---
title: "Science education in England"
chunk: 6/14
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_education_in_England"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:21:10.973540+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

=== KS4 (including GCSEs and IGCSEs) ===
Key stage 4 (KS4) covers years 10 and 11 of compulsory school education, and pupils are typically in the age range 14–16. At the end of KS4, students in English schools usually take GCSE or IGCSE exams.

==== Overview of GCSE sciences ====
GCSE science can be taken at either foundation tier or higher tier. Although GCSEs are closely linked to KS4, schools actually start tackling the GCSE part of the National Curriculum from year 9 (KS3). This is certainly the case for mathematics and science, and it is because of the vastness of the content to be covered for the GCSEs in those subjects. In the past, there were several science GCSE routes, but following changes to GCSEs in the 2010s, the number of routes have simplified somewhat. Today, in most cases, science GCSE can be taken either as a combined single subject (which is worth two GCSE subjects—also known as combined science) or as the three separate subjects of physics, chemistry, and biology (each worth a single GCSE subject in its own right—also known as triple science). When biology, chemistry, and physics are taken as separate GCSE subjects, the tiers can be mixed. So, for instance, a student could take say, biology at higher tier but chemistry at foundation tier. By contrast, tiers cannot be mixed in combined science (that is, all constituent parts must be taken at the same tier). Experiments (also called practicals) are compulsory in the GCSE science course, but in different ways across the boards offering GCSE science to English schools. For most boards, the results of the practicals do not count towards the final grade in the reformed GCSE (as this is determined entirely by the results of the written examination), but the school/college must submit a signed practical science statement to the board under which the science is being studied BEFORE the students can take the examination. The statement must declare that all students have completed all the required practicals. The skills and knowledge that should have been acquired from the practicals are subsequently assessed in the GCSE exams, which for most boards are entirely written (as alluded to earlier). For one board (CCEA), however, in addition to the examination of practical skills in the written papers, the results of some of the actual practicals do count towards the final grade in the reformed GCSE. Currently, GCSE sciences in England are available from five boards: AQA, OCR, Edexcel. WJEC-Eduqas, and CCEA. Although all five boards provide GCSE science to English schools, not all of these boards are based in England: AQA, OCR, and Edexcel are based in England, but WJEC-Eduqas is based in Wales while CCEA is based in Northern Ireland. Schools are free to choose any board for their science, and where the three sciences of chemistry, physics, and biology are being taken independently at GCSE level, all three sciences need not be taken from the same board.

==== Outline of GCSE science routes ====
For GCSE sciences, following changes in the mid-2010s, a student can go for either combined science or triple science. Within each science route, in some cases, there is the possibility of taking either a trilogy or synergy course. In trilogy, science is delivered in the three traditional parts of biology, chemistry, and physics, but in synergy, science is delivered through the prism of scenarios and contexts. Only one board (AQA) offers synergy and trilogy, and only for combined science. The structure and time duration of the GCSE science examinations is not universal across the boards, but one thing that is universal is that the content for each science in triple science is significantly greater than in combined science.

==== AQA ====
AQA offers both combined and triple science, but as alluded to earlier, only combined science can be studied as a synergy or trilogy course. In trilogy, the candidate takes two papers per science (so six in total). In synergy, the candidate takes two science groups: (i) life and environmental sciences; and (ii) physical sciences; in each group, two papers are taken (so four in total). Regardless of the route, each paper is 1 hour and 45 minutes.

==== Edexcel ====
For GCSE, Edexcel offers both combined and triple science but only trilogy courses for both. The number of papers and time duration for each paper are identical to AQA trilogy.

==== OCR ====
OCR offers both combined and triple science but only trilogy courses for both. However, there are two trilogy courses: 'A' and 'B'. In 'A', the science is delivered through the traditional topics, but in 'B', the delivery is context-based, so, in a way, a synergy implementation of a trilogy course. The number of papers and time duration for each paper are identical to AQA trilogy.

==== WJEC-Eduqas ====
For GCSE science in England, WJEC-Eduqas offers both combined and triple science but only trilogy courses for both. The number of papers for each paper are identical to AQA, but the time duration for each paper is significantly longer at 2 hours and 15 minutes.