First Science GCSE module in yr9 - is this notmal

[circular]

DD1 came home early this week with her first "real GCSE timetable containing the following 60 minute exam in May :
Science B Unit 1 (B1,C1,P1) High (B621/02)

Is this usual for yr9?

She is still quite shell shocked, only having expected some ICT project work this year.
Unfortunately it has come at a time when she is very stressed about options. Choices due in next week, and this has made her question whether she wants to do triple science. Saying she is too young to take GCSEs at 13.

[circular]

It certainly seems DD is getting the worst of both worlds here - starting earlier AND losing an option choice.

[muffinmonster]

My DD's school are getting round the change in spec like this (for triple science (AQA):
Y9: sit B1 and C1 (current spec)
Y10: Sit B2 and B3, C2 and C3 (current spec)
Y11: Sit P1, P2 and P3 (new spec).

They will decide at the end of Y9 who is going to be able to sit triple science. Those who do will just have to cover the ground in the same timetable, but at least they will have two modules in the bag. As others have pointed out, this means they don't have to forfeit an option.

[circular]

I have just checked the OCR website and could not see anything about when the modules for the old scheme have to be completed by.

However, looking at this www.ocr.org.uk/download/kd/ocr_10625_kd_l_gcse_summary.pdf from the old scheme, it seems that for Physics, Chemistry and Biology, the units done in the Core module (B1, C1, PI) need to be repeated anyway. So in effect, the core becomes obsolete when taking triple.

Not sure how this will affect those aiming to do core + additional though.

[amerryscot]

These are million dollar questions, circular.

From my understanding of the new specs is that you have to do 50% of the award in June of y11. It seriously doesn't make any sense to be doing old modules now.

We will be doing our first modules in November of year 10 - a year after starting the course. I haven't wrapped my head around the extension modules or final assessment, but we are basically taking a year to teach each set, ie core in Year 9, additional in Year 10, extension in Year 11.

This way, triple science does not use up a precious option.

[circular]

I'm totally baffled now. I dud get to talk to " exams" at the school - this is the firstt year they have done this for yr9. They confirmed it IS OCR and most of the yr9s are taking it in May.
It appears triple science just di extra modules in yr11.
Although they will have 2 extra hours per week from yr10 and lose an option.

When I asked about the exam spec. Changing I was told nothing had been decided yet.

So from what some are saying here, this sounds luke the first module in core science?
If they complete core under the old spec, is it then possible to do additional or triple under the new spec?

[Donki]

Oops
I should have read AlwaysDancing's post first.

[Donki]

Circular
The exam number 621/02 is OCR Gateway B Science on modules B1,P1, C1 for the CURRENT spec.
Not the new Spec (starting Sept 2011)

[alwaysdancing]

That's the code for OCR Gateway science - B621 is B1, C1, P1 (check the OCR website), specification B (written answers rather than multiple choice) and the 02 means it's the higher level paper. It is the code for the "old" specification though - our year 9s will be covering the new spec - as far as I know, the final exams for the old one will be in June 2012 with possible re-sit opportunities in 2013. So they'd have to take all of their exams by the end of year 10!

Also, for someone to take triple science, they need to do a slightly different combination of exams:

B1, C1, P1 exam plus B2, C2, P2 exam plus coursework = science GCSE
Unit 3s and 4s plus coursework = additional science

But

Biology GCSE (for example) needs one exam for B1,2,3 and another for 4,5,6 plus coursework.

The school is doing something weird - I'm intrigued!

[Kez100]

I think we will see more of this. Triple scientists generally lose an
Option choice so if they start earlier then there would be less need to do that. It would give a whole group of able children more choices at options and the best chance of banking an ebacc.

[kat2504]

Since Year 9 no longer have to do National Curriculum Tests (sats) schools often like to get them started on GCSE work. Some kids will go off the boil/off the rails in year 11 and these early grades could make all the difference between pass and fail if the kids become troublesome/disaffected as they get older.

For the more able, it may mean they aren't ready to score the top grades in these modules yet. However, I presume they can retake them if they get a C in year 9 and are then predicted an A based on later performance.

I thought that the criteria for Triple was supposed to be that children who achieved level 6 or above in year 9 should be given the option, not on the basis of a GCSE exam which they, theoretically, need not have started yet. On the other hand I have heard of schools where top set Science start studying for Triple Science in year 9 in order to cover all the content in time. Ask your school for their policy.

[circular]

The entry and date seems to match the OCR board, but will check with the school before buying the revision notes.

[rarebite]

Sounds like 21st Century science with Cambridge which DD has just sat. I thought the Higher papers very hard as an adult both in terms of time and difficulty of questions. DD started working on GCSE in Y8 but only took first exams in Y10. Good luck to DD.

[circular]

These early modules are definitely not being use to assess for triple science at DDs school - the pathways are already decided.

DD is in the triple science pathway. They will get 7 hours of science a week vs 5 for double. They can opt to drop down to double and have an extra option. DD has been waivering on this for a while, as she is thinking of ttaking either Drama or Catering instead.

Not sure what happens if they are in the triple group and then start getting bad grades. Too late to drop back to double and they will have lost out on another option choice. Guess it then ends up with foundation papers.

Much prefer the system others have on deciding later on and letting the brighter ones do triple without extra timetables lessons.

It's really knocked DDs confidence doing so badly in the mock. Yet to find out the exam board so we can get sone revision notes and past papers. The entry schedule we have is the schools own - just says board "01" which looks like their internal reference.

[eatyourveg]

Yes it is quite common these days. ds1 did this exam in Y9 and it was used as a measure for deciding who would take double science and who would do triple.

rather annoyed because having done the triple it makes it more or less obsolete. Who needs 4 GCSEs in science!

The exam itself is more or less a memory test and she shouldn't worry. From the revision materials ds1 had, if you learn it by rote, the questions are more or less the same every time with a few changes in the wording. Look at the past papers online and you'll see what I mean.

[Abr1de]

Exams are a better measure of someone's intelligence and knowledge of the syllabus than the drip-feeding that goes on. It's too easy to acquire some GCSEs now and that is in nobody's interests.

[Kez100]

Yes, because in real life you do things as you go along, not all in an exam at the end. Terminal only papers are also not in some childrens interest.

I like the idea of modules and of controlled assessment coursework which gives more chance to test right across the syllabus instead of whatever questions can be crammed into 3 hours of exam papers.

Modules and controlled assessment is a lot of extra work and £££ for schools though.

The new English AQA is a car crash. Daughter has been told se is working in the top of the new band 3 and bottom of 4 but the exam centre will not give anyone any idea what grades are what band (there are only 5 bands and there are 8 GCSE grades!)

[Abr1de]

'but a good school may very well judge that results would be better, especially for weaker pupils, with up to 20% of marks in the bag before terminal exams in year 11.'


But that's not really good, is it? It's not really in the pupil's interests long-term?

[mummytime]

The exam centre letter should have the board on it. If it is AQA then it will be P1, C1 and B1; or possibly P1a, C1a and B1a - but I thought those which are half the multiple choice papers were being abolished.
The new syllabus exams cannot be taken until November at the earliest. If it is OCR, then the Chemistry syllabus hasn't been approved yet. I just had a quick peek at the websites.

I am really curious as to what your school is up to, so if you find out please let us know!

[camptownraces]

"The science GCSE has been changed for all boards this year (its the result of the last government tightening up GCSEs). The new Maths and English started this year, then new Science starts in September."

Entering for modular science under the existing scheme of work suggests the Head of Science is more confident with devil he/she knows, than the Devil they don't know. So many schools take this approach that the old scheme must keep going for a couple of years.

"This is being done to boost the school's results (so there's lots of time for resits) and not for the children's benefit. A good school would sit these exams in Year 11 and be confident of good results first time round."

I wouldn't disagree with the first part of the first sentence above - but a good school may very well judge that results would be better, especially for weaker pupils, with up to 20% of marks in the bag before terminal exams in year 11.

It looks as if OP's daughter is entered for three modular exams in May (B1, C1, P1) at the higher level. The ref to B621/02 may be that of the specification (=syllabus) so you may be able to work out which awarding body (=examination board) it is.

[circular]

Thanks for the info mummytime.

Not sure what the board is for science - no info in the options/subjects booklet we have from, the school. But looking at the exam entre in my original post, it indicates they are sitting the first bit for each of physics, chemistry and biology.

According to the booklet it is undecided whether they are sitting modular or single exam based maths.

[mummytime]

The science GCSE has been changed for all boards this year (its the result of the last government tightening up GCSEs). The new Maths and English started this year, then new Science starts in September. As far as I know the syllabuses haven't been signed off yet.
The regulations are also going to limit resits, and insist on quite a large percentage of marks coming from the final sitting.

Personally I would be asking more information on how the school is going to handle this. It could be they are going to complete Biology earlier than the other two sciences, but I'm still confused that they are sitting exams already; maybe they are trying to do Biology under the old syllabus?

Do ask for more information, and mention the new syllabuses.

[Abr1de]

This is being done to boost the school's results (so there's lots of time for resits) and not for the children's benefit. A good school would sit these exams in Year 11 and be confident of good results first time round.

[Kez100]

Of course they have to cover the work. Poor kids.

My daughters D was off the back of one of three units not being covered (it was speed distance and the science teacher assumed they'd have done it in Maths! - forgetting that depends on which set they are in!)

[circular]

Amerryscott - Is that all exam boards?

also just found out she got a U in the mock ( missed a D by 1 mark). A few others got U, majority of class got Ds, a handful did better. DD says they had not covered most of the work questioned on.

Reinforces my fears.