What is KS4 science? 

At Key Stage 4 the Science Faculty will begin teaching the discipline of Biology, Chemistry and Physics in specialism.  This will develop deeper understanding in each specialism and allow the students to excel in each, providing a route into further studies. Each individual science is broken up into individual units and taught in the years as shown further down the page:

In Science, pupils will take Edexel Combined Science (2 GCSEs) or Edexel Separate Sciences: Biology, Chemistry and Physics (1 GCSE each).

Scientific understanding is changing our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity. GCSE study in science provides the foundations for understanding the material world and so all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. They should be helped to appreciate how the complex and diverse phenomenal world can be described in terms of a small number of key ideas relating to the sciences which are both inter-linked and are of universal application. 

 

Specification 

At Fisher More the science GCSE (9-1) follows the Edexcel specification. In Year 10 pupils will learn all the content for the first paper of all three sciences, followed by the second paper taught and learnt in Year 11. These GCSE subject content criteria set out the assessment objectives, knowledge, understanding and skills, for GCSE specifications in Combined and Triple Science, to ensure progression from Key Stage 3 national curriculum requirements and the possibility of development into A level.  

 

 

GCSE (9-1) Combined Science 

Click the image to be redirected to GSCE (9-1) Combined Science course. This is double science for pupils who take Combined Science and counts as two GCSEs.

 

 

GCSE (9-1) Triple Science  ​​​​​

Click the images to be redirected to relevant GSCE (9-1) course. This is Triple Science for pupils who take separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. 

 

 

Qualifications at a Glance 

GCSE (9-1) Combined Science 

All examinations will take place at the end of Year 11.  The charts below show the year pupils will be taught the content.  

Paper 1 - Biology 1
Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes  16.67% of the qualification  60 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in biology Topic 2 - Cells and control Topic 3 - Genetics Topic 4 - Natural selection and genetic modification Topic 5 - Health, disease and the development of medicines	Year 10
Paper 2 - Biology 2
Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes  16.67% of the qualification  60 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in biology Topic 6 - Plant structures and their functions Topic 7 - Animal coordination, control and homeostasis Topic 8 - Exchange and transport in animals Topic 9 - Ecosystems and material cycles	Year 11
Paper 3 - Chemistry 1
Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes  16.67% of the qualification  60 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in Chemistry Topic 2 - States of matter and mixtures Topic 3 - Chemical changes Topic 4 - Extracting metals and equilibria	Year 10
Paper 4 - Chemistry 2
Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes  16.67% of the qualification  60 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in chemistry Topic 6 - Groups in the periodic table Topic 7 - Rates of reaction and energy changes Topic 8 - Fuels and Earth science	Year 11
Paper 5 - Physics 1
Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes  16.67% of the qualification  60 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in Physics Topic 2 - Motion and forces Topic 3 - Conservation of energy Topic 4 - Waves Topic 5 - Light and the electromagnetic spectrum Topic 6 - Radioactivity	Year 10
Paper 6 - Physics 2
Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes  16.67% of the qualification  60 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in Physics Topic 8 - Energy Topic 9 - Forces and their effects Topic 10 - Electricity and circuits Topic 12 - Magnetism and the motor effect Topic 13 - Electromagnetic induction Topic 14 - Particle model Topic 15 - Forces and matter	Year 11

 

GCSE (9-1) Triple Science 

Paper 1 - Biology 1
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes  50% of the qualification  100 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in biology Topic 2 - Cells and control Topic 3 - Genetics Topic 4 - Natural selection and genetic modification Topic 5 - Health, disease and the development of medicines	Year 10
Paper 2 - Biology 2
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes  50% of the qualification  100 marks	Content Overview Topic 1 - Key concepts in biology Topic 6 - Plant structures and their functions Topic 7 - Animal coordination, control and homeostasis Topic 8 - Exchange and transport in animals Topic 9 - Ecosystems and material cycles	Year 11
Paper 1 - Chemistry 1
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes  50% of the qualification  100 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in Chemistry Topic 2 - States of matter and mixtures Topic 3 - Chemical changes Topic 4 - Extracting metals and equilibria Topic 5 - Separate chemistry 1	Year 10
Paper 2 - Chemistry 2
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes  50% of the qualification  100 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in chemistry Topic 6 - Groups in the periodic table Topic 7 - Rates of reaction and energy changes Topic 8 - Fuels and Earth science Topic 9 - Separate chemistry 2	Year 11
Paper 1 - Physics 1
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes  50% of the qualification  100 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in Physics Topic 2 - Motion and forces Topic 3 - Conservation of energy Topic 4 - Waves Topic 5 - Light and the electromagnetic spectrum Topic 6 - Radioactivity Topic 7 - Astronomy	Year 10
Paper 2 - Physics 2
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes  50% of the qualification  100 marks	Content overview  Topic 1 - Key concepts in Physics Topic 8 - Energy Topic 9 - Forces and their effects Topic 10 - Electricity and circuits Topic 11 - Particle model Topic 12 - Magnetism and the motor effect Topic 13 - Electromagnetic induction Topic 14 - Particle model Topic 15 - Forces and matter	Year 11

Assessment 

In Key Stage 4 all students are assessed 3 times within each unit of work: 

Flag 1 – Multiple choice Recall questions will be set as homework.  These need to be learned and will be assessed in class. 

Flag 2 – Formative assessment will be assessed before the end of topic test to inform gaps in knowledge to be closed before the EOTT. 

Flag 3 - An end of topic test (30 mins) will be given at the end of the unit to inform how well the unit has been understood 

Students will also have two Mock exams in both years 10 and 11 before sitting their final examinations in Summer of year 11.  Mock exams will be whole papers, which cover all content that has been learnt up to that specific point. 

Revision 

The science department at Fisher More, are working tirelessly to prepare all our pupils for success in their science GCSE exams at the end of year 11.  

In addition to this teaching, support and help provided in science lessons, we know that the amount of regular and quality revision that pupils engage in between now and their exams will significantly improve their science grades.  

Revision Guides 

The use of revision guides as a source of correct and complete information about the course is incredibly useful to start revision and we recommend that every pupil has one.  

This year we have arranged that CGP Combined Science revision guides can be ordered through school at a price of £5.60, CGP Biology, Chemistry and Physics revision guides are priced at £2.85 each. The cost for all three would therefore be £8.55. To order one please contact the science department and pay through parent pay.  

We recommend R band science classes choose the higher revision guide and S band science classes purchase the foundation revision guide unless their science teacher has advised them differently.  

Online Tools 

There are many resources online that assist revision. The science department have found two that we think are particularly effective, especially if started early enough as part as regular revision.  

Seneca Learning 

Seneca learning is a free online tool (and app) that revises topics with self-check questions and then assesses how well it has been revised with a series of questions.  

https:www.senecalearning.com 

GCSE POD 

GCSE POD is a very professional revision site that we at Fisher More have subscribed each pupil to. This site offers a great way of filling knowledge gaps.