Scheme of assessment
Find specimen assignments and mark schemes on our website at aqa.org.uk/science
Assessments for this specification are available on demand on the secure area of the website e-AQA.
Certification for this specification is available for the first time in June 2017 and then every June for the lifetime of the specification.
All materials are available in English only.
Aims and learning outcomes
Courses based on this specification should encourage students to:
- develop their interest in, and enthusiasm for, science
- develop a critical approach to scientific evidence and methods
- acquire and apply social skills, knowledge and understanding of working scientifically and its essential role
- acquire scientific skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for progression to further learning
- apply literacy, numeracy and information technology skills.
Assessment objectives
The assessment objectives (AOs) have been set by AQA.
- AO1: Show knowledge and understanding of science, and how it works, and
apply it where appropriate. Students should be able to:
- recall scientific facts
- apply scientific ideas.
- AO2: Demonstrate the ability to design an investigation, take
measurements, present data and identify patterns and relationships. Students should be able to:
- plan a simple investigation, identifying the techniques or equipment needed and the method to be followed
- make a simple prediction about the outcome of the investigation
- use equipment and materials safely to take simple measurements or observations that are meaningful and valid
- record the results in an appropriate way
- display the data using an appropriate method
- state what has been found out during the investigation (drawing a conclusion) and describe simple relationships in the data
- simply evaluate the investigation for its success in justifying the initial prediction.
Assessment objective weightings for ELC Science
| Assessment objectives (AOs) | Weightings (approx %) | Overall weighting (approx %) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher-devised assignments | Externally-set assignments | ||
| AO1 | 57 | 57 | |
| AO2 | 43 | 43 | |
| Overall weighting of components | 43 | 57 | 100 |
Requirements
Assessment is through completion of the Externally-set assigments (ESAs) and Teacher-devised assignments (TDAs). These can be taken at a time convenient to the school or college, and different students can be assessed on different occasions.
Single Award
Students should submit evidence for three components, with at least one chosen from Biology (components 1–2), Chemistry (components 3–4) and Physics (components 5–6). Students should submit three Externally-set assignments (ESAs) and three Teacher-devised assignments (TDAs). The ESAs and TDAs do not have to be from the same components.
Double Award
Students should submit evidence for all six components. Students should submit six Externally-set assignments (one each for components 1–6) and six Teacher-devised assignments (one each for components 1–6).
Externally-set assignments (ESA)
Students can take up to 45 minutes to complete an Externally-set assignment (ESA). The total maximum mark for each ESA is 20 marks. Students are not permitted to use reference materials when completing an ESA. The assignments must be completed under supervision (high control).
Any teacher assistance given should be limited to the use of strategies designed to improve accessibility such as:
- the explanation of terms or phrases used in tasks and questions where such an explanation does not, in itself, provide the information that the student must supply
- the provision of feedback in relation to inappropriate or inadequate answers given by the student where such feedback does not, in itself, provide the information that the student must supply.
All assignments will be marked by the teacher, in accordance with mark schemes and instructions provided by AQA, and will be subsequently moderated by AQA. Marks can be shared with students but all work must be retained by the teacher and kept secure until required for moderation.
The three (single award) or six (double award) ESAs have a weighting of 57% of the total mark.
Teacher-devised assignments (TDA)
The Teacher-devised assignments (TDAs) must be carried out under supervision (medium control). The assignments must be taken under conditions in which the teacher can authenticate that they are the student’s own work.
There is no set time limit for a TDA, and the maximum mark for a TDA is 15 marks. AQA will monitor contextualisation and teachers are encouraged to contact their appointed Coursework Advisers for queries regarding contextualisation, eg using washing powders to test effectiveness of enzymes.
The student’s work must be recorded and annotated by the teacher in accordance with instructions provided by AQA, and will be subsequently moderated by AQA.
Skill areas to be assessed for the Teacher-devised assignments (TDA)
The skill areas must be assessed by the teacher for each TDA.
These marking guidelines are generic. Additional guidance on how to relate these generic marking guidelines to particular investigations is given below.
All assignments must be taken under conditions in which the teacher can authenticate that they are the student’s own work. The student’s work must be recorded and annotated by the teacher in accordance with instructions provided by AQA, and will be subsequently moderated by AQA.
Skill area A – Experimental design
Clear annotation by the teacher is especially important in the case of ephemeral skills such as working safely and the ability to take readings from instruments.
| Entry Level 1 | Entry Level 2 | Entry Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 marks | 1 mark | 2 marks | 3 marks |
| Nothing worthy of credit |
Indicates how a problem can be investigated and identifies techniques or equipment that can be used to investigate the problem. |
Indicates how a problem can be investigated and identifies techniques or equipment that can be used to investigate the problem and describes the way in which techniques or equipment can be used to produce results. |
Indicates how a problem can be investigated and identifies techniques or equipment that can be used to investigate the problem and describes the way in which techniques or equipment can be used to produce results, eg by completing a flow chart for the method and makes a prediction about the outcome. |
| Additional guidance | eg by identifying the relevant variables or by selecting equipment from a list. | eg by completing a flow chart for the method. | eg by a statement such as 'I think that... will happen because...' |
Skill area B – Working safely and making measurements or observations
| Entry Level 1 | Entry Level 2 | Entry Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 marks | 1 mark | 2 marks | 3 marks |
|
Nothing worthy of credit |
Handles equipment and materials safely. |
Handles equipment and materials safely and uses equipment to make simple measurements or observations. |
Handles equipment and materials safely and uses equipment to make simple measurements or observations and shows recognition of the need for results to be meaningful. |
| Additional guidance | eg by wearing safety goggles when appropriate. | eg by using a microscope to draw a cell, or by correctly reading the display on a meter. | eg by checking and reporting measurements, or by carrying out repeats or calculating a mean, or by reference to control variables. |
Skill area C – Recording data
| Entry Level 1 | Entry Level 2 | Entry Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 marks | 1 mark | 2 marks | 3 marks |
|
Nothing worthy of credit |
Records the results of an experiment. |
Records the results of an experiment and uses a table or framework that has been provided. |
Records the results of an experiment and uses a table or framework that has been produced by the student. |
| Additional guidance | eg by writing down the results. | eg by filling in the data in a table that has been provided already complete with the correct headings and units. | eg by drawing a table in which the student has decided on the correct headings and units for each column in the table. |
Skill area D – Presenting data
| Entry Level 1 | Entry Level 2 | Entry Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 marks | 1 mark | 2 marks | 3 marks |
|
Nothing worthy of credit |
Selects an appropriate method of displaying the data, eg a bar chart, pie chart or line graph. |
Selects an appropriate method of displaying the data and displays the results using a framework that has been provided. |
Selects an appropriate method of displaying the data and displays the results using a framework that has been produced by the student. |
| Additional guidance | eg by selecting from a list the most appropriate method, such as the use of a bar chart for categoric data. | eg after selecting the most appropriate method, the student is provided with a blank graph in which the axes have been scaled and labelled, and is able to plot the data correctly. | eg the student can independently select the correct form of display, and can decide on suitable scales and labels for the axes of a graph or bar chart, and then correctly plot the data. |
Skill area E – Identifying patterns and relationships
| Entry Level 1 | Entry Level 2 | Entry Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 marks | 1 mark | 2 marks | 3 marks |
|
Nothing worthy of credit |
States simply what has been found out in the experiment. |
States what has been found out in the experiment and describes a simple relationship in the results or draws a simple conclusion. |
States what has been found out in the experiment and describes a simple relationship in the results or draws a simple conclusion and makes a relevant comment about the success or otherwise of the experiment. |
| Additional guidance | eg tea cools faster in a metal cup than it does in a plastic cup. | eg noticing that tea cools faster in a metal cup than it does in a plastic cup, leading to the conclusion that plastic is a better insulator than metal. | eg by referring to any anomalous results, or by stating that any repeats always gave the same value. |
Portfolio of work
At the end of the course students must submit a portfolio of work. This portfolio comprises a Candidate record form (CRF), the evidence from the Teacher-devised assignments (TDAs) and the Externally-set assignments (EDAs).
Single Award
The level of award for Entry Level Certificate Science will be determined at an AQA annual award meeting.
The final mark is aggregated from the marks for the three TDAs and three ESAs to give a total mark out of 105. The level of award (Entry 1, Entry 2 or Entry 3) will be based on the student's mark out of 105.
Students may still be awarded a certificate even if one or more of the components is not submitted. A score of zero must be entered for a missing component.
Double Award
The level of award for Entry Level Certificate Science will be determined at an AQA annual award meeting.
The final mark is aggregated from the marks for the six ESAs and six TDAs for the double award. This will give a total mark out of 210.
Students may still be awarded a certificate even if one or more of the components is not submitted. A score of zero must be entered for a missing component.
