GCSE

Assessment

2017-2019

A guide to the courses

youare following at Loreto

Teaching Groups

Pupils are taught in ability-based sets for the compulsory subjects of RE, English, Maths, Science and French. All other subjects are taught to mixed ability groups.

Grades

All GCSEs will be graded from 1-9. Grade 4 will broadly equate to an old grade C, and will be considered a “pass”. Grade 5 will broadly equate to a high C/low B, and will be considered a “good pass”. Grade 9 will be awarded to only the top 3% of candidates.

Tiers

Most subjects have one tier of entry, which means that all pupils are entered for exactly the same assessments. However some subjects have two tiers of entry. This means that some pupils will be entered for Foundation Tier assessments, allowing them to access onlythe lower grades, while others will be entered for Higher Tier assessments, allowing them to access onlythe Higher grades. It is important that all pupilsare entered for the right tier so that they can gain the grade they deserve.

Summary of Internal Assessments

The vast majority of marks for GCSEs are awarded for performance in exams taken at the end of Y11. However, the following subjects all feature some assessed taskswhich will be completed in school at the times indicated. This work will then be either marked or moderated by the exam board.

Subject / Weighting / Timing
Art / 60% / Ongoing
Computer Science / 40% / Y11 Term 1
Drama / 60% / Y11 Terms 1 & 2
Food / 50% / Y11 Terms 1 & 2
Music / 60% / Y11 Terms 1 & 2
PE / 40% / Y11 Term 1

Exam board websites

All of the courses we offer are assessed by one of these four exam boards:

AQA -

OCR -

WJEC Eduqas -

Pearson Edexcel -

Subject / GCSE Art
Head of Department / Miss Cooke
Exam Board / Edexcel
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Personal Portfolio
Assessment Type / Ongoing internal assessment – externally moderated
Weighting / 60%
Component 2
Title / Externally Set Assignment
Assessment Type / 10 hour exam at end of Y11
Weighting / 40%
Subject / GCSE Biology
Head of Department / Mr Downes
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / Yes
Component 1
Title / Biology Breadth
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Biology Depth
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Subject / GCSE Business
Head of Department / Mrs Tambe
Exam Board / AQA
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Influences of operations and HRM on business activity
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Influences of marketing and finance on business activity
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Subject / GCSE Chemistry
Head of Department / Mr Downes
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / Yes
Component 1
Title / Chemistry Breadth
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Chemistry Depth
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Subject / GCSE Classical Civilisation
Head of Department / Miss Vamplew
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Myth & Religion
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Literature & Culture
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Subject / GCSE Combined Science
Head of Department / Mr Downes
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / Yes
Component 1
Title / Biology
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 26.33%
Component 2
Title / Chemistry
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 26.33%
Component 3
Title / Physics
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 26.33%
Component 4
Title / Data Analysis
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 21%
Subject / GCSE Computer Science
Head of Department / Mrs Tambe
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Computer Systems
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Year11
Weighting / 40%
Component 2
Title / Computational thinking, algorithms and programming
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Year11
Weighting / 40%
Component 3
Title / Programming Project
Assessment Type / Undertaken at start of Y11:
internally assessed & externally moderated
Weighting / 20%
Subject / GCSE Drama
Head of Department / Mrs Bamford
Exam Board / AQA
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Understanding Drama
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 40%
Component 2
Title / Devising Drama
Assessment Type / Moderated Performance internally examined
and externally moderated
Weighting / 40%
Component 3
Title / Texts in Practice
Assessment Type / Examined Performance at some point in the first two terms of Y11 - an AQA examiner will visit the school
Weighting / 20%
Subject / GCSE English Language
Head of Department / Mrs Moran
Exam Board / AQA
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Explorations in Creative Reading & Writing
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Writers’ Viewpoints & Perspectives
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 3
Title / Spoken Language
Assessment Type / Internally assessed by teacher in summer term of Y10
Weighting / 0% of GCSE – Separate endorsement
Subject / GCSE English Literature
Head of Department / Mrs Moran
Exam Board / AQA
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Shakespeare & the 19th century novel
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 40%
Component 2
Title / Modern Texts & Poetry
Assessment Type / 2 hour 15 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 60%
Subject / GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition
Head of Department / Mrs Gentry
Exam Board / WJEC Eduqas
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Principles of Food Preparation & Nutrition
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Food Preparation & Nutrition in action
Assessment Type / Practical work internally assessed & externally moderated
Task 1 Investigation completed in Y11 Autumn term(15%)
Task 2 Practical completed in Y11 Spring term(35%)
Weighting / 50%
Subject / GCSE French
Head of Department / Mrs Fitzsimons
Exam Board / Pearson Edexcel
Tiers? / Yes
Component 1
Title / Listening & understanding in French
Assessment Type / 45 minute (HT)/35 minute (FT) exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 25%
Component 2
Title / Speaking in French
Assessment Type / 20 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 25%
Component 3
Title / Reading & understanding in French
Assessment Type / 1 hour (HT)/45 minute (FT) exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 25%
Component 4
Title / Writing in French
Assessment Type / 1 hour 20 min (HT)/1 hour 10 min (FT) exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 25%
Subject / GCSE Geography
Head of Department / Mrs Mason-Clark
Exam Board / AQA
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Living with the physical environment
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 35%
Component 2
Title / Challenges in the human environment
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 35%
Component 3
Title / Geographical applications
Assessment Type / 1 hour 15 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 30%
Subject / GCSE History
Head of Department / Mr Hough
Exam Board / AQA
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Understanding the modern world
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Shaping the nation
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Subject / GCSE Latin
Head of Department / Miss Vamplew
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Latin Language
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Verse Literature
Assessment Type / 1 hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 25%
Component 3
Title / Prose Literature
Assessment Type / 1 hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 25%
Subject / GCSE Maths
Head of Department / Mr Burani
Exam Board / Edexcel
Tiers? / Yes
Component 1
Title / Paper 1 (non-calculator)
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 33.33%
Component 2
Title / Paper 2 (calculator)
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 33.33%
Component 3
Title / Paper 3 (calculator)
Assessment Type / 1½ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 33.33%
Subject / GCSE Music
Head of Department / Mrs Brown
Exam Board / Edexcel
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Component 1: Performing
Assessment Type / Practical work in Y11 – internally assessed, externally moderated
Weighting / 30%
Component 2
Title / Component 2: Composing
Assessment Type / Practical work in Y11 – internally assessed, externally moderated
Weighting / 30%
Component 3
Title / Component 3: Appraising
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 40%
Subject / GCSE Physical Education
Head of Department / Miss Baxter
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Physical factors affecting performance
Assessment Type / 1 hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 30%
Component 2
Title / Socio-cultural issues & sports psychology
Assessment Type / 1 hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 30%
Component 3
Title / Performance in physical education
Assessment Type / Practical work undertaken in Y11 term 1
Internally assessed & externally moderated
Weighting / 40%
Subject / GCSE Physics
Head of Department / Mr Downes
Exam Board / OCR
Tiers? / Yes
Component 1
Title / Physics Breadth
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Physics Depth
Assessment Type / 1 hour 45 minute exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Subject / GCSE Religious Education
Head of Department / Mrs Ransom
Exam Board / AQA
Tiers? / No
Component 1
Title / Catholic Christianity
Assessment Type / 1¾ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%
Component 2
Title / Judaism & Ethics
Assessment Type / 1¾ hour exam at the end of Y11
Weighting / 50%

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