GCSE/IGCSE Level Subjects
Students aged 14-16 follow a full two-year programme leading to GCSE/IGCSE in up to 9 subjects chosen from a wide range. All students study the compulsory core of English Language, Mathematics, Art and Design, Sciences, Humanities and ICT with a full range of supporting courses and activities. Within this framework, students may choose up to seven subjects from the following: Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Design and Technology, English Literature, French, Geography, German, History, ICT, Latin, Music, Physics, Psychology and Spanish.
GCSEs are examined through a mixture of written papers, coursework assignments and, where appropriate, practical assessments. GCSEs are graded on a scale from A* (highest mark) to G (lowest mark) plus an ungraded U. Grades A*, A, B and C are considered to be acceptable pass grades for university entrance.
Padworth offers a number of IGCSE courses which is the international version of the GCSE as set by Edexcel and Cambridge. Coursework is always optional in IGCSE courses.
The range of GCSE and IGCSE courses on offer is constantly under review and new subjects are offered from time to time. Equally, it cannot be guaranteed that all the subjects listed will run in any particular year as this depends upon the number of students who wish to take them.
A one-year GCSE/IGCSE programme operates for older or re-sitting students where they have previously studied the subject.
GCSE ART AND DESIGNEXAM BOARD: AQA
GCSE Art is a practical course focusing on developing drawing, painting and some design skills.
Students will learn to draw and paint from observation and experiment with a range of media. Students will be encouraged to develop their own ideas and to produce a body of work on set and chosen themes. Students will also analyse work by other artists to help inform their own ideas.
Coursework - 3 projects based on topics such as:
- 3D project based on natural forms, e.g. plants or shells
- Batik project based on the theme of the sea or landscape
- Poster design project based on the theme of African or Chinese Art and produced using computer aided design.
Exam Unit - year 2
4 weeks preparation time. Preparation includes recording of ideas, analysing other artists, developing own ideas to create a final piece.
Exam - 10 hour practical exam in which students create a final piece.
GCSE ART AND DESIGN (GRAPHIC DESIGN)
Exam Board - AQA Specification 3203
Students will learn the basic principles of Graphic Design. They will study how images and text communicate, and learn Photoshop in order to realize final images.
Coursework is developed over five terms and encompasses computer graphics, illustration, advertising and packaging. Each student will complete 3 coursework projects for submission. The sixth term will involve a practical exam and guided preparation.
This course would benefit those students who are interested in a design career or would complement business studies and media studies.
EXAM BOARD: AQA Specification 3411
This single-award GCSE syllabus is completed in one academic year, so the pace of the course is very fast. Students would normally expect to complete this syllabus in two years. The course encourages and develops skills and qualities including hypothesis construction, informed prediction, experimental design, observation, safe use of scientific apparatus, analysis, evaluation, exam technique, study skills, aware ness of human effects and respect for all life and the world we live in.
Throughout the year there are practical laboratory-based experiments which complement the theoretical work and at the end of the summer term there is an opportunity to practice a variety of field-work techniques on-site in our extensive grounds and lake, or at a local designed Site of Special Scientific Interest, (a nature reserve).
Pre-requisites:
- Students should have completed the equivalent of Year 10 science before beginning this course.
- Because of the speed of the course, competence in written and spoken English is essential.
Students who cannot meet either criterion should take Padworth's GCSE(1) General Science course before joining this one.
The main topics studied include:-
Life processes and cell activity
Humans as organisms
Green Plants as organisms
Variation, Inheritance and Evolution
Living Things and their environment
Micro-organisms and disease in Humans
Biotechnology
Assessment:
The GCSE grade is determined by two written examinations taken in May and June. The one written paper (2 hours 15 mins duration) is worth 80% of the final grade.
The remaining 20% of the grade is assessed by coursework which must be submitted no later than the end of April.
All the questions are compulsory. Written papers have a variety of questions involving both short answer and extended prose response. Short answer questions comprise no more than 75% of the marks available for a paper. The paper contains questions concerning the applications and implications of science.
The "coursework" is an internally assessed collection of reports written by the student, on a number of practical investigations, (experiments). Under guidance, the students are normally required to plan and conduct individual investigations from which they obtain results, which they then analyse and evaluate. The coursework can be fun, but it is also a demanding activity that calls for independent thought and sound understanding of the topic.
GCSE BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
EXAM BOARD: AQA 3126
The course introduces students to various aspects of the world of business and encourages them to consider the impact of the business environment, workplace organisation, human resources management and effective communication in the running of the business.
Students will acquire useful practical skills in a wide range of computer applications in business contexts. These include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphs and desk top publishing.
The scheme of assessment comprises two components:-
Theory paper (33% of the marks)
Practical paper (67% of the marks)
EXAM BOARD: AQA 3421
This course is aimed at students with prior scientific experience wanting to gain a first qualification in chemistry. At Padworth college it is a one year course although often run as a two year course elsewhere. The speed of the course is fast so a good command of English, maths and scientific understanding are required.
Qualification
The AQA syllabus is followed and assessment is via coursework (worth 25% of final mark) and one terminal paper of 2 1/4 hours (worth 80% of the final mark). Two levels of terminal paper are accessible foundation leading to grades C-G and higher leading to grades A*-D
Syllabus
The course includes a comprehensive programme of study about materials and their properties, including classifying materials, changing materials and patterns of behaviour. Where possible this includes practically based study to lay the foundation for the coursework assessments.
Entry requirements
Students should have normally completed a KS3 programme of study or equivalent. All students should have good verbal and written English and good mathematical skills.
EXAM BOARD: AQA 4462
This is the first of the new suite of GCSE Science subjects to be introduced. It will lead onto a maximum of four more GCSEs available from Autumn 2007.
Qualification
This is an exciting new approach to the basics in science. It is science for the sustainable world and should captivate the students. We will follow the AQA syllabus with terminal examinations in the Summer term and practical assessments throughout the course. This course will be a prerequisite for science GCSE’s from Autumn 2007.
The scheme of assessment comprises two components: Investigative skills assessment which accounts for 25% of the marks and six multiple choice modules which account for 75% of the marks and which can be sat in March or June.
Syllabus
The programme of study includes the following topics: healthy eating, drug abuse, controlling infectious diseases, co-ordination and control, how people affect the planet, variation, evolution, adaptation to survival, crude oil, rocks and building, rocks and metals, products from oil, plant oils, the changing world, heat transfer, using energy, electrical energy, generating electricity, electromagnetic waves, radioactivity, and the origins of the Universe.
Pre-requisites
Students should be confident in their use of English and have studied Science and Mathematics to the equivalent of KS3 level.
GCSE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (RESISTANT MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY)
EXAM BOARD: AQA 3545
Aims
Students will learn how to design and make quality products using resistant materials, i.e. plastics, metals and wood. The course will involve:
Analysis and evaluation of products and processes
Tasks to develop and demonstrate techniques
Strategies for developing ideas, planning and producing products
Consideration of how past and present design and technology releveant to a designing and making context affects society
Recognising the moral, cultural and environmental issues inherent in design and technology
Assessment
Assessment is by examination (40% of marks) and coursework (60% of marks). The examination tests students on their knowledge and understanding of designing and making and the three main materials: metal, plastic and wood. The coursework consists of a project to design and produce a 3-dimensional product together with a concise design folder and/or the appropriate ICT evidence.
GCSE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (TEXTILES TECHNOLOGY) 3547
EXAM BOARD: AQA 3547
Aims
Students will develop a working knowledge of textiles materials and components and a basic knowledge of design principles and using design briefs. They will consider the products and processes involved in taking designs through to the manufacturing stage. The course will involve:
Understanding and knowledge of textile materials and components
Health and Safety issues
Analysis of products and processes
Awareness of appropriate manufacturing processes and techniques including CAD and CAM
Knowledge about the industrial and commercial environment
Processes involved in manufacturing for batch and mass production
Assessment
Assessment is by examination (40% of marks) and coursework (60% of marks). The examination tests students on the application of knowledge and understanding of textiles materials, components, processes and techniques. The evaluation of textiles products and commercial practices either using a fashion or furnishing approach.
The coursework consists of a project to design and produce using textiles together with a concise design folder and/or the appropriate ICT evidence.
EXAM BOARD: EDEXCEL: Specification 4355
This qualification is modelled and marked to the same standard as the UK GCSE English and is regarded as a first langugage qualification.
Study is based on an anthology of fiction and non-fiction texts which have been carefully chosen to extend the range of reading. Through studying these texts, students will learn about the conventions of different forms and styles of writing and can use these as models for their own writing. This approach has the added benefit of helping students to prepare for their final exams as they are assessed on both the anthology pieces they have studied, and their responses to unprepared reading materials.
Assessment
This qualification is assessed with a Foundation tier (grades C to G) or Higher tier (grades A* - D) available to suit students of different abilities.
Students can be entered for either coursework or for the exam alternative. Those choosing the coursework option are additionally required to submit two assessments to demonstrate their competence at speaking and listening and are assessed by the teacher.
EXAM BOARD: CAMBRIDGE Specification 0486
The syllabus is for those who enjoy reading, discussing and writing about literature. The course leads to two examination papers:
Paper 1 (2 hours 15 minutes) : Three texts are studied - poetry, prose and drama and students have to write an examination essay on each of their the set texts. They are allowed to take the unannotated texts into the examination room with them. This is worth 70% of the total marks, with each essay being equally weighted.
Paper 2: (1 hour 20 minutes) . This paper has two questions and students choose one on which to answer: either a previously unseen poem or a prose extract (from a novel or short story). The twenty minutes is reading and planning time. This paper is worth 30% of the total marks.
All essay questions encourage an informed personal response and an understanding of how a writer’s choice of words influences our understanding. Questions focus on:
Personal response, either directly or by implication
Knowledge of the texts through the use of close reference to details and the use of quotations to back up points made
Understanding of characters, relationships, situations and themes
Understanding of the writer’s intentions and methods and how we respond to their use of language.
The course develops a good balance of personal response and logical analysis, also enabling and encouraging you to appreciate the beauty and richness of the English Language, with its infinite variety. Additionally, if you wish to study English at A Level or beyond, it is a necessary foundation.
EXAM BOARD: EDEXCEL Specification 1226
The assessment scheme is based on four papers: listening, reading, oral and writing.
The language is normally approached via a series of topics which will include the following:
At home and abroad
Education, training and employment
House, home and daily routine
Media, entertainment and youth culture
Social activities, fitness and health.
The various skills- listening, reading, speaking and writing- are developed within the context of the topics mentioned. A variety of books, tapes, films will be used.
EXAM BOARD: CAMBRIDGE IGCSE 0460
The Cambridge IGCSE represents an eminently suitable course for students from a variety of international backgrounds. It covers ideas and case studies from different environments and countries around the world, so that material covered relates to some ideas and examples which students from overseas may be familiar with. In addition, it explores material new to most students, relating to Europe and the United Kingdom, so that progression is built in. It therefore provides a suitable foundation for AS and A2 Geography. The course can be covered in either one year or, more thoroughly, over two years. The one-year course is recommended only for students with an acceptable standard of English, as it is very intensive.
Geographical skills, including mapwork, graphs and other data presentation methods, are covered in the first term (or first half term for the one year course), which provide an essential basis for the rest of the course. We then move on to study physical geography topics, including tectonic processes and hazards (including an independent investigation into volcanoes OR earthquakes), weathering and erosion (including the work of the sea, rivers, glaciers and processes in deserts). This leads naturally into study of weather and climate, and then investigation of different ecosystems, including tropical rainforests, savanna, Mediterranean and western temperate environments (including the UK). At each stage, the effects of physical processes and hazards on human populations are considered.
The last third of the course encompasses human geography themes, including population distribution and structure, settlement patterns and processes, and economic activity (including agriculture, manufacturing industry and services). Finally, resource management, including tourism and world patterns of development, are considered.
Coursework is optional for the IGCSE, in practise it is not normally undertaken during the one-year course for time reasons, and instead paper 4 (alternative to coursework) is taken. In addition to mapwork skills and the independent study undertaken in the first term, students are introduced to techniques of data collection and analysis during the main course of study so that they are prepared for this paper. A variety of teaching resources, including IT investigations, photographs, videos and short field visits, are used to illustrate and reinforce class work.
There is no tier division to the IGCSE- all candidates select three questions from six in paper 1, all questions in paper 2, and in addition they take paper 4 - alternative to coursework. Higher calibre candidates are stretched by being able to give more extensive answers to some of the questions, while weaker candidates (with less developed English) are able to gain marks through numeracy, graphicacy and mapwork.
| Paper 1 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 45% |
| Paper 2 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 27.5% |
| Paper 4 (alternative to coursework) | 1 hour 45 minutes | 27.5% |
EXAM BOARD - EDEXCEL 1334 SYLLABUS A
History GCSE follows a genuinely international syllabus focusing on modern european and world history.
The core study theme of the course is the History of Europe from 1919-1989 and will cover the following topics.
World War I; Treaty of Versailles; League of Nations; Ways into World War II; Start of Cold War and causes; Cold War: End of Cold War (1989 Fall of "Russian Block); Germany 1919-1945 Weimar Republic; Rise of Nazis and Nazi Germany
The assessment comprises two written examination papers and two coursework assignments.
GCSE HISTORY SHORT COURSE
The GCSE History Short Course (Edexcel specification 3334) is a one-year course leading to a qualification equivalent to half a GCSE. The course covers two topics which examine the recent history of India and China. In addition, one piece of coursework is required.
GCSE BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
EXAM BOARD: AQA Specification 3126
The course introduces students to various aspects of the world of business and encourages them to consider the impact of the business environment, workplace organisation, human resources management and effective communication in the running of the business.
Students will acquire useful practical skills in a wide range of computer applications in business contexts. These include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphs and desk top publishing.
The scheme of assessment comprises two components:-
Theory paper (33% of the marks)
Practical paper (67% of the marks)
GCSE LATIN
EXAM BOARD: OCR Specification 1942
Latin GCSE can be offered by special arrangement if any student is keen to take it.
The purpose of this course is to enable students to acquire an understanding of classical civilisation, literature and language which have had a profound influence on modern societies. The course will develop a competence in the language, a reading competence and the ability to read and respond to literature in Latin.
Students will acquire a wide vocabulary, a detailed understanding of grammatical constructions and the ability to translate from and into Latin and must show a detailed knowledge and understanding of texts.
Based on original source materials, literature, inscriptions, painting, visits to museums and archeological sites, students will develop a knowledge of life in Roman times and the literature, history and the influence of the Romans on law, history and constitutions today. There are two main reasons for studying Latin. It is a discipline requiring the use of learning, logic and the ability to apply rules to a problem. The second reason is to learn of the history, literature and customs of the Greeks and Romans, which are the foundation of much of our culture.
EXAM BOARD: EDEXCEL SPECIFICATION 2540
There are two tiers of entry:
Foundation - Covering Grades C to G
Higher - Covering Grades A* to D
Most students are entered for the Higher tier.
Topics covered include number, statistics and probability, graphs, algebra, areas and volumes, trigonometry and geometry. Students are also encouraged to make use of their mathematical knowledge and skills in solving real-life problems and in investigating mathematical topics for themselves.
The terminal examinations are worth 80% and coursework tasks are worth 20% of the final mark.
There are two coursework tasks which are mathematical investigations carried out under normal supervised classroom conditions. One of these investigations must be of a statistical nature.
For students being examined from June 2008 onwards, there will be no coursework component and the assessment will be bsed on two final examination papers.
In addition, there is a one year course for A Level students who do not already have a GCSE or equivalent qualification which follows the International syllabus offered by Edexcel ICGSE 4400 offered at core level only. The topics covered are similar to the above but no coursework is involved and Grades C-G only may be attained.
EXAM BOARD: AQA 3451
The GCSE Physics course is a fast-paced academic and practical focused subject, giving an important depth of knowledge into an interesting and exciting area of study. The course is currently offered as a one year course where the students learn the entire syllabus in one academic year, completing coursework in the Spring term, ready to take the GCSE exam papers at the end of the Summer term.
GCSE Physics teaches a wide range of enthralling topics ranging from Atoms and Sub-Atomic Particles through to the Formation of Stars and the Future of the Universe. Along this journey from the smallest to the greatest, the course embraces Electricity and Magnetism, showing how motors, power-stations and circuits work; Light and Sound, demonstrating how to bend light and generate sound waves; Communications, involving radio transmission and satellite communications; and Forces and Motion, describing the physics relating to movement and acceleration of bodies.
The GCSE Physics course contains practical work in which the students are shown how to conduct safe and scientific experiments and investigations leading to an assessed coursework requiring the application of their knowledge to an original task. In addition to the coursework, the students are required to sit two written papers in the summer.
EXAM BOARD: EDEXCEL Specification 1246
The assessment scheme is based on three papers: listening, reading, oral and written coursework on two levels, Foundation and Higher.
The language is normally approached via a series of general topics which as follows:
At home and abroad
Education, training and employment
House, home and daily routine
Media, entertainment and youth culture
Social activities, fitness and health.
The various skills- listening, reading, speaking and writing- are developed within the context of the topics mentioned. A variety of books, tapes, films will be used.