Curriculum

SUBJECT DETAILS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE (4355)

This subject may be taken at both April/May
and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two-year course offering an alternative to London Examinations GCE O Level and the GCSE in English. The anthology of reading material distributed at the beginning of the course contains non-fiction texts and literary texts, with also a wide range of reading and writing tasks.

The Examination

There are two routes for assessment: 100% examination, or 70% examination and 30% coursework. (Coursework option includes assessment of speaking and listening).

100% examination assessment will consist of two papers.

Paper 1F (Foundation Tier) or Paper 2H (Higher Tier)
- This will be of 2 hours where reading and writing skills will be assessed.
Reading: questions to test understanding of an unprepared reading passage and a non-fiction passage from the anthology.
Writing: a task to test writing to inform, explain, describe.

Paper 3 (common to both tiers, examination alternative to coursework)
- This will be of 1 ½ hours, consisting of reading and writing.
Reading: a question to test understanding of the literature section of the anthology
Writing: a choice of tasks to test writing to explore, imagine, entertain and writing to argue, persuade, advise.

70% examination and 30% coursework will consist of 1 paper, either Paper 1F or Paper 2H plus component 4 (written coursework)and component 5 (speaking and listening coursework).

Component 4 (common to both tiers, written coursework)
- This will consist of two assignments where it involves both writing and reading.
Writing: a piece of personal and imaginative writing.
Reading: a piece of writing responding to the Literature section of the anthology.

Component 5 (common to both tiers, speaking and listening coursework)
- This will consist of two assignments, where it will be an individual talk and group work.

MATHEMATICS (4400)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two-year course to meet the needs of students of all abilities.

The Examination

Candidates will be required to take two papers.

Foundation Tier candidates will take papers 1F (50%) and 2F (50%). The Foundation Tier papers are targeted at grades C to G. Higher Tier students will take Papers 3H (50%) and 4H (50%). The Higher Tier papers are targeted at grades A* to D. All papers will be of 2 hours.

PHYSICS (4420)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

The London Examinations IGCSE in Physics is designed as a two year course of study combining features of London Examinations O Level Physics and GCSE Physics.

The Examination

There are two routes of assessment: 100% examination, or 80% examination and 20% coursework. The examination will consist of two papers. Candidates are entered at either Foundation Tier or Higher Tier.

Foundation Tier candidates will take Paper 1F (of duration 1 ½ hours), and either Paper 3 (of duration 1 ¼ hours) or Paper 4 (coursework).

Higher Tier candidates will take Paper 2H (of duration 2 hours), and either Paper 3 or Paper 4 (coursework).

Use of calculators is permitted in all written examinations.

BIOLOGY(4325)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed to be an interesting and inspiring modern specification, suitable both for those for whom it is a final qualification in the subject and those who require a sound foundation for further study.

The Examination

There are two routes of assessment: 100% examination, or 80% examination and 20% coursework. The examination will consist of two papers. Candidates are entered at either Foundation Tier or Higher Tier.

Foundation Tier candidates will take Paper 1F (of duration 1 ½ hours), and either Paper 3 (of duration 1 ¼ hours) or Paper 4 (coursework).

Higher Tier candidates will take Paper 2H (of duration 2 hours), and either Paper 3 or Paper 4 (coursework).

Use of calculators is permitted in all written examinations.

CHEMISTRY (4355)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two-year course that is both comprehensive and relevant to modern life.

The Examination

There are two routes of assessment: 100% examination, or 80% examination and 20% coursework. The examination will consist of two papers. Candidates are entered at either Foundation Tier or Higher Tier.

Foundation Tier candidates will take Paper 1F (of duration 1 ½ hours), and either Paper 3 (of duration 1 ¼ hours) or Paper 4 (coursework).

Higher Tier candidates will take Paper 2H (of duration 2 hours), and either Paper 3 or Paper 4 (coursework).

Use of calculators is permitted in all written examinations.

BUSINESS STUDIES (4330)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two year course. The course is designed to produce students who have a sound understanding of business and who have the ability to use knowledge, skills and understanding appropriately in the context of international markets and the United Kingdom. It incorporates elements of GCE O Level Accounting and O Level Commerce.

The Examination

There are two routes of assessment: 100% examination, or 80% examination and 20% coursework.

The scheme of assessment consists of four components. Candidates will be required to take two components.

Foundation Tier candidates will take Paper 1F and either Paper 3 or Paper 4.
Higher Tier candidates will take Paper 2H and either Paper 3 or Paper 4.

Paper 1F

Foundation Tier, targeted at grades C-G (Weighting: 80%)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Candidates will be given compulsory, short-answer, structured questions on a business-related context. Questions will be drawn from all areas, namely: Business Activity and the Changing Environment, Human Resources, Accounting and Finance, Marketing and Production.

Paper 2H

Higher Tier, targeted at grades A*-D (Weighting: 80%)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Candidates will be given compulsory questions on a business-related context. There will be structured, data response and open-ended questions. Questions will be drawn from all areas, namely: Business Activity and the Changing Environment, Human Resources, Accounting and Finance, Marketing and Production.

Paper 3

Common to both tiers, targeted at grades A*-G (Weighting: 20%)
Duration: 1 hour

This paper will consist of compulsory, short-answer questions drawn from all areas, namely: Business Activity and the Changing Environment, Human Resources, Accounting and Finance, Marketing and Production.

Paper 4 (Coursework)

Common to both tiers, targeted at grades A*-G (Weighting: 20%)

Candidates complete one coursework assignment from a choice of two.

ACCOUNTING (4305)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two-year course. As students progress through the course they are introduced to new ideas and concepts while continuing to use and reinforce previously learned concepts and skills. Candidates will have a good understanding of Accounting and its applications, and will find the transition to the study of Advanced level Accounting easy to make.

The Examination

There is a single tier of entry for the whole ability range. The assessing grades are from A*-G. Candidates who fail to achieve grade G will be awarded 'Ungraded'.

The scheme of assessment consists of one compulsory paper for all candidates. The maximum mark available for this paper is 100.

This paper will consist of two sections, Section A and Section B.

Section A (60 marks) will contain compulsory questions based mainly on the accounting principles learned.

Question 1 will comprise ten multiple-choice questions, and will carry 10 marks.

The remaining questions will carry 50 marks.

Section B (40 marks) will comprise compulsory questions drawn from all sections:

1. Books of original entry
2. The ledger
3. Trading account, profit and loss account, balance sheet of a sole trader
4. Adjustments
5. Partnerships
6. Incomplete records
7. Non-profit making organizations
8. Manufacturing accounts
9. Limited companies
10. Analysis and interpretation of accounts.

Candidates may use a calculator in the examination.

ENGLISH LITERATURE (4360)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two-year course, providing an enjoyable and stimulating introduction to the study of English Literature. It encourages the reading of literature from around the world and allows for the study of world literature in translation.

The Examination

The scheme of assessment consists of a single tier targeted at grades A* to G. The examination will consist of two components, Paper 1, and either Paper 2 (examination) or Component 3 (coursework)

Paper 1: Drama and Prose
- This paper is taken by all candidates and will be of 1 ½ hours. The paper is divided into sections: Drama and Prose, where candidates must answer one question from each section. This is a closed book examination.

Paper 2: Poetry from the anthology
- This will be of 45 minutes. There will be two questions on the paper. Candidates must answer one question.

OR

Paper 3: Poetry coursework (School based assessment)
- This paper requires all candidates to submit one unit of coursework based on the poems in the anthology.

ECONOMICS (4350)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two year course. As students progress through the course they are introduced to new ideas and concepts while continuing to use and reinforce previously learned concepts and skills. The course is designed to give students a sound understanding of economics, and the ability to use knowledge, skills and understanding appropriately in the context of individual countries and the global economy.

The Examination

There are two routes of assessment: 100% examination, or 80% examination and 20% coursework.

Candidates are entered at either Foundation Tier or Higher Tier.

Questions in the Foundation Tier paper are targeted at grades in the range C-G. The highest grade which will be

awarded at Foundation Tier is grade C.Questions in the Higher Tier paper are targeted at grades in the range A* - D. There is a 'safety net' grade E for candidates who narrowly fail to achieve grade D.

Candidates who fail to achieve grade G on Foundation Tier or grade E on Higher Tier will be awarded 'Ungraded'.

Some examination questions will be common to both tiers.

Foundation Tier candidates will take Paper 1F and either Paper 3 or Paper 4, coursework.
Higher Tier candidates will take Paper 2H and either Paper 3 or Paper 4, coursework.

Paper 1F

80 marks (Weighting: 80%)
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

This paper will consist of four compulsory questions. There will be structured, data response, short answer and open-ended questions. Each question will be based on a particular theme. The theme of each question will relate to one of the four sections, namely: The Market System, Business Economics, Government and the Economy and The Global Economy. Due to the nature of Economics, there may be some overlap between the sections in the questions.

Paper 2H

100 marks (Weighting: 80%)
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

This paper will consist of four compulsory questions. There will be structured, data response, short answer and open-ended questions. Each question will be based on a particular theme. The theme of each question will relate to one of the four sections, namely: The Market System, Business Economics, Government and the Economy and The Global Economy. Due to the nature of Economics, there may be some overlap between the sections in the questions.

Some questions will be common to both tiers.

Paper 3

40 marks (Weighting: 20%)
Duration: 1 hour, plus reading time of 10 minutes

An economic case study will be supplied with the paper. The case study will consist of data in a variety of formats. On the question paper, a problem will be set, or a hypothesis put forward to be tested, and there will be a series of questions leading to a conclusion.

The data on which candidates will write their response will be sent to participating centres up to six weeks before the examination. Candidates may use this six week period to familiarize themselves with the data. The actual task will not be given to candidates until they sit the examination. Candidates should use the allowed 10 minutes reading time to study their task and consider how they will attempt it using the pre-released data.

All the pre-released data will be reprinted on the examination paper. Candidates may not take the pre-released version of this data, including any notes, ideas or annotations based on it, into the examination.

Candidates may not begin to write their response until after the reading time has elapsed. The total of 40 marks will be scaled to 20% of the overall assessment.

Paper 4 (Coursework)

40 marks (Weighting: 20%)

Coursework will consist of one-centre assessed assignment. The length of the assignment should be approximately 2000 words. The title should be agreed between the candidate and the teacher, and the assignment should be written in report format.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (4385)

This subject may be taken at both April/May and November examinations.

Introduction

This syllabus is designed as a two-year course combining elements of both the London Examinations Ordinary level GCE in Computing and GCSE in Information and Communication Technology. It aims to encourage the exploration and study of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in a variety of contexts: home, community, business, industry, recreation and education. In any given situation students will be given the opportunity to acquire competence, ability and critical skills through the implementation, use and evaluation of a range of ICT systems. Students can develop their interests in, enjoyment of, and critical reflection about ICT as an integral part of modern society.

The Examination

The scheme of assessment is coursework based, with a weighting of 30% of the total assessment. It is compulsory and externally assessed. It is based on a pre-released case study and one project.

Students take two components.

Foundation Tier candidates take examination paper 1F and Paper 3, coursework. Higher Tier candidates take examination paper 2H and Paper 3, coursework.

Paper 1F and 2H

Duration: 1 ½ hours and Weighting: 70%

This paper will each consist of short-answer questions with space below each question for candidates to write their answers. The questions will be graded and arranged in order of increasing difficulty.

Up to half the questions will be common to both tiers and will be designed to test candidates in the grade range C-D.

The remaining questions on each paper will extend the range of grades that can be tested. Paper 1F will be designed to test grades C-G; Paper 2H will test grades in the range A*-D.

Paper 3 (Coursework)

The coursework is common to both tiers. It consists of two components, a project (5%), and a collection of set tasks based on a case study (15%). Both components will be marked externally.

For the project, candidates must write a report on the use of a computer to solve a problem. Each candidate is required to identify a problem and solve it using an appropriate software program package. The report of the solution must be presented under the following headlines: