GCSE specifications: how do they compare?

The Royal Society of Chemistry's (RSC) Curriculum and Assessment Group has produced a booklet which summarises the current content of the GCSE chemistry specifications available from each of the awarding bodies in England and Wales (AQA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC). With students who achieve level six at Key Stage 3 now entitled to study the separate sciences at GCSE (ie triple science), this publication is designed to allow a straightforward comparison of the chemistry offered by each awarding body and help inform selection of GCSE chemistry courses. The resource is based on data collected by the RSC Curriculum Assessment Group directly from subject officers at the various awarding bodies and from related websites.  

Divided into two sections, the booklet presents a comparison of the modes of assessment in the current GCSE chemistry qualifications. Summary tables break down each specification into its component modules and provide an overview of the modes of assessment for each module (style of examination and its duration, proportion of marks awarded etc) offered by the different awarding bodies. The second section presents examination and coursework data from summer 2008 for the first cohort of students to complete the new GCSE chemistry specifications in England and Wales. According to RSC Curriculum Assessment Group committee member Will Davey, 'it was not the intention of the group to analyse, draw inferences or comment upon the data, merely to present [the information] as clearly as possible'.  

The booklet, GCSE chemistry specification content and examination data (summer 2008), can be downloaded at from RSC website. If you have any comments on the booklet contact Lorraine Hart at the Royal Society of Chemistry.