GCSE Science

[nannon]

Hi - i am trying to obtain the 2007 curriculum for GCSE science....
Need to retake the exam and not sure what i need to be studying!
If anyone has kids who are currently doing this who could prehaps find out for me i would be ever so grateful!
Have searched on googe and have found a list for many subjects but not an actual breakdown/list for science!!
Thank you!!!
Also - where would i go to retake this exam - who would i contact? Thanks

[jennibean]

Hi nannon,

Are you looking to just sit the exam again, or are you looking for a new learning provider as well? The reason I ask is that if you want to do the exam only you will need to select a specification that does not include coursework (unless you can find a tutor or teacher to mark your work for you).

If you opt for a tutor-supported course through a learning provider they will likely teach from just one particular board's specification. You can then obtain the spec from that awarding body's website.

Then of course you will have the unenviable task of trying to find a school or college who will accommodate you for the exam. If you tell me what region you are in I might be able to give you the name of some exam centres to try.

[nannon]

Hello - thank you for your reply. Yes i am just looking to sit the exam - i am based in Bristol and am having problems finding somewhere i can sit them!!!

Thank you

[jennibean]

Ok, some of the exam centres I know who might help are -

Ashton Park School, Bristol

Hanham High School, Hanham

North Somerset Community Education, Nailsea

St Brendans Sixth Form College, Brislington

St George Community College, Redfield

There might be some others listed in the 'Private Candidates Centres' document on this page -

http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_private.php

Good Luck with your search.

[Jules001]

2007 is the year that the new format for GCSE Science came into force. My daughter is in year 11 now having just gone back to school, but the way the new science format works is there were 2 exams taken by the year 10 students, one in January and the other in June and together with the coursework, the majority of the students should now have GCSE Science under their belt. They are now entering another period of study, whereby depending on the result of the previous exams etc, they will be either studying Applied Science or Additional Science. I don't know if this helps, but it may explain why you are having trouble finding the necessary info.

[nannon]

wow - thank you for your reply - i have had a phone around and am being told that due to coursework i cant just sit the exam.....
However when phoning the Teaching help line they say you can....
May try to look into doing an equivelence exam instead although i am not sure what these are or where to do them!!!

[jennibean]

Hi again,

I suspected that coursework might be an issue, but I didn't want to bombard you with too much info. There may be an alternative available to you - the IGCSE. I would suggest you check with wherever you are planning to do your PGCE or further study to see if they will accept an IGCSE in the place of a GCSE (most do, I think). The benefit to you is that IGCSE's are available with a non-coursework option so you can sit a 100% exam subject.

Edexcel International are one of the awarding bodies who offer IGCSE's (another is CIE, there may be others but I don't know about them). They do single award sciences (Biology, Chemistry & Physics separately) as well as a double award Science which is equivalent to two GCSE's. The link below is an example of the Biology IGCSE (just click on the document marked Specification to have a read) -

http://www.edexcel-international.org/quals/igc se/4325