Curriculum overview and assessment:
Paper 1: Naked Eye Astronomy 50% of the qualification 100 marks Topic 1 – Planet Earth Topic 2 – The lunar disc Topic 3 – The Earth-Moon-Sun system Topic 4 – Time and the Earth-Moon-Sun cycles Topic 5 – Solar System observation Topic 6 – Celestial observation Topic 7 – Early models of the Solar System Topic 8 – Planetary motion and gravity | Paper 2: Telescopic Astronomy 50% of the qualification 100 marks Topic 9 – Exploring the Moon Topic 10 – Solar astronomy Topic 11 – Exploring the Solar System Topic 12 – Formation of planetary systems Topic 13 – Exploring starlight Topic 14 – Stellar evolution Topic 15 – Our place in the Galaxy Topic 16 - Cosmology |
The assessments will be a mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, calculations, graphical and extended-open-response questions.
Observational skills
Throughout their study of the qualification, pupils should develop their observational skills. Pupils must undertake at least one aided and one unaided observation. Pupils will need to use their knowledge and understanding of observational techniques and procedures in the written assessments.
How will the course run?
GCSE Astronomy is a full GCSE that will be additional to any options that your child will already be taking. The course will be taught twice a week after school between 3-4pm by the Science Department during the course of year 10 and 11. The course will run if there is sufficient interest by the pupils. There may also be a small cost involved to cover the cost of equipment needed and the exam entries.
This course is ideal for those pupils who have an innate love of all things space and are interested in our place in the Universe. Due to the mathematical aspect of the course, it would be advised that pupils that are aiming for at least a grade 6/ 7 in GCSE Maths. We will be following the Edexcel Pearson Specification.
