2011 GCSE subject criteria for the Sciences

The National Curriculum lays out a Programme of Study for Science in each Key Stage.

In order to become accredited, examinations based upon the KS4 PoS for Science must satisfy Ofqual's published criteria. New such criteria were published on 4 December 2009. The Awarding Bodies will soon publish new specifications based upon these criteria, ready for first teaching in September 2011.

Here we extract and make comments on selected bits of the new 2011 subject criteria.

Subject criteria for GCSE Science

Selected highlights from the full document:

Aims and learning outcomes

GCSE specifications in science should encourage learners to be inspired, motivated and challenged by following a broad, coherent, practical, satisfying and worthwhile course of study. They should provide insight into and experience of how science works, stimulating learners' curiosity and encouraging them to engage with science in their everyday lives and to make informed choices about further study and about career choices.

GCSE specifications in science must enable learners to:

  • develop their understanding of the nature of science and its applications and the interrelationships between science and society
  • develop an understanding of the importance of scale in science
  • develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the scientific process through hypotheses, theories and concepts.
  • develop their understanding of the relationships between hypotheses, evidence, theories and explanations
  • develop their awareness of risk and the ability to assess potential risk in the context of potential benefits
  • develop and apply their observational, practical, enquiry and problem-solving skills and understanding in laboratory, field and other learning environments.
  • develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions.
  • develop their skills in communication, mathematics and the use of technology in scientific contexts.

Subject content

GCSE specifications in science must require learners to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • science as an evidence-based discipline
  • the collaborative nature of science as a subject discipline and the way new scientific knowledge is validated
  • how scientific understanding and theories develop and the limitations of science
  • the importance of scale in terms of time, size and space
  • how and why decisions about science and technology are made
  • hazard identification and the nature of risk
  • risk factors and risk assessment including potential benefit
  • the importance of working accurately and safely
  • ethical implications of science and its applications
  • energy flow through the biosphere
  • cycling and recycling of nutrients including the roles of microorganisms
  • how environmental change is measured using living and non-living indicators
  • the interdependence of organisms and their adaptations to their environment
  • the variety of life, including microorganisms, plants and animals, variation within species including the effects of genotype and environment
  • how similarities and differences can be used to classify organisms and the importance of classification
  • natural selection and how it can lead to evolutionary changes, and how genes determine the structure and function of organisms
  • how animals and plants respond to external and internal changes and how organisms regulate internal systems
  • how human health is affected by a range of environmental and inherited factors, by the use and misuse of drugs and by medical treatment
  • how the surface of the Earth and its atmosphere have changed since the Earth’s origin and are still changing
  • the Earth’s crust, sea and atmosphere, and living organisms as the ultimate sources from which all useful materials are obtained or synthesised
  • the production, use and disposal of materials and how an understanding of biology and chemistry helps to reduce the resulting impacts on the environment
  • how, in chemical reactions, atoms are rearranged to make new products with different properties and no atoms are lost or made
  • chemical reactions including reduction and oxidation, neutralisation, electrolysis and polymerisation reactions
  • patterns in the chemical reactions between substances
  • how the properties of materials, including elements and compounds, can be explained by their chemistry
  • how the properties of materials determine their uses
  • the evidence for the origin, structure and continuing evolution of the universe
  • the wave equation and the transfer of energy and information by waves
  • the relationship between the properties of electromagnetic waves and their uses
  • ionising radiations, including that they are emitted all the time by radioactive materials and that they can transfer energy
  • the generation and control of electrical power and the relationship between power, current and voltage
  • the distribution and uses of electricity
  • the relationship between power, energy and time
  • energy conservation, the efficiency of energy transfer and the associated economic and environmental implications

GCSE specifications in science must require learners to develop the ability to:

  • plan practical ways to answer scientific questions and test hypotheses; devise appropriate methods for the collection of numerical and other data; assess and manage risks when carrying out practical work; collect, process, analyse and interpret primary and secondary data including the use of appropriate technology; draw evidence-based conclusions; evaluate methods of data collection and the quality of the resulting data
  • use models to explain systems and processes; develop arguments and explanations, and draw conclusions using scientific ideas and evidence
  • communicate scientific information or ideas and scientific, technical and mathematical language, conventions and symbols.

Assessment objectives

All specifications in science must require candidates to demonstrate their ability to:

  • Recall, select and communicate their knowledge and understanding of science (30 to 40%)
  • Apply skills, knowledge and understanding of science in practical and other contexts (30 to 40%)
  • Analyse and evaluate evidence, make reasoned judgements and draw conclusions based on evidence (25 to 35%)

Scheme of assessment

GCSE specifications in science must allocate a weighting of 75 per cent to external assessment and a weighting of 25 per cent to controlled assessment in the overall scheme of assessment.

Question papers in science must be targeted at either foundation or higher tier.

Subject criteria for GCSE Additional Science

Selected highlights from the full document are below. The vast majority of it is the same as the criteria for Science, with only the Content varying greatly:

Subject content

GCSE specifications in additional science must require learners to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • science as an evidence-based discipline
  • the collaborative nature of science as a subject discipline, the way new scientific knowledge is validated and the limitations of science
  • the importance of working accurately and safely
  • hazard identification and the nature of risk
  • risk factors and risk assessment in the context of potential benefit
  • the importance of scale in terms of time, size and space in science
  • the uses of modelling, including mathematical modelling to explain aspects of science.
  • the structure of cells, including plant, animal and microbial cells
  • mitosis and meiosis
  • fieldwork techniques to explore the relationships between communities of organisms and their environments
  • the structure and function of DNA and its role in protein synthesis
  • structure and functions of proteins including enzyme action
  • how chemical reactions essential for life take place inside and outside cells
  • photosynthesis and respiration
  • the different patterns of growth and development in plants and animals
  • the need for and development and functions of specialised organ systems
  • how organisms have changed through time.
  • the chemical properties of elements and compounds in terms of structure and bonding, including metallic, ionic and covalent bonds and forces between molecules
  • the chemical properties of elements related to their atomic structure and their position in the periodic table
  • how conditions and quantities can be used to control the rate of chemical reactions
  • chemical analysis using detection and separation techniques
  • the quantitative interpretation of chemical formulae and equations, including percentage yield
  • the energy changes that take place during chemical reactions
  • the relationship between work and energy, and changes in gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy
  • electrical circuits, including the relationships between power, current and voltage and resistance, current and voltage
  • Newton’s laws of motion and their theoretical and practical uses
  • calculating changes in the velocity and acceleration of organisations acted on by forces, including momentum
  • radioactivity, sources of background radiation
  • effects of ionising radiations
  • radioactive decay, half-life, fission and fusion

Subject criteria for GCSE Biology

Selected highlights from the full document are below. The vast majority of it is the same as the criteria for Science, with only the Content varying greatly:

Subject content

GCSE specifications in biology must require learners to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • biology as an evidence-based discipline
  • the collaborative nature of science as a subject discipline and the way new scientific knowledge is validated
  • how scientific understanding and theories develop and the limitations of science
  • how and why decisions about science and technology are made
  • ethical implications of biology and its applications
  • the importance of working accurately and safely
  • hazard identification and risk assessment
  • risk factors and risk assessment in the context of potential benefit
  • the use of use modelling, including mathematical modelling, to explain aspects of biology
  • the importance of scale in terms of time, size and space in biology
  • the variety of life, including microorganisms, plants and animals, variation within species including the effects of genotype and environment
  • how similarities and differences can be used to classify organisms and the importance of classification
  • how organisms have changed through time
  • natural selection and how it can lead evolutionary changes, and how genes determine the structure and function of organisms
  • the need for, and development and functions of specialised organ systems
  • the interdependence of organisms and their adaptations to their environment
  • fieldwork techniques to explore the relationships between communities of organisms and their environments
  • how environmental change is measured including using living and non-living indicators
  • energy flow through the biosphere
  • cycling and recycling of nutrients including the roles of micro-organisms
  • the production, use, and disposal of materials and how an understanding of biology helps to reduce the resulting impacts on the environment
  • the structure of cells including plant, animal and microbial cells
  • mitosis and meiosis
  • how chemical reactions essential for life, take place inside and outside cells
  • photosynthesis and respiration
  • the structure and function of DNA and its role in protein synthesis
  • the structure and functions of proteins including enzyme action
  • the different patterns of growth and development in plants and animals
  • how animals and plants respond to external and internal changes, and how organisms regulate internal systems
  • how human health is affected by a range of environmental and inherited factors, by the use and misuse of drugs and by medical treatment

Subject criteria for GCSE Chemistry

Selected highlights from the full document are below. The vast majority of it is the same as the criteria for Science and/or Biology, with only the Content varying greatly:

Subject content

GCSE specifications in chemistry must require learners to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • the chemical properties of elements related to their atomic structure and their position in the Periodic Table
  • the chemical properties of elements and compounds in terms of structure and bonding, including metallic, ionic and covalent bonds and forces between molecules
  • how the properties of materials, including elements and compounds can be explained by their chemistry
  • how the properties of materials determine their uses
  • how, in chemical reactions, atoms are rearranged to make new products with different properties and no atoms are lost or made
  • patterns in the chemical reactions between substances
  • chemical reactions including, reduction and oxidation, neutralisation, electrolysis and polymerisation reactions
  • how conditions and quantities can be used to control the rate of chemical reactions
  • the energy changes that take place during chemical reactions
  • chemical analysis using detection and separation techniques
  • the quantitative interpretation of chemical formulae and equations including percentage yield
  • how the surface of the Earth and its atmosphere have changed since its origin and is still changing
  • the Earth's crust, sea and atmosphere, and living organisms, as the ultimate sources from which all useful materials are obtained or synthesised
  • the production, use and disposal of materials and how an understanding of chemistry helps to reduce the resulting impacts on the environment

Subject criteria for GCSE Physics

Selected highlights from the full document are below. The vast majority of it is the same as the criteria for Science and/or Biology, with only the Content varying greatly. Some Physics content is shared with GCSE Science, some with GCSE Additional Science and some unique to GCSE Physics.

Subject content

GCSE specifications in physics must require learners to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • energy conservation, the efficiency of energy transfer and the associated economic and environmental implications
  • the relationship between work and energy, and changes in kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy
  • the use of kinetic theory and atomic structure as models to explain physical phenomena
  • Newton’s laws of motion and their theoretical and practical uses
  • calculating changes in the velocity and acceleration of organisations acted on by forces, including momentum
  • the generation and control of electrical power and the relationship between power, current and voltage
  • the distribution and uses of electricity
  • the relationship between power, energy and time
  • electrical circuits, including the relationship between resistance, current and voltage
  • the wave equation and the transfer of energy and information by waves
  • the relationship between the properties of electromagnetic waves and their uses
  • radioactivity, sources of background radiation
  • ionising radiations, including that they are emitted all the time by radioactive materials and that they can transfer energy
  • effects of ionising radiations
  • radioactive decay, half-life, fission and fusion
  • the evidence for the origin, structure and continuing evolution of the universe

Mathematics skills for GCSE science qualifications

Ofqual has also published requirements for the mathematical content of the science GCSEs: full document.

Candidates need to have been taught and to have acquired competence in the areas of mathematics set out below in order to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills set out n the subject content.

Candidates are permitted to use calculators in all assessments.

Candidates are expected to understand and use units appropriately. However, not all questions need to reward the appropriate use of units.

Candidates should be able to:

  • appreciate number, size and scale and the relationship between units
  • make estimates of the results of simple calculations
  • evaluate expressions incorporating the four operations, +, -, x, Microsoft Equation 3.0, either singly or in conjunction with one another, quoting the answer to an appropriate number of significant figures
  • evaluate expressions involving decimals, positive whole number powers, fractions and percentages using an appropriate number of significant figures
  • understand and use simple direct proportion and simple ratios
  • find arithmetic means
  • understand and use common measures and simple compound measures such as speed
  • plot and draw graphs (line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, scatter graphs) from suitable data, selecting appropriate scales for the axes
  • understand that a measurement given to a whole number may be inaccurate by up to one half in either direction
  • change the subject of an equation
  • substitute numerical values into simple formulae and simple equations using appropriate units for physical quantities
  • translate information between graphical and numeric form
  • extract information from charts, graphs and tables – for example determine the slope and intercept of a straight line graph
  • simple correlations
  • understand and use estimates of probability
  • work out areas, perimeters and volumes of simple shapes
  • measure and use angles

In addition, higher tier candidates will be expected to be able to:

  • evaluate expressions involving fractional and negative powers
  • understand and use the symbols: =, <, «, », >, ~
  • understand and use inverse proportion
  • understand and find mean, mode and median
  • plot and draw histograms
  • interpret, order and calculate with numbers written in standard index form
  • understand that y = mx + c represents a straight line and that m represents the slope and c the intercept
  • use calculators to handle sin x, cos x, tan x when x is expressed in degrees
  • Percentiles and deciles

GCSE controlled assessment regulations for science

Ofqual has also published requirements for the 25% to 35% "controlled assessments" in GCSE Science and in GCSE Additional Science. GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics are identical to GCSE Additional Science.

The following skills must be assessed through controlled assessment:

GCSE Science

  • Plan practical ways to answer scientific questions and test hypotheses; devise appropriate methods for the collection of numerical and other data; assess and manage risks when carrying out practical work; collect, process, analyse and interpret primary and secondary data including the use of appropriate technology; draw evidence-based conclusions; evaluate methods of data collection and the quality of the resulting data

GCSE Additional Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics

  • Develop hypotheses and plan practical ways to test them including risk assessment; manage risks when carrying out practical work; collect, process, analyse and interpret primary and secondary data including the use of appropriate technology to draw evidence-based conclusions; review methodology to assess fitness for purpose, and review hypotheses in light of outcomes.

What do you think?

Members and non-members alike, please tell us what you think of the new criteria on the forum discussion here.

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