Edexcel A Level Physics Tutors Online

Edexcel A Level Physics is code 9PH0, and its full title is the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Physics. First teaching was September 2015 and first certification was 2017. This page works from Issue 3, dated November 2018.

The qualification consists of three externally examined papers and the Science Practical Endorsement, and students must complete all assessments in May and June in any single year.

The content is presented in two different ways, and the specification is explicit that both lead to the same papers. The concept-led approach begins with a study of the laws, theories and models of physics and finishes with an exploration of their practical applications. The Salters Horners context-led approach begins with situations and applications that each draw on one or more areas of physics, and then moves on to the underlying laws, theories and models. It is based on the Salters Horners Advanced Physics project. The specification says the approaches can be mixed to allow variety in course delivery, and it states that these different approaches lead to the same common assessment papers.

Paper 1 is Advanced Physics I, code 9PH0/01. It is externally assessed, available in May and June, first assessed in 2017, and worth 30% of the total qualification. Assessment is 1 hour 45 minutes and the paper consists of 90 marks. On the concept route it examines Working as a Physicist, Mechanics, Electric Circuits, Further Mechanics, Electric and Magnetic Fields, and Nuclear and Particle Physics. On the Salters Horners route it examines Working as a Physicist, Higher Faster Stronger, Technology in Space, Digging up the Past, Transport on Track, The Medium is the Message, and Probing the Heart of Matter.

Paper 2 is Advanced Physics II, code 9PH0/02. It is worth 30% on the same terms, assessment is 1 hour 45 minutes, and the paper consists of 90 marks. On the concept route it examines Working as a Physicist, Materials, Waves and Particle Nature of Light, Thermodynamics, Space, Nuclear Radiation, Gravitational Fields, and Oscillations. On the Salters Horners route it examines Working as a Physicist, The Sound of Music, Good Enough to Eat, Technology in Space, Digging up the Past, Spare-Part Surgery, Build or Bust?, and Reach for the Stars.

The two routes are not just a relabelling of the same list. On the Salters Horners route two contexts are deliberately divided between the papers. Technology in Space appears on Paper 1 except for items 70 and 92 to 95, and those excepted items are the only part that appears on Paper 2. Digging up the Past works the same way, with Paper 1 taking it except items 83 to 87 and Paper 2 taking only those items. Working as a Physicist appears on both papers under both routes.

Paper 3 is General and Practical Principles in Physics, code 9PH0/03. It is worth 40% of the total qualification, which makes it the largest paper. Assessment is 2 hours 30 minutes and the paper consists of 120 marks. Questions may draw on any of the topics in the specification, the paper includes synoptic questions that may draw on two or more different topics, and it includes questions that assess conceptual and theoretical understanding of experimental methods, known as indirect practical skills, drawing on students' experiences of the core practicals.

The question types differ between Paper 3 and the other two. Papers 1 and 2 may include multiple choice, short open, open response, calculations and extended writing questions. Paper 3 may include short open, open response, calculations and extended writing questions, with no multiple choice listed. All three papers state that students will be expected to apply their knowledge and understanding to familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

Mathematics has the highest floor of any of the sciences here. Each paper includes questions that target mathematics at Level 2 or above, and overall a minimum of 40% of the marks across the three papers is awarded for mathematics at Level 2 or above. Students are also expected to be familiar with SI units and their prefixes, to be able to estimate physical quantities, and to know the limits of physical measurements.

Formulae and constants are supplied rather than memorised. The specification states that students need not memorise formulae for this qualification, that the formulae in Appendix 8 will be supplied in each examination, and that any other formulae required will be provided in the question. Appendix 9 adds that the values of the listed constants will be provided in each examination paper. Appendix 10 covers uncertainties and practical work.

Practical work runs alongside all of this. The specification includes 16 core practical activities which form a thread linking theoretical knowledge and understanding to practical scenarios, and it states plainly that core practicals will be assessed in the examination.

The Science Practical Endorsement is code 9PH0/04. It is internally assessed and externally monitored by Pearson, available in May and June, and first assessed in 2017. Students must carry out a minimum of 12 practical activities which, together, meet the requirements of Appendices 5b and 5c. The endorsement does not contribute to the overall grade, but the result is recorded on the student's certificate as a separately reported result alongside the overall grade. Teachers assess it using common practical assessment criteria, and students who demonstrate the required standard across all of them receive a pass grade.

The assessment objectives are three, stated as ranges. AO1, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures, is 31 to 33 per cent. AO2, apply knowledge and understanding in a theoretical context, in a practical context, and when handling qualitative and quantitative data, is 41 to 43 per cent. AO3, analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and evidence to make judgements and reach conclusions and to develop and refine practical design and procedures, is 25 to 27 per cent.

Applying knowledge is the largest objective, and it is worth more than knowledge and analysis combined. The two context papers also each state that students will be expected to apply their understanding to unfamiliar contexts, so the ability to work with physics a student has not seen before is examined directly rather than implied.

The breakdown shows Paper 3 carries most of the evaluation marks. Paper 1 is 11 to 13 per cent AO1, 12 to 14 per cent AO2 and 5 to 7 per cent AO3. Paper 2 is identical. Paper 3 is 8 to 10 per cent AO1, 16 to 18 per cent AO2 and 13 to 15 per cent AO3. Of the 25 to 27 per cent of AO3 in the whole qualification, 13 to 15 per cent sits on Paper 3.

The qualification is graded and certificated on a six grade scale from A* to E using the total subject mark, and individual papers are not graded. The first certification opportunity was 2017, and students whose level of achievement is below the minimum judged by Pearson to be of sufficient standard receive an unclassified U result.

On codes: the qualification number is 601/4848/2 and the subject code is 9PH0. The paper codes are 9PH0/01, 9PH0/02 and 9PH0/03, with the Science Practical Endorsement at 9PH0/04. No discount code number is printed in this specification. Appendix 3 states only that discount codes are published by DfE and points to the GOV.UK website.