New Qualification: A-Level Life and Health Sciences (Single and Double Award) 29 April and 3 May 2016

GCE Life and Health Sciences Mrs Nuala Tierney (CCEA Subject Support Officer) Mr Gavin Gray (CCEA Education Manager) Mrs Catherine Donnelly Chief Examiner Mr Sam McGuinness Chair of Examiners

Agenda Registration – Introduction and welcome G Gray – Welcome from CEO Justin Edwards ALMAC Presentation 10.40—11.00 ALMAC QA Break – Presentation of new Draft Specification 11.30—11.50 Reading time for draft Specification AS 11.50– Reading Time for draft Specification A Lunch – Q & A on Specification G Gray and Team SAMs Rationale/ Reading Time – Support LHS – Open Forum & Feedback – close

First ….. a little background information

NEW - GCE Life and Health Sciences Aim: To create a new innovative, cohesive Science qualification in partnership with Industry to support the future workforce need of the Life and Health Sciences Industries in Northern Ireland Matrix Life Sciences Report “Life and Health Sciences Sector in Northern Ireland has the opportunity to improve the health of its citizens while providing strong economic growth for the future” - Feb 2015 Life and Health Science are future, high/mega growth areas of the economy - already 25% of NI economic output

Subject Associations/ Interest Groups Association for Science Education (ASE) Institute of Physics Royal Society of Chemistry(RSC) Royal Society of Biology Royal Society STEMNET Sentinus Royal Irish Academy Society for General Microbiology HE- Universities (Queens/ UU) Stemnet/W5

Entitlement Framework Where does the qualification fit?

Industry Partnerships

AS Units

A2 Units

A2 Internally Assessed Option Units (Double Award students take any two of these units.)

Why study GCE Life and Health Sciences? Strong careers link focuses students on sectors with realistic prospect of jobs in NI, UK and Internationally Skills and relevant knowledge necessary to access a broad range of HE courses and Industry employment Compliments existing Science suite Creates flexibility in partnership arrangements Enhances Applied A-Level offer Full support package from CCEA, UU, Queens and Industry Strong linkage across 3 separate Sciences in specific industry context

Regulatory Framework General Conditions of Recognition CCEA will make certain that each qualification offered is fit for purpose by ensuring that it is: - Valid - Reliable - Comparable - Manageable and - Minimises Bias

Accreditation Process N Ireland GCE and GCSE Qualifications Criteria N Ireland GCE Design Principles Two-stage process – Stage 1: submission of qualification strategies for approval – Stage 2: submission of qualification materials for review and accreditation

Specification and Specimen Assessment Material (SAMs) The Northern Ireland Regulator will carry out : An administrative review A subject-specific review A review of regulatory requirements

Collaborative Approach to the Revision Desk top Research Writing Teams Teachers Higher Education Consultation Existing Specifications Draft Specifications

Collaborative Approach to the Revision Consultation with students Relevant content Prepared for further study/work

Quality Assurance Higher Education – A Level Content Advisory Board criteria – Higher Education Panel – Subject Advisory Team Industry – Industry Panel – Subject Advisory Team Teachers – Subject Advisory Team

Quality Assurance Equality Panel – Access for all Final CCEA Quality Assurance panel – Review of consultation comment logs – Review of comment logs associated with all QA panels Only when CCEA Quality Assurance panel is satisfied that all issues raised have been appropriately addressed will the Specification and Sample Assessment material be submitted for accreditation

From Jan 2016 on

Reading the Specification What support would you need?

Supporting teachers in schools and colleges …….

GCE Support Type of SupportDate Sample assessment materialsRolling basis from 21 January 2016 Student guides/subject SnapshotsRolling basis from 21 January 2016 MicrositesRolling basis from 8 February 2016 Outline schemes of workRolling basis from 15 February 2016 Fact files (AS)Rolling basis from 22 February 2016 Fact files (A2)Rolling basis from September 2016 E-books (AS)September 2016 E-books (A2)September 2017 Launch and support eventsMarch 2016

Support for GCE Life and Health Sciences SupportTypeDate AS UnitsTraining on new unit content and skills facilitated by industrial partners June and Autumn 2016 A2 UnitsTraining on new unit content and skills facilitated by industrial partners June and Autumn 2016 MicrositeProgramme of study, student guides, e-resources, interactive directory / From June 2016 Teacher Industrial Placement Scheme (TIPS) - National Science Learning Centre Partners your school with a local STEM employer, providing a one or two week work placement for the TIPS participant - bursary ‘enthuse’ funded Available to NI schools Universities Support (Queens/UU)Face-to-face and onlineProvisionally 1 st event 20 th June UU STEP Up (to Science)/ successorEligible schools (DEL)Ongoing

The ReVision microsite – ccea.org.uk/therevision Essential updates Specifications & SAMs The Vision magazine – Issue 2 end of April 2016 Subject specific e-alerts & e-Vision Face to face Social media Facebook ccea.info Don’t forget to register for your updates on the microsite – ‘keep up to date’ section Keeping you informed

Support Sample Assessment materials (SAMs) Schemes of Work Fact Files E-books Student Snapshot

Guidance on Mathematical Content Will appear in Appendix 1 of Specification 3 major sections: Biology Chemistry Physics

And finally ……….. (my last 3 slides)

So why choose CCEA? We support Learners CCEA puts the learner at the centre of everything we do. We think about what learners need for life and work and then build solutions to meet those needs. We are Local We understand local needs and we are focused on providing services and products for learners in Northern Ireland. This also means we’re near you, should you need help or support. We are Listeningto teachers to employers to learners This approach ensures that we develop relevant, high quality and innovative specifications and support.

Thinking about working with CCEA…. The benefits: – first-hand experience of how the examining system works – user insight to the standards required for the assessment – opportunity to examine assessments across a range of abilities – improved learning and teaching outcomes – creates links with CCEA personnel/subject officer – opportunity to network with other professionals – provides recognition and enhances the professional development of teachers

Contact: GCE LHS Education Manager: Gavin Gray Telephone: Ext Subject Support Officer: Nuala Tierney Telephone: Ext Specification, sample assessment and support materials available on the subject microsite at