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WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Language & literature

English Language

Paper 1: 20th Century Literature reading and creative writing prose

How is it assessed?

  • Written Exam 1 hour 45 minutes
  • 40% of GCSE
  • Component 3 – Spoken Language Non-Exam assessment unweighted

Paper 2: 19th and 21st Century Non-Fiction Reading and Transactional/Persuasive writing

How is it assessed?

  • 2 hour Exam
  • 60% of GCSE

Paper 1: Shakespeare (Macbeth) and Poetry Anthology.

How is it assessed?

  • Written Exam: 2 hours
  • 40% of GCSE

Paper 2: Post 1914 Prose/Drama (An Inspector Calls), 19th Century Prose (Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde), Unseen Poetry.

How is it assessed?

    • 2 hour 30 minute exam
    • 60% of GCSE
English Language
  • ECGP GCSE English Language WJEC Eduqas Complete Revision & Practice
  • CGP GCSE English Language WJEC Eduqas Exam Practice Workbook
  • ‘An Inspector Calls’ – CGP text guide (WJEC/Eduqas)
  • ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ – CGP text guide (WJEC/Eduqas)
  • Poetry anthology – CGP poetry guide (WJEC/Eduqas)

By studying English Language & Literature, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  • Journalism
  • Teaching
  • Public Relations
  • Marketing
  • Publishing 
  • Copywriting
  • Archivist
  • Librarian

Edexcel GCSE Mathematics

100% Exam

Paper 1

What’s Assessed?

  1. Number
  2. Algebra
  3. Ratio, proportion and rates of change
  4. Geometry and measures
  5. Probability
  6. Statistics

How is it Assessed?

  • Written examination papers with a range of question types
  • No calculator is allowed
  • 1 hour and 30 minutes (both Foundation and Higher tier papers)
  • 80 marks available
  • 33.33% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s Assessed?

  1. Number
  2. Algebra
  3. Ratio, proportion and rates of change
  4. Geometry and measures
  5. Probability
  6. Statistics

 How is it Assessed?

  • Written examination papers with a range of question types
  • Calculator allowed
  • 1 hour and 30 minutes (both Foundation and Higher tier papers)
  • 80 marks available
  • 33.33% of GCSE

Paper 3

What’s Assessed?

  1. Number
  2. Algebra
  3. Ratio, proportion and rates of change
  4. Geometry and measures
  5. Probability
  6. Statistics

 How is it Assessed?

  • Written examination papers with a range of question types
  • No calculator is allowed
  • 1 hour and 30 minutes (both Foundation and Higher tier papers)
  • 80 marks available
  • 33.33% of GCSE

By studying GCSE Mathematics, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  • Administrative Roles: Many administrative and clerical positions require basic mathematical skills. Jobs such as administrative assistants, data entry clerks, and office support roles often involve tasks that require numerical competence, such as managing budgets, handling financial records, and processing data.
  • Retail Positions: In the retail sector, roles such as cashier, sales assistant, or inventory clerk may be suitable for individuals with GCSE Maths qualifications. These positions often involve handling transactions, managing inventory, and basic financial calculations.
  • Healthcare Support Roles: Some healthcare support roles, such as medical receptionist or healthcare assistant, may require basic mathematical skills. Individuals in these roles may need to schedule appointments, maintain records, and handle basic financial transactions. 
  • Apprenticeships and Entry-Level Technical Roles: Certain apprenticeships and entry-level technical positions in fields like construction, manufacturing, or IT may be accessible with a pass in GCSE Mathematics. These roles often involve practical applications of mathematical concepts, such as measurements, calculations, and problem-solving.

AQA GCSE Combined Science

100% Exam

Paper 1

What’s assessed?

Biology topics 1–4: Cell Biology; Organisation; Infection and response; and Bioenergetics.

 How it’s assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s assessed?

Biology topics 5–7: Homeostasis and response; Inheritance, variation and evolution; and Ecology.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

Paper 1

What’s assessed?

Chemistry topics 8–12: Atomic structure and the periodic table; Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter; Quantitative chemistry; Chemical changes; and Energy changes.

 How it’s assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 70 marks
  • 16.7% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s assessed?

Chemistry topics 13–17: The rate and extent of chemical change; Organic chemistry; Chemical analysis; Chemistry of the atmosphere; and Using resources. Questions in Paper 2 may draw on fundamental concepts and principles from Sections 5.1 to 5.3.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 70 marks
  • 16.7% of GCSE

Paper 1

What’s assessed?

Physics topics 18–21: Energy; Electricity; Particle model of matter; and Atomic structure.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 70 marks
  • 16.7% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s assessed?

Physics topics 22–24: Forces; Waves; and Magnetism and electromagnetism

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 70 marks
  • 16.7% of GCSE

  • Collins GCSE Grade 9-1 Revision – AQA GCSE 9-1 Combined Science Foundation All-in-One Complete Revision and Practice.

By studying GCSE Science, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

Forensic Scientist, Doctor, Nurse, Midwife, Teacher, Engineer, Biochemist, Mechanic, Veterinarian, Beautician

AQA GCSE biology

100% Exam

Paper 1

What’s assessed?

Biology topics 1–4: Cell Biology; Organisation; Infection and response; and Bioenergetics.

 How it’s assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s assessed?

Biology topics 5–7: Homeostasis and response; Inheritance, variation and evolution; and Ecology.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

By studying GCSE Biology, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  • Agronomist.
  • Arboricultural officer.
  • Beekeeper.
  • Biomedical scientist.
  • Dental nurse.
  • Ecologist.
  • Environmental consultant.
  • Food scientist.

AQA GCSE Chemistry

100% Exam

Paper 1

What’s assessed?

Chemistry topics 8–12: Atomic structure and the periodic table; Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter; Quantitative chemistry; Chemical changes; and Energy changes.

 How it’s assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s assessed?

Topics 6–10: The rate and extent of chemical change; Organic chemistry; Chemical analysis, Chemistry of the atmosphere; and Using resources.

Questions in Paper 2 may draw on fundamental concepts and principles from sections 4.1 to 4.3.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

By studying GCSE Chemistry, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  • Microbiologist.
  • Food scientist.
  • Laboratory technician.
  • Chemical engineer.
  • Forensic scientist.

AQA GCSE Physics

100% Exam

Paper 1

What’s assessed?

Physics topics 18–21: Energy; Electricity; Particle model of matter; and Atomic structure.

 How it’s assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s assessed?

Physics topics 18–21: Energy; Electricity; Particle model of matter; and Atomic structure.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Foundation and Higher Tier
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE

By studying GCSE Physics, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  • Engineering 
  • Architect
  • Building control officer 
  • Geoscientist
  • Nanotechnologist
  • Physicist

AQA GCSE Spanish

75% Written Exam, 25% Speaking Assessment

Paper 1 – Listening

What’s assessed?

Understanding and responding to spoken extracts comprising the defined vocabulary and grammar for each tier

Dictation of short, spoken extracts

How it’s assessed

  • Written exam: 35 minutes (Foundation tier), 45 minutes (Higher tier)
  • 40 marks (Foundation tier), 50 marks (Higher tier)
  • 25% of GCSE

Recording controlled by the invigilator with built-in repetitions and pauses.

Each exam includes 5 minutes’ reading time at the start of the question paper before the listening material is played and 2 minutes at the end of the recording for students to check their work.

Paper 2 – Speaking

What’s assessed?

Speaking using clear and comprehensible language to undertake a Role-play Carry out a Reading aloud task

Talk about visual stimuli

How it’s assessed

  • Non-exam assessment (NEA)
  • 7–9 minutes (Foundation tier) + 15 minutes’ supervised preparation time
  • 10–12 minutes (Higher tier) + 15 minutes’ supervised preparation time
  • 50 marks (for each of Foundation tier and Higher tier)
  • 25% of GCSE

Paper 3 – Reading

What’s assessed?

Understanding and responding to written texts which focus predominantly on the vocabulary and grammar at each tier

Inferring plausible meanings of single words when they are embedded in written sentences Translating from Spanish into English

How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 45 minutes (Foundation tier), 1 hour (Higher tier)
  • 50 marks (for each of Foundation tier and Higher tier)
  • 25% of GCSE

Paper 4 – Writing

What’s assessed?

Writing text in the language in a lexically and grammatically accurate way in response to simple and familiar stimuli

Translating from English into Spanish

How it’s assessed?

  • Written exam: 1 hour 10 minutes (Foundation tier), 1 hour 15 minutes (Higher tier)
  • 50 marks (for each of Foundation tier and Higher tier)
  • 25% of GCSE

By studying Spanish, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  •  Business
  •  Travel
  •  Law
  •  Teaching

Edexcel GCSE Geography

100% Exam

Paper 1

What’s Assessed?

  • River environments Coastal environments
  • Hazardous environments
  • Includes field work from one of these topics

How is it Assessed?

  • Written Exam 1 hr 10
  • 70 marks
  • 40% of GCSE

Paper 2

What’s Assessed?

  • Economic activity and energy Rural environments
  • Urban environments including fieldwork from one of these topics
  • Global issues (Fragile environments and climate change, Globalisation and migration, Development and human welfare)

How is it assessed?

  • Written Exam: 1 hr 45
  • 105 marks
  • 60% of GCSE

Revision Guide (GCSE 9-1 Geography Edexcel B second edition)

By studying Geography, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  •  Sustainability consultant
  •  Town and city planner
  •  Geospatial analyst
  •  Teacher
  •  Environmental consultant.
  •  Diplomatic service
  •  HM Forces
  •  Logistics/Transport planner
  •  Travel writer/Media
  •  Tourist adviser.

Edexcel GCSE History

100% Exam

Paper 1

What’s assessed?

  • Thematic study and historic environment
  • Medicine in Britain, c1250–present and The British sector of the Western Front, 1914–18: injuries, treatment and the trenches.

 How’s it assessed?

  • Written examination: 1 hour and 20 minutes
  • 30%* of the qualification
  • 52 marks (16 for the historic environment, 36 for the thematic study)

Paper 2

What’s assessed?

  • Period study and British depth study Early Elizabethan England, 1558–88.
  • Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91

How’s it assessed?

  • Written examination: 1 hour and 50 minutes
  • 40%* of the qualification
  • 64 marks (32 for the period study and 32 for the British depth study)

Paper 3

What’s assessed?

  • Modern depth study
  • Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39

 How’s it assessed?

  • Written examination: 1 hour and 30 minutes
  • 30%* of the qualification
  • 52 marks

By studying history, students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  •  Journalism
  •  Law
  •  Teaching
  •  Writer/author
  •  Editor

Eduqas GCSE Music

40% Exam, 60% Practical Assessment

Component 1 – Performing

What’s Assessed?

A minimum of two pieces, one of which must be an ensemble performance of at least one minute duration. The other piece(s) may be either solo and/or ensemble. One of the pieces performed must link to an area of study of the learner’s choice.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Total duration of performances: 4-6 minutes
  • Non-exam assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated
  • 30% of GCSE

Component 2 – Composing

What’s assessed?

Two compositions, one of which must be in response to a brief set by Eduqas.

Learners will choose one brief from a choice of four, each one linked to a different area of study. The briefs will be released during the first week of September in the academic year in which the assessment is to be taken.

The second composition is a free composition for which learners set their own brief.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Total duration of compositions: 3-6 minutes
  • Non-exam assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated
  • 30% of GCSE

Component 3 – Appraising

What’s assessed?

This component is assessed via a listening examination. Eight questions in total, two on each of the four areas of study.

  • Area of study 1: Musical Forms and Devices
  • Area of study 2: Music for Ensemble
  • Area of study 3: Film Music
  • Area of study 4: Popular Music

Two of the eight questions are based on extracts set by Eduqas.

How it’s assessed?

  • Written examination: 1 hour 15 minutes (approximately)
  • 40% of GCSE

By studying Music students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  •  Performer
  •  Composer
  •  Teacher / Educator 
  • Youth, adult and community Music Coordinator
  • Teaching/Private Tutoring

WJEC Eduqas GCSE Drama

40% Exam, 60% Practical Assessment

Component 1 – Devising Theatre

What’s Assessed?

Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of a piece of devised theatre using either the techniques of an influential theatre practitioner or a genre, in response to a stimulus set by WJEC.

 Learners must produce:

  • a realisation of their piece of devised theatre
  • a portfolio of supporting evidence
  • an evaluation of the final performance or design

 How it’s assessed?

  • Non-exam assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated
  • 40% of GCSE

Component 2 – Performing from a text

What’s assessed?

Learners will be assessed on either acting or design.

Learners study two extracts from the same performance text chosen by the centre. Learners participate in one performance using sections of text from both extracts

 How it’s assessed?

  • Non-exam assessment: externally assessed by a visiting examiner
  • 20% of GCSE

Component 3 – Interpreting Theatre

What’s assessed?

Section A: Set Text for assessment from 2024 onwards

A series of questions on one set text from a choice of seven:

  1. Macbeth William Shakespeare
  2. An Inspector Calls B. Priestley
  3. Find Me Olwen Wymark
  4. Noughts & Crosses Malorie Blackman, adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz
  5. Refugee Boy Benjamin Zephaniah
  6. I Love You Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die Mark Wheeller
  7. The IT Vivienne Franzmann

Section B: Live Theatre 

One question, from a choice of two, requiring analysis and evaluation of a given aspect of a live theatre production seen during the course.

 How it’s assessed?

  • Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • 40% of GCSE

https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/drama-gcse/#tab_pastpapers

By studying Performing Arts (Drama), students are able to progress onto future career pathways such as:

  • Performer
  • Choreographer
  •  Fitness Instructor 
  •  Arts Therapist and Support Officer
  • Youth, adult and community Theatre Coordinator
  • Teaching/Private Tutoring