GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy Exam Board: AQA

Syllabus Code(s) 8464

Contact: [email protected]
Course Tier Information:
Students are taught by two teachers over the two years, each will be a specialist in one of the three sciences.
They will share the third science between them.
Two tiers are available for this qualification, Foundation and Higher. The most appropriate tier will be decided
following discussions between your child and their science teacher. The content is the same for both tiers.
The qualification will be graded on a 17-point scale: 1–1 to 9–9 – where 9–9 is the best grade.
A student taking Foundation Tier assessments will be awarded a grade within the range of 1–1 to 5–5.
A student taking Higher Tier assessments will be awarded a grade within the range of 4–4 to 9–9.

Course Assessment:
There is no coursework for Combined Science. It is 100% based on examinations at the end of Year 11.
This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the
course. As all of the exams take place in the Summer term of Year 11 (May/June 2018), there are no opportunities
for resitting.

There are six papers: two Biology, two Chemistry and two Physics. Each of the papers will assess
knowledge and understanding from distinct topic areas. Each exam is 1 hour 15 minutes long, consists of 70
marks, is 16.7% of the GCSE and contains multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response
questions. The topics below refer to the examination board specification and NOT the Kerboodle textbook.

Biology Paper 1 assesses Biology topics 1–4: Biology Paper 2 assesses Biology topics 5–7
Chemistry Paper 1 assesses Chemistry topics 8-12: Chemistry Paper 2 assesses Chemistry topics 13-17
Physics Paper 1 assesses Physics topics 18-21: Physics Paper 2 assesses Physics topics 22-24

General Course Information:

There is a greater emphasis on application and maths skills questions in this course than the previous GCSE.
Students must learn 21 Physics equations off by heart.
Teachers will set Key Assessed Pieces (KAPs) which will be carried out under examination conditions or as
homeworks. The tests will contain cumulative questions that will be used to judge what has been committed to
students’ long-term memory. Please enquire regularly from your child when these are and ask to see the marked
test papers so you can be aware of how they are progressing.
There are a minimum of 21 Required Practicals which must be carried out and written up in Laboratory Books.
15% of the exams will draw on the knowledge and understanding that students have gained by carrying out these
practical activities.

Useful resources/ways to improve:

The three textbooks that we recommend are all published by Oxford University Press:
AQA Biology for Combined Science: Trilogy ISBN-13: 9780198359265
AQA Chemistry for Combined Science: Trilogy ISBN-13: 9780198359272
AQA Physics for Combined Science: Trilogy ISBN-13: 978019835928 9
These textbooks are available digitally (for free) at www.kerboodle.com and the department sells CGP revision
guides at a discounted rate.
We thoroughly recommend buying access to the online revision website, Tassomai (via Wisepay) which is a
proven to improve exam results.

Key Stage 4 Handbook 2019-2021 Highgate Wood School Page 25

COURSE OVERVIEW — COMBINED SCIENCE: Trilogy
YEAR 10
SEPT 2019 - JULY 2020 Topics (from Kerboodle) to be studied during the first year of the course.

Biology covered in Year 9 Chemistry covered in Year 9 Physics covered in Year 9

B1 Cell structure and transport C1 Atomic structure P1 Conservation and dissipation
B2 Cell division C2 The Periodic table of energy
Year 10 Year 10 P2 Energy transfer by heating
B3 Organisation and the C3 Structure and bonding Year 10
digestive system C4 Chemical calculations P3 Energy resources
B4 Organising animals and C5 Chemical changes P4 Electric circuits
plants C6 Electrolysis P5 Electricity in the home
B5 communicable disease C7 Energy changes P6 Molecules and matter
B6 Preventing and treating C8 Rates and equilibrium P7 Radioactivity
disease P8 Forces in balance
B7 Non-communicable diseases P9 Motion
B8 Photosynthesis P10 Force and motion
B9 Respiration P11 Force and pressure
Mock examination Mock examination Mock examination
preparation preparation preparation

YEAR 11
SEPT 2020 - JUNE 2021 Topics (from Kerboodle) to be studied during the second year of the course.
Biology Chemistry Physics
B10 The nervous system C9 Crude oils and fuels P12 Wave properties
B11 Hormonal coordination C10 Chemical analysis P13 Electromagnetic waves
B12 Reproduction C11 The Earth’s atmosphere P14 light
B13 Variation and evolution C12 The Earth’s resources P15 Electromagnetism
B14 Genetics and evolution
B15 Adaptations,
interdependence, and
competition
B16 Organising an ecosystem
B17 Biodiversity and ecosystems

Examination preparation Examination preparation

Examination preparation

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are
doing or learning to do.” Pele

Page 26 Key Stage 4 Handbook 2019-2021 Highgate Wood School

TRIPLE SCIENCE: GCSE Biology; GCSE Exam Board: AQA
Chemistry; GCSE Physics Syllabus Code(s) 8461 (Biology)
8462 (Chemistry)
8463 (Physics)
Contact: [email protected]

Course Tier Information:

Students are taught by subject specialists as three separate GCSEs. All triple science students will be entered for
the Higher tier. Grades will be awarded within the range of 4–4 to 9–9.
Course Assessment:
There is no coursework for Triple Science. It is 100% based on examinations at the end of Year 11.
This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all of their exams at the end of the
course. As all of the exams take place in the Summer term of Year 11 (May/June 2018), there are no opportunities
for resitting.

There are six papers: two Biology, two Chemistry and two Physics. Each of the papers will assess
knowledge and understanding from distinct topic areas. Each exam is 1 hour 45 minutes long, consists of 100
marks, is 50% of EACH GCSE and contains short answer and extended response questions. The topics below refer
to the examination board specification and NOT the Kerboodle textbook.

Biology Paper 1 assesses Biology topics 1–4: Biology Paper 2 assesses Biology topics 5–7
Chemistry Paper 1 assesses Chemistry topics 1-5: Chemistry Paper 2 assesses Chemistry topics 6-10
Physics Paper 1 assesses Physics topics 1-4: Physics Paper 2 assesses physics topics 5-8

General Course Information:

Triple science covers much of the same content as Combined Science: Trilogy. Some of the topics are extended
and there are additional topics such as Space Physics.
There is a greater emphasis on application and maths skills questions in this course than the previous GCSE.
Teachers will set Key Assessed Pieces (KAPs) which will be carried out under examination conditions or as
homeworks. The tests will contain cumulative questions will be used to judge what has been committed to
students’ long-term memory. Please enquire regularly from your child when these are and ask to see the marked
test papers so you can be aware of how they are progressing.
There are Required Practicals (10 for Biology; 8 for Chemistry; 9 for Physics) which must be carried out and
written up in Laboratory Books. 15% of the exams will draw on the knowledge and understanding that students
have gained by carrying out these practical activities.
Students must learn 23 Physics equations off by heart.

Useful resources/ways to improve:

The three textbooks that we recommend are all published by Oxford University Press:
AQA GCSE Biology Student Book (Third Edition) ISBN 978-0-19-835927-2
AQA GCSE Chemistry Student Book (Third Edition) ISBN 978-0-19-835927-2
AQA GCSE Physics Student Book (Third Edition) ISBN 978-0-19-835939-5
These textbooks are available digitally (for free) at www.kerboodle.com and the department sells CGP revision
guides at a discounted rate.
We thoroughly recommend buying access to the online revision website, Tassomai (via Wisepay) which is a
proven to improve exam results.

Key Stage 4 Handbook 2019-2021 Highgate Wood School Page 27

COURSE OVERVIEW — TRIPLE SCIENCE
YEAR 10
SEPT 2019 - JULY 2020 Topics (from Kerboodle) to be studied during the first year of the course.

Biology Chemistry Physics

Studied in Year 9 Studied in Year 9 Studied in Year 9
B1 Cell structure and transport C1 Atomic structure P1 Conservation and dissipation of
B2 Cell division C2 The Periodic table energy
Year 10 Year 10 P2 Energy transfer by heating
B3 Organisation and the digestive C3 Bonding, structure and matter Year 10
system C4 Chemical calculations P3 Energy resources
B4 Organising animals and plants C5 Chemical changes P4 Electric circuits
B5 Communicable disease C6 Electrolysis P5 Electricity in the home
B6 Preventing and treating disease C7 Energy changes P6 Molecules and matter
B7 Non-communicable diseases C8 The rate and extent of chemical P7 Radioactivity
B8 Photosynthesis change P8 Forces in balance
B9 Respiration P9 Motion
P10 Force and motion
Mock examination preparation
P11 Force and pressure
Mock examination preparation Mock examination preparation

YEAR 11
SEPT 2020 - JUNE 2021 Topics (from Kerboodle) to be studied during the second year of the course.
Biology Chemistry Physics

B10 The nervous system C9 Crude oils and fuels P12 Wave properties
B11 Hormonal coordination C10 Organic reactions P13 Electromagnetic waves
B12 Reproduction C11 Polymers P14 light
B13 Variation and evolution C12 Chemical analysis P15 Electromagnetism
B14 Genetics and evolution C13 Earth’s atmosphere P16 Space
B15 Adaptations, interdependence, C14 Earth’s resources
and competition
C15 Using resources
B16 Organising an ecosystem
B17 Biodiversity and ecosystems

Examination preparation Examination preparation

Examination preparation

“I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Pablo Picasso

Page 28 Key Stage 4 Handbook 2019-2021 Highgate Wood School