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.

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Tier entry guidance

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

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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

  • New Countdown host, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, is taking Maths to new levels

    In the most recent episode of The Right Angle podcast, our guest – Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE – discusses forgotten mathematicians and myth-busting gendered attitudes to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). 

    We are excited to hear more from the child prodigy and new Countdown host, who is taking on the role while Rachel Riley is on maternity leave, about her upcoming book She’s in CTRL and her aspirations for the future of maths…

  • Maths Flex and low-stakes assessment

    When it comes to low-stakes assessment, the consensus is that it is assessment which is not pass or fail, does not cause added stress or anxiety for pupils (Bain, 2004) (children can make mistakes without a penalty) and aims to get children to retrieve information. This blog looks at how Maths Flex can be used for low-stakes assessment.

  • Using Power Maths flexibly after lost learning

    On 27 January we held a webinar to share advice from our authors, Tony Staneff and Josh Lury, about how to use Power Maths flexibly in response to the current situation. Many children are not going into each new unit at the usual, expected starting point, and the volume of missed learning is variable. Please watch the webinar if you have time (it’s 1 hour). Otherwise, this blog is designed to sum up some key points.

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