CCEA Support Events GCE A2 3 CHEMISTRY Practical Assessment – Practical Techniques NEW FORMAT December 2014

Programme Introduction: Elaine Lennox (Subject Officer) Changes to A2 practical exam A2 3 exemplar paper and mark scheme Discussion with Chair of Examiners (Billy McAlpine) Update on practical assessment in the new specification Plenary

Grade Boundaries AS 3 – May 2014 AS 3 (Practical Booklets A and B Combined) Raw (90) UM (90) A 7372 B 6663 C 5954 D 5245 E 36

Grade Boundaries A2 3 – May 2014 A2 3 (Practical 1) A2 3 (Practical 2) Raw (70) UM (60) Raw (70) UM (60) A* 6754 A* 6554 A 6348 A 5948 B 5642 B 5242 C 4936 C 4536 D 4230 D 3830 E 3624 E 3124

Award of A* An A* will be awarded to the A2 candidates who attain: an overall grade A in the qualification; and an aggregate of at least 90% of the uniform marks across the A2 units.

General Points Teacher’s copy of paper available to HOD only 3 working days before timetabled starting time –AS and A2 Practical Booklet A only Confidentiality – keep doors locked, papers locked away etc. More than one sitting – pupils in isolation ½ hour before the end of the first sitting –Follow JCQ Instructions – remove mobile phones etc. AS and A2 Practical Booklet A Invigilation: –Needs to be a chemistry teacher present –Teacher who prepared the class cannot be the sole invigilator

The Process New procedures apply to the AS 3 and A2 3 practicals Feedback from teachers prior to assessment is essential if apparatus or materials issues identified Access to Scripts and Enquiry about Results services available Special consideration available – Apply through EO as normal “Instructions to Teachers” booklet - March 2015 – Hard copy issued this year – On Chemistry microsite – Support Materials

Apparatus & Materials List Access arrangements for the Apparatus and Materials list will not change – HoD and technician only to have access - Delivered to centres at the end of February - Fax-back to list the names of the staff members who have access to the information is attached – CCEA record **NEW!! A risk assessment (using CLEAPSS information) for all the chemicals listed will now be included in the Apparatus and Materials list.

A2 – New Format Same as AS 3 new format Practical exam split into 2 practical booklets: Practical Booklet A (20 marks) and Practical Booklet B (50 marks). Practical Booklet A will be a 1 hour 15 mins practical exam. –Q1: carry out a titration – Q2: observations exercise

Practical Booklet B will be a 1 hour 15 min practical theory examination  assesses data analysis, practical knowledge, and tests practical planning skills Section A:  Q1: answer questions and do a calculation on given titration data.  Q2: make deductions on given observations (or vice versa) for both inorganic and organic compounds Section B:  practical theory section as normal

A2 - Procedures No alternative practical – centres can run up to 4 practical sessions on the timetabled day – regulations for isolating pupils set out by JCQ in the ‘Instructions for Conducting Examinations’ document Teacher’s Copy - Practical Booklet A  available to the HoD 3 working days prior to the date of the examination

Invigilation Arrangements –Practical Booklet A will be conducted in the laboratory and the invigilation arrangements will follow current custom and practice –Practical Booklet B will be sat in an examination hall and will be externally invigilated Exam split over two days –AC233: Practical exam (1 hr 15 mins) – Tue 5 th May (9.15 – 10.30) –AC234: Practical theory exam (1 hr 15 mins) – Mon 11 th May (9.15 – 10.30)

JCQ Centre Inspection Service –AS 3 and A2 3 practical examinations are on the programme for the JCQ Centre Inspection Service. –The inspectors are provided with a list of ‘Inspection Objectives’ specifically for the practical aspects which are conducted in science laboratories. If they are visiting before the exam has been scheduled to take place, they need to see the Examination’s Officer to ensure the Question papers are still sealed before they go to the examination room.

Laboratory checks include: –JCQ posters are displayed on the doors of the laboratories for mobile phone use and guidance for the examination. –There is no writing on the board which would be relevant to the practical exam (ie. answers to questions, volumes of chemicals etc.). The only writing on the board should be the start and finish time for the examination. –Notice boards should be covered / no information should be displayed that could advantage the candidates. –Candidates should not have access to their notes or textbooks or computers. –Correct invigilation arrangements are in place.

–Ensure that there is no communication between the candidates or between the teacher and candidates, except where there is a query regarding health and safety or supply of apparatus or chemicals. –The teacher is not conducting the practical aspects of the exam in the laboratory where the examination is taking place. –The teacher is not going round checking candidate responses during the examination.

External Marking No teacher marking for AS 3 or A2 3 from May 2014 – will be examiner marked in the same way as theory papers Applies to both Practical Booklet A and B for AS and A2 Please submit chemical issues by as soon after the practical exam as possible so they can be passed onto the examiners.

Collection of Scripts Please return your AS and A2 Practical Booklet A scripts to your Examination’s Officer as soon as the practical exam session has finished so they can be packaged up and collected from your centre by CCEA the day after the timetabled exam sitting as with other theory examinations. AS and A2 Practical Booklet B should be packaged up and collected like any other theory examination.

Feedback on AS 3 – Summer 2014 Very positive. Fewer malpractice accusations. No teacher marking issues. Only issue identified: Time split – Not enough time for practical. Exam split over two days: –AC133: Practical exam (1 hr 15 mins) – Fri 8 th May (9.15 – 10.30) –AC134: Practical theory exam (1 hr 15 mins) – Wed 27 th May (9.15 – 10.30)

Review of GCE No January series AS will remain part of the A-level qualification Remaining unitised Only one repeat opportunity per unit 40/60% AS/A2 Weighting Practical assessment grade remaining within the qualification

New Practical Format The practical sections in the specification are more prescriptive The practical assessments will remain in the format of the current practicals Externally assessed Weighting reduced to 20% of AS and 20% of A2 Time – 1 hr 15 min for both booklets Total marks: 80 marks for AS and 90 marks Broader range of experiments in Practical Booklet A Practical Booklet B – less predicable: marks not structured in the specification

New Specification ? Ideas Welcome

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