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Original poster

GCSE Physics AQA - Today

120 replies

Glitterbiscuits · 09/06/2022 16:37

Did anyone else's DC come home and say topics such as nuclear were on the exam today even they were on the official AQA 'not assessed' list?

OP posts:
MermaidEyes · 09/06/2022 18:05

FAQs · 09/06/2022 17:55

I just asked my daughter who just took this A-Level and she said the teacher advised to revise everything not just the advanced because any questions could still arise?

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It wasn't just so much it didn't appear on the AI, it was the fact the question was so badly written actual sociology teachers had no clue how to answer it, never mind the students. Your dd may have answered different sections of this paper as students don't fill in the whole paper, only the sections they've specifically learnt?

MoReece25 · 09/06/2022 18:01

It's happened to lots of subjects, GCSE and a level, and different exam boards. So it can't just be a few students or one bad teacher misinterpreting the information. It is yet another shambolic covid exams mess up by the exam boards.

StoneMap · 09/06/2022 18:01

DC says some topics that are not supposed to be in the paper were there. The school science department checked the Advance Information really thoroughly to ensure the students know which topics are major focus, minor focus, not assessed. Based upon comments here, I asked DC to check Advanced Information for Foundation, and DC says ah quite possible, it makes sense.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 09/06/2022 17:59

DD is chuntering about a topic that came up which they weren’t expecting, she sat the foundation paper

FAQs · 09/06/2022 17:55

MermaidEyes · 09/06/2022 17:51

That's interesting, I'll mention that to ds, I can imagine his teacher putting in a complaint. It wouldn't be so harsh if it hadn't been a 20 marker.

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I just asked my daughter who just took this A-Level and she said the teacher advised to revise everything not just the advanced because any questions could still arise?

LightlySo · 09/06/2022 17:54

With the nuclear question ds said that it was more an irradiation question which was on the AI although there does seem to be a screw up with the AI and questions

MermaidEyes · 09/06/2022 17:51

WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa · 09/06/2022 17:44

My daughter sat that one. Sixth form have raised an official complaint and they have all been emailed the link to complain individually too.

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That's interesting, I'll mention that to ds, I can imagine his teacher putting in a complaint. It wouldn't be so harsh if it hadn't been a 20 marker.

blue421 · 09/06/2022 17:48

CaptainBeakyandhisband · 09/06/2022 17:43

Am I the only one thinking that it’s insanity if people know in advance of the exam what the topics will be?! Seems pointless learning anything if you’re only going to be tested on a few areas…

It's not that generous, for A levels at least. Some subjects easier to carve out content than others - my son reckons that it was hard to cut down content for Economics as the topics are quite interrelated....

Stradbroke · 09/06/2022 17:47

CaptainBeakyandhisband · 09/06/2022 17:43

Am I the only one thinking that it’s insanity if people know in advance of the exam what the topics will be?! Seems pointless learning anything if you’re only going to be tested on a few areas…

You need to bear in mind that this cohort lost most of year 9 and a lot of year 10 - they haven't had time to be taught it all in many subjects.

PlattyJubes · 09/06/2022 17:46

@CaptainBeakyandhisband - this cohort had the whole of their GCSE courses taught during the last two years - perhaps multiple lockdowns, rife Covid amongst pupils and staff, and the death of some of their relatives just might have meant that they should be cut a little slack?

12Thorns · 09/06/2022 17:46

CaptainBeakyandhisband · 09/06/2022 17:43

Am I the only one thinking that it’s insanity if people know in advance of the exam what the topics will be?! Seems pointless learning anything if you’re only going to be tested on a few areas…

It’s a one off for this year, due to students missing so much in lockdown that it became impossible to complete the whole syllabus

WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa · 09/06/2022 17:45

CaptainBeakyandhisband · 09/06/2022 17:43

Am I the only one thinking that it’s insanity if people know in advance of the exam what the topics will be?! Seems pointless learning anything if you’re only going to be tested on a few areas…

It's only post covid. As full content in all areas couldn't be taught.

Stradbroke · 09/06/2022 17:45

12Thorns · 09/06/2022 17:40

It’s listed as a focus is the trilogy. Was your child taking triple or double science?

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My son is taking triple higher (so not trilogy or double). So seperate GSCE's for each science.

Advanced information here filestore.aqa.org.uk/content/summer-2022/AQA-8463-AI-22.PDF

12Thorns · 09/06/2022 17:44

Well that’s just stupid then.

mind, ocr got Avogadro’s number wrong on their chemistry gcse paper two weeks ago, so I suppose anything is possible

WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa · 09/06/2022 17:44

MermaidEyes · 09/06/2022 17:38

AQA advanced information has been shocking this year. My ds sat an A Level sociology paper with a question on that hadn't actually been taught. His teacher was fuming. I've also heard of a couple of other GCSE papers not being as expected.

My daughter sat that one. Sixth form have raised an official complaint and they have all been emailed the link to complain individually too.

PlattyJubes · 09/06/2022 17:43

Yes DD was also upset and cross. Did triple Science Higher and said that things that came up they had previously been told wouldn't be examined.

CaptainBeakyandhisband · 09/06/2022 17:43

Am I the only one thinking that it’s insanity if people know in advance of the exam what the topics will be?! Seems pointless learning anything if you’re only going to be tested on a few areas…

clarrylove · 09/06/2022 17:42

The question was on 4.4.3, risks and dangers of radiation. 4.4.3 is on the 'not to be assessed' list.

PollyEsther · 09/06/2022 17:42

I invgilated AQA physics today and whilst I have no idea what the syllabus or advanced information is/was, it was blindingly obvious very quickly that the children were thrown by the questions. There were some very stressed and upset faces and I've never had so many students ask for a toilet break. It's really obvious when they struggle compared to when they're confident... it's quite upsetting to watch, the PE exam was similar. They've been through enough. Sad

12Thorns · 09/06/2022 17:40

Stradbroke · 09/06/2022 17:36

No - that one is fair enough. It is neither in nor out. What we are talking about is questions on circuits, so 4.2.1, 4.2.2 and 4.2.3 which are under the will not be assessed section of the advanced information.

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It’s listed as a focus is the trilogy. Was your child taking triple or double science?

MermaidEyes · 09/06/2022 17:38

AQA advanced information has been shocking this year. My ds sat an A Level sociology paper with a question on that hadn't actually been taught. His teacher was fuming. I've also heard of a couple of other GCSE papers not being as expected.

DFOD · 09/06/2022 17:38

12Thorns · 09/06/2022 17:35

No I don’t work for aqa. And aqa did not say 4.4.2 would not be assessed. They just said it wasn’t a focus, but it might be assessed

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This is a worry then if different people (including schools / teachers) have interpreted that language and direction differently.

If there is a large cohort who “misunderstood” it then it seems it was poor communication.

Stradbroke · 09/06/2022 17:36

@newgirls what exam was he taking? Combined or triple? Foundation or higher?

Stradbroke · 09/06/2022 17:36

12Thorns · 09/06/2022 17:16

Then they should have read the prerelease information a lot more carefully. Nowhere does it say 4.4.2 will not be assessed. Quite the opposite. It doesn’t list it as a focus, but the information quite clearly states that the questions will not be limited to the ‘focus’ list. The question you are complaining about comes from 4.4.2

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No - that one is fair enough. It is neither in nor out. What we are talking about is questions on circuits, so 4.2.1, 4.2.2 and 4.2.3 which are under the will not be assessed section of the advanced information.

2anddone · 09/06/2022 17:36

My ds is annoyed said there were things on the higher paper they were told wouldn't be but luckily after RE he had had a quick read through of all topics just in case. So wasn't as annoyed as he might have been!