GCSE Science and Additional Science
Pupils at Dunottar follow the AQA suite of Science GCSE courses. Most pupils will take Science in Year 10 and Additional Science in Year 11. They provide sufficient coverage of Biology, Chemistry and Physics for pupils to proceed to any combination of Science A-levels, continuing on to Science and Science-based qualifications in Further or Higher Education.
Science
The Science GCSE provides access to topics in Biology, Chemistry and Physics appropriate for scientifically aware citizenship. There is also a thorough introduction to How Science Works, a unifying theme of all courses in the suite. At the end of the course pupils take three 1-hour examinations; most will take Higher Tier but Foundation Tier is recommended for some pupils, according to their aptitude and progress. Conceptual understanding of the How Science Works component is assessed through an Investigative Skills Assignment – a 45-minute task that follows an extended investigation on a topic specified by AQA. Experimental work is assessed by teaching staff to provide a Practical Skills Assessment.
Additional Science
The Additional Science GCSE provides a thorough grounding in the core topics needed for pupils to continue their studies at A-level and the How Science Works theme is developed in appropriate contexts. Assessment again consists of three 1-hour examinations, a 45-minute Investigative Skills Assignment and teacher assessment of practical skills.
The three Sciences
Whenever possible in a year group, girls who have consistently shown a sufficient level of interest, ability and motivation in the Sciences during Years 7 and 8 will be invited to accelerate their studies and complete GCSE courses in the three separate sciences. The acceleration will begin in Year 9, so that the GCSE course starts in the Spring Term, giving two and a half years to complete the three GCSEs.
In addition to the Science and Additional Science Topics, pupils study further topics intended to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the three sciences and How Science Works. Some topics provide a useful introduction to A-level concepts. Pupils take three 1-hour examinations in each Science subject at appropriate points during Years 10 and 11. An Investigative Skills Assignment and Practical Skills Assessment will be completed in each subject.
GCSE Science (AQA Science B 4462)
Biology Topics:
Co-ordination and control; Healthy eating; Drug abuse; Infectious diseases; Adaptation for survival; Variation; Evolution; Effect of humans on the environment
Chemistry Topics:
Rocks and building materials; Extracting and using metals; Fuels from crude oil; Products from oil; Uses of plant oils; The Earth and its atmosphere
Physics Topics:
Heat transfer; Using energy; Electrical energy; Generating electricity; Electromagnetic waves; Radioactivity; Origin and development of the universe
GCSE Additional Science (AQA 4463)
Biology Topics:
Animal and plant cells; How plants produce food; Energy flows; Enzymes; Homeostasis; Inheritance
Chemistry Topics:
Structures and bonding; Structures and properties; Chemical quantities and equations; Rates of reaction; Energy; Electrolysis; Acids, alkalis and salts
Physics Topics:
Motion; Speeding up and slowing down; Work; Energy and momentum; Static electricity; Current electricity; Mains electricity; Nuclear physics
GCSEs in the separate Sciences
Further topics studied to gain GCSEs in the separate Sciences.
GCSE Biology (AQA 4411):
Exchange of materials; Transporting substances around the body; Microbiology
GCSE Chemistry (AQA 4421):
Development of the periodic table; Acids, bases and chemical quantities; Water and solubility; Energy calculations; Chemical Analysis
GCSE Physics (AQA 4451):
Turning forces; Light and sound; Electromagnetism; Stars and space