Supporting the transition from GCSE to A Level Physics
04 September 2024
Mike Jackson, Physics Subject Advisor
I know from my own experience that many conversations take place around supporting students as they progress between key stages. Ofsted’s Finding the optimum: the science subject report found that: “Where science was strong, students had learned detailed and connected knowledge of the curriculum, and remembered what they had learned previously.”
This blog is intended to provide some points of reflection and signpost some resources to support transition, particularly from key stage 4 to A Level, though some aspects may apply to earlier key stages and other key stage 5 courses. Transition need not necessarily mean discrete activities and may simply involve tweaking existing practice, potentially back to key stage 3.
Knowledge and specification content
There’s considerable overlap between A Level and GCSE Physics content. Therefore, good teaching and learning at GCSE will already support transition to A Level. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) report on improving secondary science and the accompanying summary of recommendations may be useful in supporting this.
We have developed transition guides and checkpoint tasks to support you with some topics and these are in Teach Cambridge with our other resources. The guides cover the following topics:
There are some A Level topics that contain considerable new content compared to GCSE. These include:
- capacitors
- wave interference
- quantum physics
- oscillations
- resonance and damping
- more depth about astrophysics and cosmology.
Some of the topics provide opportunities for practical work as a gentle introduction. Always risk assess such activities according to the policies in your school. Examples include:
- capacitors, which are sometimes used in STEM projects, such as this example to power a model car motor. This also offers an opportunity to extend learning about electrical circuits
- ripple tanks to offer a practical introduction to interference, as described by CLEAPSS (membership required), and building upon waves at GCSE
- simple experiments with pendulums and oscillating springs.
Practical skills
The practical skills developed at GCSE will build directly into those required for both the examinations and practical endorsement at A Level. The physics practical skills handbook is likely to be useful reading for all key stage 3 and 4 physics. Some of the examples in the appendices may also be useful to directly share with students in key stages 3 and 4.
Skills that might be particularly worth honing include:
- making choices in approaches and selection of apparatus
- the correct labelling of tables and axes (note best practise using a solidus “/” to separate a quantity and its unit)
- using appropriate scales for graphs (note the examples in the appendices)
- using software and tools (such as dataloggers)
- using research skills and citing sources (which could be as straightforward as looking up an expected value).
Our practical activity groups (PAGs) mean that resources are available for a range of practical activities. Some may not be used during A Level Physics teaching and could be suitable to use for additional practical work. Do consider how appropriate they are to the experiences and abilities of the students, as you would for primary transition and open evenings.
Maths skills
In A Level Physics, assessment of quantitative skills will include at least 40% Level 2 (or above) mathematical skills for physics. The mathematical skills handbook for physics covers the key skills. Most equations for A Level are provided in the data, formulae and relationships booklet but only in symbol form. Students will need to become comfortable selecting equations and applying them. The level of manipulation of algebra is more complex than in GCSE and offers an obvious area to develop, at an appropriate pace. Other areas of maths skills to consider include:
- use of significant figures, which are integral to work at A Level
- uncertainties (which also link to practical work), including combining uncertainties
- use of trigonometry, building on or checking scale drawings for resolving forces and finding vector components at GCSE
- advanced use of calculators (which may in some cases involve introducing a different calculator to GCSE)
- graph skills including developing understanding of gradients and intercepts (revisiting specific heat capacity practical work may be useful here)
- use of logarithms (the HR diagram may be a link to GCSE content)
- understanding the relationships between degrees and radians.
Final thoughts
If you do not offer A Level Physics in your school, it may be worth asking a teacher from a local provider for their insights. They may wish to highlight specific skills or knowledge that students could develop further in advance of their key stage 5 studies.
Do keep in mind the potential benefits for inclusivity as well as grade outcomes. The ASPIRES research project, discussed by my colleague Tom in his blog with Professor Louise Archer, suggests the need to fundamentally challenge the idea of STEM being difficult. Perhaps effective transition also involves considering the language we use about physics.
The Institute of Physics also has some useful resources to support inclusivity in their top tips for inclusive science teaching.
Stay connected
Subject advisors are here to support you so please let us know if you have any questions or if you would like a chat to consider or support changing to OCR. We also welcome ongoing feedback from centres.
Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any questions, you can email us at science@ocr.org.uk, call us on 01223 553998 or message us on X (formerly Twitter) @OCR_Science. We each have a Microsoft Teams booking page which you can use to set up a virtual meeting with us.
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About the author
Mike joined OCR in January 2024 and is a subject advisor for A Level Physics. Mike completed an MA in Education at the University of Birmingham in 2014. Before joining OCR, he was a teacher for over 15 years, with roles included Acting Assistant Head, Head of Science, Physics Network Lead for a trust, a STEM Learning Facilitator and an SLE for Science. Mike is passionate about inclusion in education, environment and sustainability.
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