GCSE Science is Unfair & Stupid
How To Get The Marks You Deserve
Back in September I wrote a newsletter about how GCSE Maths Exams are unfair & stupid
If you would like to read it, I will link it at the bottom of this newsletter.
One of my big conclusions in this previous newsletter,
Was that the exam is all about assessing how you apply the foundation skills.
Science takes this to a whole new level!
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How Do GCSE Science Exams Work?
At GCSE,
You can do three different types of Science.
Tripe Science – Where you study Biology, Chemistry and Physics, sit two papers in each subject and get 3 GCSEs.
Double/Combined Science – Where you study Biology, Chemistry and Physics but only 2/3rds of the content that the Triple science students learn, sit two papers in each subject (2/3rds as long) and get 2 GCSEs.
Single Science – Where you study ‘the most important bits’ of Biology, Chemistry and Physics (1/3rd) to a foundational level, sit 1 paper in each science and get 1 GCSE.
Each discipline, biology, chemistry and physics, test students on 8 to 12 bigger topics,
Always include some science practical questions,
And maths questions.
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What Do Science Exams Assess You On?
Unfortunately,
Students who are making endless flash cards on a variety of facts related to photosynthesis,
Are likely missing the point.
The exam does not test you on how many facts you can remember on photosynthesis.
The science exams test you on whether you can give the exact phrasing in the answer that the examiner is looking for.
Of course, students should try and understand the concepts.
You are more likely to be able to appreciate what a question is asking you to do,
And to pick up those 1 and 2 mark questions,
If you have an understanding of the concept.
The problem is there is just so much content to learn.
And students,
Especially those who do not love science,
Get swamped in trying to somehow understand everything,
And in the process,
Miss the point of how the exams work.
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The point is that the examiners are largely after regurgitated answers.
They are not looking for longer essays where you have to explain and analyse your points.
They are not looking for you to deal with Bob and Jill and oranges and apples as they do in maths exams.
They are looking for very specific terminology.
And students,
Especially those who find it harder to learn the content,
Rarely,
If ever,
Get round to really thinking about which phrasing the examiner is looking for.
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How I Would Revise If I Was Studying GCSE Science
This would be my process – Point Number 4 Is What Everyone Is Missing:
1) Find out which topics and sub-topics I am getting wrong in an exam context.
2) Out of these topics, pick the easiest topic(s) that I am currently getting wrong that I think I have the best chance of getting right in the future. If you can, also take into account which topics/sub-topics come up most often when you are prioritising where to start.
3) Start learning the chosen topic(s)..
4) Find some ‘Questions By Topic’ On the areas that you have just been learning and start obsessing over the mark scheme. I am not looking for you to do these questions to test your knowledge, I want students to use these questions to find out how the examiners want the answers presented.
Step 4 Continued:
The easiest level of this is to add to your notes/flash cards a nice clear section on the phrases and specific answers the examiners are looking for.
At a advanced level, obsess over the questions and answers for areas where you would have known the answer but would have used a slightly incorrect wording. WHEN YOU FIND THIS YOU SHOULD BE CELEBRATING.
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By going through the Questions by Topic with this intention – to find where you should have got the marks, but wouldn’t have due to not knowing the examiners wording – you will tangibly improve your grade by a mark or two every time you find an example.
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I hope everyone has a great week ahead,
Best wishes,
Joel
GCSE Maths is Unfair & Stupid:
https://joelfreedman.substack.com/p/gcse-maths-is-unfair-and-stupid