Adapted Qualifications for 2021
We have provided below a table of all the qualifications that we offer at Brookfield that have been adapted by the exam boards for current Year 11 students, to mitigate the effect of the lockdown period earlier in the year.
The Government have confirmed this week that there will be no further changes to qualifications.
Please note that our Department Leads have been working hard to adjust the curriculum for the rest of the year to incorporate the following changes, and teachers will fully explain everything that students need to know directly to them in lessons. Students do not need to do anything with the information below, other than to continue to work hard and undertake the work assigned by their teachers.
Please also note that the Government has this week confirmed a three-week delay to the summer 2021 exams giving students more time to prepare. Exams will begin on 7 June, the Monday after May half term, and end on 2 July for almost all GCSEs. One Maths exam and one English exam will happen before the May half term, to ensure students have the best chance of sitting at least one of these important exams, even if they need to self-isolate during the exam period. Results Day will also be delayed until 27 August.
The adaptations to qualifications are as follows:
English Literature |
Students will no longer be examined on the nineteenth century text. Paper One will now assess students’ knowledge of the modern text (‘An Inspector Calls’) and the AQA Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology. Paper Two will focus on Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Unseen Poetry. |
French / German / Spanish |
Students will not sit a formal spoken language exam. Instead, the spoken language assessment will be an endorsement reported on a 3-point scale (pass, merit or distinction) which will be assessed by teachers during the course of study. Students’ final GCSE grade will therefore be equally weighted (33% each) between the three remaining exams (listening, reading and writing). |
History |
All students will need to study and will be assessed on the British Depth Study, but students will now only study and be assessed on three out of the four remaining studies: Thematic Study, History Around Us, the Period Study and the World Depth Study. |
Geography |
Students won’t need to complete two occasions of fieldwork and won’t need to answer questions relating to their own fieldwork experience. |
Fine Art / Textiles / Photography |
Students will complete Component 1 only (GCSE Portfolio - formerly known as coursework). This means that students won’t need to start or complete Component 2 (known as the GCSE Externally Set Task, or Exam Unit) and will not have to complete their 10-hour silent examination piece. |
PE |
Students will undertake 2 sports for practical instead of 3, which can be both individual or both team, or one of each. |
Sports Studies |
Students still need to complete 4 units overall. Students will now be able to complete coursework from home in the event they are self-isolating or to finish tasks set in lessons. Individual units have also been amended to support students in a range of ways, this will be shared with students as and when are completing these assignments. Some students will be resitting their R051 examination unit exam in January 2021. |
Computer Science |
Students no longer have to be supervised when completing their programming project, allowing for completion to take place away from the school. |
Design and Technology - Graphics and Resistant Materials |
The Realising design ideas section has been reduced from 20 to 10 marks. Students will no longer be assessed on the skill of making but will be required to show their ‘intentions of prototypes’ and demonstrate their understanding of the processes involved in making. The assessment no longer requires students to make a final prototype product. |
Enterprise and Marketing |
Students will no longer be sitting their RO64 exam in January as they will received an assessed grade for this. Students will now be able to complete coursework from home in the event they are self-isolating or to finish tasks set in lessons. Individual units have also been amended to support students in a range of ways, this will be shared with students as and when are completing these assignments. |
Catering |
The Controlled Assessment task now requires students to propose and justify two dishes, rather than four. The time-plan must demonstrate dovetailing of dishes, but this is not required in the practical assessment. |
Food Preparation and Nutrition |
Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) 1 has been dropped and NEA 2 now accounts for 50% of final grade. NEA 2 has been issued early and the number of dishes required in the practical assessment has been reduced. Dovetailing of time-plan is necessary in theory work but not in the practical assessment. |
Health and Social Care |
Students still need to complete 4 units overall. Students will now be able to complete coursework from home in the event they are self-isolating or to finish tasks set in lessons. Individual units have also been amended to support students in a range of ways, this will be shared with students as and when are completing these assignments. Students will not be resitting their R021 examination unit in Jan 2021 as they will obtain an assessed grade for these retakes. |
Creative iMedia |
Students will no longer be sitting their RO81 exam in January as they will receive an assessed grade for this. Students will now be able to complete coursework from home in the event they are self-isolating or to finish tasks set in lessons. Individual units have also been amended to support students in a range of ways, this will be shared with students as and when are completing these assignments. |
Music |
Students will need to complete one composition rather than two, which can be either a free composition or to a brief set by the exam board. This piece must be a minimum of 2 minutes, rather than 3. They must also complete 1 1/2 minutes of solo performance or 2 minutes of ensemble performance. This is a change from a combined minimum length of 4 minutes (with at least 1 minute of ensemble performing). |
Music Technology |
Centre Assessed Grades have been submitted for two of the coursework units that were due to be completed by the end of Year 10. The students will now need to complete a further 2 coursework units and the 2 external exams. |
Dance |
Component 1 (performance) NEA - Students will perform one set phrase instead of two. Two remaining set phrases will be performed in Swansong performances. (One set phrase is not being performed) |
Drama |
Component 2 (Devised Performances & Logs) NEA - Students can now do this element as a monologue. |