Separate Sciences- Biology, Chemistry & Physics

Some of you may want to consider Triple Science and study for a GCSE in each of the separate sciences. Click on a subject to see a small selection of where each of the separate sciences could take you.  Biology  Chemistry  Physics

GCSE Separate Sciences: Biology, Chemistry & Physics

Contact Information: Mr D. Tooke - Head of Science

AQA Separate Sciences: GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics

Course Content

This option allows you to take three GCSEs in the sciences, and is excellent preparation for those who want to study Science at A level. It covers the content in Combined Science, developing some scientific concepts further, whilst also introducing more challenging concepts.

GCSE Biology

Topics:

1. Cell Biology

2. Organisation

3. Infection and response 

4. Bioenergetics 

5. Homeostasis and response

6. Inheritance, variation and evolution

7. Ecology

There are 10 required practicals across the 2 years of the course.

GCSE Chemistry

Topics:

1. Atomic structure and the Periodic table

2. Bonding, structure and properties

3. Quantitative Chemistry 

4. Chemical changes 

5. Energy rates

6. The rate and extent of chemical change

7. Organic chemistry

8. Chemical analysis

9. Chemistry and the atmosphere

10. Using resources

There are 8 required practicals across the 2 years of the course.

GCSE Physics

Topics:

1. Forces

2. Energy

3. Waves 

4. Electricity 

5. Magnetism and electromagnets

6. Particle model and matter

7. Atomic Structure

8. Space physics

There are 10 required practicals across the 2 years of the course.

Skills Developed

Students who undertake Separate Sciences will have the opportunity to explore scientific ideas in greater depth. As there are additional topics and required practicals it will allow them an experience of the content they would meet at AS and A level. They will gain skills in scientific thinking, experimental strategies, analysis and evaluation.

Assessment:

All exams (six in total) are completed at the end of the two year course. There are two exams for each of the three disciplines as outlined below. Each subject will receive a separate GCSE grade. The qualification will be graded on a nine-point scale: 1–9 – where 9 is the best grade.

A student taking Foundation Tier assessments will be awarded a grade within the range of 1 to 5.

Exam - Paper 1 &2

Weighting of course - 50%

Tiers of entry - Higher and Foundation

Exam date - May/June

Marks available - 100

Duration - 1hr 45mins

Progression Routes

Most students who continue with Science after completing Separate science will progress onto the Academic A level route.

Academic 

A level Biology

A Level Chemistry

A level Physics

Applied

Level 3 BTEC

courses

Apprenticeships

Employment (examples)

Medicine

Engineering

Nursing

Forensic Science

Physiotherapy