Page 15 - Year 10 Course Brochure 2023-2025

COMBINED SCIENCE (TRILOGY)

OPTION CORE

COURSE CONTENT This fantastic course covers all the essential Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics
that students need to know about to make sense of the world around them.
Students learn seven Biology topics, ten Chemistry topics, and seven Physics topics.
The Biology topics are cell biology, organisation, infection and response,
bioenergetics, homeostasis and response, inheritance, variation and evolution, and
ecology. The Chemistry topics are atomic structure and the periodic table, bonding,
structure, the properties of matter, quantitative chemistry, chemical changes,
energy changes, the rate and extent of chemical change, organic chemistry,
chemical analysis, chemistry of the atmosphere, and using resources. The Physics
topics are energy, electricity, the particle model of matter, atomic structure, forces,
waves, and magnetism and electromagnetism. Students carry out required
practicals throughout the course – seven Biology required practicals, six Chemistry
required practicals, and eight Physics required practicals – which they are asked
questions about in their examinations at the end of Year 11. There is a mathematical
element to this course, and students are expected to be able to carry out a certain
number of specific calculations by the end of Year 11.

APPROACH TO TEACHING All GCSE Combined Science (Trilogy) groups are taught by three highly experienced
AND LEARNING and committed teachers – one Biology specialist teacher, one Chemistry specialist
teacher and one Physics specialist teacher. During the course, students will
experience a mixture of practical and theory lessons. Students will not just be
taught the content that they need to master in order to achieve success in their
examinations at the end of Year 11, but also the exam technique and revision skills
required to really show off their ability. Student learning will be linked to real life
situations wherever possible. Technology will also be used regularly to support
student learning.

ASSESSMENT Students studying this course sit six written examinations – each 1 hour 15 minutes
long – at the end of Year 11. Foundation and higher tier papers are available, and
students must sit either all foundation tier papers or all higher tier papers. At
Millfield, most GCSE Combined Science (Trilogy) students sit higher tier papers.
Each paper contains a mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice
questions, short-answer questions, calculations and extended open-response
questions. Each paper is out of 70 marks and is worth 16.7% of the qualification.

FURTHER INFORMATION This course provides students with two 9-1 GCSE grades. The grades achieved by
students are either two grades of the same value, e.g. 7-7, or two grades of
consecutive values (with the higher of the two grades always being reported first),
e.g. 7-6.

EXAM BOARD AND AQA GCSE Combined Science (Trilogy) (8464).
SPECIFICATION Specification at a glance:
www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464/
specification-at-a-glance
Specification:
https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/science/specifications/AQA-8464-SP-2016.
PDF

CONTACT Mrs R Landrigan
Lead Science Coordinator
landrigan.r@millfieldschool.com

YEAR 10/11 COURSE GUIDE 13