Y13 A level mocks prep materials

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YEAR 13 A LEVEL MOCKS PREPARATION MATERIALS

DECEMBER 2023

REVISION TIPS There are many different strategies you can use to revise but some of the preferred methods are not always the most effective. Here are some tips, backed up by cognitive science, to help you prepare for your exams.

HOW TO REVISE Break your revision down into 1‐hour chunks and stick to your revision timetable. Here is how you should spend your hour: 1. Spend 5 minutes getting everything out that you need: notes, text book, laptop, pens etc. Most importantly, make sure your phone is not on view (ideally in another room).

2. Spend 25 minutes taking notes from your class notes/text book/videos/work on Google Classroom. Here is how to spend your time well:  

Don’t just read and highlight information as this does not help you commit the information to memory.

Decide what works for you e.g. using flash cards, mind maps or a notebook. This will depend on subject content as well as your preference for note taking.

3. Now take a 5‐minute break. It is important to have a complete change of environment so go for a short walk around the house/garden.

4. Spend 25 minutes completing exam practice questions.  

The questions don’t need to be related to the topic you have just taken notes on but they need to be questions that require you to apply your knowledge.

It doesn’t matter if you are not fully prepared to answer the questions, just have a go and use the mark schemes at the end to check your answers. It’s really important you check your answers by using the mark schemes so that you don’t learn any misconceptions.

5. Spend the last few minutes recording what you know and what you need to improve on next time you revise this topic again.

THE BEST WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY 1. Retrieval practice How to do it:  This is where you generate answers to questions e.g. past papers, practise essay questions and multiple‐choice questions use learning platforms such as Seneca/Kahoot/Blooket etc.

Why it works:  Retrieval practice helps combat the negative effects of stress (exams) and so you are better prepared for exam conditions.  In studies, students who practised this method performed up to 50% better in their exams than those who just re‐read their notes.

2. Spacing How to do it:  Do little chunks of revision, often. Cramming is not effective so it is important to follow your revision timetable.  The further away the exam, the longer the gaps between study sessions should be. When you are on the verge of forgetting the information, is the best time to revisit and revise this material.  Interleaving is also useful. This is when you alternate topics and subjects you are revising. Again, follow your revision timetable!

Why it works: 2

  

Using spacing instead of cramming has resulted in a 10‐30% difference in final exam results, according to several studies.

We tend to remember the first and last things we revise so revisiting the material is important to fill gaps in our knowledge.

In another study, students who spaced out their revision sessions scored 74% higher than those who crammed.

3. Reading out loud How to do it:  Study by reading the information out loud is 12% more effective than reading in silence. You could also create a recording of yourself and listen back to it.

Why it works:  Reading out loud is an active event and it requires visual processing so it helps establish anchors in the brain to make knowledge stick. It is also self‐referential meaning that because you read the information, it is more meaningful and therefore easier to remember.

4. Drawing for learning How to do it:  Drawing pictures which relate to the information you are studying means you create something new from the material you are learning. Students who did this performed better in their final exams.

Why it works:  You need more learning time to draw the pictures so you have more time to analyse and process the information covered. Students who drew pictures also reported putting more effort into their learning.

5. Teaching others How to do it:  Students who had to teach the material to someone else remembered more of the material and did so in a more efficient way than those who did not. As a result, they performed 12% better in test conditions.  Teach your family about the information you have learnt. Explain it to them whenever you can e.g. at the dinner table or on a car journey.

Why it works  Verbalising the information you have learnt requires a need to understand it in order to explain it to others.  The only thing to be wary of is that you are not teaching misconceptions! Make sure the information you are teaching is accurate.

THE BEST WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WELLBEING 1. Sleep How to do it:  Aim for at least 9 hours a night. Try and have a consistent bedtime routine by going to bed and getting up at the same time each night.

Why it works:  A good night’s sleep prior to learning allows you to create new memory associations. When sleep deprived, you are more likely to forget positive memories and focus on negative ones. This can increase anxiety and low mood.

2. Exercise How to do it:  When taking revision breaks, go for a walk as it increases the feelings of happiness, attentiveness and confidence. Even a 5‐minute walk is more beneficial than sitting down during rest breaks. You don’t even need to walk outside to feel the benefits.  Those who regularly exercise cope better with stressful situations and report feeling more alert and focused.

Why it works:  Exercise helps to oxygenate the brain and release tension, helping you to keep calm, mentally relax and study more efficiently.

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3. Diet How to do it:  Eat healthily and have regular meals whilst revising and in particular make sure you have breakfast every day.

Why it works:  Students who ate breakfast showed better memory and attention.  It has also been linked to better eating habits and improved physical and mental health.

4. Screen time How to do it:  Small amounts of screen time are not harmful and may even have some benefits. Being on a screen for one hour before bed hardly affects your sleep but more than this is damaging.  Turn down the backlight on your phone a few hours before bed to help you sleep.

Why it works:  Using a screen for two hours before bed results in 20% less melatonin (the sleep hormone) being released which will affect your sleep. This is particularly detrimental during stressful times such as exam periods when you are already finding it hard to sleep.

THE WORST WAYS TO REVISE     

Highlighting your notes – despite this being the favoured method of students it does not commit information to long‐term memory Simply re‐reading notes – this does not make information stick and you are easily distracted when reading notes Cramming – this will only allow information to enter your short‐term memory which has extremely limited capacity Having your phone in the room with you – the mere presence of a phone leads to a 20% reduction in attention, concentration and performance Revising to music – students who revised in quiet environments performed over 60% better in exams than those who listened to music

TARGET SETTING Look back at your Year 12 exam performance and targets set in each of your subjects. Consider the following questions as you reflect on your performance to date:        

What was your approach to revision? Was it effective?

Did you spend long enough revising? Why? Why not?

Did you do enough past papers when revising?

Did you follow a certain structure when answering longer questions?

Did you underline key/command words in the question?

How was your time management in the exam?

Is there a pattern in your approach? E.g. have you answered a certain style of questions well/poorly. Is this consistent across the paper(s)?

What will you do differently next time?

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Now complete the table below by looking at the areas you think you need to focus on in terms of course content (knowledge) you still need to work on, and assessed work i.e. how you perform in and prepare for exams (application and skills):

Subject

Content target

Skills target

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A LEVEL MOCKS 2024: TIMETABLE

ART AND DESIGN: FINE ART Art and Design: Fine Art A level (9FA0) Head of department

Mrs L Williams

Link to specification https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Art%20and%20Design/2015/specification‐and‐ sample‐assessment‐materials/GCE‐A‐level‐Art‐and‐Design‐specification‐Issue‐4.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall GCSE

Component 1

N/A

Personal Portfolio (NEA)

60%

Component 2 (Exam paper released 1 Feb 2024)

15 hours

Externally Set Assignment

40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 1 (Coursework) This consists of your two coursework projects, two final pieces and 3000 word personal study. Any improvements to coursework must be made by the end of the spring term. You will have submitted two sketchbooks and media tests to support your outcomes.

Component 2 (Externally Set Assignment) You will need to develop a personal investigation into a chosen theme in response to the exam paper and document your preparation work in a sketchbook as well as create experiments outside of your book. In the 15‐hour exam that you will sit across three days, you will be expected to produce a final outcome in response to your chosen area of focus. You will plan your final outcome in advance of these dates.

Mock exam preparation will be project 2 Dates for your exam are Tuesday 7 – Thursday 9 May 2024 preparation work.

What is the best way to prepare for your fine art exam?

For your exam, make sure your final outcome showcases your strengths in terms of your selection of media. Your composition should be carefully planned and you should use the research you have carried out in your sketchbook to inform your final piece. Remember that your final outcome is worth 25% of your overall mark so be experimental, take risks, but also enjoy the process and refine the outcome to the best of your ability.

The best way to prepare is to PRACTISE, TEST and REFINE your use of media. Familiarise yourself with the assessment objectives and check that you are meeting the criteria for the grade you are aiming to attain overall.

ART AND DESIGN: PHOTOGRAPHY Art and Design: Photography A level (9PY0) Teacher in charge

Mrs H Bradshaw

Link to specification https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Art%20and%20Design/2015/specification‐and‐ sample‐assessment‐materials/GCE‐A‐level‐Art‐and‐Design‐specification‐Issue‐4.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall GCSE

Component 1

N/A

Personal Portfolio (NEA)

60%

Component 2 (Exam paper released 1 Feb 2024)

15 hours

Externally Set Assignment

40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 1 (Coursework) This consists of your coursework project sketchbooks, two final pieces and 3000‐word personal study. Any improvements to coursework must be made by the end of the spring term. You will have submitted sketchbooks to support your outcomes.

Component 2 (Externally Set Assignment) You will need to develop a personal investigation into a chosen theme in response to the exam paper and document your preparation work in a sketchbook as well as create experiments outside of your book. In the 15‐hour exam that you will sit across three days, you will be expected to produce a final outcome in response to your chosen area of focus. You will plan your final outcome in advance of these dates.

Mock exam preparation will be project 2 Dates for your exam are Wednesday 8 – Friday 10 May 2024. preparation work.

What is the best way to prepare for your photography exam?

For your exam, make sure your final outcome showcases your strengths in terms of the processes you chose to use.

Your photo shoot(s) for your final piece should be carefully planned and can be taken in advance of the exam, you should use the research you have carried out in your sketchbook to inform your final outcome(s). Remember that your final outcome(s) are worth 25% of your overall mark so be experimental, take risks, but also enjoy the process and refine to the best of your ability.

The best way to prepare is to PRACTISE, TEST and REFINE the processes you chose to use for your photographic work.

Familiarise yourself with the assessment objectives and check that you are meeting the criteria for the grade you are aiming to attain overall.

Fill in the exam planning sheet provided on the Google Classroom and check that all necessary materials are prepared in advance. Bring all your sketchbooks to the exam, these will be submitted for marking along with the final outcome that you produce during the exam.

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ART AND DESIGN: TEXTILE DESIGN Art and Design: Textile Design A level (7204) Teacher in charge

Ms M Ritchie

Link to specification https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/art‐and‐design/specifications/AQA‐ART‐A‐LEVEL‐SP‐2015.PDF

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Component 1

N/A

Personal Investigation (NEA)

60%

Externally Set Assignment

40%

Component 2 15 Hours over (Exam paper released 1 Feb 2024) 13, 14 & 15 May 2024

Percentage of overall GCSE

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 1

Component 2

This started in February 2023 and forms 40% of the mark. You have 7 teaching weeks to develop ideas in response to a given theme. The sketchbook will be the development of your ideas and will form A01 25% of the mark. The sketchbook and design board will be the refining of ideas and will form A02 25% of the mark.

The written annotations and drawing work will form A03 25% of the mark. The Mock exam preparation will be outcome produced in the exam will be the A04 and form 25% of the mark. project 2 preparation work.

Dates for your exam are Monday 13, Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 May in Textiles.

The Personal Investigation is completed and all work will now be submitted. This will form 60% of the mark.

What is the best way to prepare for your textile design exam? 



For your exam, make sure your final outcome showcases your strengths in terms of your selection of media.

Your composition should be carefully planned and you should use the research you have carried out in your sketchbook to inform your final piece. Remember that your final outcome is worth 25% of your overall mark so be experimental, take risks, but also enjoy the process and refine the outcome to the best of your ability.

The best way to prepare is to PRACTISE, TEST and REFINE your use of media. Familiarise yourself with the assessment objectives and check that you are meeting the criteria for the grade you are aiming to attain overall.

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BIOLOGY Biology A level (A400QS) Head of department

Mr A Boothe

Link to specification https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/ezzdb40f/eduqas‐a‐level‐biology‐spec‐from‐2015‐e.pdf

A level exam content - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Component 1

2 hours

Energy for Life

33.3%

Component 2

2 hours

Continuity of Life

33.3%

Component 3

2 hours

Requirements for Life

33.3%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 1 1.1 Importance of ATP 1.2 Photosynthesis uses light energy to synthesise organic molecules 1.3 Respiration releases chemical energy in biological processes 1.4 Microbiology 1.5 Population size and ecosystems (including specified practical work) 1.6 Human impact on the environment

Component 2 Component 3 2.1 All organisms are related 3.1a Adaptations for gas exchange in through their evolutionary history plants 2.2 Genetic information is copied 3.1b Adaptations for gas exchange in and passed on to daughter cells animals 2.3 Sexual reproduction in 3.2 Adaptations for transport in animals humans 3.3 Adaptations for nutrition 2.4 Sexual reproduction in plants 3.4 Homeostasis and the kidney (including (including specified practical specified practical work) work) 3.5 The nervous system (including 2.5 Inheritance specified practical work) 2.6 Variation and evolution Option choice of one from options A‐C: 2.7 Application of reproduction C – Neurobiology and Behaviour and genetics + Core Concepts (biological molecules, cell structure, cell membranes, enzymes, nucleic acids)

What is the best way to revise biology?

Everyone has a different revision style. What is key is knowing what you are studying. For this you must refer to the specification.  Download the specification and print it if you can. There are print friendly versions on the Google Classroom.  Make notes, mind maps or flash cards from the specification using your textbook or revision guide (work section by section).  Complete past paper questions (topic by topic) from the QDB which can also be found on the Google Classroom drive.  Mark your answers and make the corrections (this is key).

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  

Then progress to full past papers (initially with no time limit but then introduce timed sessions).

Again, marking these and amending errors by hand will help your understanding and exam technique.

Rinse, repeat and reward yourself every time you complete a section.

Useful resources Google Classroom Drive: https://classroom.google.com/c/MTUzNzE2NzEzNDAw/m/MTU4OTEyODM0ODM4/details Past papers: https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/biology‐as‐a‐level/#tab_pastpapers

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BUSINESS Business A level (9BS0) Head of department

Mr N Rocca

Link to specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel‐a‐levels/business‐2015.html

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours

Market, people & global business

35%

Paper 2

2 hours

Business activities, decisions and strategy

35%

Paper 3

2 hours

Investigating business in a competitive environment – holistic paper covering every element of the syllabus

30%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow You need to have an excellent awareness of all the elements of the specification but you will be asked specific questions about the following subject areas in the summer exams: Paper 1 1.1 Meeting customer needs 1.2 The Market 1.3 Marketing mix and strategy 1.4 Managing People 1.5 Entrepreneurs and leaders 4.1 Globalisation 4.2 Global markets and business expansion 4.3 Global marketing 4.4 Global industries and companies (MNCs)

Paper 2 2.1 Raising Finance 2.2 Financial Planning 2.3 Managing Finance 2.4 Resource Management 2.5 External Influences 3.1 Business objectives and strategy 3.2 Business growth 3.3 Decision making techniques 3.4 Influences on business decisions 3.5 Assessing competitiveness 3.6 Managing change

Paper 3 All subject matter from Papers 1 & 2 needs to be revised for Paper 3.

The theme this is year is the UK Car industry

What is the best way to revise business?   

To ensure that your knowledge base is secure you should use your notes, PPTs and Course Companions for each theme You should be completing the workbooks You could create flash cards ‐ for example with the key term on one side and the answer on the other side. You could also write a method of growth then write the advantages and disadvantages on the other side.

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You could make a mind map for each topic e.g. 3.1 Business Objectives and Strategy. It is important that you test yourself and make revision an active process.

Practise exam style questions ‐ it is very important that you act on your teacher’s advice on how to answer 4, 10, 12 and 20‐mark questions.

Complete the exam style questions in the workbooks for Theme 1 and 4 and Theme 2 and 3. Remember to follow a PEEEL structure for each paragraph.  Point  Explain  Evidence  Evaluation/However  Link back to the question Also attempt past papers ‐ these can be found on Google Classroom. Also, revisit past papers attempted last year to see how the answers could be improved. In addition, read mark schemes and examiner reports on past papers you have completed.

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CHEMISTRY Chemistry A level (H432) Head of department

Mrs R Michael

Link to specification https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/171720‐specification‐accredited‐a‐level‐gce‐chemistry‐a‐h432.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Component 01 (Content from modules 1, 2, 3 and 5)

2 hours, 15 minutes

Periodic table, elements & physical chemistry

37%

Component 02 (Content from modules 1, 2, 4 and 6)

2 hours, 15 minutes

Synthesis and analytical techniques

37%

Component 03 (Content from modules 1 to 6)

1 hour, 30 minutes

Unified chemistry

26%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Module 1 Development of practical skills in chemistry Module 2 Foundation in chemistry

Module 3 Periodic Table and energy

Module 4 Core organic chemistry

Module 5 Physical chemistry and transition elements

Module 6

Practical skills assessed in written exams Practical skills assessed in the practical endorsement Atoms, compounds, molecules, and equations Amount of substance Acid‐base and redox reactions Electrons, bonding and structure The Periodic Table and periodicity Group 2 and the halogens Qualitative analysis Enrhalpy changes Reaction rates and equilibrium (qualitative) Basic concepts Hydrocarbons Alcohols and haloalkanes Organic synthesis Analytical techniques (IR and MS) Reaction rates and equilibrium (quantitative) pH and buffers Enthalpy, entropy and free energy Redox and redox potentials Transition elements Aromatic compounds 14

Organic chemistry and analysis

Carbonyl compounds Carboxylic acids and esters Nitrogen compounds Polymers Organic synthesis Chromatography and spectroscopy (NMR)

What is the best way to revise chemistry?

There is a lot of factual content in chemistry that must be learnt well so that you can apply your knowledge effectively to examination questions. It is important that you find the revision strategies that suit your type of learning. Remember that revision is an active process that must be done regularly to retain knowledge.

There are three parts to revision: checking your knowledge, retrieval and practice: Knowledge Condense your notes by making summaries of the main points. Break down large amounts of information into smaller units by identifying similarities or patterns and grouping information into manageable chunks. You should also use your Revise OCR AS/A Level Chemistry Revision Guide as a reference resource.

Retrieval This can be achieved by creating mind maps, flashcards and quick quizzes from your summary notes. Quizlets and Seneca Learning are two websites that allow you to use their flashcards or make your own: Quizlet – Learning tools and flashcards ‐ for free! | Quizlet Seneca Learning – Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com).

Practice To monitor progress, practise past paper questions and correct your answers using the mark schemes. Past paper questions can be found here: https://ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as‐and‐a‐level/chemistry‐a‐h032‐h432‐from‐2015/assessment/ You should also use your Revise OCR AS/A Level Chemistry Revision Workbook to check that you have consolidated the key ideas.

An hour revision period should include spending 25 minutes actively condensing your notes and retrieving information, followed by a 5‐minute break. Then spend 30 minutes practising past paper questions and reviewing your answers.

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CLASSICAL CIVILISATION Classical Civilisation A level (H408) Teacher in Charge

Mr L Gardiner

Link to specification https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/315133‐specification‐accredited‐a‐level‐classical‐civilisation‐h408.pdf

A level exam content - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Component 01

2 hours, 30 minutes

The world of the hero

40%

Component 02

1 hour, 45 minutes

Culture and the arts – Greek Theatre

30%

Component 03

1 hour, 45 minutes

Beliefs and ideas – Love and Relationships

30%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 01 The Odyssey: Prescribed Books 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 i. Literary techniques and composition ii. The heroic world: characterisation and themes iii. The social, cultural and religious context The Aeneid: Prescribed Books 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 i. Literary techniques and composition ii. The heroic world: characterisation and themes iii. The social, cultural and religious context iv. Historical and political background

Component 02 Euripides ‐ Bacchae Sophocles ‐Oedipus Rex Aristophanes ‐Frogs i. Prescribed Visual/Material Sources ii. Drama and the theatre in ancient Athenian society iii. Nature of tragedy iv. Nature of (old) comedy v. Literary techniques, structure, and dramatic conventions vi. Social, political and religious themes in tragedy and comedy

Component 03 Plato:  Plato’s ideas about love and desire  how Plato’s contemporary context influenced his ideas  how these ideas might have been received by his contemporary audience Seneca:  Seneca’s ideas about love and desire  the influence of Stoicism on the ideas of Seneca  how Seneca’s contemporary context influenced his ideas how these ideas might have  been received by his contemporary audience Saphho – Love poetry Ovid – Ars Amatoria III

What is the best way to revise Classical Civilisation?

1. Read back over the prescribed books and texts, relevant class notes and study guides.

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2. You need to be able recall the plot of all our texts. Therefore, writing your own for each book of the Odyssey and Aeneid is advised.

3. Make thematic mind maps with key quotations e.g. women in the Odyssey, divine intervention in the Aeneid, satire in Frogs, prophecy in Oedipus. https://www.popplet.com/ Popplet is a good virtual mind mapping tool.

4. Create, add to and memorise a glossary for each module. Course glossaries are found at the back of each textbook.

5. Read back over past essays.

6. Plan responses to exam style 20‐ and 30‐mark questions: links are on Google Classroom.

7. Make banks of secondary sources that can be used for 30 marker essays and group these thematically before committing them to memory. Links to secondary sources are on Google Classroom.

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COMPUTER SCIENCE Computer Science A level (H446) Teacher in Charge

Mrs A Taylor

Link to specification https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/170844‐specification‐accredited‐a‐level‐gce‐computer‐science‐h446.pdf

A level exam content - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 01

2 hours, 30 minutes

Computer systems

40%

Paper 02

2 hours, 30 minutes

Algorithms & programming

40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 01 1.1.1 Structure and function of the processor 1.1.2 Types of processor 1.1.3 Input, output and storage 1.2.1 Operating systems 1.2.2 Applications generation 1.2.3 Types of programming language 1.3.1 Compression, encryption and hashing 1.3.2 Databases 1.3.3 Networks 1.3.4 Web technologies 1.4.1 Data types 1.4.2 Data structures 1.4.3 Boolean algebra 1.5.1 Computing related legislation 1.5.2 Ethical moral and cultural issues

Paper 02 2.1.1 Thinking abstractly 2.1.2 Thinking ahead 2.1.3 Thinking procedurally 2.1.4 Thinking logically 2.1.5 Thinking concurrently 2.2.1 Programming techniques 2.2.2 Software development 2.2.3 Computational methods 2.3.1 Algorithms

What is the best way to revise computer science?

Both computer science papers are marked out of 140 and carry an equal weighting.

Paper 01 covers the theory components and comprises mainly short‐answer questions. It is important to use the mark scheme and make sure that you demonstrate your knowledge (AO1), apply your knowledge to the scenario given in the question (AO2) and ‘design, program and evaluate’ (AO3) your answer. This approach is particularly important in extended answer questions (there are usually three).

Paper 02 comprises two sections: section A will contain some short‐answer questions covering writing algorithms and computational methods, programming techniques and problem‐solving. Section B will have a scenario set at the start 18

of the section which will contain the information that will be used in the questions that follow. Completing past papers is the best form of revision for section B. You can use Python or OCR pseudocode to answer the programming questions.

You will not be penalised if you cannot remember the exact syntax; however, you should be as accurate as you can. 

Have ready: revision checklist (there will be one or two topics you have not covered yet), text book, notes, Classwork tab in Google Classroom (you will see topics listed on left‐hand side, including Revision, Coding Challenges and Key Materials).



Make notes: using the material on Google Classroom, your textbook, and/or one of the ‘Useful resources’ websites listed below. Do not just read/highlight, but make new summative notes and/or mind maps of the main points in each topic. For the algorithms paper you should test yourself using questions from past papers.



Key words: are available for ALL topics in a spreadsheet on Google Classroom (under Key Materials). You need to learn these for each topic.



Test yourself using past papers for the topic you are revising. Questions can be found at the end of each chapter in your textbook, or you can download some past papers from the OCR website (for the H446 specification).



In programming questions, use text given in the question to comment your code and attempt one at a time.

This will help you to break‐down the problems into manageable chunks.



In longer questions remember to: say what you know; apply it to the scenario given in the question; evaluate the points made at the end.

Useful resources Isaac Computer Science: https://isaaccomputerscience.org/topics?examBoard=all&stage=gcse Maths and Physics Tutor: https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/computer‐science‐revision/ OCR: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as‐and‐a‐level/computer‐science‐h046‐h446‐from‐2015/assessment/

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CRIMINOLOGY Criminology Level 3 Diploma (4543QD) Head of Department

Ms S Afsar

Link to specification https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/yzqlsmq4/wjec‐applied‐diploma‐in‐criminology‐spec‐e‐22‐06‐22‐2.pdf

Diploma exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall diploma

Unit 2 (4543UB0‐1)

1 hour, 30 minutes

Criminological Theories

25%

Unit 4 (4543UD0‐1)

1 hour, 30 minutes

Crime and Punishment

25%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Unit 2 AC 1.1 Compare criminal behaviour and deviance AC 1.2 Explain the social construction of criminality AC 2.1 Describe biological theories of criminality AC 2.2 Describe individualistic theories of criminality AC 2.3 Describe sociological theories of criminality AC 3.1 Analyse situations of criminality AC 3.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of criminological theories to explain causes of criminality AC 4.1 Assess the use of criminological theories in informing policy development AC 4.2 Explain how social changes affect policy development AC 4.3 Discuss how campaigns affect policy making

Unit 4 AC 1.1 Describe processes used for law making AC 1.2 Describe the organization of the criminal justice system in England and Wales AC 1.3 Describe models of Criminal Justice AC 2.1 Explain forms of social control AC 2.2 Discuss the aims of punishment AC 2.3 Assess how forms of punishment meet the aims of punishment AC 3.1 Explain the role of agencies in social control AC 3.2 Describe the contribution of agencies to achieving social control AC 3.3 Examine the limitations of agencies in achieving social control AC 3.4 Evaluate the effectiveness of agencies in achieving social control

What is the best way to revise criminology? 

 



Create glossaries for individual topics so that you have a good level of knowledge and understanding of key concepts.

Get yourself acquainted with the command terms used in this unit and be clear on what each command term means.

Rate your understanding of each topic area in Unit 2 using the personalised learning checklist provided (PLC) and revisit any section you rank as a red. You may wish to add detail to your notes for these sections and practice answering exam questions. Revisit the PLC and decide whether this red area is now an amber or green.

Repeat for other sections of the course.

Regularly test yourself on your ability to recall and explain these concepts through online testing platforms such as Quizziz, Quizlet and Kahoot. This might mean creating your own quizzes.

20

  



Create flashcards with questions and answers connected to theories of crime. Ensure that you refer to accurate examples, giving specific details of legal changes both nationally and internationally Try to use mind maps to connect the topics within Unit 2 together, as well as drawing synoptic links with content from Unit 1.

Access all the Unit 2 past papers from your Google Classroom and begin to practise writing answers under timed conditions and with no textbooks or notes in front of you. Use the mark schemes after you have completed your answers. Annotate your answers with green pen to include any content you missed out the first time.

Actively watch the Tutor2U Criminology videos. Pause and make notes as you watch.

Useful Resources WJEC Criminology exam walkthroughs WJEC Criminology knowledge Organisers Unit 2 Criminology videos 'I think therefore I teach' Tutor2U Criminology

21

DRAMA AND THEATRE Drama and Theatre A level (9DR0) Head of department

Mr I Williams

Link to specification https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Drama‐and‐ Theatre/2016/Specification%20and%20sample%20assessments/a‐level_drama_spec.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Component 3

2.5 hours

Theatre Makers in Practice

Percentage of overall GCSE 40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Section A – Live theatre evaluation This section will ask you to analyse and evaluate a live theatre performance that you have seen during the course.

You are allowed to bring 500 words of typed notes into the exam to help you respond to the questions.

This section is worth 20 marks.

You will be given a choice of two questions. Answer ONE question.

Section B – Page to stage: Realising a performance text This section will ask you to answer two extended response questions on how you would interpret and realise an extract from the play Machinal.

You will not be able to take your text into the exam, but you will be given an extract from the text to help you respond to the questions.

This section is worth 36 marks.

One question will include a statement and ask you to discuss how you agree or disagree with the statement. This is ONLY with regard to the play you have seen – this is NOT about theatre in general, though the statement will be broad.

One question will be more specific and refer to one or more elements of the acting or design.

REMEMBER to gain the top band, you MUST use at least three specific moments from the play. Refer to these

This section will explore how you can approach a performance text in order to bring it to life.

This means you will need to be thoroughly familiar with Machinal in order to make it work in terms of acting and staging.

Look for meaning within the text, and how you can enhance that meaning through performance and design.

You will also need to be:

Section C: Interpreting a performance text This section will ask you to answer an extended response question on how you would re‐imagine a production concept of the play Woyzeck. You will need to explain how to communicate ideas to a contemporary audience and outline how a theatre practitioner has influenced your production concept.

You are able to take clean copies of this performance text into the exam.

This section is worth 24 marks.

We have explored Woyzeck with Brecht.

This exploration will inform your response in the written examination. You will write from the perspective of a director developing an interpretation of the text for a 21st‐century audience.

22

moments in details – calling them KEY MOMENTS – and evaluate and analyse them clearly.





Aware of a range of methods of working both as a performer and a designer Able to explain how to put these into practice.

Your ideas for the production, including the acting and the design elements, will draw inspiration from Brecht.

You will be given an extract from the text in the written exam to help focus your response, but you should also make reference to your overall production concept.

What is the best way to revise drama?  

  

Have ready: your copy of Machinal and Woyzeck, lesson notes, revision sheets, pens and laptop Make notes and note down any quotes from your scripts onto your laptop/revision cards. Do not just highlight in your text, ensure you have written down key moments/quotes. Use your notebooks, make flashcards, mind map characters Key facts from original performance (Treadwell & Buchner) Go outside!

Test yourself with exam questions. You do not need to do them in exam conditions and use the mark schemes to correct your answers once you have finished. Choose questions that require you to apply your knowledge and understanding

Use this structure for your answer: S L I D E R

State your specific moment in the scene and briefly what is happening.

Line – give me a cue line: ‘On the line ‘….’

Idea – what is your creative idea for this moment/overall concept?

Description – give me as much detail (using key dramatic terms, adjectives & adverbs) as to exactly what you want this to look/sound like on stage.

Explanation – how does this link to the characters/context/rest of the plot?

Reason – justify your ideas! What is the effect on the audience!

Useful resources Use your revision book as well as class materials

23

ECONOMICS Economics A level (9EC0) Head of department

Mr N Rocca

Link to specification https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel‐a‐levels/economics‐a‐2015.html

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours

Markets and business behaviour

35%

Paper 2

2 hours

The national and global economy

35%

Paper 3

2 hours

Microeconomics and macroeconomics – holistic paper covering all elements of the course

30%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 1.1 The nature of economics 1.2 How Markets work 1.3 Market Failure 1.4 Government intervention 3.1 Business Growth 3.2 Business Objectives 3.3 Revenue, costs and profits 3.4 Market Structures 3.5 Labour market 3.6 Government Intervention

Paper 2 2.1 Measures of economic performance 2.2 Aggregate demand 2.3 Aggregate supply 2.4 National Income 2.5 Economic growth 2.6 Macroeconomic Objectives and policies 4.1 International economics 4.2 Poverty and inequality 4.3 Emerging and developing economies 4.4 The Financial sector 4.5 Role of state in the macro economy

Paper 3 All subject matter from Papers 1 & 2 needs to be revised for Paper 3.

What is the best way to revise economics?     

To ensure that your knowledge base is secure you should use your notes, PPTs and Knowledge booklets You should be completing exercises in the themed workbooks Practise the market structure and externalities diagrams in particular You could create flash cards and mind maps It is important that you test yourself and make revision an active process

Practice exam style questions 24

It is very important that you act on your teacher’s advice on how to answer 5, 8 10, 12, 15 and 25‐mark questions.

Complete the exam style questions in the workbook provided. Remember to follow a PEEEL structure for each paragraph.  Point  Explain  Evidence  Evaluation / However  Link back to the question Also attempt past papers that have been sent to you on Google Classroom. Take time to read the mark schemes and examiner reports from past papers completed. In addition, revisit past papers completed previously to see how the answers could be improved.

25

ENGLISH LANGUAGE English Language A level (7702) Head of department

Mrs B Clarke

Link to specification https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as‐and‐a‐level/english‐language‐7701‐7702/specification‐at‐a‐glance

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours, 30 minutes

Language, the Individual & Society

40%

Paper 2

2 hours, 30 minutes

Language Diversity & Change

40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 Section A: Textual Variations and Representations Question 1 – 25 marks Question 2 – 25 marks Question 3 – 20 marks (spend 25 minutes annotating the texts, 30 minutes on question 1, 30 minutes on question 2 and 20 minutes on question 3) Section B: Children’s Language Development Question 4 – 30 marks – children’s language acquisition Or Question 5 – 30 marks – children’s literacy acquisition (spend 45 minutes on this section of the paper)

Paper 2 Section A ‐ Diversity and Change: Either: an evaluative essay on language diversity (30 marks) Or: an evaluative essay on language change (30 marks) Spend 45 minutes on this question Section B ‐ Language Discourses A question requiring analysis of how two texts use language to present ideas, attitudes and opinions (40 marks). Spend 1 hour on this question (15 minutes reading and annotating and 45 minutes writing your response)/ A directed writing task linked to the same topic and the ideas in the texts (30 marks). Spend 45 minutes on this question TOPICS: identity, age, social groups, accent and dialect, social class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, occupation, language change, world Englishes

What is the best way to revise English language?

Paper 1 Section A: Textual Variations and Representations 26

Secure your knowledge of the key technical terminology; make sure you are aware of the focus of AO1 and AO3; look at a range of different written texts, analyse the key ideas being represented and how meanings are created; revise the different language levels; be aware of the key differences in how language and texts change over time.

Section B: Children’s Language Development Revise the different stages children progress through from birth to 7+ years of age; learn the technical terminology to describe these stages and how children’s speech is labelled and described; secure your knowledge of the key theorists and theories of CLD; revise some case studies and research linked to the theories; apply your language analysis skills from Section A to understanding the data set provided for question 4.

For the question 5 task, revise relevant theories and case studies linked to literacy acquisition; learn and practise applying the correct technical terminology; look at a wide range of written extracts by children up to the age of 10 years old, both hand written and in CMC. Paper 2 Section A: Spend time reading through your notes on each topic area. Ensure you are actively revising e.g. testing, mind maps etc. Make sure you know AO2 in detail and consider whether studies/theories can be challenged. Then spend 45 minutes planning and practising/improving exam questions.

Revise how to write a clear introduction and effective conclusion by revisiting advice and exemplars.

Section B: Revise language levels and terminology for AO1 marks and language discourses that we have studied across the areas of change and diversity e.g. decay, correctness etc.

Read a range of texts and identify the views being expressed by the writer and analyse how these views are being expressed and link to wider discourses. Then spend 45 minutes planning and practising/improving exam questions.

Read a range of opinion‐based articles as style models to inform your own opinion piece. Write some practice openings and conclusions to fulfill this requirement on the mark scheme.

27

ENGLISH LITERATURE English Literature A level (H472) Head of department

Mrs B Clarke

Link to specification https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/171200‐specification‐accredited‐a‐level‐gce‐english‐literature‐h472.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours, 30 minutes

Drama & poetry pre‐1900

40%

Paper 2

2 hours, 30 minutes

Comparative & contextual study

40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 Section 1: Shakespeare: Hamlet by William Shakespeare (spend 1 hour 15 minutes on parts a) and b) = 30 marks)  close analysis of an extract  responding to a statement Section 2: Drama and poetry pre‐1900 (spend 1 hour and 15 minutes = 30 marks) selected poetry by Christina Rossetti and A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen  comparative essay

Paper 2  Section A: Close reading ‐ American literature 1880‐1940 (Spend 1hr 15 mins on this section)  close analysis of an unseen extract 



Section B: Comparative and Contextual Study – The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) and The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) (Spend 1hr 15 mins on this section) comparative essay

What is the best way to revise English literature?

Component 1 Shakespeare For part a, the question itself will remain: ‘Discuss the following passage...exploring Shakespeare’s use of language and its dramatic effects.’ A solid answer will pay close attention to how Shakespeare uses language AND dramatic devices to create meaning and drama in the given passage. The key act to focus on for this question is Act 1. For part b, questions will start with a statement about the play given in quotation marks.  



Skim read through the play and associated notes made in class and for prep Revise the key themes and characters of: ‘playing’ and performing; metatheatre; soliloquies; Old Hamlet’s ghost and Hamlet. Create revision sheets for each theme including quotations and various interpretations of the themes. Interpretations can include: different theoretical lenses, critics, academics, films, theatre productions and the views of your peers.

Revise what key language terminology and dramatic devices are 28

   

Watch at least two versions of the play: Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 adaptation and Gregory Dorians’s 2008 version with David Tennant in the titular role. Make notes on how the seven soliloquies, are presented.

Re‐read York Notes Part five: contexts and critical debates Learn a range of critical statements that include views and perspectives through the lens of: feminism, Freud and other psychological theories, Marxism, Romanticism Complete practice questions

Comparative Essay You are expected to demonstrate your appreciation of the significance of the cultural and contextual influences on the writers, readers and/or audiences (A05) and to be able to explore relationships between texts (A04).  Revise the ideas and themes being presented in at least eight of the Rossetti poems  Skim read the play, A Doll’s House and associated notes made in class and for prep  Watch a film version of A Doll’s House e.g. ClickView and YouTube  Re‐read and make bullet points about cultural factors that influenced the writing of the play and the named poems. Use your York Notes for A Doll’s House, your two Rossetti textbooks and all handouts Use the revision Zig Zag booklet to complete comparative activities   Read exemplars from the OCR selection and revisit your own essays paying particular attention to your targets  Complete practice questions Component 2 The Unseen Extract The first part of this sentence ‘Write a critical appreciation’ instructs you that you need to prioritise AO2 in your answer and ‘explore the effects of language, imagery and verse form’ in the extract. The second part requires you to fulfil AO3 (‘Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received’) by contextualising the unseen extract within the topic area you have studied as a whole.  Revise key contextual information from the OCR Zilboorg text, pages 17‐23 in particular  Research social, historical context 1900‐1920.  Re‐visit practice unseen passages and note targets set  Revise and make key notes from questions set on e.g. The Scarlet Letter  Read exemplar essays from the OCR selection, mark/assess using the mark schemes and note examiner feedback. Make a list of key learning points from each exemplar e.g. how language is used to present key themes Comparative Essay The idea at the centre of the question will be a central theme from the set texts: The Great Gatsby and The Grapes of Wrath.  Skim read through each text and associated notes made in class and for prep.  Revise key contextual information from the OCR Zilboorg text, pages 10‐40 in particular  Use The Great Gatsby CGP Revision Guide. Section 2 on characterisation is useful and section 3 on key themes with particular focus on pages 36‐37, 40‐41, 44‐45 and 48‐49. Also revise language, symbolism, context and critical interpretations on pages 50‐61  Use The Great Gatsby York notes. Themes pages 56‐62, Contexts P72 – 77, Literary Contexts pages 78‐79 and Critical Interpretations pages 80‐82  Read exemplar essays from the OCR booklet, mark/assess using the mark scheme and note examiner feedback  Revise key themes: pursuit of the Dream, social class, the roles of men and women, work, family, identity, health, consumerism/corruption, suffering, wealth and poverty, justice/fairness, role of the individual/group  Re‐read practice essays and note targets set  Watch a film version of both texts e.g. ClickView, DVD or download  Re‐visit Nick Tredell – critical analysis available on ClickView 29



Skim read through critical articles on both texts and list key quotations on the main themes referenced in bullet point 5  Make lists of 5 key quotations on the key themes from both texts, as referenced in bullet point 5  Re‐visit The Jungle and practice extracts such as Babbitt, as a means of revising key themes such as migration, work, suffering, exploitation, social class, justice Complete practice questions as directed

30

FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION Food Science & Nutrition Level 3 Diploma (4563QD) Teacher in Charge

Ms C Anderson

Link to specification https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/k1wfrisk/wjec‐applied‐dip‐in‐food‐science‐nutrition‐spec‐from‐2015‐e‐13‐07‐21‐ 2.pdf

Diploma exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of diploma

Unit 1 (4563UB0‐1)

1 hour, 45minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes plus 15 minutes reading time)

Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups  Section A is short answer questions  Section B is extended answer questions  Section C relates to a case study

25% (with the Controlled Assessment)

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Unit 1 – Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups LO1 Understand the importance of food safety

  

LO2 Understand properties of nutrients

    

LO3 Understand the relationship between nutrients and the human body

  

LO4 Be able to plan nutritional requirements

 

Explain how individuals can take responsibility for food safety Explain methods used by food handlers to keep themselves clean and hygienic Explain methods used to keep work areas clean and hygienic Analyse risks associated with food safety Describe functions of nutrients in the human body Explain characteristics of unsatisfactory nutritional intake Analyse nutritional needs of specific groups Assess how different situations affect nutritional needs Explain how nutrients are structured Classify nutrients in foods Assess the impact of food production methods on nutritional value Evaluate fitness for purpose of diets Calculate nutritional requirements for given individuals

What is the best way to revise food science & nutrition?

31

Summarise your learning in a way that suits you: visually ‐ through charts, mind‐maps, tables; or auditory ‐ listening to information/facts or actively engaged in learning by ‘doing’.  Have ready: exercise book, textbook, revision notebook, pens, laptop.  Make notes using your class notes/text book/lesson materials on your laptop or Google Classroom/video clips. Do not just read and highlight your notes; you should be actively taking notes e.g. in a notebook, flash cards, mind maps (for topic overviews).  Take a break with a change of environment (leave your desk).  Test yourself with exam questions. You do not need to do them in exam conditions, but using the mark schemes to correct your answers once you have finished is essential. Choose questions that require you to apply your knowledge.

Useful resources https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/ https://www.food.gov.uk/ https://www.nutrition.org.uk/ https://www.nhs.uk/ https://www.ifst.org/lovefoodlovescience

32

FRENCH French A level (7652) Head of department

Mr S Woolnough

Link to specification https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/french/specifications/AQA‐7652‐SP‐2016.PDF

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours, 30 minutes

Listening, reading and writing

50%

Paper 2

2 hours

Writing

20%

Paper 3

21‐23 mins

Speaking

30%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 topics  Unit 1 – La famille en voie de développement  Unit 2 – La cyber‐société  Unit 3 – Le rôle du bénévolat  Unit 4 – Une culture fière de son patrimoine  Unit 5 – Les aspects positifs d’une société diverse  Unit 6 – Quelle vie pour les marginalisés?  Unit 7 ‐ Comment on traite les criminels

Paper 2  All your notes on the film and the book

Paper 3  The same topics as for Paper 1.

What is the best way to revise French?  



Revise your class notes and look at the Theme Objectives at the beginning of each unit. For example, you can find the objectives for Unit 1 on page 13 of your textbook.

Design mind maps or write a list of facts based on the ideas discussed in lessons. These mind maps/lists should be organised per unit. You can also extract ideas from the reading and listening exercises that we have done in lessons.

Read news articles (primarily www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/news)

33



   

http://fr.euronews.com/ www.lemonde.fr) related to the themes for Paper 1 and add the main ideas to your mind maps/lists. You should also try to listen to the news in French. The Euronews channel (en français) on YouTube is a good option: https://fr.euronews.com/live http://fr.euronews.com/ www.20minutes.fr/ Use your grammar workbook in order to complete as many exercises as you can in order to practise your grammar and translation skills. You can also practise your grammar using www.languagesonline.org.uk Study all the lists of vocabulary and make mind maps for vocabulary for each unit. You will find revision sets on Quizlet or Memrise for each unit.

Go onto the AQA website for past papers and ensure you complete timed papers.

Make sure you reread Les Mains Sales and watch La Vie en Rose. Read through your class notes and student guides for the book and film. You should also design mind maps for themes and characters. At the end of each guide there are example of essays together with exam advice. Please make sure you read these sections carefully.

34

GEOGRAPHY Geography A level (7037) Head of department

Mr A Pinks

Link to specification https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/as‐and‐a‐level/geography‐7037/specification‐at‐a‐glance

Link to past papers https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/as‐and‐a‐level/geography‐7037/assessment‐resources

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/ component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours, 30 minutes

Physical Geography

40%

Paper 2

2 hours, 30 minutes

Human Geography

40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1

Paper 2

 Water and Carbon Cycle (36 marks. Spend 45 minutes on this section)  Coastal Systems and Landscapes (36 marks. Spend 45 minutes on this section)  Hazards (48 marks. Spend 1 hour on this section)

 Global Governance (36 marks. Spend 45 minutes on this section)  Changing Places (36 marks. Spend 45 minutes on this section)  Population and Environment (48 marks. Spend 1 hour on this section)

What is the best way to revise geography?

As a general rule, you will have 1¾ minutes for each mark. The structure of the questions for the shorter topics (coasts and changing places) will be as follows: 35

Marks

Type of question

4 6 6 20

Explain a concept Analyse a figure (PALM: pattern, anomalies, links, manipulation of data) Using figure X and your own knowledge, assess/to what extent/how far you agree…

Assess/to what extent essay

Time to spend on it 5 7 8 25

The structure of the questions for the longer topics (hazards and population) will be as follows: Marks Type of question 4 6 9 9 20

Time to spend on it Explain a concept 5 Analyse a figure (PALM: pattern, anomalies, links, manipulation of data) 7 Using figure X and your own knowledge, assess/to what extent/how far do you agree… 11 To what extent question relating to theory (may be synoptic) 11 Assess/to what extent essay 25

For the essays, make sure you include a plan. Remember the mark scheme is looking for the following:

36

HISTORY History A level (H505) Head of Department

Mr P Jeffrey

Link to specification https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/170128‐specification‐accredited‐a‐level‐gce‐history‐a‐h505.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/ component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Unit 1 (Y108)

1 hour, 30 minutes

Early Stuarts & Origins of the Civil War 1603‐ 1660

25%

Unit 2 (Y224)

1 hour

Apartheid & Reconciliation: South African Politics 1948‐1999

15%

Unit 3 (Y319)

2 hours, 30 minutes

Civil Rights in the USA 1865‐1992

40%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Unit 1 The Early Stuarts 1603‐1646  James I and parliament  James I and religion  Charles I 1625‐1640 

Charles I and the victory of Parliament 1640‐1646



The failure to achieve a settlement 1646‐1649



Commonwealth and Protectorate



The Restoration of Charles II

Unit 2  Establishing Apartheid  The development of Apartheid and growing resistance  The collapse of Apartheid 1978‐ 1989  A New South Africa 1989‐1999

Unit 3  African Americans  Trade Union and Labour Rights  Native American Indians  Women  Civil rights in the ‘Gilded Age’ c1875‐c1896  The New Deal and civil rights  Malcolm X and Black Power

What is the best way to revise history?    

Link to past questions: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as‐and‐a‐level/history‐a‐h105‐h505‐from‐ 2015/assessment/ Using mind maps will help you visualise your history notes. Make links between events and people so you can anchor your knowledge https://www.popplet.com/ Popplet is a good virtual mind mapping tool Create living timelines. Include dates but also if things are good or bad for society or the people in power depending on the topic 37

The Early Stuarts and the Origins of the Civil War 1603–1660

Civil Rights in the USA 1865–1992 ●

Source question = 30 marks Flashcards to remember the technique of answering a source question Create a list of reasons why sources are created Flashcards of key information, dates and people in the period as they may come up in a source or be the creator of a source Essay question: 20 marks

Examples grids on key factors such as Supreme Court cases, federal government policies, Congressional legislation, leadership and groups and opposition groups and leaders. ● Thematic timelines charting key turning points in the topics with underlying themes such as changing ideology, party support and structure and economic growth. ● Essay plans including criteria for judgement and signpost sentences ● Essays in timed conditions

Ensure you can write 3 paragraphs per topic and be clear which factor is the most important, and why.

Use measuring vocabulary.

Apartheid & Reconciliation: South African Politics 1948‐1999 Make notes on key groups and individuals – those who were opposed to apartheid and those who were committed to it.

For the essays it is often about change over time, complete a timeline including evidence of increasing apartheid alongside opposition to apartheid.

38

MATHEMATICS Mathematics A level (9MA0) Head of department

Mrs L Honnor (temporary stand‐in Mrs D Cox)

Link to specification https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel‐a‐levels/mathematics‐2017.html

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours

Pure Mathematics 1

33.33%

Paper 2

2 hours

Pure Mathematics 2

33.33%

Paper 3

2 hours

Statistics and Mechanics

33.33%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 All content from the Year 1 book and the following chapters from the year 2 book: Chapter 1 – Algebraic methods Chapter 2 – Functions and graphs Chapter 3 – Sequences and series Chapter 4 – Binomial expansion Chapter 5 ‐ Radians Chapter 6 – Trig functions Chapter 7 – Trig and modelling Chapter 8 – Parametric equations Chapter 9 – Differentiation up to the quotient rule

Paper 2 All content from the Year 1 book and the following chapters from the year 2 book: Chapter 1 – Algebraic methods Chapter 2 – Functions and graphs Chapter 3 – Sequences and series Chapter 4 – Binomial expansion Chapter 5 ‐ Radians Chapter 6 – Trig functions Chapter 7 – Trig and modelling Chapter 8 – Parametric equations Chapter 9 ‐ Differentiation up to the quotient rule

Paper 3 ‐ Applied All content from the Year 1 book and the following chapters from the year 2 book: Chapter 1 – Regression, correlation and hypothesis testing Chapter 3 – Normal distribution Chapter 4 ‐ Moments Chapter 5 – Forces & friction Chapter 6 ‐ Projectiles

What is the best way to revise maths?   

The best way to revise for maths is by completing questions and checking your solutions As a general rule, you should spend 1 minute for each mark on the paper. This then allows time for checking answers Begin by concentrating on specific topics and completing questions on that topic and using websites for help and model solutions if you need

When you are ready: practise past papers under timed conditions so that you can familiarise yourself with timings and begin to develop techniques for checking your solutions.

Ensure you have a list of formulae that you need to know or an efficient method for deriving them.

39

Useful resources ● ● ●

https://www.drfrostmaths.com/– includes video solutions and questions broken down by topic https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/ ‐ has past paper questions and solutions and excellent revision sheets and cheat sheets. These are worth printing for reference. https://www.examsolutions.net/a‐level‐maths/edexcel/ ‐ has tutorials and videos of worked solutions to exam papers.

40

MEDIA STUDIES Media Studies A level (9607) Ms E Ashton

Teacher in Charge

Link to specification https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes‐and‐qualifications/cambridge‐international‐as‐and‐a‐level‐ media‐studies‐9607/

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Component 2 (21)

2 hours

Media Texts & Contexts

25%

Component 4 (41)

2 hours

Critical Perspectives

25%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 2 Media Texts & Contexts has 2 sections: Section A Unseen TV drama extract

Section B Media Contexts: The Film Industry

Practise summing up the representations and context in an introductory paragraph

Study existing exam questions and practise writing relevant topic sentences. This is key to success!

Revise the terminology of film language on the class blog: camerawork, mise‐en‐scène, editing, sound

Revise key concepts: ownership, convergence, synergy, distribution, exhibition, consumption, digital, streaming.

Prepare evidence of your own media consumption and wider industry trends/patterns.

Rehearse expressing how meaning is made using the 3‐ point process: T, E, EAA (terminology, example, explanation, analysis, argument) Aim to include a relevant theorist (Hall, Barthes, Levi Strauss, Mulvey etc.) where appropriate Apply your revision by watching a variety of TV drama extracts and identify the film language – Killing Eve

Revise case studies – know the studio, distributor, audience, trailers, websites, marketing 

Black Widow



I Daniel Blake



Parasite



Streaming – Netflix/Industry

Read through the exemplar scripts

…..and any others that interest you personally

Component 4 Critical Perspectives Section A

Section B 41

Media debates (30 marks) Go over the case studies for each of the following. One question on each.

Write for 30 minutes on each.             

Regulation ‐ contexts Ofcom BBFC PEGI IPSO Debates on regulation ‐ moral, democratic Technological challenges Control Audience participation Shifting values and culture Effects theory ‐ moral panics Fake news Wild west web

Media ecology (30 marks) You answer one question. Spend one hour.  The role of technology  Mediation  Representation  Convergence  Current media landscapes  Ownership  Democracy  Marshal McLuhan Case studies   

Case studies       

The Joker Grand Theft Auto/ High School shootings (moral panics) Internet ‐ lack of regulation Twitter ‐ Elon Musk Facebook ‐ Mark Zuckerburg News Corp ‐ Rupert Murdoch

Power and the Media:  Influence of ownership  Specific audiences  Social media ‐ the impact of voices ‐ Twitter, YouTube, Facebook etc  People power  Political affiliations  Markets ‐ what sells  Fake news  Hyperdermic needle  Uses and gratifications  Gramsci and Hegemony  Social media influences  Dominant ideologies



Twitter ‐ Elon Musk Facebook ‐ Mark Zuckerburg News Corp ‐ Rupert Murdoch Cambridge Analytica ‐ BREXIT/ US Election Facebook ‐ Myanmar

Revise theorists first (Marshall McLuhan, Postman, Jenkins, Gillmor, Gauntlett, Wesch, Shirky…) then go over case studies (like smartphone) and link them to exam questions

Case studies     

Twitter ‐ Elon Musk Facebook ‐ Mark Zuckerburg News Corp ‐ Rupert Murdoch Greta Thunberg Black Lives Matter/ Birth of the Nation/ Childish G

What is the best way to revise essay techniques?

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Use the class blog http://cie9607.blogspot.com/, your model answers and essay frameworks

Key Concepts: industry and audience Discuss the processes of production, distribution and marketing Current trends and issues in the film industry The different ways in which audiences find out about films, what they watch and where they watch them The issues raised by media ownership and funding The importance of cross‐media convergence & synergy in production, distribution, marketing Technologies introduced recently at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and at the point of consumption How different audiences are targeted ‐ how your own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends in audience behaviour: have examples ready

What is the best way to revise media studies?

Take one topic at a time: read it through, reduce each to 3 paragraphs of 3 points with 3 examples.

After a break, spend 30 minutes composing ‘topic sentences’ to introduce each paragraph.

Match at least one theorist to your topic.

Practise introducing theorists: “For Stuart Hall, representation is linked to power in that…”

“For Edward Said, orientalism is Western othering of different cultures, leading to stereotyping….”

Definition of media ecology? The concept of media ecology can be traced back to Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman, and refers to the ways in which media, technology and ways of communicating shape our environment, our society and daily lives.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION Physical Education A level (H555) Teacher in Charge

Ms R Rixon

Link to specification https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/234833‐specification‐accredited‐a‐level‐gce‐physical‐education‐h555.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/module number

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours

Physiological factors affecting performance

30%

Paper 2

1 hour

Psychological factors affecting performance

20%

Paper 3

1 hour

Socio‐cultural issues in physical activity and sport

20%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 ‐ Physiological factors affecting performance 1.1a Skeletal and Muscular systems 1.1b Cardiovascular and respiratory systems 1.1c Energy for exercise 1.1d Environmental effects on body systems 1.2 Exercise physiology 1.2a Diet and nutrition and their effect on physical activity and performance 1.2b Preparation and training methods in relation to improving and maintaining physical activity and performance 1.2c Injury prevention and the rehabilitation of injury ‐ acute and chronic injuries

Paper 2 – Psychological factors affecting performance 2.1 Skill Acquisition

Paper 3 – Socio‐cultural issues in physical activity and sport 3.1 Sport and society

2.2 Sports psychology

3.2 Contemporary issues in physical activity and sport

1.3 Biomechanics 1.3a Biomechanical principles, levers and the use of technology 1.3b Linear motion, angular motion, fluid mechanics and projectile motion

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What is the best way to revise PE?  

Answering questions and use mark schemes – understand how each section of the paper assesses you (available on Google classroom).

Understand the COMMAND WORDS

Section A Questions – AO1, AO2 – command words are Identify and Describe. Usually, 2 marks per question but effectively identify or describe and give a sporting example.

Section B Questions – AO1, AO2 and AO3 – command words are Identify, Describe, Explain and Critically Evaluate.  Tasks to aid revision. Do, don’t read.

Create further resources: Where you are not sure –  Textbook and Revision Guide – can only be used together  Create your own written notes using Google slides/PPT/any other method.  Memrise: use this to create key word and definition.

Past paper and sample assessment material  Find: Short AO1 question, longer AO2/O3 question for each topic – understand the mark scheme.  Adapt exam questions to ask on a different element of the same topic.  Adapt command words to change exam questions and marks.  Create your own flash cards.  The EverLearner Lectures ‐ Make notes from these, but better still, find the mistakes. Although this is an excellent revision and information resource there are occasional pieces of information not relevant to this exam board. If you can find those, then you are doing very well.

Use The Everlearner quizzes to help check knowledge.

Helpful resources: Past papers and sample assessment materials link: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as‐and‐a‐level/physical‐education‐h155‐h555‐from‐2016/assessment/

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PHYSICS Physics A level (A420QS) Head of department

Miss A Jackson

Link to specification https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/jh5iwuvk/eduqas‐a‐level‐physics‐spec‐from‐2015‐e‐22‐09‐22.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Component 1

2 hours, 15 minutes

Newtonian Physics

31.25%

Component 2

2 hours

Electricity and the Universe

31.25%

Component 3

2 hours, 15 minutes

Light, Nuclei and Options

37.5%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 1 1. Basic physics 2. Kinematics 3. Dynamics 4. Energy concepts 5. Circular motion 6. Vibrations 7. Kinetic theory 8. Thermal physics

Component 2 1. Conduction of electricity 2. Resistance 3. D.C. circuits 4. Capacitance 5. Solids under stress 6. Electrostatic and gravitational fields of force 7. Using radiation to investigate stars 8. Orbits and the wider universe

Component 3 1. The nature of waves 2. Wave properties 3. Refraction of light 4. Photons 5. Lasers 6. Nuclear decay 7. Particles and nuclear structure 8. Nuclear energy 9. Magnetic fields 10. Electromagnetic induction Optional topic: B: Medical physics

What is the best way to revise physics?

The best way to revise for your A level Physics is by completing as many past papers as possible, alongside extensive use of mark schemes. Folders of past paper questions have been collated for you on the school Google Drive (links below). In these folders are also packs of practice questions that we have used in lessons.

Year 12 topics: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1axKJrQdYAtiq3YQMPyPLV2VszkGhR0CS?usp=sharing Year 13 topics, checklists, useful videos, practice comprehension questions and entire past papers (with handwritten model solutions): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A1HPxf‐dS1Eh6A6Q‐ibXMEEv5_aIjVUY?usp=sharing 46

Helpful resources: 



The A Level Physics Online website (excellent revision videos for the required practical activities): https://www.alevelphysicsonline.com/eduqas The A Level Physics Online Login details can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17MxzKC‐ hxpj6qvWYukTRNpOhVIue5tSAwn4adHL_CPA/edit?usp=sharing All of the Year 12 content is free, but to access the Year 13 content you will need to log in.

You can see videos about some of the required practicals here: https://www.alevelphysicsonline.com/year‐12‐practicals and https://www.alevelphysicsonline.com/year‐13‐practicals‐schools Questions and “quickfire” questions from your Eduqas Year 12 and Year 13 revision guides.

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POLITICS Politics A level (9PL0) Head of department

Mrs L Smith

Link to specification https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Politics/2017/Specification%20and%20sample%20a ssessments/A‐level‐Politics‐Specification.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/module number

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Component 1

2 hours

UK Politics

33.33%

Component 2

2 hours

UK Government

33.33%

Component 3

2 hours

Comparative Politics

33.33%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Component 1 UK Politics  Democracy and participation  Political parties  Electoral systems  Voting Behaviour and the media Political ideologies  Socialism  Conservatism  Liberalism

Component 2 UK Government  The constitution  Parliament  Prime Minister and executive  Relations between the branches

Political ideologies  Anarchism

Component 3 Global politics  The state and globalisation  Global governance: political and economic  Human rights  The environment  Power and developments  Regionalism and the EU Comparative theories  Liberalism  Realism

What is the best way to revise politics?

POINT



EVIDENCE

ANALYSE

COUNTER

EVALUATE

Create plans for past questions using PEACE structure 48

  

     



Link to past questions: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel‐a‐levels/politics‐ 2017.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson‐UK:Category%2FExam‐materials Keep up to date with political changes, continue to watch the news so you have the most up to date examples possible Using mind maps will help you visualise your politics notes. Make links between events and people so you can anchor your knowledge. Mind maps will also help you to make links between the different components in the papers. https://www.popplet.com/ Popplet is a good virtual mind mapping tool, you can even use it on your phones Vary your revision techniques and do not stick to just one thing. Cramming does not work in politics. Make sure you take short but frequent breaks during your revision sessions Create flashcards of the key thinkers Debate your arguments with each other, your family members and your friends Use knowledge charts, linked to the specification, to find gaps in your knowledge Make sure that you have around 4 arguments for and against all of the big questions that you can call upon easily if you need them. Any more than 4 and you won’t be able to use them, any less and you may be in trouble if you forget any of them in the exam Use Seneca for knowledge recall, class code: saxk4638yj

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PSYCHOLOGY Psychology A level (7182) Head of department

Ms S Afsar

Link to specification https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/psychology/specifications/AQA‐7181‐7182‐SP‐2015.PDF

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours

Social influence Memory Attachment Psychopathology

33.3%

Paper 2

2 hours

Approaches in psychology Biopsychology Research methods

33.3%

Paper 3

2 hours

Issues and debates in psychology Cognition and Development Schizophrenia Forensic psychology

33.3%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow



 



Paper 1 Social Influence (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section) Memory (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section) Attachment (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section) Psychopathology (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section)



Paper 2 Approaches (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section)



 

Biopsychology (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section)



 

Research Methods (48 marks, spend 1 hour on this section)

Paper 3 Issues and Debates (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section) Schizophrenia (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section) Cognition and Development (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section) Forensic Psychology (24 marks, spend 30 minutes on this section)

What is the best way to revise psychology?

50

         

Do not leave revision too late! Use the planning notes given to you make a revision timetable, taking note of which topics will be in papers 1 and 2 Do not spend too long in each session of revision. Remember the 90‐minute cycles of attention. So, take breaks Read whichever material suits your style of learning. Make notes such as Cornell note styles or others that suit your needs or adapt the booklet using a textbook and PowerPoints.

Break the material in each sub‐topic down into short bullet points under the skill objectives AO1 and AO3 including the key terms from the specification Keep the specification with you – make a subject checklist and increase ticks the better you know it Use the personalised learning checklists for each topic to ensure you are aware of areas you know well and areas you need to specifically target Practise multiple exam questions – check using AQA mark schemes – don’t just read – read then practise.

Find a responsible revision buddy Go online and use websites such as Psych Boost and Tutor2U for revision resources. Create your own Quizlets, Quizziz and Kahoots for key terms Actively watch webinars by tutor2u or Psych boost, which means pausing, making notes and asking questions.

Exam questions and timing  The exams are 2 hours long and have 96 marks equally distributed among the 4 topics per paper  Examiners often say one minute and 30 words per mark, but common sense would indicate that shorter answers may be more quickly answered adequately than longer ones – focus on 30 minutes per section [60 mins on the research methods section] Questions range from 1‐16 marks  When answering take the marks into account – remember ‘elaboration.’ All skills are distributed throughout the papers. A short answer may be AO3 only. ‘AO3 only’ answers do not require AO1 introductions. Answers to questions with a stem [story] must include that stem as part of the requirements of the question [AO2].  Maths questions must show working out when required so ensure that you have a calculator for all 3 papers.  Learn the table for choosing the correct statistical test and practise questions on the Sign test  16‐mark questions are both AO1 and AO3, and possibly AO2 – the balance is 6 marks for AO1 and 10 for AO3 – the balance should both be correct in terms of content but also appear right  For a 16‐mark question without a stem, aim for six points of information/key concepts which you will explain for the AO1 section and aim for 3‐4 chunky PEEL paragraphs for the evaluation section  For a 16‐mark stem question, remember to link the stem to both your AO1 and AO3 sections and have at least 3 evaluation points.  For an 8‐mark ‘discuss’ question, remember the balance is 3 marks for AO1 and 5 marks for AO3. Try to aim for 2 evaluation points and have a balance of one positive and one negative point  Short answer questions with the command term ‘explain’, ‘describe’ or ‘outline’ still require detail  A discuss question always wants evaluation and knowledge  A discuss 16‐mark question requires a conclusion  Avoid waffle and commonsensical answers and choose factual accuracy above this  Remember that a Research Methods question can be embedded and appear within any section of the course ‐ prepare well for this!  Research Methods is a double section in the exam, and it can also appear across other topics too  Within the Research Methods section you will always have to provide contextual detail in your answers  Remember that ‘research’ in psychology means theories, explanations, and studies  With MCQ questions, use a ‘process of elimination’ strategy to help you manage these  With Biopsychology questions, prepare in advance by drawing and labelling diagrams of neurons, brain regions and synaptic transmission, for example

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RELIGIOUS STUDIES Religious Studies A level (7062B) Head of department

Mrs E Robinson

Link to specification https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/rs/specifications/AQA‐7062‐SP‐2016.PDF

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Component 1

3 hours

Philosophy of religion and ethics

50%

Component 2

3 hours

Study of religion and dialogues

50%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 Paper 2 Philosophy Christianity 1. Arguments for the existence of God (teleological, 1. Sources of wisdom and authority cosmological, ontological) 2. God 2. Evil and Suffering 3. Good moral conduct 3. Religious experience 4. Gender and sexuality 4. Religious language 5. Self, death and afterlife 5. Miracles 6. Expressions of Religious Identity 6. Self, death and Afterlife 7. Christianity and Science 8. Challenge of Secularization Ethics 9. Migration and Religious Pluralism 1. Normative ethical theories Dialogues 2. Applied ethics Dialogues ‐ Philosophy 3. Meta Ethics Dialogues ‐ Ethics 4. Free will and moral responsibility 5. Conscience These questions bring together different strands of the 6. Bentham and Kant course. No new content is required

What is the best way to revise philosophy?      

Use the specification to ensure you are familiar with all key words and concepts of the topics listed above.

Use a range of resources e.g. topic on a page summary we have provided, text books and notes.

Ensure your revision is active e.g. make notes, create revision cards to learn key words, make mind maps for each topic.

Re‐write past essays using the feedback you have been given.

Plan answers out if you don’t have time to write them.

Familiarise yourself with the format of the exam and the demands of each question e.g. o AO1 (10 marks) – you must examine the issues raised in the question, maintaining a careful focus.

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AO2 (15 marks) – you need to evaluate the statement given, considering at least two points of view and providing a clear personal judgement. o Dialogue (45 marks) – this is a combination of AO1 and AO2 skills. You should approach it as you would an AO2, but include more information throughout. It is important to plan this, as you must include content from both sides of the course, as well as considering different viewpoints.

Look at the mark schemes and examiner reports to see what is required for the highest marks e.g. accuracy, relevance, specificity, precision, perception, diversity of views and frequent references to the question Most importantly, don’t panic! Plan your revision schedule carefully so you do not become overwhelmed.

Always feel free to email your teachers for help if you need advice. o

 

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SOCIOLOGY Sociology A level (H580) Head of Department

Ms S Afsar

Link to specification https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/170212‐specification‐accredited‐a‐level‐gce‐sociology.pdf

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1 Education with Theory and Methods

2 hours

4.1.1 Education 4.1.2 Methods in Context 4.1.3 Theory and Methods

33.3%

Paper 2 Topics in Sociology

2 hours

4.2.2 Families and Households 4.2.7 Media  The relationship between ownership and control of the media The media, globalization and  popular culture The process of selection and  presentation of the content of the news

33.3%

Paper 3 Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods

2 hours

4.3.1 Crime and Deviance 4.3.2 Theory and Methods

33.3%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 4.1.1 Education 4.1.2 Methods in Context 4.1.3 Theory and Methods

Paper 2 4.2.2 Families and Households 4.2.7 Media  The relationship between ownership and control of the media  The media, globalization and popular culture  The process of selection and presentation of the content of the news

Paper 3 4.3.1 Crime and Deviance 4.3.2 Theory and Methods

What is the best way to revise sociology? 

Download the specification and use this in addition to Power Points, class notes, textbooks and tutor2U videos to create your ultimate user‐friendly revision notes 54

     

   

For each topic, create a glossary of key concepts in the area, a list of key sociologists with brief details of their research, links to key sociological theories, real world examples to illustrate these ideas and evaluation points.

This will ensure that you are covering AO1, AO2 and AO3 assessment objectives Create A3 mind maps of entire topic areas to give you the big picture overview of the topic. Start to add in synoptic links to other topics you have learned on the course Know the structure of each paper, each section, what command terms mean and what the assessment objectives (AOs) are for each question.

When you are evaluating a research method, use the PERVERT mnemonic (practical, ethical, reliable, valid, example, representative and theoretical) When analysing the contribution made by competing sociological theories in a particular area, e.g. Crime and Deviance, draw out a Venn Diagram and look to make comparisons and contrasts In extended writing questions, remember to develop your arguments with reference to sociological research, theoretical perspectives, relevant statistics and supporting examples to strengthen the point. When evaluating your argument, avoid juxtapositioning alternative theories. Make your evaluation point count by directly addressing the previous point.

Prepare for big essay questions by writing detailed plans for a wide range of essay titles. Wherever possible, practice without notes or books and review later by including any missed out details in a different colour Use Tutor2U videos on a range of key areas of sociology ‐ however, ensure that you are doing this actively by pausing the clip, making notes, asking, and then answering questions about the content Use Crash Course Sociology in the same way by watching and writing Cornell style notes simultaneously Prepare source questions by regularly reading a newspaper and looking for the relevant sociology in the article

Helpful resources 

  

Crash Course Sociology Tutor2U Sociology Sociology Central Revisesociology.com

55

SPANISH Spanish A level (7692) Head of department

Mr S Woolnough

Link to specification https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/spanish/specifications/AQA‐7692‐SP‐2016.PDF

A level exam contents - summer 2024 Papers/components with mock exam contents are highlighted in yellow Paper/component

Duration

Content

Percentage of overall A level

Paper 1

2 hours, 30 mins

Listening, reading and writing

50%

Paper 2

2 hours

Writing

20%

Paper 3

21‐23 minutes

Speaking

30%

Which topics do I need to revise?

Mock exam revision topics are highlighted in yellow Paper 1 and Paper 3 topics  Los valores tradicionales y modernos  El ciberespacio  La igualdad de los sexos  La influencia de los ídolos  La identidad regional en España  El patrimonio cultural  La inmigración  El racismo  La convivencia de las culturas  Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos del mañana  Monarquías y dictaduras  Los movimientos populares  Paper 3 only: your research project

Paper 2  Film: Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro  Text: Réquiem por un campesino español by R. Sender  All the grammar listed in the specification with a focus on: o Present indicative and subjunctive o Imperfect and pluperfect subjunctives o Imperfect vs preterit o The vocabulary from the themes for Paper 1

What is the best way to revise Spanish?  

Revise your class notes and look at the Theme Objectives at the beginning of each unit. For example, you can find the objectives for Unit 1 on page 13 of your textbook Design mind maps or write a list of facts based on the ideas discussed in lessons. These mind maps/lists should be organised per unit. You can also extract ideas from the reading and listening exercises that we have done in lessons

56



  

Read news articles (primarily from El País https://elpais.com/ and/or 20Minutos https://www.20minutos.es/) related to the themes for Paper 1 and add the main ideas to your mind maps/lists. You should also try to listen to the news in Spanish. The Euronews channel (en espanol) on YouTube is a good option: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbKgQhFlMdU Use your grammar workbook in order to complete as many exercises as you can in order to practise your grammar and translation skills. You can also practise your grammar using www.spanishdct.com Study all the lists of vocabulary which can be found here: https://quizlet.com/class/16725771/members. Focus on the ones from Themes 3 and 4 Make sure you read the guides for El Laberinto del Fauno and Réquiem por un campesino español by Hodder Education. You should also design a mind map for each one of the sections. Focus on the historical context, themes and characters. At the end of each guide there are example of essays together with exam advice. Please make sure you read these sections carefully

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