OCRs GCSE Science specifications include a range of courses designed to appeal to and motivate candidates across a range of abilities.

GCSE Environmental and Land-based Science

This course has been designed to motivate candidates to take charge of their own learning and to develop practical skills in Environmental and Land-Based Science. This is a wholly e-assessed qualification.

GCSE Gateway Science Suite

This new suite of GCSE sciences comprises five specifications which utilise common material, use a similar style of examination questions and have a common approach to coursework assessment.

Centres piloting GCSE Science have helped the development of these specifications. OCR is the only awarding body to have piloted any of the new GCSE Sciences.

The specifications in the Gateway suite emphasise explanations, theories and modelling in science along with the implications of science for society. Strong emphasis is placed on the active involvement of students in the learning process and the specification encourages a wide range of teaching and learning activities.

This is achieved by:

• Identifying activities and experiences which will excite students' interest, and linking these to scientific ideas and their implications for society.
• Providing opportunities to develop science explanations and theories.

In each specification there are three units of assessment: two externally set and marked unit examinations, each testing three teaching modules, and one internally assessed coursework unit. The reduced assessment burden allows for staged or terminal schemes of assessment.

Candidates taking GCSE Science with GCSE Additional Science, or GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics, will have the experience necessary to progress to appropriate level 3 qualifications.

Centres wishing to include GCSE Additional Applied Science in their provision are advised to consider supplementing Gateway Science with the J632 specification from the Twenty First Century Science suite.

The five specifications (for teaching from September 2006) are:

GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite

This new suite of GCSE sciences comprises six specifications which utilise common material, use a similar style of examination questions and have a common approach to coursework assessment.

The content of this suite is based on a project devised by the University of York Science Education Group (UYSEG) as part of a QCA project on Science in the 21st Century.

Centres piloting GCSE Science, GCSE Additional Science and GCSE Additional Applied Science have helped the development of these specifications. OCR is the only awarding body to have piloted any of the new GCSE Sciences.

Candidates taking GCSE Science with GCSE Additional Science (or Additional Applied Science), or GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics, will have the experience necessary to progress to appropriate level 3 qualifications.

This suite is supported by The Nuffield Curriculum Centre and The University of York Science Education Group.

The six specifications (for teaching from September 2006) are: