A Level sciences practical endorsement monitoring visits
30 January 2025
We’re coming towards the end of the fifth cycle of practical endorsement monitoring visits for the A Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics qualifications. This means if you are entering students for any of our A Level sciences for the first time this year you will need to have passed a monitoring visit.
If you’ve already received a monitoring visit during cycle 5, which started in September 2023, you don’t need to do anything. If you haven’t received a monitoring visit, and you don’t already have one arranged, you need to let us know.
It’s important you let us know before the entries deadline on 21 February 2025.
If we don’t hear from you by the deadline, we may need to arrange multiple visits for all of the A Level sciences taught at your school or college. This may involve more than one awarding organisation depending on the specifications being used. You can read more in the latest cross-board information for the 2023-2025 practical endorsement monitoring.
Monitoring arrangements
The monitoring for the practical endorsement work runs in two-year cycles and this summer marks the end of the 2023–2025 monitoring cycle. Large centres (more than 140 students in any science subject) receive visits for each science subject in each cycle. Other centres receive a visit for a single science subject in each monitoring cycle. If your centre is offering A Level Geology, you also need to have received a separate monitoring visit.
You can read more about the practical endorsement and the monitoring arrangements in our blog, website and FAQs.
If you have any queries about this update, please call our Customer Support Centre on 01223 553998 or email science@ocr.org.uk.
Qualifications