1. Breakdown of presentation x of x Version 3.0 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Slides 1-4 – Background of the Hub project and structure of meetings Slides 5–8 –Autumn term updates GCSE and A-level documents to accompany the slides GCSE Timeline delegates Info on reform ISA EMPA changes 1 st September Slide 9 - National data GCSE comparison documents to accompany the slides national data sheet Slides 10 – 15 Key messages from question paper analysis GCSE & GCE documents to accompany the slides examples of pupils answers with examiners comments

2. Launch of AQA network meeting Autumn Term 2013 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

3. Welcome Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Aim of network compliment our current customer support offer short workshops on topical issues sharing good practice Meeting format updates from AQA topical workshop from AQA sharing good practice feedback & arrangements for next meeting

4. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Expectation is that there will be at least three meetings in the year - termly. Date and start time to be decided locally Proposed topical sessions for network meetings 1. Summer exam series feedback 2. CAU – ToLs & Top Tips 3.Summer series exam preparation & revision 4.A level reform

5. Agenda Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA updates GCSE & A level – Curriculum Advisor Key messages from summer series – AQA Science Team How to use exam feedback resources in the classroom. (Group activity) - AQA Science Team Evaluation form Date for our next meeting – main focus Controlled Assessments

6. Updates GCSE Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Reform time table for GCSE Science delayed by a year. June 2013 was the last series of the modular GCSEs for schools in England. Timeline of awards up to 2016 – Handout – GCSE examination timeline All AQA GCSEs in Science subjects can be taken at the end of a course of one years study Accreditation of current specifications have been extended – first teaching 2016 – first examination 2018

7. Updates cont. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Changes to performance tables –handout delegates info on reform Resources to support the move from modular to linear Details of reform GCSEs - a new grading scale 1-9 - tiering will be decided on a subject by subject basis - fully linear structure - exams as the default method except where they cannot provide valid assessment of the skill - exams only in the summer. Considering whether November exams should be available in other subjects

8. Update for A-level – current specification New rules for ISAs and EMPAs - designed to improve the security. Handout ISA EMA changes 1 st September Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

9. A-level Reform - Autumn A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and Physics are being reformed for first teaching in September 2015, with the first full A-level exams in 2017. The new A-levels will be linear. AS-level will be stand alone - so will not count towards the full A- level. The new AS-level will be at the level of the current AS-level and taught in one year. A-levels will contain more: – synoptic questions –some reduced scaffolding –greater amounts of problem solving and mathematical skills No internal assessment of practical skills. New Assessment Objectives. Greater emphasis on maths skills. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

10. National data Headlines – GCSE All Awarding Bodies National Headlines (please see data sheet) Nationally there was a fall in pupils getting top grades in all the sciences, following the introduction of new syllabuses and more challenging exams Nationally 53.1% achieved A* - C in GCSE Science - a fall of 7.6% from last years figure of 60.7%. The drop of 7.6 percentage points was the biggest fall of all the GCSE science subjects. Smaller falls were seen nationally in the separate sciences and in Additional Science. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

11. Key messages from question paper analysis Examples of Questions candidates found more challenging: Type of questions: 1.Calculations 2.Interpreting and using graphs 3.Explain / suggest reasons 4.QWC Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

12. Key messages from examiners on summer series A-Level (1) Across the three sciences : There were many outstanding scripts in most of the units Terminology was generally used accurately There was some general weaknesses: In some of the units students failed to read questions with sufficient care Mathematical skills: A lack of understanding of differences between decimal places and significant figures Leaving answers as fractions without calculating a final answer Failing to use data appropriately or interpret graphs correctly Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

13. Key messages from examiners on summer series A-Level (2/2) Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. BIOLOGY All papers had a similar level of demand compared to last year. Students often failed to correctly interpret standard deviations CHEMISTRY: CHEM2 proved slightly more demanding compared to the June 2012 paper CHEM4 and CHEM5 were of a similar demand compared to last year Knowledge of fundamental formulae was often incorrect PHYSICS: Questions on electricity answered with more confidence than previous series in the PHYA1 Students were more confident in writing extended answers involving Particle Physics than usual in PHYA1 Performance for PHYA4 was slightly lower in 2013 than previous exam series Students were often unable to express their answers with sufficient clarity and coherence.

14. Key messages from question paper analysis Activity Examples of Questions candidates found more challenging: Type of questions: 1.calculations 2.Interpreting and using graphs 3.Explain / suggest reasons 4.QWC For each type of question suggest a couple of strategies you could try back in school to address poor performance Detailed examiner feedback for Biology, Chemistry & Physics is available via our live online events. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

15. Implications for teaching and learning of exam analysis Knowledge and application are equally important Knowledge requires learning and application requires practice Encourage students to read each question carefully underlining key words and command words Make sure students understand the command words Information given in the question is intended to help with the answer Teaching maths concepts before application Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

16. Implications for teaching and learning of exam analysis QWC and explain questions Writing frames Structuring activities – card sorts – pictures and keyword cards Connectives Spider diagram to collect ideas Clear about how mark scheme is applied Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

17. Using exam feedback with teachers Resources available Enhanced Results Analysis - your schools performance Examiners reports – detailed question by question Exampro topic tests – allows targeted assessment Feedback meetings - big picture - question types ideas to improve Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

18. Activity: Informing pupil progress Using the selection of questions which pupils found difficult Have a look at the pupils responses,the mark scheme and the examiners comments Write a learning target for each answer Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

19. Support list Subject departments GCSE Sciences-gcse@aqa.org.ukSciences-gcse@aqa.org.uk / 01483 477 756 http://www.aqa.org.uk/news-and-policy/policy/changes-to-gcses A level Science-GCE@aqa.org.ukScience-GCE@aqa.org.uk / 0161 958 3859 http://www.aqa.org.uk/news-and-policy/policy/changes-to-a-levels e-AQA http://web.aqa.org.uk/help/eaqa.php You can access Secure Key Materials (SKM) via eAQA. Login using the password for your school which you can obtain from your Examinations officer. Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA) http://www.aqa.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/products-and-services/enhanced-results-analysis Exampro http://www.exampro.co.uk Online course booking: https://coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk in-school CPD http://www.aqa.org.uk/professional-development/in-school-training TOLS (Teacher Online Standardisation) http://www.aqa.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/products-and-services/teacher-online-standardisation Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.