1. Plan, teach and assess your science course over five years

2. Plan teaching to progress and support the long term development of ideas
Track progress to identify and respond to underperformance
Support students over the full five years to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to succeed at GCSE

3. A firm foundation
Build a clear understanding of key ideas and establish concepts that run through the five years – cornerstones for GCSE
Reflect key features of the new GCSE Science specifications right from start of KS3
Develop the role of Working Scientifically through activities that develop both skills and understanding
Embed key skills such as maths and literacy from an early stage

4. AQA GCSE specification
Key idea
AQA KS3 Syllabus
AQA GCSE specification
KS3 Part 1
KS3 Part 2
KS4 Part 1
KS4 Part 2
Forces
Speed
Gravity
Contact forces
Pressure
Space
Electro-magnets
Voltage & resistance
Current
Magnets
Electricity
Electro-magnetism
Energy
Energy costs
Energy transfer
Work
Heating & cooling
Energy changes
Waves
Sound
Light
Wave effects
Wave properties
Matter
Particle model
Separating mixtures
Periodic table
Elements
Atomic structure & periodic table
Structures, bonding & properties of matter
Particle model of matter
Atomic structure
Reactions
Metals & non-metals
Acids & alkalis
Chemical energy
Types of reaction
Chemical quantities and calculations
Chemical changes
Rate and extent of chemical change
Hydro-carbons
Chemical analysis
Earth
Earth structure
Universe
Climate
Earth resources
The atmosphere
Sustainable Development
Organisms
Movement
Cells
Breathing
Digestion
Cell biology
Moving & changing materials
Health matters
Co-ordination & control
Ecosystems
Inter-dependence
Plant reproduction
Respiration
Photo-synthesis
Ecology in action
Genes
Variation
Human reproduction
Evolution
Inheritance
Genetics
Variation & evolution

5. Working Scientifically skills in AQA KS3 Syllabus
Working Scientifically skills in AQA KS3 Syllabus
Working Scientifically criteria in GCSE subject criteria
Planning investigations
Devise questions
Plan variables
Test hypotheses
Construct explanations
Estimate risks
use scientific theories and explanations to develop hypotheses
plan experiments or devise procedures to make observations, produce or characterise a substance, test hypotheses, check data or explore phenomena
apply a knowledge of a range of techniques, instruments, apparatus, and materials to select those appropriate to the experiment
use a variety of models such as representational, spatial, descriptive, computational and mathematical to solve problems, make predictions and to develop scientific explanations and understanding of familiar and unfamiliar facts
evaluate risks … in practical science
Gathering & recording evidence
Collect data
carry out experiments appropriately having due regard to the correct manipulation of apparatus, the accuracy of measurements and health and safety considerations
recognise when to apply a knowledge of sampling techniques to ensure any samples collected are representative
make and record observations and measurements using a range of apparatus and methods
Reporting findings.
Present data
Communicate ideas
Discuss limitations
present observations and other data using appropriate methods
translate data from one form to another
use scientific vocabulary, terminology and definitions
recognise the importance of scientific quantities and understand how they are determined
use SI units and IUPAC chemical nomenclature unless inappropriate
use prefixes and powers of ten for orders of magnitude
interconvert units
use an appropriate number of significant figures in calculation.
carry out and represent mathematical and statistical analysis
represent distributions of results and make estimations of uncertainty
Drawing conclusions & making predictions for further tests.
Analyse patterns
Draw conclusions
Review theories
Critique claims
Justify opinions
Interrogate sources
Examine consequences
interpret observations and other data (presented in verbal, diagrammatic, graphical, symbolic or numerical form), including identifying patterns and trends, making inferences and drawing conclusions
present reasoned explanations including relating data to hypotheses
communicate the scientific rationale for investigations, methods used, findings and reasoned conclusions through paper-based and electronic reports and presentations using verbal, diagrammatic, graphical, numerical and symbolic forms.
understand how scientific methods and theories develop over time
recognise the importance of peer review of results and of communicating results to a range of audiences.
being objective, evaluate data in terms of accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility and identifying potential sources of random and systematic error
evaluate methods and suggest possible improvements and further investigations.

6. Assess for whole school tracking
Look at how well an idea is understood, progression within that idea, and overall marks and grades using the in-text and end of chapter questions.
Produce an output that can inform the positioning of a student on an overall flightpath, or trajectory.
Indicate whether students are on track to secure an expected or forecast grade.
Reset the trajectory if the student is underperforming or doing better than expected.

7. Sample taken from AQA Key Stage 3 Teacher Pack

8. Assessment to inform your next steps
Assessment for each topic so you can assess at the end of a topic, during learning process
Find out which topics and aspects of a topic are not well understood
Find out whether mastery of an idea is secure
Make judgements on ‘does a student know it?’/’can they apply it?’/’are they ready to extend it?’

9. Assessment to inform your next steps
Identify whether students have developed the set of ideas and processes that will enable them to succeed at GCSE
Work out how well students produce different types of response (MCQ/short/long answer)
Work out how to progress to next stage

10. Samples taken from GCSE science Ready: Transition Tests
Assessment structure
Knowledge items identify mastery of key facts, ideas and words. They are often objective questions.
Application items assess whether students can apply one or more of these ideas to novel contexts. They often require shorter written responses.
Extend items challenge students to link ideas, suggest new solutions or evaluate ideas.

11. Intervention
Support students in building a firmer foundation without feeling that they are being held back or having to repeat activities.
Revisit ideas whilst maintaining engagement.
Teach and question at all three levels (know, apply, extend).
Intervention based on actual learning needs (ideas not understood, cognitive levels not achieved, kinds of response not made) is more effective .

12. Intervention The ‘know’ section focuses on key ideas.
Samples taken from GCSE science Ready: Intervention Tasks
Intervention
The ‘know’ section focuses on key ideas.
The ‘apply’ section encourages students to understand applications.
The ‘extend’ section provides further challenge.

13. Intervention on Topic B Intervention on Topic A
Re-assess
Teach Topic C…
Retest Topic B
Intervention on Topic B
Test Topic B
Teach Topic B
Retest Topic A
Intervention on Topic A
Test Topic A
Teach Topic A
Our model allows for testing after intervention too so that you can reassess and check progress made if you would like

14. GCSE Success Build upon the key ideas from KS3
Continue to develop Working Scientifically skills, maths and literacy
Check students’ progress at end of each chapter

15. Take a closer look at our resources
Download sample chapters
Download five year Schemes of Work
Read testimonials
Request an evaluation pack for AQA Key Stage 3 Science
Visit the blog to read more from Ed Walsh, series editor for our GCSE Science 9-1 suite, at

16. We’ve got all the resources to cover your five year AQA course
AQA Key Stage 3 Science & GCSE 9-1 Student Books are approved by AQA
GCSE Science Ready Transition Tests and Intervention Tasks – ideal assessment companion to AQA KS3 Science series