Where is the letter to parents about the new Entry Level course?

 

Dear Parent/guardian,

 

 

From September 2006, your son/daughter in Year 10 will be taught the new AQA Entry level Certificate Science (ELC) Course. This course is designed as alternative qualification to GCSE Science and offers pupils the opportunity to achieve a certificate award in Year 10. It is mainly aimed at pupils who have achieved below level 4 in their Science SATs and who are still working towards the GCSE level. 

 

The ELC Science course is derived from GCSE Science course and so contains the units that cover a substantial portion of the GCSE course. ELC also offers a more modern relevant content for pupils, which includes ‘How Science Works’. Furthermore, it can enable pupils to progress and study the GCSE Science A course in Year 11.

 

Pupils are encouraged to study as many as possible of the nine units in the three subject areas (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) during the year. At least five of the units must be studied and the evidence submitted from each subject area.

 

Pupils will be assessed by:

·        Externally-Set Assignments (ESAs), which are tests that account for 50% of the marks.

·        Teacher Devised Assessments (TDAs), which is mainly assessments, made on practical work. This account for 50% of the marks.

 

The above assessments can be done anytime of the year after the units are studied. There are three levels of award available:

The levels pupils are entered for is dependent on the standard of the work submitted. 

 

More information about the course can be obtained from the AQA examination board website: www.aqa.org.uk

 

If you would like further information concerning the course your son/daughter is undertaking, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

 

 

Yours Sincerely,

 

 

Miss Nazra Hussain

Year 10 Science Co-ordinator