Access for all

At Pearson, we are committed to making science education available and accessible to all students, regardless of learning style or ability. We provide a wide range of learning pathways and support that is carefully designed to help make learning science, either in the classroom or from home, accessible to all.

Your science options for KS4 and KS5

Our broad range of science qualifications allows you to choose the course and progression route that’s right for your students’ personal strengths and ambitions – making sure every individual learner has the chance to reach their full potential.

We know it can be difficult deciding on the right path, so we’re here to help. This handy guide will give you all the information you need, so you can take the first step towards teaching a rewarding and engaging science qualification.

Science from Pearson

Science for all students

We offer a range of science courses and qualifications to meet the needs of every type of student. Alongside providing a progression route to GCSE, our Entry Level Certificates support advancement in science by cementing core understanding and maximising engagement with the subject. At GCSE, we offer our students a Single Science option in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, or all three to be taken together as a Triple Science option, depending upon their individual abilities.

At KS5, students have the choice to take one or more of the three A level sciences in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Alternatively, a range of BTEC Science qualifications are also open to students who desire a combination of practical and academic experience.

Learn about our accessible exam papers

Watch our interview with Nigel English, the Chair of Examiners for Pearson Edexcel GCSE and A level Sciences. This video explores how Pearson Science assessments are accessible to all learners, as well as our quality commitments.

Privacy and cookies
By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable upon changing cookie preferences. Disabling cookies may affect video functionality. More info...

Tier entry guidance

Learn about the tools you can use when deciding between Foundation or Higher Tier, for learners completing GCSE (9-1) Science.

Privacy and cookies
By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable upon changing cookie preferences. Disabling cookies may affect video functionality. More info...

Understanding our exams

In the Pearson Science team, we pride ourselves on the quality of our Edexcel GCSE assessment materials. Our mission is to ensure that our papers are as accessible as possible to allow every student to demonstrate what they know and can do.

The simple design of our exam papers is something we have developed and perfected over the last 10 years. This style is replicated every year, so students are familiar with our approach to asking questions, using command words and the slow ramping of difficulty within a question and across a paper.

Understanding our exams

Recent news and blog posts

  • The future of Onscreen Assessment - why English first?

    GCSE English will be our first exams in a core subject to go fully onscreen, subject to Ofqual approval. But why GCSE English first?  

    The answer builds on ongoing research, pilot schemes and conversations we’ve undertaken to better understand how onscreen assessments might work, why and in what way they’re useful for students (and schools and colleges) and importantly, why and when we should implement them.

  • Debunking Five Key Myths About Maths

    by Dr Ems Lord, NRICH

    Although maths is the most popular A Level choice among teenagers (JCQ, 2023), we must address the negative attitudes surrounding a subject where it’s socially acceptable to claim to be ‘no good with numbers’, that ‘maths has no uses in the real-world’ or that ‘maths is boring.’ 

    As someone who loves the subject I chose to study and teach, I’m focusing my efforts on challenging those negative beliefs and I hope that the ideas in this article encourage you to do so too. 

Useful links