How have schools organised the teaching of B2, C2 and P2 units, so that they can take advantage of tests in Nov, March and June?

At our school we have had to teach a particular set all of B2 (or C2 or P2) before Nov 13th! From Nov 14th the same set will be taught C2 and so on. This is not satisfactory - I don't like the idea of sets only receiving teaching in one area for such a concentrated time period. Am I missing something?

Whilst on the subject of delivering the teaching - has anyone been able to complete it??  As a teacher of the chemistry section, I can't believe how much I've had to cover since September. And with the shortage of sample papers I am very concerned about my student's chances. Any comments?

Hi,

I agree with what you're saying. We are going to teach all of B2, C2 and P2 before entering them which again is not ideal. We wanted to put them in for the tests in March but we will not have finished so it will have to be June.

Hi all,

 

I thought the new curriculum was streamlined? I have to do much more work. I've just about completed C2 and will start revision next week.

On exam papers, ive been told that CGP have practice papers which cover the modular tests, structured papers and IAA's.

 

Yahya 

Hi,

Im a bit messed up to, We have been teaching chemistry and physics to the year 11's since sept. But we are entering them only for the biology on the 22nd november. Most classes have been told to revise biology at home. I finish my second chem topic this week with two classes and have to start 2 biology units next week. And revise both in just two weeks. We have done up some study guides to use in class. I aint sure how the pupils will take it but it can be resat anyway.

 Only time will tell

Con

We have 6 teachers each teaching two topics.  Classes have two teachers at any one time during a cycle, with each teacher teaching them Biol, Chem or physics.  Classes thus get a mixture of two subjects at any one time.  We have ignored the exam in November as it is too early in the year.  The yr 11 will sit one of biol chem or physics in March and the other two in June.  It's not ideal but this seems to spread the three sciences out a bit over the year rather than potentially having A level students, in chemistry say, not having studied Chemistry for a year!

We have 7sets in Y11, with the top set being entered (hopefully) to do triple science (in double science time).  We started teaching the B2, C2 and P2 in the summer term and have continued through this term, having completed the first two topics in each subject.  Over a two week period our students have 10 hours of Science which is arranged by all students doing 3 hours of each subject.  Y11 are using the November exams for re-sits of Core Science.  The top set will do the Additional Science (all 3) in the March, with the rest of the year group doing all three exams in the Summer.

We have 5 classes in year 11 doing the 3 separate sciences on 12 hours per two weeks and 1 set doing Additional Science on 8 hours per two weeks.  Th separate science groups are all taught by the relevant specialists in 4 hours per two weeks whilst the Additional Science group are taught by a Physics teacher and a Biology teacher with Chemistry being divided between them.  Each Additional Science teacher sees the boys for 4 lessons in the two week period and teaches either their specialism or Chemistry, the aim being that the boys always are being taught two sciences.

GCSE Science teaching starts immediatley after the SATS exams.  The separate science groups sat the Science exams in March of Year 10 and will be sitting the Additional Science exams in March of Year 11 followed by the 'extension' papers in June of Year 11.  The Additional Science group sat the Science exam in June of Year 10 and will be sitting the Additional Science exams in June of Year 11.  Both groups are using the November exams for resits.  I am coming to the end of the Additional Science topics now and ideally would be able to enter the boys for that exam in January as it will be a long time to March.  We will be slowing progress down by doing some investigation work, useful for the Practical Skills Assessments, and some revision.  However, we will be teaching the extension material after Christmas and will have to stop this to prepare the boys for the Additional Science exams in March.