ELC Science₅₉₆₀

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.

4.1 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.

4.2 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

4.3 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).

4.4 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.

4.5 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.

Skill area B – Working safely and making measurements or observations

Skill area C – Recording data

Skill area D – Presenting data

Skill area E – Identifying patterns and relationships

4.6 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.