Combined Science GCSE Course - HELP! please......

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

Hi Mumsnetters,
Can someone please guide me to where I can find the course/syllabus of the 'combined science GCSE'? My DS needs to revise over summer and I have no idea where to start.
At present, he is looking at a 2/3 .......
I thought the syllabus is somewhere to start and then I can help him revise through summer after that?
Any other hints would be much appreciated.

Do you know which exam board is being followed? AQA/OCR/Edexcel?

You need to know which exam board he's taking the exam with and then you can buy the revision guides.

There are several Science teachers who do youtube videos, which are really helpful, too.

www.freesciencelessons.co.uk/

These are excellent free videos with accompanying workbooks available.

As PP said, you need to know which board and whether he is doing foundation or higher.

www.my-gcsescience.com/ is a good paid website which is tailored to specific exam boards

Yup. You need to know the Exam Board, then you need to be the relevant Foundation Guide. DD's one is pretty well laid out.

The other thing you could do is look at Seneca online for science.

Did he get a booklet when choosing his GCSEs? Ours had all the exam boards listed.

Or the school website might show which boards they use?

OK I have just emailed to find out what exam board they follow. He did get a booklet I will try and find that in my 'files' too.

The school have said that "Seneca" is a site for revision - does that help?

Yes, I think the Seneca online stuff is pretty good. Our school signed everyone up at the start of y10. It is good for other subjects too, but you do need to know the boards.

For science DS found Seneca and the CGP guides most useful.
But as others have said, you do need the exam board (freesciencelessons for example I think covers AQA)

www.savemyexams.co.uk/gcse/ is good for brief revision guides and practice questions.

its the edexcel combined science

The link below should take you to the specification. However, I'd recommend having a look at revision guides (look at a few as what suits one student, doesn't suit another).

My-gcsescience website and Seneca learning as mentioned by other posters are also a good call.

qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/sciences-2016.html

Yup. You don't want the specification. You want the revision guides.

Recommend the CGP revision guide, workbook, 10 min tests, and revision question cards

Does the school have revision materials to be purchased through ParentPay.

Also recommend using Seneca

Seneca is really useful if your DS wants to put the work in. The student needs to identify the correct course and then which boosters by grade they need to study. My DD found it very useful, but she was very motivated.
Though that is similar for any revision materials.
I slightly get the feeling from your post ( not knowing the exam board) that he is giving you the don't know shrug. In which case you might need to work on his motivation, what does he want to do in life and how will science help him get there.

thanks all it is really helpful.

I want to revise the coursework (with him) that has been done last year and make sure he has solid notes to refer to going forward.

Any other hints on how to tackle this?

He should use the specification so he knows what he has to learn and make notes from this. Not sure if this has been aforementioned, but the Edexcel CGP combined science revision guide is a useful resource. I would also advise buying the corresponding workbook.

Yes Seneca is good for revision but it also teaches you the content as you go along.

It depends on your son’s learning style. Some learn best by reading textbooks, making notes and answering questions. Others find online interactive sites such as Seneca good, others use web tutorials such as Primrose Kitten

I've now bought the Edexcel CGO revision guide, workbook and answers.

I also have checked out & bookmarked these to use as well:
Primrose Kitten
My-gcsescience website
www.savemyexams.co.uk/gcse/
www.freesciencelessons.co.uk/
Seneca

My DS is a visual and auditory learner, not a read the text book and know it type learner at all. i think that the videos will be a real help in this study project over the summer.

I did my Combined Double Science International GCSE with Edexcel a couple of years ago as a mature/independent student. It had no course work & no time in school so I bought & used just the course books to both learn & revise. They covered everything that could be on the exam & past exam papers where available to download online from Edexcel. Other resources I found useful were these for understanding molecules & bonds:

Molymod MMS-008 Organic Chemistry Molecular Model, Student Set (50 atom parts) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007FAZOVS/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_3ifbFbHKF6ZZB

MyGCSE science website is brill. Videos and then sample questions.

Are past papers available on the Edexel website?

DD did AQA, and there were loads of past papers on the AQA website. They helped get her up to speed and give her confidence.

I agree with PP that the CGP revision guides are really helpful. When she took her GCSEs in 2016 she found BBC Bitesize really useful, but I don't know how up to date they are now.