AQA GCSE Science A

About this course

This is the new ‘core’ science A course.

Whether you’re following the new or the old course will depend on which year you are in and whether you are re-taking modules from last year. Make sure you know! 

There are two paths to AQA Science – Science A and Science B. They cover the same content, but in a different way, and the exams are organised differently.

Within Science A, there are two ways to study the content – route 1 and route 2. The topics are combined in different ways in the exam papers.

Make sure you know which route you are following – 1 or 2.

Exam dates for 2012

Exams are in January and June.

Route 1
Unit 1 (Biology): BL1FP and BL1HP -Thu Jan 12th; Thu, June 12th.
Unit 2 (Chemistry): CH1Fp and CH1Hp – Wed 18th Jan; Fri 15th June.
Unit 3 (Physics): PH1FP and PH1HP – Fri 20th Jan; Wed 20th June.

Route 2
Unit 5: SCA1FP and SCA1HP – Thu Jan 12th; Tues 12th June.
Unit 6: SCA2FP and SCA2HP – Wed 18th Jan; Fri 15th June.

Exam papers & other resources

From the AQA ScienceLab website:

On the resources page:

Exam papers and marking schemes – one set of specimen papers (it’s a new course, so there are no past papers)
Specification – Details of the course, its content and structure. The contents section can be used as a check-list to make sure you’ve covered all the topics. It’s a large file, so print it at your peril! Apart from the contents section and the course structure summary, the rest is mainly of interest to teachers.
Specimen examples of completed controlled assessment papers with examiners comments and advice.
Schemes of work – my favourite resource! Contains details of all topics along with learning outcomes, suggestions for homework, exam hints and tips and links to relevant websites.
Homework and lesson ideas – another great resource of questions and answers.
Assessing progress – a collection of worksheets testing knowledge of all the topics.

On the controlled assessment page – go here and then scroll to the bottom of the page for the following link:

Guide to quality of written communication – specimen examples of students descriptions of their tasts along with examiners comments and advice.
Glossary of terms – a list of words and phrases used in the controlled assessments. Essential!
Guide to command words – Examples of exam papers showing the use of command words, the mistakes students make, and advice on interpreting them correctly.

Course content

Biology

B1.1 Keeping healthy
B1.2 Nerves and hormones
B1.3 The use and abuse of drugs
B1.4 Interdependence and adaptation
B1.5 Energy and biomass in food chains
B1.6 Waste materials from plants and animals
B1.7 Genetic variation and its control
B1.8 Evolution

Chemistry

C1.1 The fundamental ideas in chemistry
C1.2 Limestone and building materials
C1.3 Metals and their uses
C1.4 Crude oil and fuels
C1.5 Other useful substances from crude oil
C1.6 Plant oils and their uses
C1.7 Changes in the Earth and its atmosphere

Physics

P1.1 The transfer of energy by heating processes and the factors that affect the rate at which that energy is transferred
P1.2 Energy and efficiency
P1.3 The usefulness of electrical appliances
P1.4 Methods we use to generate electricity
P1.5 The use of waves for communication and to provide evidence that the universe is expanding

Go to top

Study resources

Websites

BBC Bitesize

s-cool

…more to follow…

Support from me