Overview
Over the course of Year 12 and 13, students will complete exams and assignments to gain a vocational qualification equivalent to one A Level (in terms of UCAS points).
Entry requirements
5-5-5 (separate sciences) or 5-5 for combined science.
5s in English Language and Maths (strong 4s considered).
Course content
Units for Extended Certificate
- Principles and applications of science 1 (exam based)
- Practical scientific procedures and techniques (coursework based)
- Science investigation skills (exam based)
- Plus an optional unit (coursework based)
Assessment
The exam component is assessed by written examinations using a variety of assessment styles so you can confidently engage with the questions, including multiple choice, short and long answer
questions.
There will be a minimum of 10% maths questions in the exams (including some AS statistics).
Coursework units are set and marked by your teachers (with some work sent to the exam board to check grades are awarded accurately).
Results
Although Sept 2026 will be the first time we have delivered the AAQ Extended Certificate in Applied Science, we have a long history of delivering the legacy BTEC diploma and extended diploma in Applied Science where we have consistently achieved around 4/5 of grade higher than the national average for comparable GCSE results, with a high proportion attaining D*-D grades.
Exam board
Pearson