Course Overview
This is a two-year course. After the first year, students gain a Certificate which is equivalent to 1 AS level. This ‘stand alone’ qualification progresses onto the second year in order to gain the Extended Certificate – equivalent to 1 A level. There are 5 lessons per week for this course.
This course is assessed through a mixture of exams, timed tasks and assignments.
Certificate (Year 1)
Unit 1- Principles and Applications of Science I
Externally assessed written examination in three sections (A, B & C) each of 30 marks.
Section A – Chemistry (40 mins)
Section B – Biology (40 mins)
Section C – Physics (40 mins)
The paper consists of multiple choice, calculations, short answer and open response questions.
Unit 2 – Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques
Internally assessed & assignment based
Learning Aim A – Undertake titration and colorimetry to determine the concentration of solutions
Learning Aim B – Undertake calorimetry to study cooling curves
Learning Aim C – Undertake chromatographic techniques to identify components in mixtures
Learning Aim D – Review of personal development of scientific skills for laboratory work
Extended Certificate Year 2
Unit 3 – Science Investigation Skills
Externally assessed ‘TASK’. Learners cover the stages involved and the skills needed in planning, data collection, interpretation of results, conclusion and evaluation.
Assessed through a written task worth 60 marks completed in a single supervised sitting. In order to complete this task, students need to collect data.
Unit 9 – Human regulation and Reproduction
Internally assessed and assignment based.
This unit will give learners an understanding of how in the internal body environment is regulated and controlled within set parameters to enable key bodily process to take place.
What next?
This qualification will provide learners with a wide range of transferable skills that will act as a sound basis for both Higher Education and future employment. Students will have gained a good working knowledge of general laboratory skills and research procedures as well as the specific scientific topics.
Entry requirements
5 GCSEs/ equivalents at grade A*-C including Science, Maths and English.