Planning and teaching

• Your guide to the changes for 2021 PDF 78KB

• Support highlights A comprehensive collection of resources to help you quickly get up to speed in the classroom and support your students in preparing for exams. These materials will focus your teaching on individual abilities of students, help determine their capabilities and above all save you time. PDF 856KB
• P1: outline scheme of work J259 J260 - This resource provides planning guidance with suggested teaching times for the topics within the specification, along with a sample scheme of work for the specified topic. DOCX 169KB
• P2: outline scheme of work J259 J260 - This resource provides planning guidance with suggested teaching times for the topics within the specification, along with a sample scheme of work for the specified topic. DOCX 148KB
• P3: outline scheme of work J259 J260 - This resource provides planning guidance with suggested teaching times for the topics within the specification, along with a sample scheme of work for the specified topic. DOCX 174KB
• P4: outline scheme of work J259 J260 - This resource provides planning guidance with suggested teaching times for the topics within the specification, along with a sample scheme of work for the specified topic. DOCX 171KB
• P5: outline scheme of work J259 J260 - This resource provides planning guidance with suggested teaching times for the topics within the specification, along with a sample scheme of work for the specified topic. DOCX 149KB
• P6: outline scheme of work J259 J260 - This resource provides planning guidance with suggested teaching times for the topics within the specification, along with a sample scheme of work for the specified topic. DOCX 163KB
• Annual planning for Twenty First Century Sciences This resource provides suggested models for teaching single sciences and combined sciences over 2, 2½ and 3 years. A tool is included to modify these models to fit your centre's curriculum plan. XLSX 164KB

Delivery guides (PDF)

Delivery guides (online)

• Building a topic test using ExamBuilder Instructions on how to create your own practice test DOCX 353KB
• Exambuilder exemplar Instructions on how to create your own practice paper, with a Foundation example. - interchange login required
• Language of measurement in context - Physics

  The purpose of this exemplar investigation is to illustrate the use of the language of measurement terms in the context. DOCX 709KB

• Quizzes (ZIP) interchange login required
• P6 Matter - models and explanation - end of topic quiz Topic quiz built using the ExamBuilder bank of questions - interchange login required
• Multiple choice quizzes (ZIP) interchange login required
• How to answer 6 mark LOR activities J247-J250 J257-J260 - Designed to show how to tackle six mark LOR questions. ZIP 4MB
• Colour This teaching activity focuses on the topic of colour. These activities are designed to be used to demonstrate the behaviour of light, colour and how coloured filters work. DOC 4MB
• Electromagnetic spectrum Electromagnetic spectrum is a teaching activity that will help teachers plan for, and teach about, the topic by providing a range resources to enthuse students throughout their study. DOC 794KB
• Electromagnetic spectrum - phone app This presentation forms part of the electromagnetic spectrum teaching activity. PPTX 123KB
• Electromagnetic spectrum presentation This presentation should be used in conjunction with the electromagnetic spectrum teaching activity. PPTX 381KB
• Forces and motion This teaching activity focuses on the topic of forces and motion and assesses student understanding of the topic. DOC 695KB
• Forces and motion presentation This presentation should be used in conjunction with the forces and motion teaching activity. PPTX 10MB
• Looking back in time to the Big Bang Students may have already studied red-shift and evidence for the Big Bang theory. This activity can be used as part of teaching this topic or as a consolidation.  DOC 2MB
• Modelling nuclear equations A selection of teaching activities focusing on the topic of modelling nuclear equations. DOC 7MB
• P- and S-waves These teaching activities are designed to be used after the content relating to P- and S-waves has been taught. DOC 524KB

• Atomic structure and radioactivity This guide will help teachers plan for and teach atomic structure and radioactivity by giving guidance on key concepts and suggesting classroom activities. DOCX 473KB
• EM waves This pack provides teacher guidance about a range of potential approaches for delivery of this topic. PDF 1MB
• EM waves information sheet This information sheet should be used with the EM waves activity. DOC 213KB
• EM waves student sheet This information sheet should be used with the EM waves activity. DOC 192KB
• EM waves teacher answers This document gives teachers additional background information for the EM waves activity. PDF 176KB
• Pressure This resource focuses on how the motion of the molecules in a gas is related to both its temperature and pressure, the relationship between the temperature, pressure and volume and the effect of doing work on a gas. DOC 2MB
• Pressure student activity This activity sheet should be used with the topic exploration pack on pressure. DOC 2MB
• Space and the Big Bang This resource focuses on the topic of space and the Big Bang. The pack provides a range of activities to develop learner understanding of this topic and provides additional teacher guidance and activity answers. DOC 5MB
• What happens when light and sound meet different materials? These activities are intended to be interesting as well as informative, and to reinforce the connections between the information being learned and real-world phenomena. DOC 774KB

• Glossary of terms Glossary of terms relating to practicals. DOC 183KB
• Level of response questions This guide helps teachers understand how a mark scheme is applied to exam questions, with particular focus on level of response questions. PDF 673KB
• Skills guides

• Generating electricity Focusing on the topic of generating electricity, this guide looks at the transition from KS3 to KS4. PDF 680KB
• Generating electricity checkpoint task Designed to help teachers assess student knowledge level, this is designed to be used with the 'Generating electricity' transition guide. DOC 486KB
• Matter Focusing on the topic of matter this guide looks at the transition from KS3 to KS4. PDF 1MB
• Matter checkpoint task Designed to help teachers assess student knowledge level, this is designed to be used with the 'Matter' transition guide. DOC 307KB
• Radioactivity Focusing on the topic of radioactivity, this guide looks at the transition from KS3 to KS4. PDF 485KB
• Radioactivity checkpoint task Designed to help teachers assess students' current knowledge level, this is designed to be used with the 'Radioactivity' transition guide. DOC 7MB
• Series and parallel circuits Focusing on the topic of series and parallel circuits this guide looks at the transition from KS3 to KS4. PDF 2MB
• Series and parallel circuits checkpoint task Designed to help teachers assess students' current knowledge level, this is designed to be used with the 'Series and parallel circuits' transition guide. DOC 337KB
• Series and parallel circuits teacher instructions This document gives teachers additional background information for the series and parallel circuits checkpoint task. PDF 204KB
• Waves Focusing on the topic of waves, this guide looks at the transition from KS3 to KS4. PDF 470KB
• Waves checkpoint task Designed to help teachers assess students' current knowledge level, this is designed to be used with the 'Waves' transition guide. DOC 614KB

• Practical support guide A list of practical activities and resources suitable for each PAG. Very helpful for revision work and where practical activities are not possible.  DOCX 158KB
• Practical skills booklets A set of booklets containing activities covering the combined and separate science practical skills criteria. ZIP 9MB
• Example set of practicals
• GCSE Physics - Learner record sheet A method of tracking a learner's progress through the practical part of the course. DOC 855KB
• GCSE Physics - Practical tracker Manage your learners’ progress in their practical work and mapping of the required skills and techniques with this tracker. ZIP 1MB
• Magnetic linear accelerator A simple, low-cost practical activity DOCX 786KB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Circuits - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 6 and Combined Science PAG P6 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 3MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Circuits - Suggestion 2 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 6 and Combined Science PAG P6 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 3MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Energy - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 5 and Combined Science PAG P5 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 3MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Energy - Suggestion 2 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 5 and Combined Science PAG P5 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 990KB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Forces - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 2 and Combined Science PAG P2 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 5MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Forces - Suggestion 2 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 2 and Combined Science PAG P2 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 2MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Interaction of waves - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 8. This also supports Combined Science P4 Waves as suggestion 2. DOCX 1MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Interaction of waves - Suggestion 2 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 8. This also supports Combined Science P4 Waves as suggestion 4. DOCX 2MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Materials - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 1 and Combined Science PAG P1 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 1MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Measuring waves - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 4 and Combined Science PAG P4 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 1MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Measuring waves - Suggestion 2 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 4 and Combined Science PAG P4 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 884KB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Motion - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 3 and Combined Science PAG P3 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 2MB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Motion - Suggestion 2 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 3 and Combined Science PAG P3 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 936KB
• PAG Activity - Physics - Series and parallel circuits - Suggestion 1 Teacher and learner sheets covering Physics PAG 7 and Combined Science PAG P6 for the new GCSEs. DOCX 1MB

• Mathematical skills This mathematical skills handbook is designed to accompany the GCSE (9-1) Gateway and Twenty First Century Science specifications for teaching from September 2016. PDF 2MB
• Mathematical skills Check In This student resource should be used in conjunction with the mathematical skills handbook for the GCSE (9-1) Gateway and Twenty First Century Science specifications. DOC 3MB

• Periodic table of the elements poster This poster of the periodic table of the elements can be printed to create an A1 poster for your classroom. PDF 1MB

• Women in science A3 posters and desktop wallpapers, presenting the work of prominent female scientists and how this work links to the content in our specifications. You and your students can relate the achievements of these scientists to the work you do in the classroom. ZIP 9MB