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Is Practical necessary to get a science GCSE?

I'm 19 and I want to do A-Levels Biology and Chemistry and I was wondering and Biology/Chemistry/Science GCSEs are needed to do them. So I'm wondering if It is possible to get science GCSEs as a private candidate without doing tuition/practicals? Thank you in advance for any answers!
I don't think practicals themselves are graded, but they will ask you about them in the exams (ie set up an experiment then you have to answer a Q about the outcome or something). So yes, but you need to know about the required particles and the results.
They’re not required, however it is really helpful to see them. If you are unable to do them yourself, watch videos of the required practicals and learn them all as I’m fairly certain required practicals are about 15% of the exam for each science, which if you mess up, could be the difference of a grade or two.
Reply 3
Will not doing practical take away marks from the exams? Or is grade 100% exams?
The grade is 100% exams.
Your grade is 100% exams for A levels and GCSE sciences , your required practical is graded as pass or fail
-Wait, required practicals are graded?-
Reply 7
Good to know that its 100% exams, thank you for clarifying! So where does practicals stand in qualification? Are science GCSE achievable without any passing practicals?
Original post by Negieren
Good to know that its 100% exams, thank you for clarifying! So where does practicals stand in qualification? Are science GCSE achievable without any passing practicals?


So in AQA, required practicals are not graded officially. They don’t count towards your final grade. In A Levels (OCR) they are part of the qualifications (or a separate thing? I don’t know but that basically says, you’re competent in the lab)
Reply 9
Ohh, so you can get science GCSEs without practical, but you need it for AQA tysm! Im less in the dark now
The grade in both GCSE and A level Sciences is entirely determined by your performance in the exams. However, a centre that accepts you as a candidate for the exams has to sign to say that you were given every opportunity to do the practicals. This means that very few centres will accept candidates for Sciences as they don't want to be caught lying as it would count as malpractice. The alternative at GCSE is to do IGCSE where the requirement does not exist.

If you apply to a university course that requires certain A levels, then they will almost certainly require a pass in the A level assessed practicals as one of the conditions of your offer.
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by Negieren
Good to know that its 100% exams, thank you for clarifying! So where does practicals stand in qualification? Are science GCSE achievable without any passing practicals?


For AQA A Level sciences some university’s will not accept your science A level without you passing the practical element of the course
Original post by Negieren
Good to know that its 100% exams, thank you for clarifying! So where does practicals stand in qualification? Are science GCSE achievable without any passing practicals?


Yes they are

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