BTEC Science Student Handbook - Bilton School
Transcript of BTEC Science Student Handbook - Bilton School
BTEC Science
Student Handbook
Contents
Welcome to BTEC & Assessment
Grading
Obtaining a Pass
Obtaining a Merit
Obtaining a Distinction
Welcome to BTEC Science!
Welcome to The Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Science over the
next two years. The course is an alternative vocational A-level equivalent. It
includes topics on all 3 areas of Science: Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
The qualification carries UCAS points and is recognised by HE providers
contributing to admission requirements for many courses.
Assessment Approach
There are three mandatory units for the Extended Certificate:
Unit 1 is externally set and examined (June /January)
Unit 2 is internally set and assessed via assignments
Unit 3 is externally set and assessed (April/January)
One optional unit 8 is internally set and assessed via assignments
You are required to take responsibility for your own learning and achievement,
taking into account industry standards for behaviour and performance.
Assessment Procedure
When you are given an assignment, you will be asked to complete the ‘Assignment
Brief.’ This will have all of your details on it and will also contain the task and
scenario of the assignment. On the brief, there will also be the hand in date.
This is the deadline for you to hand your work in. If this deadline is met, your
assignment will be marked and handed back to you. You will be able to see what
grade you achieved and there will be a brief comment about your assignment.
If your assignment deadline is not met, the following procedure will be put into
place:
1. Teacher to set a new 2 day deadline
2. If the final deadline is missed, you will be referred to the Quality
nominee, your parents will be contacted and you will be put on a subject
support programme.
3. If the last deadline is not met, the work will be ungraded.
IF THE DEADLINE IS NOT MET YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THE
OPPURTUNITY TO IMPROVE YOUR GRADE AND MAXIMUM GRADE
WILL BE WHAT YOU RECEIVE ON FIRST SUBMISSION
** Please be aware that as well as the BTEC deadline procedures for normal
Bilton homework protocol and sanctions will apply**
Grading
Every assessment will give you the opportunity to target all appropriate criteria.
In order to achieve a Merit, you must obtain all marks at pass and merit level. To
achieve a Distinction, you must meet all criteria in the Assessment criteria.
Obtaining a Pass
To obtain a pass, you must be able to show evidence that you understand the key
facts relating to a topic.
Complete To complete a form, diagram or drawing
Demonstrate To show that you can do a particular activity
Describe Give a clear, straightforward description which includes all
the main points required.
Identify Give all basic facts which relate to a certain topic
List Write a list of main items
Name State the proper terms related to a drawing or diagram
Outline Give all points but without going into too much detail
State Point out the main features
Examples Use sporting examples to back up your work
Obtaining a Merit
To obtain a merit you must be able to show that in addition to meeting the Pass
criteria, you can also use your knowledge to show you can do the following:
Comment on Give your own opinions or views
Compare/contrast Identify the main factors relating to two or more items and
point out the similarities and differences
Competently use Take full account of information and feedback you have
obtained to review or improve an activity
Demonstrate Prove that you can carry out a more complex activity
Describe Give a full description including details of all relevant
features
Explain Give logical reasons to support your views
Justify Give reasons for the points you are making so that the
reader knows what you are thinking
Suggest Give your own ideas and thoughts
Examples Use sporting examples in your work
Obtaining a Distinction
To obtain a distinction, you must be able to show that in addition to meeting the
Pass and Merit grades, you can also apply your knowledge to a situation and give
a reasoned opinion.
Analyse Identify several relevant factors, show how they are linked and
explain the importance of each
Compare…
Contrast…
Identify the main factors relaying to two or more situations and
explain the similarities and differences and in some cases say which
is best and why
Demonstrate Prove that you can carry out a complex activity taking into account
information you have obtained or received to adapt your original
ideas.
Describe Give a comprehensive description including details of all the
relevant feature and shows that you can apply your knowledge and
information correctly
Explain Provide full details and reasons to support the arguments you are
making
Justify Give full reasons or evidence to support your opinions
Recommend Weigh up all the evidence to come to a conclusion, with reasons,
about what would be best.
Examples Use examples to compare and contrast performance, behaviour and
leadership skills.
Appeals Procedures
Bilton Science Department has clear procedures for all BTEC learners to enable
them to enquire, question or appeal against any assessment decision.
Appeals Procedure stages:
Stage 1: Informal: You will be able to consult with your assessor when feedback
is given. Should the assessment decision be questioned then you have the right
to ask for a second assessment and should write this on your feedback
document.
Stage 2 – Review: review of the assessment decision by the Head of
Department. If this is the same person as the assessor, you can have a review
from the Lead Internal Verifier. If you still disagree with the findings, you can
put another request through in writing. This will then advance you to stage 3;
Stage 3 – Appeal hearing; the Quality Nominee will hear the appeal which if
unresolved will move to the next stage.
Stage 4 – External Appeal: the grounds for appeal and any supporting
documentation will be submitted to Edexcel within 14 days of completion of
stage 3.
Each stage will be recorded, dated and show either agreement or disagreement
with decisions.
Entry Requirements
You will be expected to have a standard of literacy and numeracy at a minimum
of grade 4 and able to achieve a general education equivalent to five GCSE’s at
grade 4.
What we expect from you
You to have the ability to work independently and organise your own study
time
An ability to meet deadlines
Consistent punctuality and attendance to ALL lessons
You to be able to develop problem solving skills
The ability to develop excellent knowledge of a range of Sport specific
situations
Be able to work as a member of a team as well as independently
Plagiarism
We have strict rules in place about the copying of others’ work. This includes
work you find in books and on the internet. You must always state where you get
information from – it is okay to use it as long as you say where you found it.
Wikipedia is strictly banned in assignments, as the information can sometimes be
largely inaccurate.
If you do not reference where your work is from it could lead to you having to
do the entire assignment again in your own time.
You should acknowledge your references through the use of a bibliography.
Assessment Malpractice Procedures for Students
Aims: to identify and minimise risk of malpractice by staff and learners
To respond to any incident of alleged malpractice promptly and objectively
To standardise and record any investigation of malpractice to ensure
openness and fairness
To impose appropriate penalties and or sanctions where incidents of
malpractice are proven.
To protect the integrity of Bilton School and BTEC Qualification
In order to achieve those aims, Bilton School will:
Use induction and the student handbook to inform students of Bilton’s policy
and the penalties of malpractice
Ask students to sign assessment feedback forms and observation records and
witness statements as appropriate to declare that work is their own
Ask students to acknowledge sources of information used that they have
interpreted and synthesised
Where malpractice is suspected an investigation must be conducted that
follows the following stages:
Stage 1: The teacher must make students fully aware of the nature of the
malpractice and the possible consequences
Stage 2: The student must be given the opportunity to respond to the
allegation made.
Stage 3: The student must be informed of the appeals procedure
Stage 4: The teacher uses their judgement to infer malpractice
Stage 5: If that stage of the process proves inconclusive the investigation
should be passed on to the SLT link,
All stages of the investigation should be documented.
Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS)
Throughout your BTEC studies there are lots of opportunities to develop your
personal learning and thinking skills which are looked for by employers.
IE – Independent Enquirers
CT – Creative Thinkers
RL – Reflective Learners
TW – Team Workers
SM – Self Managers
EP – Effective Participators
Throughout your BTEC Course you will also be developing and applying your
knowledge of functional skills in ICT, English and Numeracy.
Summer work for BTEC must be completed and handed in on your first BTEC
lesson.
1. A young athlete is very good at long-distance running but is not good at
sprinting.
Discuss how this difference relates to the types of muscle fibres in his
legs. 6 marks
2. Titanium is a metal that has many useful properties. However, it is used
only in small quantities for specialised purposes such as the making of hip
replacement joints. This is because the extraction of titanium from
titanium oxide. TiO2, is expensive. The industrial process to extract
titanium involves the following reactions:
TiO2 (s) + 2CL2 (g) +C(s) TiCl4 (g) + CO2 (g)
TiCl4 (g) +2Mg (l) Ti(s) =2MgCl2 (s)
Explain why this process is so expensive 6 marks
3.
Metal
Specific heat
Metal
specific
heat
Metal
specific
heat
Metal
specific
heat
Metal
specific
heat
Aluminium 897 2700 660 1.4
Copper 385 8900 1084 11.5
Cast Iron 449 7850 1149 1.4
Using the information from the table, comment on which metal is most
suitable for making a saucepan. 6 marks
4.
Effect of substrate concentration on enzyme activity.
Hydrogen peroxide is a waste substance produced in cells. Hydrogen
peroxide is harmful in high concentrations, so cells must decompose it
quickly. Catalase is an enzyme found in living organisms and helps to
decompose hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.
You have been asked to write a plan for an investigation into the effect
of different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide solution on the rate of
catalase activity. 12 marks
5. Alveolar tissue is found in the lungs.
Endothelial tissue is found in the blood vessels.
(a) State the type of epithelial tissue found in both alveolar and endothelial
tissue. (1)
.......................................................................................................................................................
(b) State the function of the endothelial tissue in an artery.
(1)
.......................................................................................................................................................
(c) Describe how a build-up of cholesterol in artery walls is a risk factor in the
development of atherosclerosis. (4)
6. A home cinema system can be controlled either by an infrared remote
control or a remote control that uses a Bluetooth© connection.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of using:
• an infrared remote control
• a Bluetooth© remote control to control the home cinema system.
6 marks