Fourth Form Subject Choices PDF 234KB - Strathallan School

STRATHALLAN
FOURTH FORM
COURSES
December 2011 for September 2012
SCOTTISH CHARITY NO. SCO08903

INTRODUCTION
The two year period of study which begins in Fourth Form culminates in National Certification at
GCSE.
At this stage, a broad and balanced curriculum is essential but some choice amongst subjects is
necessary. Ability and interest and career ideas are normally the main guiding principles in making
choices between subjects, although the only consideration in regard to career ideas is not to give up
subjects which might be required later.
The following subjects are compulsory for all pupils:
English
Mathematics
At least one Modern Foreign Language (from French, German, Spanish)
Physics, Chemistry and Biology (either as GCSE Science or as separate GCSE awards)
Either History or Geography (or both)
The remaining time includes a compulsory lesson in Personal and Social Education and a lesson of
Religious Education. Pupils opting to study their Sciences as separate subjects will also follow a
course in Critical Thinking, of one lesson per week, which will not be examined.
Pupils will be expected to take subjects from one of the following two tables, depending on whether
they wish to take their Sciences as GCSE Science (nine lessons per week, leading to a GCSE in Science
and ad GCSE in Additional Science) or as separate GCSE subjects (twelve lessons per week, leading to
three GCSE awards, one each in Physics, Chemistry and Biology).
This allows pupils to choose an additional subject if they are not intending to pursue the Sciences in
the Sixth Form while ensuring that all pupils receive a rounded education in the Sciences.
Separate GCSE Sciences option (GCSE in Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
Choose ONE from Choose ONE from Choose TWO from
Art
Geography
French Business Studies History
Spanish History Computing Latin
German Geography Design & Technology Music
French
Physical Education
German
Spanish
Dual Award Science option (Two GCSEs covering Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
Choose ONE from Choose ONE from Choose THREE from
Art
Geography
French History Business Studies History
Spanish Geography Computing Latin
German Design & Technology Music
French
Physical Education
German
Spanish
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Notes:
The availability of subject combinations in the Option blocks will be decided upon in order to satisfy
as many combinations of choices as possible once pupils have made them.
The pages which follow give details of the various subjects offered. Further help and advice will be
available to pupils from Housemasters and Careers Adviser, and by the Easter vacation pupils will be
asked for their provisional choices. Parents and teachers will be able to discuss these choices at the
Third Form Parents’ Evening.
Pupils will of course be able to make alterations to their choices at a later date, provided such
alterations are within the constraints of the finalized option columns.
Curriculum changes from September 2012
The Scottish Qualifications Authority will no longer offer Standard Grade or Intermediate 2 courses
for pupils entering S3 (Form IV) in 2012, consequently Computing, Physical Education and English will
all be offering GCSE courses where they previously used Standard Grade.
The Joint Council for Qualifications is currently reviewing all GCSE exams and we believe that the
Government will shortly announce that there will no longer be any modular courses at this level. At
present many GCSE courses can be taken in smaller sections which add up to a GCSE award, but
Strathallan has not followed this model since it increases the number of exams taken and the
consequent disruption to other work, not to mention the expense to parents. We do not, therefore,
anticipate that any changes will affect our pupils. We do expect to hear that Controlled Assessment
– essentially, coursework which is conducted under controlled conditions in class – will be retained.
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GCSE ENGLISH (AQA)
The English Department offers two AQA GCSE courses, one in English and one in English Language
and English Literature. These are delivered as an integrated course over two years, focussing on the
development of pupils’ language skills in Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening through
Literature, Non‐Fiction and the Mass Media.
Pupils are set by ability and there is differentiation in the texts chosen and the pace of work.
Students are presented for either English or English Language and English Literature, depending on
their ability and progress, at Higher Tier.
These awards are gained partly through external examination and partly through achievement in
internally Controlled Assessments. Reading and Writing is assessed internally and externally but the
Speaking and Listening element awarded solely by Controlled Assessments.
GCSE MATHEMATICS (EDEXCEL)
By the start of the Fourth Form, pupils will have been placed in one of five sets according to their
mathematical ability. All pupils follow the Edexcel GCSE course, with the top four sets working
towards the Higher level (where the highest grade attainable is an A*) and the other set usually
working towards the Foundation level (where the highest grade attainable is a C).
Pupils in the top sets will cover the core work on each topic more quickly and will be exposed to
more extension work; pupils in the lower sets will spend more time working through the core
material. Typically pupils will remain in the same set for the two years of the GCSE course, but
teachers rotate at the end of each year.
Coursework is no longer an element of assessment and the final two papers will decide grading.
GCSE FRENCH (AQA)
By the end of the Third Form pupils should be well on the way to GCSE, having been practising and
becoming more confident in the four basic skills of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. The
GCSE course is topic based and includes Health, Relationships and Choices, Free Time and the Media,
Holidays, Home, Environment, School and Future Plans ‐ each affording the opportunity to improve
the basic skills.
In the exam, there are two levels, Foundation and Higher, and a pupil may enter at either level for
each skill. This means that the choice of level must be made very carefully, but it does give a pupil
the chance to enter Higher papers for his/her strongest skills and Foundation papers for the weaker
ones. Foundation papers are only available for Listening and Reading. The skills are not equally
weighted, and the AQA examination places extra emphasis on the productive skills of Speaking and
Writing (30% each) rather than the receptive skills of Listening and Reading (20% each). Speaking
and Writing are examined by Controlled Assessment which is an ongoing process, beginning at the
end of the Fourth Form and resulting in the production of pieces of work which are submitted to the
AQA for moderation after having been marked by the teacher here. Speaking and Writing are only
available at one level, which covers all grades. Learning a language is a very active process and
pupils will be expected to participate and contribute in class a great deal of the time. It is also a
continuous process, which means that the material learned is constantly used and revised.
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The study of French to GCSE will open the door to further studies at A Level or SQA Higher grade,
although even if the language is not continued beyond GCSE the course will have inculcated skills
which can be used and built on later in life.
GCSE GERMAN (AQA)
Those who have enjoyed the Third Year course in German are encouraged to continue with the
language to GCSE and beyond, if they wish. As well as being a language of great subtlety and
tremendous expressive power it is also more widely spoken than French. Germany is an important
economic power in Europe, with ever increasing influence over the Eastern European markets. Thus,
command of the German language will remain an important advantage for cultural, scientific and
business careers as well as being rewarding in itself and beneficial to an understanding of our own
language.
The GCSE language courses are all very similar in content, and the comments on the structure of the
French course also apply to German. The examination stresses the use of German in all four skills,
with the minimal use of English. Successful completion of the GCSE course will put you in a good
position to take an A level or Higher, and will leave you with a valuable skill if you choose not to take
the language any further.
GCSE SPANISH (AQA)
Those pupils who followed the foundation course in Spanish in the Third Form are invited to embark
on the two year GCSE course in the Fourth Form. Spanish is the third most widely spoken language in
the world after Mandarin and English, and its significance in the increasingly important European and
American markets cannot be overemphasised.
Pupils will follow a course similar to the French and German topic‐based ones and they will acquire
an insight into the culture and character of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries as well as
learning the language. By the end of Fifth Form, they will have a solid grounding in Spanish, enabling
them to move on to the added challenges of Higher or A level work if they so choose.
GCSE DUAL AWARD SCIENCE (AQA)
(Physics, Chemistry and Biology)
The Dual Award Science course covers all three sciences and is taught in three lessons per science
per week, thus offering an additional option to those pupils who do not wish to specialise in the
Sciences or who wish to take an additional subject from another curriculum area.
There are two GCSEs to be gained through Science; these are called GCSE Science B and GCSE
Additional Science. The B in Science B refers to the curriculum for that GCSE.
Both GCSEs will be examined at the end of the Fifth Form and consist of a separate test on each of
the three sciences.
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The exams for each GCSE may be entered at either of two tiers: Foundation and Higher. The
departments will enter pupils for the tier which best matches their ability. It is expected that pupils
wishing to take a science in the Sixth Form would be able to perform well at the Higher level at GCSE.
The following points should be noted:
A separate grade is awarded for the Science and the Additional Science GCSE, the grade being
awarded on the combination of marks in the three separate papers plus the Independent Practical
Assessment.
The Independent Practical Assessment is referred to in Exam Board publications as “Coursework”,
but it is in fact a practical assessment followed by a short exam. It is not a project on which pupils
work in their own time.
The two awards in Science B and Additional Science are the basis for starting AS Level courses under
the A Level exams which started in 2008. Separate qualifications in each Science are not required.
GCSE SEPARATE SCIENCE COURSES (AQA)
Pupils who feel that the Sciences are likely to form an important part of their Sixth Form courses may
wish to opt to take the subjects on to a more advanced level in the GCSE years, and this is covered by
the Separate Science courses. Pupils taking this option will study for and sit an additional GCSE paper
in each Science and will be able to gain three GCSE awards at the end of Fifth Form. They will have
four lessons of each Science per week, and will thus have one fewer option in the other curriculum
areas; they will also follow a course in Critical Thinking for one lesson per week, which is not
examined.
In each of the three Sciences, the grade is determined by three one‐hour written papers at the end of
fifth form plus a practical controlled assessment. The written papers may be entered at either of two
tiers: Foundation and Higher. The departments will enter pupils for the tier which best matches their
ability.
The course comprises the following units;
Unit 1 (25%)
Keeping healthy
Nerves and hormones
The use and abuse of drugs
Interdependence and adaptation
Energy and biomass in food chains
Waste materials from plants and animals
Genetic variation and its control
Evolution
GCSE BIOLOGY
Unit 2 (25%)
Cells and simple cell transport
Tissues, organs and organ systems
Photosynthesis
Organisms and their environment
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Proteins – their functions and uses
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
Cell division and inheritance
Speciation
Unit 3 (25%)
Movement of molecules in and out of cells
Transport systems in plants and animals
Homeostasis
Humans and their environment
Unit 4: Controlled assessment (25%)
Planning Assessing and managing risk
Collecting primary and secondary data
Selecting and processing data
Analysing and interpreting data
Using scientific models and evidence to develop explanations
It is expected that pupils wishing to take Biology in the Sixth Form would be able to perform well at
the Higher level of GCSE Biology and Chemistry.
The course comprises the following units:
Unit 1 (25%)
Fundamental ideas
Rocks and building materials
Metals and their uses
Crude oil and fuels
Products from oil
Plant oils
Our changing planet
Unit 2 (25%)
Structure and bonding
Structure and properties
How much? – Calculations from equations
Rates and energy
Salts and electrolysis
Unit 3 (25%)
The Periodic Table
Water
Energy calculations
Analysis and synthesis
Organic chemistry
GCSE CHEMISTRY
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Unit 4: Practical assessment (25%)
Planning, Assessing and managing risk
Collecting primary and secondary data
Selecting and processing data
Analysing and interpreting data
Using scientific models and evidence to develop explanations
Fourth Form topics:
Forces and Motion
Electromagnetic Waves
Basic Electricity
Radioactivity
Work and Energy
GCSE PHYSICS (AQA)
Fifth Form topics
Electromagnetism
Medical applications
Turning Effects of Forces
Revision of Thermal Energy and Energy Conservation
A good performance in the Physics GCSE would be expected from someone wishing to take Physics A
level in the Sixth Form.
GCSE COMPUTING (OCR)
The digital age presents us with computers at every turn of life and as pupils’ progress through
school they will encounter computer use in many subjects. Most pupils will have basic IT skills but
Computing at GCSE goes far beyond this and aims to give a detailed knowledge of how computers
operate, thus letting pupils see a greater potential in the machine they need to use. This is a useful
qualification to have on a CV and provides a very good start to either Sixth Form course: Higher
Information Systems or A‐level Computing.
The course aims to:
• Gives learners a real, in‐depth understanding of how computer technology works.
• Provide excellent preparation for higher study and employment in the field of Computer
Science.
• Develop a transferable set of skills in critical thinking, analysis and problem‐solving through
the study of computer programming.
The OCR GCSE has three units:
1. Computer Systems and Programming
This provides an in depth look at the workings of computer hardware and systems software,
an advanced look at databases and their role in the modern world for managing the storage
of large quantities of information and an investigation into networks and how the Internet
works.
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Programming is a key part of any Computing course and computer programs are developed as
solutions to problems. This course teaches problem solving through a robust methodology of
analysis, design, testing and evaluation. The skills taught are transferrable and can be used in
other areas of the school curriculum as well as in any large scale project.
This unit is assessed through an external exam.
2. A Practical Investigation.
Pupils will be given a topic to investigate. This involves research into a relevant current issue
of computing in the real world and pupils will apply the skills of analysis from unit 1 to
develop a practical solution. This provides an opportunity for improving and extending
research skills as well as learning complex use of software packages.
This unit is a controlled assessment.
3. Programming Project.
Candidates apply the problem solving and solution building skills from unit one, to develop
suitable algorithms and a programmed solution to a problem. This unit gives an opportunity
to develop an extended piece of programming and provides an insight into how larger
software systems are developed.
This unit is a controlled assessment.
GCSE GEOGRAPHY (AQA)
The AQA GCSE Specification A course comprises traditional units of study over a period of two years
with an increased emphasis on the problems arising from human interaction with the physical
environment. The use of case studies is seen as fundamental to achieve a meaningful understanding
of the varied course units. Topics include global ecosystems, tectonic activity, climate, river, glacial
and coastal landscapes, the development gap, globalisation, tourism and the changing urban and
rural environments as well as problems arising from increases in world population.
The assessment comprises three units:
Unit 1: Physical Geography (37.5% of total GCSE mark).
Section A: Section B: Pupils answer three
• The Restless Earth • Water on the Land questions, one from
• Rocks, Resources and
Section A and one from
• Ice on the Land
Scenery
Section B plus free choice
• Challenge of Weather and
of one other topic from the
• The Coastal Zone
Climate
list above.
• Living World
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Unit 2: Human Geography (37.5% of total GCSE mark).
Section A: Section B: Pupils answer three
• Population Change • The Development Gap questions, one from
• Changing Urban
Section A and one from
• Globalisation
Environments
Section B plus free choice
• Changing Rural
of one other topic from
• Tourism
Environments
the list above.
Unit 3: Local Fieldwork Investigation (25% of total GCSE mark).
The School selects a task based centred upon the eleven topics from Unit 1 and 2 (above) two years
prior to submission. These will be provided in the form of statements from AQA and will change
annually. Pupils complete an investigation (maximum 2000 words) under the direct supervision of a
teacher. It is expected that this task may take up to 20 hours with additional time to collect primary
data in the field.
Foundation and Higher Tier:
The Foundation Tier (grade G‐C) papers examine exactly the same material as Higher Tier (grade D‐
A*) but in an easier format. For example, pupils are given more prompts, particularly with
terminology, and less extended written answers are required.
Pupils and parents will be advised on which Tier of exam unit would suit them most in the Vth Form
Spring Term reports and the choice can be discussed at the V Form Parents Meeting. There has been
considerable investment in upgrading all GCSE text specifically selected to assess the pupils’ progress
at both levels of enquiry.
The GCSE course offers a wide degree of choice, flexibility, a variety of geographical and transferable
skills, and an awareness of contemporary issues within manageable course content. It is designed to
develop an appreciation of the dynamic earth parallel to human and physical interactions in time and
space. A high proportion of pupils proceed to Higher, AS or A2 in order to deepen their
understanding of geographical issues and those who choose not to pursue the subject will still be
able to take advantage of numerous transferable skills in their preferred options such as literacy,
numeracy, communication skills, ability to work independently and in a team.
Useful website: www.aqa.org.uk
GCSE HISTORY (OCR)
The course we follow is the OCR History B syllabus J417 [Modern World]. Here pupils investigate
some of the major themes and developments from the 20th Century that still have an impact on the
world today. There are three units:
A971 Aspects of International Relations, 1919‐2005
We will study one of the following periods
1919‐1939: The Inter‐War Years
1945‐1975: The Cold War
1948‐2005: A New World?
Written Paper = 2 Hours
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Together with one Depth Study from the following list
Germany, 1918‐1945
Russia, 1905‐1941
The USA, 1919‐1941
Mao’s China, c. 1930‐1976
Causes and Events of the First World War, 1890‐1914
End of Empire, c. 1919‐1969
The USA, 1945‐1975: Land of Freedom?
A972 British Depth Study – one Depth study from …
Written Paper = 1 1 / 2 Hours
How was British Society changed between 1890 and 1918?
How far did British Society change between 1939 and 1975?
A973 Historical Enquiry – this Controlled Assessment will be worth 25% of the final grade, and
is internally assessed, based on a task issued from OCR on one of four areas:
The Role of the Individual in History
A Thematic Study in 20 th Century History
A Modern World Study
A Study in Depth
The teaching of this course is aided and supplemented by the recent issue of excellent video and CD
Rom resources, particularly dealing with, and designed for, GCSE history. Examples include the recent
BBC series ‐ ‘The People’s Century’, ‘1914‐1918’, ‘The Western Front’, ‘The Nazis, a warning from
History’, and ‘History File’. In addition, a comprehensive series of PowerPoint presentations and our
own course notes reinforces teaching and learning throughout.
It is hoped that, in seeing and studying some of the seminal events of the 20th Century for
themselves, pupils will develop a critical judgement and systematic presentation of a variety of
arguments, thus leading to the development of informed opinions about historical events that still
have a relevant bearing on the society of the 21 st Century.
The study of History at GCSE level and beyond also has important academic spin‐offs for subjects
such as English and Modern Languages. The groundwork covered at GCSE provides a sound and
valuable basis of skills for future historical studies at both SQA Higher and the Oxford and Cambridge
A‐Level.
GCSE ART & DESIGN (EDEXCEL)
GCSE Art and Design is allowed five periods a week plus an afternoon and evening workshop each
week. The course builds on the basic knowledge and confidence gained in the Third Form general
course and fosters personal expression, imagination, and powers of observation and analytical skills
in a carefully devised practical involvement with the disciplines of drawing, print‐making, painting
and ceramics. All the starting points for these limits stress the development of aesthetic awareness
in an art historical context. The year Tutor is responsible for monitoring progress, the completion of
form orders and end of term reports.
Coursework is selected by each candidate to demonstrate their ability to research, develop and
realise ideas and will contain their best examples of work for assessment. Component II, the
terminal exam, is externally set by the Examining Group and is devised to allow candidates working
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unaided to conceive, design, organise and complete a piece of work over a fixed period of time. The
weighting decreed by the Board is 60% component I and 40% to component II.
The course is designed to enrich the pupil's personal awareness and build a fuller understanding and
enthusiasm for the visual arts. A practical and fully written up sketchbook is an important by‐product
of this course and should become valuable personal documents of exploration, where techniques,
methodology and art historical and gallery visits provide the framework for future endeavours.
See also “A Pupil’s Guide to GCSE Art and Design” which is available from the Art Department.
GCSE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (AQA Resistant Materials)
GCSE Resistant Materials Technology encourages candidates to be inspired and challenged by a
course of study that builds upon the knowledge and experience gained at Key Stage 3 and develops
these skills within a design, manufacture and evaluation context. The course also fosters personal
expression, imagination and creativity and strives to develop awareness regarding aesthetics,
product functionality and marketability. The course provides a suitable base for further study in the
sixth form.
GCSE Resistant Materials Technology (AQA 4562)
Resistant Materials Technology provides an opportunity to attain a qualification rewarding flair and
imagination whilst reflecting the contemporary use of materials and ICT. Candidates will develop an
understanding of the contribution design makes to the environment through careful selection of
sustainable resources, as well as an appreciation of the bearing this has in society. An awareness of
commercially manufactured products will be developed through critical analysis of existing products
to make links between the principles of good design and how products impact on lifestyle.
The course aims to promote the thoughtful and skilful use of Resistant Materials such as wood,
metal, plastics, smart and modern materials to design and manufacturing creative solutions to a
particular situation or need. Modern manufacturing techniques such as CAD CAM technology may be
utilised as part of the final product realisation and there is the opportunity for candidates to submit
e‐portfolios for the controlled assessment unit.
Assessment
Assessment includes both practical capability applied to designing and manufacturing a product and
the knowledge and understanding, which underpins this capability.
The GCSE is made up of two units:
Unit title and description Assessment Weighting
Unit 1 Written Paper (45601)
External assessment 40% of GCSE
One paper with two sections:
Section A: A design question based on a context
supplied before the exam.
Section B: A synoptic section with questions
covering all of the specification content.
All questions are compulsory.
2 hour written exam
120 marks
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Unit 2 Design and Making Practice (45602)
A single design and manufacture activity selected
from a choice of tasks set by AQA. The controlled
assessment will include a design folder and
manufactured product and will show the
development of a product from a design brief,
through research and design generation to final
manufacture planning and a made outcome.
Controlled
assessment
Approx. 45 hours
90 marks
60% of GCSE
GCSE BUSINESS STUDIES (AQA)
Business Studies concerns the business aspects of organisations within their economic, political and
social contexts. It involves the investigation of how enterprise adds value by organising the
production of goods and services. The performance of business is studied from a range of
perspectives. Using case studies, Business Studies ensures that candidates have knowledge,
understanding and experience of the real world of business organisations. The use of case study
materials also requires that pupils use a variety of methods to analyse and evaluate this evidence and
thus make reasoned judgments in the context of real business scenarios.
The subject content for the course contains the following elements:
(a) External environment and business
(c) The ownership and control of business
(e) The aims and objectives of business
(g) The management of people within a
(b) Finance
(d) Production
(f) Marketing
Case Studies are used extensively in the teaching of the subject. The following are a brief sample of
the types of case study currently in use.
Multi‐National Companies and locating in third
world countries
Setting up in Business – choosing the most
suitable type of business organisation
How companies are set up. Why some football
clubs have become plc’s.
Business Finance – Where do they raise the
money that they need?
New production techniques – learning from the
Japanese
The marketing of films. Why do businesses have
to market their products?
Market Research. Why is it necessary?
Branding/Product Life Cycles – Coca Cola and
BMW
The Virgin group – the role of Richard Branson
in its’ success
Retailing – the decline and rise of Marks and
Spencer
McDonald’s – Franchise operations
The new GCSE in Business Studies which is examinable from 2010 onwards is split into two
assessment formats:
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Unit1: Setting up a business (1 hour written paper) 40% of total
Unit 2: Growing as a business (1 hour written paper) 35% of total
Unit 3: Investigating a business (Controlled Assessment) 25% of total
Unit 1 introduces pupils to issues concerning the setting up and operation of a business. It explores
the activities of business and the reasons for success and failure. It encourages pupils to appreciate
that businesses must operate within society and that this involves businesses engaging with a wide
range of stakeholders who will hold different perspectives.
Unit 2 builds on unit 1 and allowing pupils to study businesses as they grow and the issues that
expansion raises.
Unit 3 requires pupils to carry out an investigation of a business from pre‐issued case study material.
They will be then tested under controlled conditions.
GCSE LATIN (OCR)
Latin remains a far from easy option at GCSE. Benefits of studying it at this level are to aid with more
complex language work in other subjects, especially in the Sixth Form; to develop an understanding
of literature in a very detailed way; to continue to immerse oneself in a culture that is recognisable
but at the same time strikingly different to our own.
We follow the OCR GCSE syllabus. There are four papers for assessment, and no coursework.
In the Fourth Form we finish the grammatical work started in the third form. By the end of the fourth
form a candidate is, theoretically, able to complete the translation element of the GCSE. Further
practice takes place throughout the Fifth Form year in preparation for the two comprehension and
translation papers.
The bulk of the Fifth Form programme is taken up with the set texts. These are slightly adapted
passages of prose and verse taken from Roman authors. Candidates are expected to comment both
on the content and style of these pieces: with half the marks of the final examination coming from
the text work, these two papers are the most taxing and rewarding of the GCSE course.
GCSE MUSIC (Edexcel)
The GCSE examination divides into three units, studied over two years, covering the areas REALISING,
COMPOSING and LISTENING & APPRAISING.
Realising – accounts for 30% of the GCSE
Although Composing and Listening & Appraising can be studied with no previous knowledge, all
candidates will need performing skills on at least one instrument. Those who have taken two or three
Associated Board/Trinity Guildhall grade exams will be at a considerable advantage, as their
performances must be of a minimum equivalence to Associated Board grade 4 level. Performances
can be presented on virtually any instrument, including the voice. You can also perform using music
technology.
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The Realising unit has two parts:
Solo – you must perform one piece, in any style or tradition.
Ensemble – you must perform one piece, in any style or tradition, that consists of at least 2
people performing independent parts together. This presentation can include performing in an
ensemble, directing an ensemble, improvising in an ensemble or creating an ensemble
performance using multi‐track recording.
NB – a soloist accompanied by a piano does not count as an ensemble.
Composing – accounts for 30% of the GCSE
Over the two‐year course, candidates learn to compose in a variety of styles and for a variety of
instrumental/vocal combinations, using traditional composition skills as well as the latest audio and
sequencing software. Two pieces must be produced, lasting between two and four minutes. They can
be either two compositions, two arrangements or a mixture of one composition and one
arrangement. They must be written under controlled and supervised conditions within the class.
Listening & Appraisal – accounts for 40% of the GCSE
This unit takes the form of a written examination at the end of the course, and consists of questions
on music in two sections. In Section A, students respond to questions based on recorded extracts
from the set works prescribed in the four Areas of study:
1. Western Classical music 1600‐1899
2. Music in the 20 th Century
3. Popular music in context
4. World music
In Section B, students answer a more in‐depth question on a chosen set work(s) and are assessed on
Quality of Written Communication (QWC). This part of the course is designed to heighten the
candidate’s perception and application of music.
GCSE PHYSICAL EDUCATION
GCSE Physical Education consists of a balance between theory and assessed practical performance.
The course aims to:
‐ help candidates analyse and improve their practical performance and to develop their
awareness of tactics and their coaching skills.
‐ provide candidates with knowledge of the physiological factors affecting sporting
performance.
‐ improve awareness of the social and medical importance of physical activity and the
importance of a healthy lifestyle.
The Physical Education course will be suitable for a wide range of pupils. It is not necessary to be a
talented athlete to do well on the course, but there is a considerable practical component and this
does require commitment to physical exertion. There is, equally, a theoretical component which is
linked closely to human biology, and which involves classroom work.
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Typically the course will involve:
Theoretical knowledge
This is examined by a written paper at the end of the course.
The key elements are:
‐ Key concepts and processes in Physical Education
‐ Developing skills, techniques and motivation
‐ Developing physical and mental capacity
‐ Informed decision making using the principles of safe training and safe exercise
‐ Opportunities, pathways and participation in Physical Education
Practical assessments
These are conducted as Controlled Assessment, for example by filming the candidate’s performance,
and are moderated by an external examiner.
‐ Assessed performance in several different activity areas, including the option to be assessed
as a coach, leader or official
‐ Analysing Lifestyle (written investigation)
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