additional applied science -...

GCSE in Additional Applied Science

GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION TYSTYSGRIF GYFFREDINOL ADDYSG UWCHRADD

Teacher Guidance

2007/2008

ADDITIONAL APPLIED SCIENCE


Contents

1. Administration 3

1.1 Entries 3

1.2 Mark sheets 3

1.3 Selection of sample of portfolios for moderation 4

1.4 Despatch of portfolios 5

1.5 Help and support 5

1.6 Important dates 6

2. Portfolio guidance 7

2.1 Steps to portfolio assessment 7

2.2 Assessment plan 8

2.3 Supervision of coursework 9

2.4 Presentation of portfolio 10

2.5 Types of portfolio evidence 11

2.6 Annotation of portfolio 12

2.7 Re-submission of portfolio 14

3. Guidelines for the assessment of Unit 1 portfolios 15

3.1 Working Safely in Science 15

3.2 Records of Practical Activities 17

3.3 Determining the ‘best fit’ mark 22

3.4 Obtaining the final mark for Unit 1 27

3.5 Incomplete Unit 1 portfolio 29

Appendices

A Portfolio Record Forms 32 B Risk Assessment Form 37 C Portfolio Guidance for Students 39 D Resources 41


GCSE Additional Applied Science Assessment Scheme

UNIT 1st Assessment

Subsequent assessment(s)

1 Summer 2008

Summer each year

2 Summer 2008

January 2009 and January and Summer each year

GCSE in Additional Applied Science 3

1. Administration

1.1 Entries

Unit Entry: A separate entry must be made for each individual unit attempted by candidates. This requirement applies to both the external test unit and to portfolio units. Cashing-in: For all candidates wishing to obtain an aggregated GCSE award in summer 2008, and subsequent exam series (Winter or Summer), a separate "cash in" entry is also required. The cash-in-code (680) should be entered alongside the individual unit entries. If a candidate has completed all the required units for a subject award but does not submit a cash-in entry, he/she may enter for the subject award at a subsequent series provided the specification is still available i.e. the following Winter or Summer exam series. Candidates will not be able to decline their final award. Re-sits: Candidates may re-sit each unit an unlimited number of times prior to certification; the highest mark counts. Candidates may, however, retake the qualification more than once. Individual unit results, prior to certification of the qualification, have a shelf-life limited only by the shelf-life of the specification when they are used to contribute to the qualification.

1.2 Mark sheets

Mark sheets for coursework are of three types:

(a) C Forms - Computerised mark sheets on which the total marks for all candidates are entered. These forms will be sent to centres in late April/early May.

(b) Portfolio Sample Mark Forms – Centre mark sheets on which the sample

selected for moderation must be listed, in rank order from highest to lowest. (c) Portfolio Cover Forms - Individual candidate mark sheets to accompany

each candidate's portfolio submitted for moderation. Portfolio Sample Mark Forms and Portfolio Cover Forms are included in the specifications and in this booklet as well as on the WJEC website - www.wjec.co.uk


1.3 Selection of sample of portfolios for moderation

The sample will be based on the overall rank order for the total entry. Marks for the sample must be recorded in rank order (beginning with the highest) on the Portfolio Sample Mark Form. The total number of candidates entered must also be indicated on the mark form.

The following formula must be applied when selecting the sample for moderation.

No. of candidates Work to be submitted (Numbers relate to rank

order)

1 - 10 All

11 - 19 1st and every second (1, 3, 5, 7 etc.)

20 - 29 1st and every third (1, 4, 7, 10 etc.)

30 - 59 1st and every fourth (1, 5, 9, 13 etc.)

60 - 99 1st and every fifth (1, 6, 11, 16 etc.)

100 - 199 1st and every tenth (1, 11, 21, 31 etc.) plus additional folders as necessary (reflecting spread of marks) to make a total sample of 20

200 - 299 1st and every fifteenth (1, 16, 31, 46 etc.) plus additional folders as necessary (reflecting spread of marks) to make a total sample of 20

Over 300 1st and every twentieth (1, 21, 41, 61 etc.) plus additional folders as necessary (reflecting spread of marks) to make a total sample of 20

In addition, the following points should be considered in selecting the sample:

(i) each teaching group should be represented; (ii) where there are several candidates on a particular mark these will count

towards the total number in calculating the rank order, but normally only one candidate's work on a particular mark will be submitted;

(iii) work submitted should where possible meet the full requirements of the

syllabus, i.e. incomplete coursework should not be included, but be replaced by that of the nearest candidate (either higher or lower) with complete coursework;

(iv) where appropriate, work in both English and Welsh should be submitted from bilingual centres.

Further samples of portfolios may be requested if this is considered necessary. Where moderation identifies significant problems in the initial marking, a second sample or all portfolios may be required.


1.4 Despatch of portfolios

The name and address of the moderator to whom portfolios must be sent will be provided in February for the summer examination series. The following should be included with the sample portfolios: (i) portfolio sample mark form (students in rank order, high to low); (ii) portfolio cover form for each portfolio submitted; (iii) Background Information File.

Centres must keep:

(i) a list of marks for entry on C Forms; (ii) a photocopy of the completed Portfolio Sample Mark Form.

Candidates should be advised not to include any items of real or sentimental value in portfolios, e.g. photographs, certificates, etc.

1.5 Help and support

Subject Officer (Alison George)

029 2026 5302 [email protected]

Admin Support Officer (Andrew Bevan)


INSET Section


Bookshop


GCSE Section


Entries Section


Switchboard

029 2026 5000

Web-site

www.wjec.co.uk

A free consultative moderation service is available to advise and support centres in the setting of assignments and marking of portfolios. Centres should consult the Subject Officer.


1.6 Important dates - programme of annual dates for 2007 - 2008.

Entry Form & Instructions for January entries late September 2007 (Winter series)

Preliminary Entry return for Summer series 10 October 2007 Submission of Entries for January unit 2 exam October 2008 (this is only available from January 2009) Entry Forms & Instructions for Summer series early December 2007 January Unit 2 examination January 2008 Entries for Summer Exams 1 February 2008 Results of January unit 2 exam March 2008 Final date for amended entries Summer series 31 March 2008 Submission of Moderation Sample (unit 1) 11 May 2008 Submission of Coursework C Forms 15 May 2008 Summer Unit 2 Examination 21 May 2008

A similar pattern of dates will be published in the WJEC booklet which is sent each year to Centres. For exact dates please check with your Examination Officer. Please Note:-

1. The correct entry codes for the two units are:

Unit 1: 681 Unit 2: 682

“Cash in” Code = 680 This code must be used when the UMS scores from the two units are totalled in order to obtain the Official GCSE Grade. Failure to use the code will delay the issuing of GCSE results until the next examination series i.e. from the Summer Series until the Winter Series, provided the specification is still available.


2. Portfolio guidance

2.1 Steps to portfolio assessment

1. Become familiar with the 'What you need to learn' section and with the assessment grid.

2. Prepare and deliver a teaching and learning programme to cover the

requirements of the 'What you need to learn' section. 3. Guide the students through the assessment grid:

- discuss the terms used to clarify meaning and depth; - outline resources and research required; - explain the kind of evidence expected and suggest ways of presenting

it; - set a target date for completion of the task; - provide an opportunity for questions from the class and from individual

students.

4. Provide continuing guidance and support to assist students in meeting the assessment requirements.

5. Supervise the preparation of portfolios (see section 2.4). 6. Collect in the work on the set target date. Stress that deadlines are an

important factor in the assessment process.

7. Assess the work against the criteria in the assessment evidence grid:

- check that it is the student's own work; - ensure that it meets the minimum requirement before proceeding; - establish the appropriate level of achievement and allocate a mark for

the task according to the criteria matched – see pages 22 – 23.

8. Return the work and provide feedback. Feedback should:

- relate directly to the assessment criteria; - be given in written and, where appropriate, oral form; - give reasons for the assessment decision; - include comments on strengths and weaknesses; - suggest how the student could improve his/her marks, providing a

resubmission date, if appropriate; - contain annotation to indicate where grading criteria have been met.

9. When all tasks are complete, the overall mark for the portfolio should be

reviewed against the mark/grade scale.

10. Where appropriate, participate in internal moderation exercises to help establish an assessment standard, particularly where several teachers are involved in assessing the work, or several classes are following this specification.


2.2 Assessment plan

The table below shows a possible assessment plan.

TERM UNIT 1 UNIT 2 YEAR 1

AUTUMN

SPRING

SUMMER

PORTFOLIO

EXAMINATION (available from January 2009) OR EXAMINATION

NOTE Unit 1 portfolios are submitted in May. Unit 2 examinations can be taken in January or Summer from June 2008.

All units can be taken an unlimited number of times prior to certification.


2.3 Supervision of coursework

With regard to the supervision of coursework, the Code of Practice published by the regulatory authorities states that:

• The awarding body must specify the conditions under which internally

assessed work can be undertaken. The specified conditions must facilitate the supervision and authentication of candidates' work by teachers and internal assessors. Where, because of the nature of the subject, the specification requires centre-based candidates to undertake some internally assessed activities outside their school or college, the awarding body must require that sufficient work takes place under direct supervision to allow the internal assessors concerned to authenticate each candidate's work with confidence.

• The awarding body must specify the degree to which candidates are

allowed to redraft their work prior to it being marked by the internal assessor.

• The awarding body must require internal assessors to record full details of

the nature of all assistance given to individual candidates that is beyond that of the teaching group as a whole, but within the parameters laid down by the specification. A record must be kept where the amount of assistance given varies between teaching groups. The awarding body must require internal assessors to take any assistance into account according to the awarding body’s instructions, when assessing candidates work.

• The awarding body must require internal assessors to provide a written

declaration for each candidate that confirms that: i. the candidate’s work was conducted under the conditions laid

down by the specification

ii they have authenticated the candidate’s work and are satisfied that the work produced is solely that of the candidate concerned.

• The awarding body must require centres to obtain from each candidate a

signed declaration that authenticates the coursework they produce as their own. A mark of zero, or absent, must be recorded if a candidate cannot provide confirmation of the authenticity of the coursework produced.

Students should be encouraged to write up coursework both within the school/college as well as at home. Working 'under supervision' is not the same as 'working under examination conditions'. It is important that the teacher is satisfied that any work submitted is the work of that student. This is equally true with group work, where the teacher must be able to identify the individual contributions of each student in order to give the appropriate credit to each individual student.


Teachers may comment on work in progress, and return it for re-drafting but comments must be made in such a way as to enable the candidate to take the initiative in developing the work further. Marks can only be awarded based on decisions made by the student and any advice given should only be of a general nature. It is inappropriate for directed advice to be given so that a student meets a specific statement and is then awarded that statement.

It must also be made clear to candidates that once the final portfolio has been submitted for assessment no further work may take place. Candidates are required to sign the portfolio cover sheet to confirm that the work is entirely their own, and the teacher countersigns that to the best of their knowledge this is the case. All candidates are required to sign the portfolio form, not only those in the moderation sample (please refer to Code of Practice on previous page).

2.4 Presentation of portfolios

The following procedures must be followed for the presentation of portfolios:

1. The portfolio cover form must be completed for unit 1 entries. 2. Any information or guidance given to the students must accompany the

portfolios. Where this is the same for all candidates, this can be provided in a file separate from the individual portfolios, otherwise details must be available for each student in the sample. This separate file is referred to as the “Background Information File”.

3. Portfolios should contain only the work used for awarding marks for the

assessment e.g. two assessments have been carried out in Sports Science but only one of them contributes a mark for the final total. The other assessment in Sports Science is not required for moderation.

4. The portfolio for each candidate must be arranged in the following

order:

a. cover sheet b. background information (see note 2 above) c. student's work in the same order as on the cover sheet.

Please note that for unit 1 there must be evidence in the portfolio for all three practical activities otherwise penalties apply.

5. Work submitted in the sample for moderation must be accessible, e.g.

contained in an envelope folder and not placed in a series of plastic wallets. 6. Any folder used must be clearly marked with the centre name and number,

and also the candidate name and number. 7. The portfolio sample form must be completed in rank order for the sample

sent for moderation, i.e. from the highest mark down to the lowest. 8. Candidates who score a mark of zero for the portfolio should not be part of

the moderation sample. 9. Whenever possible the portfolios with the lowest mark(s) should have

evidence in all assessment areas. Impoverished portfolios should only be submitted where there is no suitable alternative.


2.5 Types of portfolio evidence

Work presented for assessment may be varied and there is no requirement to provide portfolios which contain all the types of assessment evidence. Some suggested types and examples are:

Type Example Calculations BMI calculations Case study Sports Science Charts Forensic Science Drawings Hazards and risks E-mails and letters Working Safely in Science Graphs Sports Science Interview Working Safely in Science Photographs Forensic Science Plan Sports science Questionnaire Working Safely in Science Record of visit Working Safely in Science Record of visiting speaker Working Safely in Science Report Working Safely in Science Schedule Sports Science Spreadsheets Forensic Science Survey Working Safely in Science Tables Sports Science Witness statements Follow instructions


2.6 Annotation of portfolios

With regard to the annotation of students' work, the Code of Practice published by the regulatory authorities states that: • The awarding body must require internal assessors to show clearly how

credit has been assigned in relation to the criteria defined in the specification. Internal assessments must indicate where quality of written communication will be assessed, where this is appropriate. The awarding body must provide guidance on how this is to be done.

All work submitted for moderation must be annotated. The need for annotation cannot be over emphasised as it:

• helps the moderator to understand how and where marks for each

assessment criteria have been awarded; • assists the moderator in understanding how a particular assessment was

arrived at, especially where the evidence is not straightforward; • can be used to indicate where help has been provided and what degree of

help was needed, which may not be immediately apparent from the evidence presented.

Annotation should show fully: • what guidance (if any) has been given; • any ephemeral evidence provided by the student to the teacher in order to

justify the award of a particular statement; however written evidence by the student is required in most situations particularly in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th bands.

• those areas of the work that provided the evidence for the award of a

particular statement. Any information or guidance given to students must accompany the work when submitted for moderation, usually in the Background Information File. When secondary evidence is used, students must quote the appropriate references. In order to keep the marking of coursework within sensible and practical limits for the internal assessors, it has been decided to adopt a coding system similar to that used with the WJEC GCSE Applied Science (Double) specification. The use of a centre-devised annotation scheme is not acceptable as both teachers and moderators are trained to recognise standards acceptable for the published criteria. Reference to the criteria descriptions should be made using the codes, e.g. P1a, O3b, etc as printed on the assessment grids on pages 24-27 for unit 1 (pages 31 to 33 of the specification).


The assessment grids give the criteria descriptions in four bands, from the lower band, notional grades G & F, to the higher bands, notional grades A, A*. Within each band there are usually 2 or more criteria descriptions and each has been assigned a unique code. Criteria descriptions in the lowest or first band are coded as x1a or x1b, descriptions in the second band as x2a or x2b, likewise in the third and fourth bands, 'x' being the letter code of the particular assessment grid. The use of codes on the student's work will assist with both internal and external standardisation. It should also make annotation simpler and less time consuming.

Unit 1 Coding (a) Working Safely S1a, S1b, S1c, S2a, S2b, S2c to S4c (b) Planning P1a, P1b, to P4b (c) Obtaining and recording O1a, O1b, to O4b (d) Analysing A1a, A1b to A4b (e) Evaluating E1a, E2a to E4b

The code(s) should be written in the left hand margin at the point where the internal assessor considers that the statement has been fully satisfied. Further clarification can be added if the assessor considers it helpful, e.g. P3b – complex (extended), guidance needed. Where it is not possible for there to be written or other physical evidence, e.g. when assessing the candidate's ability to carry out a task, the codes awarded should be written at the top of the first page of the report. It is very helpful where a summary of all criteria awarded is given on the front page (cover) of the report – this is shown in exemplar material. Obtaining the mark for a skill area The criteria are arranged in bands and there are often 2 or more criteria within a particular band. The criteria statements are either met in full or not met at all; partial matching is not acceptable. When a statement has been awarded the coding should then be written in the margin at the point where the statement has been fully matched. The criteria tables show the range of marks available within each band. Where all the criteria descriptions in a particular band have been met, then the mark awarded should be at the top of that band, where only one criteria has been met then the mark is at the bottom, and 2 out of 3 criteria would place the student midway in the permitted range.


In the few instances where there is only one criteria statement e.g. A.1a, then there is no choice of mark, and only a single mark is printed in the criteria table; in this instance A.1a = 5 marks. When the portfolio work is being assessed for one of the assessment skill areas, e.g. obtaining and recording scientific data (skill O), all the assessment criteria awarded for that skill area can only come from that piece of practical work. The final mark for skill O cannot be obtained from more than one piece of practical work, or from across the topic areas. There is progression through all of these skills and students will need help and feedback with their work, especially in the early stages of the course. Their work should show some progression as they become more familiar with the requirements and so develop their practical skills. Portfolio Record Forms

When assessing students' work, the Portfolio Record Forms (Appendix A, page 36) may be used to record criteria which have been met. This is optional and is NOT a requirement. For each task, e.g. Working Safely in Science, only one of a group of criteria, e.g. S1a, S2a, S3a, S4a, needs to be ticked as these criteria are hierarchical - the higher criteria subsume the lower ones. However in the early stages in delivering the course, teachers may find it easier to start from the lowest band and to work upwards through the tiers. As teachers become more conversant both with teaching the course and the assessment criteria, the marking could begin at the second or third band as appropriate.

2.7 Re-submission of portfolios

Students may re-sit each unit an unlimited number of times prior to certification. Students may, however, retake the qualification more than once. Individual unit results, prior to certification of the qualification have a shelf-life limited only by the shelf-life of the specification when they are used to contribute to the qualification. Following cash-in, the grades awarded cannot be rescinded (unlike as at GCE); if in any doubt please contact the Subject Officer.

It is expected that any drafting or reviewing will have taken place during the time leading up to the initial submission of the portfolio. When a portfolio is being resubmitted it is expected either that a new piece of work will have been added which was missing from the initial submission (penalties would have been applied) or that a different practical has replaced work on a specific topic. It is therefore expected that either a different practical exercise has been done and/or a completed practical has replaced an incomplete one – the portfolio for re-submission should not consist of the identical practical work as originally submitted.


3. Guidelines for the Assessment of Unit 1 Portfolios

3.1 Working Safely in Science The candidate has to prepare a report of an investigation carried out into working safely in science. It is important that this report covers each of the three sections in the specification:

1.1 Hazards and risks; 1.2 First Aid; 1.3 Fire prevention.

The expected coverage for each of the three sections (aspects) is clearly indicated on pages 9 – 10 in the specification

The mark given for the report is based on the teachers' judgement about which of the four levels of achievement shown in the assessment grid (page 24) best fits the work. In doing this the following aspects should be considered: • Has the candidate just met one of the criteria for a particular level of

achievement (in which case the candidate should be awarded a mark at the bottom of that band) or met all the criteria comfortably (in which case a mark should be awarded at the top of the band)?

• Is achievement consistent, or variable? For example, work which shows a

very limited and simplistic understanding of safety and only covers one or two of the sections in the specification would only provide evidence for the G/F band rather than for E/D. At the same time, it is important to note that the volume of evidence per se should not unduly influence assessment. The excess use of ‘cut and paste’ activities would restrict the candidate to the lowest band.

• Is the quality and standard of the work consistent with the level shown in the criteria grids? For example a C grade candidate would be expected to achieve a mark equal to that at the bottom of the third band.

In assessing work it is expected that there will be a progressive improvement in the quality of the work from one level (band) to the next higher level, and continuing upwards throughout the assessment grid. This evidence for the level of achievement can be demonstrated by: • the range of sources that have been identified and evidence from them

has actually been used within the report; • clear reasons given as to why these sources were chosen and how useful

they were; • the breadth and depth of understanding displayed for the report as a

whole; • the degree of coverage for each aspect as on pages 9-10 in the specification;


• the evidence has been well organised, is set out clearly, and is explained coherently;

• the report has clear vocational links which are relevant and have been explained fully.

The relevance of health and safety, particularly in relation to hazards and risks in the workplace, is reinforced if students have the opportunity to visit a local organisation. Students should be encouraged to consider ways in which working practices are governed by the need to prevent accidents and also what emergency procedures should be followed after any accident. This will be demonstrated in risk assessments and assessed in each of the three practical reports. A checklist of the aspects which should be covered in the report is provided for students in Appendix C. This is intended as guidance for students and for teachers to use when assessing the work, and is a brief summary of the work expected. The full coverage is given in the specification. Even if all aspects appear to be covered, some consideration as to depth and detail of treatment is essential as exemplified by the notional grades given in the criteria grids.

The report is a separate piece of work from the exercises used in teaching the topic to the class/group. The use of photocopies of students' lesson notes does not allow the student to display any individual input into their report. Similarly the use of worksheets may be suitable for the weakest students but would restrict the marks awarded to the bottom band in the assessment grid. The following factors are used to discriminate between candidates' performance, particularly for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th bands.

(a) Range of resources

S.1a The use of 2 sources can be accepted even if no list has been given. S.2a A list of 4 sources including both paper and other sources is expected. Paper

sources should include standard information such as title, author, publisher (ISBN/ISSN number as appropriate). Websites should provide more information than just the home page address.

S.3a More than 4 sources have been used (as in S.2a) and a clear indication of

why they were chosen has been given together with a recommendation for their usefulness or otherwise.

S.4a At least 6 different sources drawn from paper, electronic and vocational

visit(s). It is implicit that S.3a has already been met, the quality of the report is at a very high level, and that a detailed explanation of the choice and a detailed evaluation of the usefulness of each source is provided.


(b) Detail / breadth / depth of treatment

There are two separate areas of assessment in this section:

• Firstly consideration is given to the overall quality and depth of understanding shown in what has been written;

• Secondly, the degree of completeness is assessed for each of the three

aspects. Consequently a report with little breadth of coverage in the criteria S1c, S2c etc could be considered for the S1b, S2b criteria; the ‘b’ statements.

S.1b A basic understanding – many areas of the three topics have been omitted or

dealt with very cursorily. The work may be entirely made up from completed worksheets and similar exercises such as ‘cut and paste’. This statement is based on the overall report submitted.

S.1c Only one aspect of the report has been covered completely. This is likely to

be awarded for a thorough report on either first aid or fire precautions – reference should be made to the bullet points in the specification, pages 9-10.

S.2b Most aspects covered and the candidates show in their own words that they

have an understanding of the issues. There may well be gaps in their reports – see comments made on S.2c following.

S.2c This doubles up on S.1c i.e. two aspects of the report have been covered

completely – this is most likely to be ‘first aid’ and ‘fire’. S.3b All three topics have been covered, no gaps are evident and there is a

reasonable amount of detail in the report. S.3c The three aspects have all been covered completely. Please note comments for S.4b and S.4c. S.4b The report is extremely well presented. The candidate has used several case

studies, and/or visits to workplaces as extra sources to increase the breadth of the report. They have shown clearly how the various aspects of safety are actually used in ‘scientific workplace(s)’.

The whole report is easy to follow and all the work is clear and coherent showing a high level of understanding as well as of presentation skills.

S.4c A very thorough report covering all aspects and to such a depth that nothing

has been left out. Detailed understanding of the various issues is evident throughout the whole report.


3.2 Records of Practical Activities

The portfolio requirements are given on page 14 of the specification. It is implicit in the title of this unit that scientific skills are being developed. At the start of this course candidates will have some practical skills but they may not be developed sufficiently to enable them to display high levels of risk assessing, planning, obtaining and recording results, analysing and evaluating their work. The teaching process allows the candidates to produce work, receive feedback from their teacher and so learn by their mistakes – teachers are encouraged to use this approach. As the course progresses; the skills demonstrated in the work should improve and it would therefore be expected that some candidates may well progress through the bands, that is, from level 1 to level 2, 2 to 3 and possibly 3 to 4. The use of feedback cannot be over emphasised in this developmental process.

As skills are being developed, the best fit principle is used to award marks. The expectation that high levels of achievement are demonstrated in all tasks is unlikely in practice because some of the practical activities may be less demanding than others. These may involve limited risk assessments, restricted result taking, little scope for detailed analysis or graph drawing, etc. Further advice on complex (extended) procedures is given on page 19 of this booklet. It is not necessary for candidates to show each of the skills in every piece of work completed for the portfolio. Candidates should be guided as to which skills they will be required to demonstrate, or are more appropriate, for a particular piece of work. Candidates should be assessed on each of the skills more than once but only the best mark will be used for the final assessment of this unit.

Each of the three practical activities (see page 10 of the specification) should be in a vocational context. Each activity will be awarded marks in the four skill areas (b), (c), (d) and (e), using the assessment grids. The marks awarded for each activity should be recorded on the Unit 1 Portfolio Cover Form (see Appendix A). Details on determining the 'best fit' mark and the total mark for these skills are given on pages 22 and 28.

When any of these activities are being assessed it is important to consider:

• the breadth and depth of scientific knowledge and understanding; • the ability to plan an activity safely; • the ability to organise equipment and carry out practical work correctly and

safely; • the ability to collect, record, analyse and evaluate practical work; • the ability to draw suitable graphs.

Having established the appropriate level of achievement, a specific mark must be allocated within each band using the assessment grids on pages 30 to 32 of the specification. These are copied for reference on pages 24 to 27 of this guidance booklet and further details on the assessment criteria is given from page 19.


Assessment of practical skills

Skill (b) Risk assessments, following standard procedures, using appropriate equipment

Risk assessments. These should be carried out for each activity and be sufficiently detailed, sensible and thorough. All aspects should have been considered, suitable precautions taken and emergency procedures should be sound and appropriate. A sample risk assessment form is provided in Appendix B. It has been constructed so that there is sufficient space for students to give as much detail as they consider is appropriate. Risk assessments should be produced for each activity undertaken by the student. Access to all the criteria from P.1a to P.4a inclusive should be possible, and familiarity with the process together with constructive feedback should enable students to improve during the course. The use of a partially completed risk assessment form e.g. with the chemicals or procedures already written in the first column, would restrict the marks for that candidate to P.1a; the lowest band for this part of their assessment. For P.2a it is expected that the candidate has completed all of the columns themselves, the responses are reasonably correct without significant errors or omissions. Suggestions such as ‘tell the teacher’ for all activities would also restrict the marks available as would vague comments about the ‘hazard’, the ‘risk’ or ‘precautions’. The responses for P.3a are more likely to be linked to the extended (complex) procedure. For example, with titrations not only are the chemicals identified correctly, with correct referencing to the appropriate strengths of solutions being used, but also the difficulties in manipulating the apparatus are covered including the safety aspects of filling and using the apparatus. The emphasis on the assessment is on the candidate producing a thorough, sensible and comprehensive risk assessment. A simple, brief and/or incomplete risk assessment even though it may be entirely the candidates own work, may well restrict this part of the assessment to the second or even the lowest band. Following standard procedures It is recommended that simple procedures are carried out initially so that students build up confidence and competence. More complex (extended) procedures allow assessment at the higher bands and it is not satisfactory to award criteria in the higher bands for practical work which is simple. The term ‘complex’ or ‘extended’ is used as a term for practical work which, by its inherent difficulty, sophistication and extended approach, is at such a high level that though an A/A* student is able to carry it all out successfully, a C/B student would require some assistance to do the work, and students below this level would find it almost impossible to make any satisfactory progress. Consequently all the fourth band criteria are restricted to complex (extended) procedures as it is considered that it will mainly be the A/A* students who would reach that level of competence i.e. would act as a discriminator between C/B and A/A* students. The more traditional practical activities allow access to all levels up to and including the third band in skills O, A and E. Complex type practical work includes several inter-related procedures to help candidates produce a detailed/thorough analysis of the problem that they are solving/investigating.


Details of procedures carried out must be included in the Background Information File sent with the portfolios for moderation. This will be returned at the end of the moderation process and can therefore be amended as required for the next portfolio assessments. Using appropriate equipment To enable students to produce results with a high degree of accuracy and precision, it is essential that they have the opportunity to handle appropriate laboratory equipment, and to use it correctly and safely. This may be part of the complex nature of the practical activity. Skill (c) Obtaining and recording data Students should be encouraged to record all data in tables which are clearly labelled with both the quantity and the units (either in the column heading or within the body of the table). A table which has been provided for the student e.g. in a worksheet which already has the quantity and units completed, would restrict the student to the lowest band. In order to provide evidence for achievement in the second band and above, students must be able to construct their own tables unaided, and include the quantity and the also the appropriate units (these can either be in the heading or in the body of the table). Accurate readings should reflect the appropriate use of equipment used, e.g. a voltmeter used to record p.d. of 1V would be a simple reading, but 1.0V or 1.00V would show greater accuracy especially as most voltmeters allow the measurement of more significant figures. This principle also applies to ammeters and multi-meters. Care is needed when timing with a stopwatch as 2mins 30secs (or 2:30 mins) is NOT the same as 2.30mins. In awarding O.2b, a simple graph would be a bar/pie chart or a point-to-point graph, or a poor line of best fit. For O.3b, lines of best fit should be clear with a title, axes labelled including units, suitable scales chosen and an appropriate line drawn - a straight line or a smooth curve. ICT may be used in producing graphs and charts.

• O.1a Make simple observations or measurements Any simple observation or measurement is acceptable. • O.1b Record the observation or measurement Any simple drawing, diagram or measurement is produced. • O.2a Make careful measurements. The measurements taken have been taken with care. • O.2b Record them in a table and draw a simple graph/bar chart The measurements have been recorded in their own table

complete with headings and units. A simple chart has then been produced for this data.

• O.3a Make careful and accurate measurements. All measurements have been taken with care and are as

accurate as possible for the equipment used.


• O.3b Record results in tables and graphs, using lines of best fit as appropriate to the pattern of data collected.

The emphasis here is on the suitability of the graph. The standard of the table and results has been assessed in O.2b, which is extended by the quality of the graph – see comments in the paragraphs above. A graph which fails to meet the more stringent requirements of O.3b, can be considered as part of awarding O.2b.

• O.4a Make careful and accurate measurements in complex / extended

tasks. • O.4b Repeat measurements to obtain a good range of data in extended

tasks. Students should have the opportunity to repeat a procedure,

particularly in a complex practical task, in order to improve accuracy and reliability. Evidence for this is part of the demand required in the task in order to achieve O.4b.

Skill (d) Analysis

The quality, standard and thoroughness of the responses are the defining features when assessing this skill. There is a progression in standards of responses in the explanations;

• A.1a Offer simple explanations of findings. The response is very brief and simplistic.

• A.2a Offer clear explanations of findings. A clear, correct and sensible description of several sentences is

given.

• A.3a Identify and explain patterns within the data. Patterns in the data have been identified and have been

explained both clearly and correctly.

• A.3b Draw conclusions which are consistent with the data. Overall conclusions have been made based on the evidence or

on the data presented in a graphical format. All statements made must be consistent with the data obtained.

• A.4a Data has been manipulated, i.e. some detailed processing has taken

place, statistical or otherwise; and then has been used to make detailed conclusions in a extended task. This is seen as a very high quality and detailed response.

• A.4b Identify and explain relationships between the variables in complex tasks. The procedure followed must have been an “extended” one.

This is likely to be linked with A.4a where the actual processed data has then been used to explain a relationship linked to the complex task undertaken. The response would be expected to build upon the candidates responses for A.3a and A.3b – both of which must be awarded before consideration is given to A.4b.


Skill (e) Evaluation

A similar progression exists for the evaluation, from simple, to clear and then to detailed as described above in the analysis section.

• E1a A simple evaluation has been given of the practical procedure or of

the results obtained.

• E2a A clear coherent evaluation has been given on both the practical procedure and the results obtained. The term ‘results’ can refer to either observations or measurements as appropriate to the practical activity.

• E.3a The evaluation is detailed and shows some insight into the procedures

and practical problems encountered.

• E.3b A clear detailed explanation shows how the quality of the results could be improved.

The fourth band requires an extended practical procedure to have been followed.

3.3 Determining the ‘best fit’ mark

The practical work is first assessed against the criteria given in the following criteria tables. Advice on the meaning of these criteria has been provided previously in this booklet on pages 15 to 22 inclusive. The criteria have been arranged in bands and there is a hierarchical structure e.g. O.1a is the lowest level achievement, which then leads to O.2a, then to O.3a and finally to O.4a. Criteria O.1a should be matched before considering a match to O.2a – similarly O.2a should be matched before O.3a. It is recommended that teachers ‘new’ to this scheme start at the lowest level and work upwards. With experience it should be possible to start at the second or third level especially for the better students. At any one level all the criteria have to be matched before a mark or criteria can be credited at the next level. A criteria statement is either met in full or not at all. Within each band or level each criteria is of equal worth e.g. O.1a is equal to O.1b, so that if either one of these is matched then the awarded mark will be at the bottom of the given mark range. In this case 4 marks are given as the range is 4 – 7. When both criteria have been matched the mark is at the top of the range, so O.1a and O.1b would get 7 marks. Consideration can then given for the second band criteria, so either O.2a or O.2b would get the mark of 10, with both the mark would be 13 (top of the given range). A further award of either O.3a or O.3b would put the mark at the bottom of the third band, 16 marks, and both O.3a and O.3b for 19 marks. The only permitted marks for this skill area would then be 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22 or 25. Intermediate marks are not awarded as criteria are either met in full or not at all. In any skill area, as in the example in ‘obtaining and recording’ above, the evidence must come from the same practical task in one of the areas such as Forensic Science, and not from two or three of the topic areas.


When there are three criteria statements in a band/level, then any criteria matched would be the lowest mark, all three would be at the top, and therefore any two would be at the midpoint. In the Working Safely in Science report S.1a only would be 3 marks, all three S.1a/b/c = 7 marks, and therefore any two = 5 marks. Again intermediate marks of 4 and 6 would not be awarded.

The portfolio should include: (a) a report of an investigation carried out into working safely in science. [25]

Levels of Achievement Marks Notional grades

S1a Carry out research into working safely in science, using two sources of information.

S1b Show a basic (limited) understanding of the issues researched. S1c Covers one aspect of working safely completely.

3-7 G, F

S2a Carry out research into working safely in science, using at least four sources of information.

S2b Show a good understanding of the issues researched. S2c Covers two aspects of working safely completely.

9-13 E, D

S3a Carry out research into working safely in science, using at least four sources of differing types. Indicating why they were chosen.

S3b Show a detailed understanding of the issues researched. S3c Covers all three aspects of working safely completely.

15-19 C, B

S4a Carry out detailed research into working safely in science by identifying and using a wide range of sources and information, and evaluating their usefulness.

S4b Show a thorough in-depth understanding of the issues researched.

S4c Covers all aspects to working safely in science thoroughly.

21-25 A, A*

The range of marks below the level of the notional grade G/F should be used as appropriate for work which barely meets the grade G/F descriptors, i.e. 0-2 marks.


The portfolio should include evidence that the student: (b) • carried out risk assessments; • followed standard procedures; • used appropriate scientific equipment and/or materials. [25]


P1a Carry out risk assessments given extensive guidance or treatment is very limited.

P1b Follow instructions in simple standard procedures, with guidance - one step at a time using simple laboratory equipment correctly and safely.

4-7 G, F

P2a Carry out risk assessments, though some guidance is needed to cover basic safety satisfactorily.

P2b Follow instructions in simple standard procedures with little guidance using simple laboratory equipment correctly and safely.

10-13 E, D

P3a Carry out risk assessments; incomplete in places. P3b Follow instructions in standard tasks without guidance, but

guidance is needed for extended tasks. Appropriate laboratory equipment has been used correctly and safely.

16-19 C, B

P4a A comprehensive risk assessment is produced without needing any guidance.

P4b Follow instructions in standard procedures in extended tasks, without any guidance. Equipment of appropriate precision has been used correctly and safely.

22-25 A, A*



The portfolio should include evidence that the student: (c) • obtained and recorded scientific data appropriate to the task. [25]


O1a Make simple observations or measurements. O1b Record the observations or measurements.

4-7 G, F

O2a Make careful measurements. O2b Record them in a table and draw a graph/bar chart.

10-13 E, D

O3a Make careful and accurate measurements. O3b Record results in tables and graphs, using lines of best fit as

appropriate to the pattern of data collected.

16-19 C, B

O4a Make careful and accurate measurements in extended tasks. O4b Repeat measurements to obtain a good range of data in

extended tasks.

22-25 A, A*


The portfolio should include evidence that the student: (d) • analysed scientific data appropriate to the task. [15]

Levels of Achievement Marks Notional Grades

A1a Give a simple statement of findings.

5 G, F

A2a Give a clear conclusion consistent with the data.

7 E, D

A3a Identify and explain patterns within the data. A3b Draw conclusions which are consistent with the evidence.

9-11 C, B

A4a Manipulate data to draw detailed conclusions in extended tasks. A4b Identify and explain relationships between variables in extended

tasks.

13-15 A, A*



The portfolio should include evidence that the student: (e) • evaluated methods used in carrying out investigations. [10]

Levels of Achievement Marks Notional Grades

E1a Give a simple evaluation of an investigation, commenting on results or procedure used.

3 G, F

E2a Give a clear evaluation of an investigation, commenting on results and procedure used.

5 E, D

E3a Give detailed evaluations of the procedure used. E3b Show how to improve the quality of the results of an

investigation.

7-8 C, B

E4a Give detailed evaluations of an extended procedure. E4b Explain, with reasons, how to improve the quality of the results in

an extended procedure.

9-10 A, A*



3.4 Obtaining the final mark for Unit 1

3.4.1 Part (a) Report of an investigation carried out into working safely in science.

Marks are awarded using the assessment grid and recorded as a mark out of 25 on the Unit 1 Portfolio Cover Form (see Appendix A).

The report can be hand written or word processed and must be available for moderation. If no report is available then no marks can be awarded for part (a) of the portfolio.

3.4.2 Skills areas (b), (c), (d) and (e)

For each of the skill areas the 'best fit' mark is to be used. This is the 'best' mark that can be awarded for work which is the best that could be expected from candidates working at this level. Annotation must use the coding given on the assessment grid(s).

In order to determine the overall mark for skill areas (b), (c) (d) and (e) the following procedures are to be used.

For skill area (b) the best mark from all the activities is recorded in the total column of the Unit 1 Cover Sheet.

Similarly for skill area (c), (d) and (e) the best mark from all the activities is recorded in the total column.

These four marks are added together to give a total mark out of 75 for the practical activities. This is then added to the mark for the report on working safely in science. The total mark will be out of 100. Evidence must be available within the portfolio for each of the three activities. If one activity is missing there is a reduction in the total practical mark by 1/3rd. If two practical reports are missing, then the total mark is reduced by 2/3rds. Part marks are always rounded up. (See section on 'Incomplete unit 1 portfolio', (page 30) for further details.

Each mark used for each of the skills must be circled or highlighted for emphasis. It is these marks that are checked during the moderation process.

An example of a completed Unit 1 Portfolio Record Sheet is on page 29.

The marks awarded for skill areas (b), (c), (d) and (e) are unaffected by marks awarded, or not awarded, in part (a).

All candidates must sign the Portfolio Record Form; not only those in the sample sent for moderation.


WELSH JOINT EDUCATION COMMITTEE CYD-BWYLLGOR ADDYSG CYMRU General Certificate of Secondary Education Tystysgrif Gyffredinol Addysg Uwchradd


Centre Name: _____________________________________Centre Number: ___________ Candidate's Name: _________________________________Candidate's Number: _______ The portfolio should include: Mark Max. Mark • (a) A report of an investigation carried out into working safely in

science.

Assessor's comment (if required) ............................................... ..................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................

15

25

• Records of practical activities in each of the following areas:

(i) Sports science (ii) Forensic Science (iii) Food science

Spor

tsSc

ienc

e

Fore

nsic

Scie

nce

Food

Scie

nce

Bes

t(hi

ghes

t)M

ark

Max

.Mar

k

Each of the above activities should include: (i)

(ii)

(iii)

(b) Evidence that student carried out risk assessments; followed standard procedures; used appropriate scientific equipment and/or materials.

Assessor's comment (if required) - overleaf

16

/25

19

/25

13

/25

19

25

(c) Evidence that the student obtained and recorded scientific data appropriate to the task.


13

/25

16

/25

22

/25

22

25

(d) Evidence that the student analysed scientific data appropriate to the task.


9

/15

9

/15

11

/15

11

15

(e) Evaluated methods used in carrying out investigations.


5

/10

8

/10

7

/10

8

10

*TOTAL best fit mark for skills (b), (c), (d) and (e) 60 75

*Circle or highlight the best mark for each skill and transfer these to the best mark column.

TOTAL MARK FOR PORTFOLIO (a) + overall best fit mark 75 100

Unit 1 portfolio


3.5 Incomplete Unit 1 portfolio

Where a student has handed in a unit 1 portfolio and there is no evidence that any work was done on one activity then the student can still be awarded a mark for the portfolio but it will be an impoverished one. In the example below there is no mark for (i) Sports Science but all other activities are present in the portfolio and marks awarded are as shown. As one activity is missing then the total mark for the practical skills (b), (c), (d) and (e) is reduced by 1/3rd. The Total Mark of 60 is reduced by 1/3rd, in this case marks are deducted to amend the 60 to 40 marks. The final marks would then be 40 + 15 = 55 as shown below.

(b) Evidence that student carried out risk

assessments; followed standard procedures; used appropriate scientific equipment and/or materials.


__

/25

19

/25

13

/25

19

25



__

/25

16

/25

22

/25

22

25



__

/15

9

/15

11

/15

11

15



__

/10

8

/10

7

/10

8

10

*TOTAL best fit mark for skills (b), (c), (d) and (e) (60)40 75



If two activities are missing, e.g. (i) Sports Science and (ii) Forensic Science, then the Total Mark is reduced by 2/3rds i.e. by 40 out of the original 60. The final mark would now be 20 + 15 – a portfolio total of 35 marks. Where one of the three reports is missing, a dash (─) should be entered on the form as shown above. Where a report is present but the candidate has not been awarded any marks, a zero (0) should be entered on the form. This is shown in the example on the next page and the highlighting is entirely for emphasis in this booklet.




__

/25

19

/25

13

/25

19

25



__

/25

16

/25

22

/25

22

25



__

/15

0

/15

11

/15

11

15



__

/10

8

/10

0

/10

8

10

*TOTAL best fit mark for skills (b), (c), (d) and (e) (60)40 75



In the example above, one activity is missing and the total mark of 60 would be reduced to 40 marks as described before. The candidate has zero for some activities in skill (c), (d) and (e) however no other penalties are applicable in this situation.

This is a good example of the advantages of re-sits, as there can be an unlimited number of re-sits for each unit prior to certification. This portfolio could then be re-submitted the following year with missing activities now completed to remove any impoverishment. It is equally possible for a candidate to carry out another practical activity, for example in Food Science, to replace a poorer piece of work and so improve their marks and also their 'overall best fit' mark. Details of the re-submission of portfolios are given in section 2.7 on page 14 of this booklet.


Appendices

A Portfolio Record Forms 33 B Risk Assessment Form 38 C Portfolio Guidance for students 40 D Resources 42




Centre Name: _____________________________________Centre Number: ___________ Candidate's Name: _________________________________Candidate's Number: _______ The portfolio should include: Mark Max. Mark • (a) A report of an investigation carried out into working safely in

science.

Assessor's comment (if required) ............................................... ..................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................

25

• Records of practical activities in each of the following areas:

(i) Sports science (ii) Forensic Science (iii) Food science

Spor

tsSc

ienc

e

Fore

nsic

Scie

nce

Food

Scie

nce

Bes

t(hi

ghes

t)M

ark

Max

.Mar

k

Each of the above activities should include: (i)

(ii)

(iii)



/25 /25 /25

25



/25 /25 /25

25



/15 /15 /15 15


Assessor's comment (if required) - overleaf /10

/10

/10

10

*TOTAL best fit mark for skills (b), (c), (d) and (e) 75


TOTAL MARK FOR PORTFOLIO (a) + overall best fit mark 100

Unit 1 portfolio


General comment/justification (if needed)

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

NOTICE TO CANDIDATE The work that you submit for assessment must be your own. If you copy from someone else, allow another candidate to copy from you, or if you cheat in any other way, you may be disqualified from at least the subject concerned. Declaration by candidate

I have read and understood the Notice to Candidate (above). I have produced the attached work without assistance other than that which my teacher has explained is ˆacceptable within the specification.

Candidate’s signature: ________________________________Date: ________________

Declaration by teacher I certify that the candidate’s work was conducted under the conditions laid out by the specification. I have authenticated the candidate’s work and am satisfied that to the best of my knowledge the work produced is solely that of the candidate.

Teacher’s signature: ___________________________________Date: ______________




PORTFOLIO SAMPLE SHEET

TTotal number of candidates entered for this component:

Name of Centre Centre Number

Can

dida

te's

Exam

inat

ion

No. Candidate's Name (Surname first)

BLOCK CAPITALS

(IN RANK ORDER) Te

achi

ngG

roup

Cen

tre

Mar

k

Mod

erat

or's

Mar

k

Diff

eren

ce

For

offic

eus

eon

ly

Subject Teacher

Date Moderator


Unit 1 Portfolio Record Form Candidate's Name ...........................................……....…….. Teaching Group ....................

S1a Carry out research into working safely in science, using two sources of information.

S1b Show a basic (limited) understanding of the issues researched. S1c Covers one aspect of working safely completely. S2a Carry out research into working safely in science, using at least

four sources of information.

S2b Show a good understanding of the issues researched. S2c Covers two aspects of working safely completely. S3a Carry out research into working safely in science, using at least

four sources of differing types. Indicating why they were chosen.

S3b Show a detailed understanding of the issues researched. S3c Covers three aspects of working safely completely. S4a Carry out research into working safely in science by identifying and

using a wide range of sources and information, and evaluating their usefulness.

S4b Show a thorough in-depth understanding of the issues researched. S4c Covers all aspects to working safely in science thoroughly.

Risk assessments, standard procedures, using equipment and/or materials

Spor

tsSc

ienc

e

Fore

nsic

Scie

nce

Food

Scie

nce

P1a Carry out risk assessments given extensive guidance or treatment is very limited.

P1b Follow instructions in simple standard procedures, with guidance - one step at a time using simple laboratory equipment correctly and safely.

P2a Carry out risk assessments, though some guidance is needed to cover basic safety satisfactorily.

P2b Follow instructions in simple standard procedures with little guidance using simple laboratory equipment correctly and safely.

P3a Carry out risk assessments; incomplete in places. P3b Follow instructions in extended tasks, but guidance is needed. P4a A comprehensive risk assessment is produced without needing any

guidance.

P4b Follow instructions in standard procedures in extended tasks, without any guidance. Equipment of appropriate precision has been used correctly and safely.

O1a Make simple observations or measurements. O1b Record the observations or measurements. O2a Make careful measurements. O2b Record them in a table and draw a graph/bar chart. O3a Make careful and accurate measurements. O3b Record results in tables and graphs, using lines of best fit as

appropriate to the pattern of data collected.

O4a Make careful and accurate measurements in extended tasks. O4b Repeat measurements to obtain a good range of data in extended

tasks.


Spor

tsSc

ienc

e

Fore

nsic

Scie

nce

Food

scie

nce

Analysing scientific data A1a Give a simple statement of findings. A2a Give a clear conclusion consistent with the data. A3a Identify and explain patterns within the data. A3b Draw conclusions which are consistent with the evidence. A4a Manipulate data to draw detailed conclusions in extended tasks. A4b Identify and explain relationships between variables in extended

tasks.

Evaluating methods used. E1a Give a simple evaluation of an investigation, commenting on results

or procedure used.

E2a Give a clear evaluation of an investigation, commenting on results and procedure used.

E3a Give detailed evaluations of the procedure used. E3b Show how to improve the quality of the results of an investigation. E4a Give detailed evaluations of an extended procedure. E4b Explain, with reasons, how to improve the quality of results in an

extended procedure.

This form is not a requirement but may be used when assessing a candidate's portfolio to record criteria met.

GCSE in Additional Applied Science 37Risk Assessment Form

Practical activity …………………………………………………………………………..

Name of student ……………………………………………… Class/Group …………………. Date ….………………...

Activity, material,Equipment and/orprocedure

Hazard Risk Precautions to reducethe risk

Emergency procedure(s)

continue overleaf if required YES / NOTeacher's signature ………………………………………………… Date ………………

APPENDIX B


Activity, material,equipment and/orprocedure

Hazard Risk Precautions to reducethe risk

Emergency procedure(s)

Teacher's signature ……………………………………………………………….. Date ………………….

39

APPENDIX C

Portfolio Guidance for Students

Unit 1 (a) A report of an investigation carried out into working safely in science

Your report should include: NOTE; the term “workplace” refers to places where scientific equipment and methodology is used. Examples may be given of general workplaces. To gain marks, however, it must be clear that the student demonstrates a knowledge and understanding of working safely in scientific environments. Identification and explanation of the potential hazards in scientific workplaces. Details of health and safety regulations. Identification of hazard-warning signs; identifying and explaining biological, chemical and physical hazards, including radioactive risks. Details of hazcards; their layout and use to identify chemical hazards in order to make recommendations / improvements to safe working practice. Identification of the health and safety procedures followed. Identify the health and safety checks carried out in the workplace. Explain the need for risk assessments and how to produce them. What are hazards and what can be done to prevent them happening. What emergency procedures are followed if an accident happens. What safety measures are employed for biological, chemical and physical hazards including radio-active risks. How unwanted or waste materials are disposed of safely. What first aid facilities are available and the basic first aid to give; also when it would be dangerous to give first aid. Why it is useful to have a first aid qualification and what first aid training for staff has been carried out. Details of relevant organisations and training available. What fire regulations apply in the workplace and what are the fire drill procedures. What fire precautions exist including details of the different types of fire extinguishers and smoke alarms including their uses and identification. The need and functions of fire doors and sprinkler systems. Evaluation of safety procedures including recommendations for improvements.

Portfolio Guidance for Students

Unit 1 (b) (c) (d) and (e) Records of three practical activities

For each activity you should: Carry out risk assessments; Follow instructions in standard and/or extended procedures; Use appropriate equipment and/or materials; Make careful and accurate observations and/or measurements as appropriate; Record the observations / measurements in a suitable context; Record and present data in an appropriate form including tables and / or graphs; Analyse and/or manipulate the data; Draw and explain conclusions from the data; Evaluate procedures followed and suggest improvements to the methods used; Evaluate the quality of the results, commenting on and explaining any odd or unexpected results.

41

APPENDIX D Resources

Publications Additional Applied GCSE AQA Students’ Book Teacher’s Guide + CD-ROM eWorksheets CD-ROM

Editor: Stewart Chenery 978 0 340 90712 2 978 0 340 91432 8 978 0 340 91434 2

Hodder Murray

GCSE Science Uncovered AQA Additional Applied

Editor: Keith Hirst 978 0 435586 03 4

Heinemann

Additional Applied GCSE AQA Students’ Book Teacher’s Book e-science CD-ROM Revision Guide

Editor: Laurie Ryan 978 0 7487 9655 7 978 0 7487 9680 9 978 0 7487 9656 4 978 0 7487 8321 2

Nelson Thornes

GCSE AQA Additional Applied The Study Guide

Editor: E.Bowness et al 1 84146 759 6

Coordination Group (CGP)

The Forensic Science World (Forensic practical work booklet)

Science & Education Manager Pfizer Ltd, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9NJ

Pfizer Limited

Web sites Possible sites include these below:- www.gcseinappliedscience.com Guidance, links, information, worksheets

www.hse.gov.uk Hazards and risks

www.nottingham.ac.uk Risk assessment

www.bbc-safety.co.uk Risk assessment

www.fireskills.gov.uk Fire safety

www.bbc.co.uk/health/firstaidaction First aid

www.bbsrc.ac.uk Food Science

www.milk.org.uk Food Science

www.environment-agency.gov.uk Pollution, etc

www.webelements.com Sports Science

GCSE Additional Applied Science Teacher Guide/JD

additional applied science -...

Documents