2015 A level qualification reform and what it means for Biology, Chemistry and Physics
Hello, I'm Damian; I'm a member of the Science team here at Pearson and I'd like to talk
to you about how we've been developing the new Edexcel A levels in Biology, Chemistry
and Physics, and tell you about some of the changes you'll see to these new specifications.
From our work with you as teachers, with universities and with the wider community involved in science
education, we're confident that our new qualifications have good quality science at their core, that
they're at the right level, and that they'll allow students to be stretched while developing
important scientific knowledge and skills.
As you may already know, the subject criteria for A level Biology, Chemistry and Physics
remain mostly the same, with only minor changes, such as the movement of some content from
AS to A level or vice versa. On top of that, we've taken advantage of the re-development
to make alterations that meet the feedback you've given us.
All Awarding Bodies have been asked to increase the emphasis given to the assessment of mathematical
skills within each Science A level, so we'll all have a minimum weighting for assessing
maths: 10% in Biology, 20% in Chemistry and 40% in Physics. This isn't too different from
the weighting of maths in our current A levels, but you may notice that questions now test
a wider range of maths skills, and to a slightly greater depth.
The two areas of greatest change affecting the new A levels for Biology, Chemistry and
Physics are: the nature of AS, and the assessment of practical skills.
From September 2015, AS will still exist, but as a stand-alone qualification. This means
that the new A level becomes a linear qualification with terminal exams covering the whole course,
rather than having a mixture of AS and A2 papers. It's important to note, however, that
our AS and A level specifications have been designed so that they are fully co-teachable
- with the AS content being identical to the first year of A level.
From conversations we've had with you, we know that changes to assessment are a concern:
you've told us that a shift away from modular A levels will affect some of your students;
as well as providing challenges for you in delivering the specification. One way we've
tried to ease the transition to linear assessment is with the design of our new question papers
for A level. So, our draft assessment model (which is subject to accreditation by Ofqual)
suggests three exam papers: two of them focused on particular topic areas, but with the third
being a more holistic exam that enables students to demonstrate their ability to draw together
everything you've taught them over the course. Our aim with this has been to ensure that
our new A levels continue to be accessible to students, but with an appropriate level
of stretch, and also that they keep pace with other international 16-19 qualifications.
You'll be aware that the assessment of practical skills in the new A levels has sparked much
debate. And it is a new system - or, at least, some aspects of it are! The new A levels in
Biology, Chemistry and Physics across all Awarding Body specifications will test practical
skills in two ways. Some skills will be assessed in written papers, so that the new A level
is 100% externally assessed; and other skills - the more 'hands-on' practical skills - will
form the basis of a separate 'practical competency' grade, awarded on the basis of your observations
of students' practical work. It's important to emphasise that these changes to practical
assessment shouldn't mean that the invaluable research, planning and scientific writing
skills that would have previously been nurtured though coursework will be lost. Absolutely
central to our specification support is that we'll provide guidance on how your students
can develop these skills throughout the course and the practical work that they undertake.
Assessing practical skills through written assessment is something we know can work very
well, because we use exactly this method in our International GCSE; and with the 'written
alternative to practical' which we offer to international schools within our current A
level.
Based on your feedback about how including 'core practicals' in our GCSE Science suite
helps set a minimum expectation of practical experience for students, we suggested there
should also be core practicals at A level. We're very pleased that this suggestion has
been incorporated across all Biology, Chemistry and Physics specifications. But you've also
told us that choice in practical work is important - we all have our personal favourite experiments!
- so we'll map the core practicals to the skills and techniques that each develops,
giving you the flexibility to replace one of our core practicals with one of your own,
that develops the same skills. And do add more practicals if you can, as all practical
work, including new core practicals, can count towards the skills needed to pass the practical
competency measure. Final arrangements for how this will be awarded haven't yet been
confirmed by Ofqual but, once they are, we'll support you in being confident to deliver
and assess this aspect of the new A levels.
Our aim during the development of new Edexcel A level Biology, Chemistry and Physics qualifications
has been to produce courses that will be excellent preparation - both for further study and
for the workplace - for the next generation of students. Absolutely central to our new
A levels are their suitability for you, as teachers, to deliver; and their ability to
engage and inspire your students. Achieving this has depended on so much invaluable input:
university panels who've helped us fully understand the skills and knowledge needed by students
of the future; student panels reminding us what it's like to sit exams; and, of course,
dedicated and aspirational science teachers. Your input - through phone interviews, centre
visits and focus groups - has shaped our new Biology, Chemistry and Physics A levels
and helped us make the right choices in content, in practical work and in assessment. We'd
like to thank you for working with us so far, and we hope these conversations will continue.
We look forward to hearing from you.