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.
As the only exam board to offer Astronomy, we know how important this subject is in helping to approach the big questions, whilst fuelling a desire to understand great phenomena.
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.
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.
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.
Learn about the tools you can use when deciding between Foundation or Higher Tier, for learners completing GCSE (9-1) Science.
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.
As you know, we believe teachers are superheroes. There are so many skills that go into being a Primary school teacher that we can't even count them, but here are 10 we thought you might recognise!
Please feel free to tell us about other skills you'd like to see mentioned.
Preparing for a Renaissance in Assessment, written by Pearson’s Chief Education Advisor Sir Michael Barber and assessment expert Dr Peter Hill, says that new technologies will transform assessment and testing in education.
In a Q&A session about the essay, Barber says, “We are about to see big changes in the possibilities of assessment as a result of technology. Current assessment systems around the world are deeply wedded to traditional testing and exams and, some might argue, are holding us back from potential reforms. We should seize the opportunity and not cling to the past.”
According to the authors:
The authors set out a ‘Framework for Action’ that details the steps that should be taken for “policymakers, schools, school-system leaders and other key players to prepare for the assessment renaissance” (1):
Barber and Hill conclude the essay by saying that the significance of the coming renaissance in assessment should not be underestimated and “that it will help secure high standards for all, remove current achievement ceilings and support a focus on… skills vital for living and learning in the twenty-first century.” (2)
(1) Barber & Hill, Preparing for a Renaissance in Assessment, 64.
(2) Barber & Hill, Preparing for a Renaissance in Assessment, 70.
This article is a summary of:
Barber, M. & Hill, P. (2014). Preparing for a Renaissance in Assessment. London: Pearson.
Preparing for a Renaissance in Assessment is available to download below. Summary written by Vikki Weston.
