Focus on success:

GCSE science

AO3

Build on your students’

assessment performance
using our self-guided,
modular training pack

Pre-reading
booklet
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Contents

Contents Page

Using this resource 4

Summary of activities 5

Training session route map 10

Introduction to AO3 11

Pre-session health check 13

Post-session health check 14

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Using this resource
This pack is designed to enable you to deliver a CPD session on Assessment Objective 3 (AO3)
for your teaching colleagues.
Using the completed pre-session health checks and the provided route map, you’ll be able to
design a bespoke session to focus on the areas your colleagues are less confident teaching.
This resource pack is intended to help you:
• deliver a CPD session for teaching colleagues around AO3
• understand what AO3 is
• identify the question types that assess AO3
• understand how AO3 is assessed at different levels of demand
• discuss how you might use the legacy coursework assessments (ISAs) in your teaching and
learning.

Before the session

• Ask your colleagues to each complete the pre-session health check (page 13 in this booklet).
• Use the responses to the health check to tailor the training session to the needs of your
colleagues. The route map on page 10 will help you plan which activities to use in the session.
• Each colleague should have a copy of the activities booklet and access to the data source
booklets electronically.
• The post-session health check (page 14 in this booklet) should be printed for each colleague.

Running the session

• Download the guidance presentation from aqa.org.uk/focus-on-success-science.
• The presentation will provide guidance and discussion questions to move you through your
bespoke session.

After the session

• Ask your colleagues to each complete the post-session health check (page 14 in this booklet) to
ensure the training has been successful.
• As a group, discuss how you can support each other to embed what you have learned into your
teaching. Use the prompt questions in the guidance presentation to guide your discussion.
• Complete the individual and group action plan templates (pages 33–35 in the activities booklet).
• A certificate of attendance can be created and printed for each person from aqa.org.uk/focus-
on-success-science.

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Summary of activities
Activity 1: What is Assessment Objective 3
Most teachers are aware that Assessment Objective 3 covers analysis and evaluation, but may
not be clear as to what that looks like in the final assessments or how the skills may be developed
in class. This initial activity is designed to develop a deeper understanding of what AO3 covers and
to start the process of formulating ideas about how this understanding can be used in lesson
design.
Slide 3 acts as an introduction to AO3, to set the scene about what it is (basically looking critically
at information presented in different ways) and what the strands of AO3 are.

Activity 1a
• Using the Ofqual strand document covering AO3 on page 4 of your activities booklet, teachers
should read the different strands and elements and identify the skills they need to be
developing in lessons
• The key points are summarised on slide 5 and 6 along with pertinent assessment points
• One particular point to emphasise is that in many teaching and learning taxonomies, the ability
to evaluate data and ideas appears as a high-order skill, but in the GCSE sciences, evaluation
has to be assessed at all levels of demand.

Activity 1b
• Using this knowledge of what AO3 is, identify which strand a question is targeting and what
level of demand they are written for. It may be worth pointing out that items within a question
may be set at different levels of demand. The demand generally ramps through the paper so,
for instance, question 2 on the Foundation paper will consist mainly of low-demand items but
also possibly one or two standard-demand items.
• The answers for your reference are in the table below
• Conduct a group discussion using the prompt questions on slide 8 of the guidance
presentation.The discussion on the level of demand is expanded on in the next activity.

Answers
Example Strand Level of demand
Example 1 1a low
Example 2 2 standard
Example 3 3 low
Example 4 3 high
Example 5 2 low
Example 6 3 standard
Example 7 1 standard
Example 8 1 high
Example 9 2 high
Example 10 3 standard

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Activity 2: Assessing AO3 at different levels of demand
It is important that teachers understand how examiners may assess the different strands of AO3 at
different levels of demand. This will help teachers to use the same kind of language in class and
plan appropriate activities that challenge and stretch their students.
This activity builds on the previous discussion on levels of demand. Recap the answers teachers
gave to the last two questions on slide 8.
• Using the questions starting on page 17 of the activities booklet, which assess the same strand
of AO3 but at different levels of demand, the group consider what the examiner has done to
make the question work at the different demands.
• Each set covers a different strand of AO3 so one way to organise the activity would be to
assign a different strand to each group:
• interpret and evaluate starts on page 17
• make judgements and draw conclusions starting on page 20
• develop and improve experimental procedures starting on page 23.
• Commentaries on these question are in the appendices of the activity booklet. It would be useful
to familiarise yourself with these before the training so that you can lead the discussion on what
examiners do to change the level of demand of a question. You may want to ask teachers not to
look at these until the end of the activity.
• Use the prompt questions on slide 9 of the guidance presentation to discuss how you might
adapt your questions in class and homework tasks to ensure there is the appropriate level of
challenge for different students.

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Activity 3: AO3 teaching and learning
Having an understanding of what students might have to do in questions addressing the different
elements of AO3 will help teachers to design activities to bring out the different aspects of the
Assessment Objective. It will also help in structuring discussion with students about strategies they
could use to successfully access these types of questions.
• Slides 11-13 of the guidance presentation lists the types of assessment tasks students might
be required to do for each strand of AO3.
• In groups look at one of the strands and list any:
• actions/reminders of things to do in lessons to help students develop these skills
• strategies students could use to access the questions more successfully.
• Slide 14 of the guidance presentation lists a number of ideas to exemplify actions or
strategies.
These ideas and strategies might be different depending on the level of demand you are focusing
on.
In the table below are a few suggestions and there is an example on slide 14 to support the
discussion.

Interpret and evaluate Make judgements and draw Develop and improve
conclusions experimental procedures
Annotate the data in tables Use data from unfamiliar Read the question carefully,
with arrows to show whether context. critically thinking about the
it is increasing, decreasing or equipment and chemicals being
staying the same. used – will these give the correct
outcomes?
Quote figures from the table Highlight data in the stem of Don’t use the phrase ‘same
to illustrate the change. the question. amount’ or ‘fair test’ these are too
vague.
Don’t use the phrase ‘reliable’ as
it’s not on the vocab list and is
also too vague.
Use the data provided in Use the data to support your When doing practicals think ‘big
answers. explaination of the conclusion picture’ of all the variables that
(what you have found out). might need to be controlled.
Students often think that there is
one factor (eg temperature ) that
always needs to be controlled
and so can never be the variable
you are investigating.
Command word ‘Compare’ Understand what valid means You are changing = independent
needs simialraties and in terms of peer reviews. You are measuring = dependent
differences.
Command word ‘Evaluate’ Prediction = ‘I think this will Understand what the difference is
needs comparisions and a happen…’ between a control and control
judgement. variables.

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Check understanding of the When asked about improving the
word ‘hypothese’. methods:
• relate your answer to how this
makes the results
/readings/data valid.
Make sure you use the actual
word.
• consider which apparatus
would be a better choice and
why. Link answers to
resolution of apparatus and
uncertainty within the raw
data.
• consider the size of the
interval used to take a
reading to make it more
accurately. Eg take a reading
every 5 mins then every
minute between 15-20 mins
take a reading every
minute. Say why you are
doing this.
Use a table to help organise The teacher introduces some
your answer if asked for errors if demonstrating the
advantages and practicals before students do it.
disadvantages. Don’t forget Then ask students to identify
to make a comment about them, eg measuring a distance
what your table shows and but the ruler isn’t straight or lined
the conclusion you have up properly at zero for the start of
drawn from the information. the measuring .
Discuss one or two common
errors in each practical.
‘Human error’ is too vague to
gain any credit.
Use the information in the Link anomalous results to errors.
subject specific vocabulary
document to calculate
uncertainty at GCSE
standard.

Check understanding of the Realistic risks that are relevant to

word ‘anomalous’. the practical and linked to the
Don’t include anomalous materials /chemicals used in the
results when calculating the experiment.
mean or when drawing a line Not writing ‘wear lead clothing’ for
of best fit. all physics practicals.
Using common hazard terms like
corrosive, irritant, poision
(CLEAPSS).

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Activity 4: Data resources to support teaching
Finding sources of information, particularly data sets, for critical study can be difficult and time
consuming. The legacy coursework assessments (ISAs) are a free source of such data schools
can use. Using any search engine looking for stories or articles on ‘Bad science’ is another good
source of materials, particularly if you want to practice evaluation skills. Dr Ben Goldacre is one
well known author of such materials.
It is important to familarise yourself with the layout of the data source booklets available on our
website before the training session. Due to the length of these booklets it would be advisable to
view these electronically. We have reproduced the relevant information from the legacy ISAs
which can be used in class with students. Not all of the legacy ISAs are relevant to use with the
new specification, so we have listed only those that have links either to the Required practicals or
to areas of the subject content where the information could be useful in teaching.
The full range of legacy ISA materials are available on e-AQA.
The information we have given for each ISA depends on whether it has a link to the current
Required practicals.
There is no expectation that centres will do all these extra practicals in addition to the RPs,
although teachers may find them useful in enhancing the practicals undertaken. The materials in
the booklets is intended to be used as stimulus material to further develop AO3 skills. They are
also really useful in developing AO2 skills, as they provide case studies of practicals in unfamiliar
contexts.

Activity 4
For the training session it woud be advisable to access these booklets electronically.

• As a group look at page 4 of the electronic version of the booklet and familiarise your
collegues with the information and how we have laid out the ISA materials.
• Using slides 15 and 16 in the presentation discuss in groups how you could make use of
these resources in class with your students.

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 AO3 route map
Area for development

Can the team identify Does the team know

Does the team know
Does the team need useful learning and how the legacy
how examiners write
to know what AO3 assessment points for coursework tasks
questions at different
assesses? students based on AO3 (ISAs) can be used as a
levels of demand?
assessment tasks? learning resource?

Activity 1a: Understand Activity 2: Identify features

Activity 1b: Identifying Activity 3: Considering the Activity 4: Using the
the Ofqual guidance and of questions written at
strands and level of type of assessment tasks online data source booklets
strands of AO3 different levels of demand
demand of AO3 exam items list strategies, prompts discuss how ISA materials
Page 4 of the activities Page 18 of activities
Page 5 of activities booklet or actions to share with can be used with students
booklet booklet
Slide 7 of guidance students
Slide 4-6 of guidance Slide 9 of guidance
presentation Page 30 of activities
presentation presentation
booklet
Slide 10 of guidance
presentation
Handout: Data source
booklets available online
Group discussion:
Group discussion: By understanding better
Discus your students’ these exam features, how
progress in AO3 and ideas might they be incorporated
on level of demand into lessons to support Group discussion:
progression? Feedback from each Group discussion:
group to share teaching Discuss any sources of
and learning ideas stimulus materials to use
with AO3 activities

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Introduction to AO3
AO3 covers the skill of looking critically at information given in tables, graphs, diagrams or written
prose. It involves analysing and interpreting information and ideas to:
• identify and explain patterns and trends
• make judgements based on the data
• draw conclusions based on the data
• identify experimental errors, adapt and improve practical procedures.
20 % of the marks on an award are for AO3. This is a significant amount of marks but perhaps
because of the nature of the activities involved it does not receive as much teaching and learning
time as it needs. Students need to be aware that the revision guides they often use will rarely cover
the skills needed to address AO3 as they mainly cover just the content set out in the specification.

Source: Ofqual GCSE Subject Level Guidance for Single Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics),
July 2015

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Assessing AO3 in GCSE science
There are three broad categories of tasks used to assess AO3:
• interpret and evaluate
• make judgements and draw conclusions
• develop and improve experimental procedures.
AQA use a wide range of command words, and assess using closed, short answer and extended
response questions . The full range of marks are also used from 1 markers to the 6 mark extended
responses. What is particularly important is that AO3 is assessed at all levels of demand.
Critical thinking is a high-level skill but that doesn’t mean to say activities cannot be written to
engage all our students’ minds in this kind of activity. Many students like to know the ‘right answer’
and can get very frustrated if they feel their teacher isn’t giving them the answers. It is very
important that teachers do provide opportunites for students to question data and statements and
to have to think critically and question ideas and evidence for themselves.

Working scientifically
The working scientifically (WS) criteria can be found in section 3 of all GCSE science
specifications. The four key areas encompass many AO3 skills. It is essential that teachers are
aware of this section of the specification and are addressing these skills in class.
• WS1: Development of scientific thinking
• WS2: Experimental skills and strategies
• WS3: Analysis and evaluation
• WS4: Scientific vocabulary, quantities, units, symbols and nomenclature

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Pre-session health check
Grade the area of development statements according to your confidence where 0 is not confident
at all and 5 is very confident.
Hand back to your Head of Department.

Area of development Grading Reasons/notes/previous training

0-5
Understand what the strands and elements
of Assessment Objective 3 are and what
these look like in questions

I know how examiners change the level of

demand for AO3 questions

I have a good understanding of the learning

points I should draw out with my students
when covering the different elements of AO3

I have a bank of resources to use in class,

for revision and intervention lessons that
focus on using and interpreting data and data
presented in unfamiliar context

© AQA 2020 13 of 16
Post-session health check
Grade the area of development statements according to your confidence where 0 is not confident
at all and 5 is very confident.

Area of development Grading Reasons/notes

0-5
Understand what the strands and elements of
Assessment Objective 3 are and what these
look like in questions

I know how examiners change the level of

demand within each grade range for AO3
assessments

I have a good understanding of the learning

points I should draw out with my students
when covering the different elements of AO3

I have a bank of resources to use in class, for

revision and intervention lessons that focus on
using and interpreting data and data
generated in unfamiliar context

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Contact us

T: 01483 477756
E: gcsescience@aqa.org.uk

aqa.org.uk

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