KS4 Science
Edexcel Specification
The Edexcel GCSE in Combined Science consists of six externally examined papers - each 1 hour 10 minutes in length. These are available at foundation tier and higher tier.
All assessments must be taken in May/June in any single year.
The subject content of the individual papers are as follows-
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Paper 1: Biology 1 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology Topic 2 – Cells and control Topic 3 – Genetics Topic 4 – Natural selection and genetic modification Topic 5 – Health, disease and the development of medicines |
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Paper 2: Biology 2 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology Topic 6 – Plant structures and their functions Topic 7 – Animal coordination, control and homeostasis Topic 8 – Exchange and transport in animals Topic 9 – Ecosystems and material cycles |
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Paper 3: Chemistry 1 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry Topic 2 – States of matter and mixtures Topic 3 – Chemical changes Topic 4 – Extracting metals and equilibria |
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Paper 4: Chemistry 2 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry Topic 6 – Groups in the periodic table Topic 7 – Rates of reaction and energy changes Topic 8 – Fuels and Earth science |
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Paper 5: Physics 1 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics Topic 2 – Motion and forces Topic 3 – Conservation of energy Topic 4 – Waves Topic 5 – Light and the electromagnetic spectrum Topic 6 – Radioactivity |
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Paper 6: Physics 2 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics Topic 8 – Energy - Forces doing work Topic 9 – Forces and their effects Topic 10 – Electricity and circuits Topic 12 – Magnetism and the motor effect Topic 13 – Electromagnetic induction Topic 14 – Particle model Topic 15 – Forces and matter |
The Edexcel Separate Science courses are assessed in the same format but each exam paper is 1 hour 45 minutes long and has additional content added.
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Biology 1 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology Topic 2 – Cells and control Topic 3 – Genetics Topic 4 – Natural selection and genetic modification Topic 5 – Health, disease and the development of medicines |
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Biology 2 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology Topic 6 – Plant structures and their functions Topic 7 – Animal coordination, control and homeostasis Topic 8 – Exchange and transport in animals Topic 9 – Ecosystems and material cycles |
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Chemistry 1 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry Topic 2 – States of matter and mixtures Topic 3 – Chemical changes Topic 4 – Extracting metals and equilibria Topic 5 – Separate chemistry 1 |
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Chemistry 2 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry Topic 6 – Groups in the periodic table Topic 7 – Rates of reaction and energy changes Topic 8 – Fuels and Earth science Topic 9 – Separate chemistry 2 |
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Physics 1 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics Topic 2 – Motion and forces Topic 3 – Conservation of energy Topic 4 – Waves Topic 5 – Light and the electromagnetic spectrum Topic 6 – Radioactivity Topic 7 – Astronomy |
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Physics 2 |
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics Topic 8 – Energy - Forces doing work Topic 9 – Forces and their effects Topic 10 – Electricity and circuits Topic 11 – Static electricity Topic 12 – Magnetism and the motor effect Topic 13 – Electromagnetic induction Topic 14 – Particle model Topic 15 – Forces and matter |
The AQA course is assessed across four individual papers of 1 hour 45 minutes.
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Paper 1: Life and environmental sciences |
Topics 4.1–4.4: Building blocks; Transport over larger distances; Interactions with the environment Explaining change. |
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Paper 2: Life and environmental sciences |
Topics 4.1–4.4: Building blocks; Transport over larger distances; Interactions with the environment Explaining change. |
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Paper 3: Physical sciences |
Topics 4.5–4.8: Building blocks for understanding; Interactions over small and large distances; Movement and interactions Guiding Spaceship Earth towards a sustainable future. |
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Paper 4: Physical sciences |
Topics 4.5–4.8: Building blocks for understanding; Interactions over small and large distances; Movement and interactions Guiding Spaceship Earth towards a sustainable future. |
