 577 2. 9 2. 8 14 20. 8 94. 4 5 1 640 6. 8 3. 1 18 37. 7 98. 2 6 1 565 4. 6 3. 7 19 24. 3 93. 7

GENERAL COMMENTS FROM PRINCIPAL EXAMINER Three topics were not applied very well in the context given in the paper. These were: • • • the respiratory system use of a circuit to investigate IV characteristics of a lamp, interpreting chemical symbols and completing symbol equations.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier Contact Details QUESTION 4 Recall knowledge was only required for part (c). The remainder of the question Liane of Adams required data and substituting into equations to complete some Biologyinterpreting Subject Officer calculations. 029 2026 5126 liane. adams@wjec. co. uk (a) Usually marks were gained for part (i) but not much else. Candidates had problems in deciding how the given factors would affect the engineer’s estimate. In Lowri part Evans (v), many candidates opted for roof insulation because 91% of homes already Subject had it. Support Officer 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk (b) Many candidates did not carry out the necessary subtraction to find the saving. Of those that did, some divided by the incorrect amount when calculating the saving. Surprisingly in part (ii), some candidates now introduced a correct value for the saving and completed the calculation correctly. (c) Most candidates stated that less CO 2 would be emitted but not many gave a second benefit.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier QUESTION Contact 5 Details (a)(i) Most candidates earned 4 marks here. However a common error was confusing Liane Adams the diaphragm with. Officer intercostal muscles. Biology Subject 029 2026 5126 (ii) Responses were very poor. There was confusion whether the diaphragm liane. adams@wjec. co. uk contracted during breathing in or out, when the rib cage expanded, and what the intercostal muscles did. It was rare to award anything above 2 marks and probably the Lowri Evans mark was zero. most common Subject Support Officer (b) The 2026 marks on offer here depended on interpreting the graph. Despite the key, 029 5140 candidates obviously confused the graphs. Commonly the first mark was lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk awarded. (c) Credit was usually given for the correct naming of the gases exchanged in the alveoli. However the term diffusion was not well known, and neither were the ways in which the alveoli are adapted to enhance gaseous exchange.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier QUESTION – Practical Question Contact 6 Details (a)(i) Completion Liane Adams of the circuit diagram was poor. It was rare to award more than 1 mark and Subject this was Officer for adding an ammeter in series. Biology Common errors were: 029 2026 5126 • Using square symbols for ammeters and voltmeters • liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Adding a voltmeter in series • Adding a voltmeter in parallel across something other than the lamp • Lowri Using. Evans a thermistor symbol instead of a variable resistor symbol Support Officer • Subject Omitting the arrow head from the variable resistor symbol 029 2026 5140 (ii)lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk This is one of the specified practicals but candidates could not describe a method for gathering results. (b)(i) Most candidates gained 2 marks for their graph. The third mark was lost for one of the following reasons: • 1 or more incorrect plots • not joining points with a smooth curve • not joining points at all

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Foundation Tier QUESTION 6 – Practical Question (cont) Contact Details (ii) Most candidates stated that current increased as voltage did. Very few candidates Liane Adams earned the second mark for stating the increase in current decreases. Biology Subject Officer 029 Most 2026 candidates 5126 (c)(i) earned credit for a correct calculation. liane. adams@wjec. co. uk (ii) If candidates were unsure how to interpret the graph then a quick second calculation would have provided the solution and a few did this. However most stated Lowri Evans an. Subject incorrect answer. Support Officer 029 2026 5140 (d)(i) Those candidates who successfully completed the calculation in (c)(i) usually did solowri. evans@wjec. co. uk again here. There were some candidates who ignored the multiplication sign and added the values instead. (ii) A similar method to (c)(ii) could have been adopted here. Few candidates gave a correct answer. (e) Some candidates plotted the 12, 1. 5 point but there were very few straight lines drawn to the origin.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier Contact Details Liane Adams Maximum mark =Officer 75 Mean mark = 20. 8 Biology Subject A B 029 2026 5126 A* liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Grade 38 33 28 boundary Lowri Evans Cumulative 5. 0 Subject Support Officer % at grade 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk 12. 5 21. 6 Entry = 120 C D E 24 20 18 32. 5 47. 9 55. 8

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier ITEM LEVEL DATA All candidates performance across questions Question N Mean SD Max mark FF Attempt % 1 120 7. 8 3. 2 19 41. 3 100 2 120 3. 9 2. 1 12 32. 4 100 3 118 1. 7 1. 4 9 18. 7 98. 3 4 117 1. 6 1. 0 6 27. 5 97. 5 5 120 3. 1 2. 0 13 23. 8 100 6 119 2. 7 2. 6 16 17. 1 99. 2

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier QUESTION Contact 3 Details (a) Few correct responses were seen. Liane Adams Biology Subject Officer (b)(i) The theory behind these symbols is not well known. It could be that candidates 029 done 2026 this 5126 have type of question for other elements but could not apply their knowledge in liane. adams@wjec. co. uk the case of magnesium. There were few references to a nucleus but more recognition that 12 electrons are present. Lowri Evans (ii)Subject This was answered well. Most candidates know the rules behind inserting electrons Support Officer onto diagrams 029 shell 2026 5140 such as this. lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk (iii) Answers were poor for a variety of reasons. The symbols for magnesium (it is given in the Periodic Table on page 16) and oxygen (usually written as O and not O 2) were not well known. It was very difficult to distinguish between lower and upper case letters. Candidates need to be encouraged to make them noticeably different. (iv) This was not well known and it was very rare to see a correct answer.

GCSE Applied Science (Single Award) Unit 1 Higher Tier QUESTION Contact 6 Details (a)(i) Usually marks were gained for a correct calculation. Liane Adams Subject included Officer a reference to payback time in their answer. (ii) Biology Few candidates 029 2026 5126 (iii)liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Candidates had problems in deciding what factors would affect the engineer’s estimate. Lowri Evans (iv)Subject Candidates failed. Officer to calculate the reduction in the energy bill and some quoted it as Support £ 1 029 300. 2026 They 5140 failed to obtain a percentage saving so could not make a comparison with the claim of 30%. lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk (v) The most common calculation seen was 1 300 ÷ 18 which is incorrect. Even so, the 1 300 and 18 are not in the same units, a conversion would be required. (b) Most candidates stated that less CO 2 would be emitted but could not extend this to explain why this is a benefit.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Foundation Tier Contact Details Liane Adams Maximum mark = 75 Biology Subject Officer C 029 2026 5126 liane. adams@wjec. co. uk Grade 27 boundary Lowri Evans Cumulative 18. 7 Subject Support Officer % at grade 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk Mean mark = 18. 7 Entry = 1305 D E F G 22 18 14 10 37. 4 53. 0 70. 7 86. 2

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Foundation Tier ITEM LEVEL DATA All candidates performance across questions Question N Mean SD Max mark FF Attempt % 1 1 299 4. 0 1. 7 9 44. 6 99. 5 2 1 215 2. 1 7 36. 2 93. 1 3 1 279 2. 6 1. 4 7 37. 8 98. 0 4 1 279 2. 3 1. 9 15 15. 5 98. 0 5 1 194 1. 2 1. 3 12 10. 2 91. 5 6 1 227 2. 3 1. 1 6 38. 8 94. 0 7 1 193 4. 5 3. 0 19 23. 8 91. 4

GENERAL COMMENTS FROM PRINCIPAL EXAMINER Three topics were not applied very well in the context given in the paper. These were the modelling of radioactive decay with dice, how the body controls glucose levels including how to test for its presence, and completing Punnett squares.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Foundation Tier Contact Details QUESTION 4 Parts and (b) of this question were based on a specified practical. Liane(a) Adams There was little evidence Biology Subject Officer that many of the candidates had carried it out. 029 2026 5126 (a) Apart from the first and second marks in this section most candidates earned no liane. adams@wjec. co. uk other credit. They had limited knowledge of questions about the method asked in (iii) and (iv). Lowri Evans Subject Support Officer (b) Most candidates were unable to complete the table correctly and little 029 2026 5140 understanding on how to use the information when asked about half-life. lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk (c) Candidates had little knowledge and understanding of how to select a suitable radioisotope for a specified task by using the properties of half-life and penetration.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Foundation Tier QUESTION Contact 5 Details (a) Nearly all candidates failed to explain how glucose levels are controlled. There was Liane Adams no mention of the roles of the pancreas and liver. Insulin was not referred to. It was Biology Officer very rare. Subject that more than 1 mark was awarded and this was usually for stating that 029 2026 levels 5126 rise after a meal. glucose liane. adams@wjec. co. uk (b) Occasionally there would be a reference to insulin injections. Lowri Evans (c) Subject Benedict’s test and the colour changes associated with it were not known. Support Officer 029 2026 5140 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Foundation Tier QUESTION 6 and 7 Contact Details Questions Liane Adams 6 and 7 were based on the pre-release material. Biology Subject Officer Candidates 029 2026 5126 should be familiar with its contents and interacted with it by the time they sit the exam. liane. adams@wjec. co. uk It is Evans meant to provide a teaching resource upon which questions will be Lowri based. Support Officer Subject 029 2026 5140 For a significant percentage of candidates, marks achieved in lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk questions 6 and 7 contributed at least 50% of their total mark for the paper. Past Science B pre-release articles and associated questions are available on the WJEC website and are useful teaching resources.

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Higher Tier Maximum mark = 75 Mean mark = 18. 4 Entry = 131 A* A B C D E Grade boundary 34 30 26 22 18 16 Cumulative % at grade 2. 3 8. 4 20. 6 29. 8 51. 9 66. 4

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Higher Tier ITEM LEVEL DATA All candidates performance across questions Question N Mean SD Max mark FF Attempt % 1 abcd 131 7. 4 2. 9 19 38. 8 100 1 121 1. 7 1. 5 6 27. 5 92. 4 2 130 4. 0 2. 3 14 28. 3 99. 2 3 127 1. 9 2. 2 10 19. 1 97. 0 4 118 0. 8 1. 3 10 7. 9 90. 1 5 128 2. 7 1. 8 10 26. 7 97. 7 6 101 0. 5 0. 9 6 8. 9 77. 1

GCSE Applied Science (Double Award) Unit 2 Higher Tier Contact Details QUESTION 4 Liane Adams (i) Labelling was sometimes left blank. Biology Subject Officer 029 2026 5126 (ii) Poor recall of knowledge about a reflex arc. liane. adams@wjec. co. uk (iii)Evans There was poor application of knowledge to the given Lowri situation. Subject Support Officer 029 2026 5140 QUESTION 6 lowri. evans@wjec. co. uk Rarely was anything creditworthy seen. There was no knowledge of the production of absorption spectra. Candidates did not understand how the spectra could be interpreted to provide any information.

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