GCSE (9-1) FAQs
GCSE Ancient History (9-1) - J198
GCSE Art and Design (9-1) - J170-J176
- GCSE Art and Design: Can centres, students use their personal devices, cloud based programs or storage to produce digital artwork in the exam?
- GCSE Art and Design: Can student art work be posted on social media?
- GCSE Art and Design: Should the timed examination be held under exam conditions?
- GCSE Art and Design: How long is the externally set task?
- GCSE Art and Design: What dates are the externally set task pre-release papers available?
- GCSE Art and Design: Can teachers see the pre-release papers before the release date?
GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Biology A (9-1) - J247
- GCSE Biology A: What is Teach Cambridge and how do I access it?
- GCSE Biology A: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Biology A: Are there secure papers that we can use for mock exams?
- GCSE Biology A: Which practicals do I need to cover with my students?
- GCSE Biology A: What support is available on which tier (foundation or higher) we should enter students?
- GCSE Biology A: Where can I find resources and support?
GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Biology B (9-1) - J257
- GCSE Biology B: What is Teach Cambridge and how do I access it?
- GCSE Biology B: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Biology B: What records do we need to keep of our students’ practical work?
- GCSE Biology B: Is there an alternative to Combined Science for students who can’t access GCSE level Science?
- GCSE Biology B: Are there secure papers that we can use for mock exams?
- GCSE Biology B: Which practicals do I need to cover with my students?
GCSE Business (9-1) - J204
- GCSE Business: How can I get advice on how to structure answers to exam questions? How should my students approach the exam questions?
- GCSE Business: Can you put me in touch with teachers near me that deliver this qualification?
- GCSE Business: With regard to exam questions, is the highest mark question 9 marks?
- GCSE Business: Where can I find exemplar answers?
- GCSE Business: What formula do I need to know for the finance section?
- GCSE Business: What assessment resources do you have for mock exams and topic tests?
GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Chemistry A (9-1) - J248
- GCSE Chemistry A: What is Teach Cambridge and how do I access it?
- GCSE Chemistry A: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Chemistry A: How do I keep up to date with Science at OCR?
- GCSE Chemistry A: Are OCR’s Summer Highlights documents securely held on Interchange?
- GCSE Chemistry A: Is there an alternative to Combined Science for students who can’t access GCSE level Science?
- GCSE Chemistry A: Are there secure papers that we can use for mock exams?
GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Chemistry B (9-1) - J258
- GCSE Chemistry B: What is Teach Cambridge and how do I access it?
- GCSE Chemistry B: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Chemistry B: How do I keep up to date with Science at OCR?
- GCSE Chemistry B: Are OCR’s Summer Highlights documents securely held on Interchange?
- GCSE Chemistry B: Is there an alternative to Combined Science for students who can’t access GCSE level Science?
- GCSE Chemistry B: Are there secure papers that we can use for mock exams?
GCSE Citizenship Studies (9-1) - J270
- GCSE Citizenship: Is there a revision guide for GCSE Citizenship?
- GCSE Citizenship: What kind of things could students be asked for question 10 on Paper 2?
- GCSE Citizenship: What evidence does OCR require for Citizenship in Action?
- GCSE Citizenship: When should the Citizenship action statement be returned?
GCSE Classical Greek (9-1) - J292
GCSE Computer Science (9-1) - J277 (from 2020)
- GCSE Computer Science: What programming language should I use for GCSE?
- GCSE Computer Science: I have low ability students/Is Computer Science only for high-ability students?
- GCSE Computer Science: Can a candidate write in code for the whole of Paper 02?
- GCSE Computer Science: Do candidates need to learn and/memorise OCR Reference Language?
- GCSE Computer Science: How do I best prepare candidates for Paper 02?
- GCSE Computer Science: Do I have to deliver programming as part of the course?
GCSE Design and Technology (9-1) - J310
- GCSE Design and Technology: Can we deliver a specific pathway to our students?
- GCSE Design and Technology: Will the structure of the exam always be the same?
- GCSE Design and Technology: Why do OCR refer to ‘users’ and ‘stakeholders’ rather than ‘clients’?
- GCSE Design and Technology: How do Technical Specifications link to the plans for making the final prototype(s)?
- GCSE Design and Technology: What sort of video evidence is needed in the NEA?
- GCSE Design and Technology: Can we just deliver one set task for the NEA to our students?
GCSE Drama (9-1) - J316
- GCSE Drama: Can a digital or recorded version of a live peformance be used for Section B of the written paper?
- GCSE Drama COVID-19: My Drama students need to experience live theatre in person. How can we do this when theatres are likely to remain closed for much of the year?
- GCSE Drama: How is the qualification assessed?
- GCSE Drama: Can I have information on the NEA?
- GCSE Drama: What is the Drama and Theatre Live Theatre Statement?
- GCSE Drama: How do I choose my texts and what is the Drama Text Management Service?
GCSE Economics (9-1) - J205
- GCSE Economics: What’s the best way to practice MCQ’s for this qualification?
- GCSE Economics: Where can I find exemplar answers?
- GCSE Economics: In the mark schemes, what is the difference between AO1a, AO1b and AO3a, AO3b?
- GCSE Economics: With regards to exam questions - is the highest mark question 6 marks?
- GCSE Economics: In multiple topics it references ‘analyse recent and historical economic data’, whether it be unemployment, economic growth etc. What exactly would the assessment of that skill look like?
- GCSE Economics: Are students required to calculate elasticities?
GCSE English Language (9-1) - J351
- GCSE English Language: When is the deadline for submitting the Spoken Language Assessment materials?
- GCSE English Language: Where can I find more information about delivering the spoken language assessment?
- GCSE English Language: How should my students approach question 4?
- GCSE English Language: What does ‘relevant subject terminology’ mean?
- GCSE English Language: Some of my students use a scribe. Can they still access the SPaG marks for J351?
- GCSE English Language: Where are the practice/past papers for mock exams?
GCSE English Literature (9-1) - J352
- GCSE English Literature: Can my poem or short story be used in your specification?
- GCSE English Literature: Can you give me some advice on Paper 1, Modern texts where the part b question asks students to ‘Explore another moment where…’?
- GCSE English Literature: How to approach spelling and grammar
- GCSE English Literature: Using quotes in exams
- GCSE English Literature: Will set texts change?
- GCSE English Literature: Different tools for revising
GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (9-1) - J309
- GCSE Food: Does the three-hour time include setting up, washing up and clearing away?
- GCSE Food: Can students practice their dishes before the practical task?
- GCSE Food: I am new to OCR, where would be the best place for me to get support and the resources I need?
- GCSE Food: What Professional Development is available from OCR?
- GCSE Food: If a student has an access arrangement of 25% extra time for the written paper, would they be entitled to the extra time in the practical task?
- GCSE Food: Does the whole class have to complete the task on the same day?
GCSE Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) - J383
- GCSE Geography A: Are there any resources to support with GCSE fieldwork?
- GCSE Geography: What are the differences between your GCSE qualifications?
- GCSE Geography A: How much detail do I need to teach the bullet points in the specification?
- GCSE Geography A: I am new to OCR where would be the best place for me to get support and the resources I need?
- GCSE Geography A: How can I understand the questions and what examiners are looking for?
- GCSE Geography A: Is there a list of command words for Geography GCSE A?
GCSE Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1) - J384
- GCSE Geography B: Are there any resources to support with GCSE fieldwork?
- GCSE Geography: What are the differences between your GCSE qualifications?
- GCSE Geography B: How much detail do I need to teach the bullet points in the specification?
- GCSE Geography B: I am new to OCR where would be the best place for me to get support and the resources I need?
- GCSE Geography B: How can I understand the questions and what examiners are looking for?
- GCSE Geography B: Is there a list of command words for Geography GCSE?
GCSE History A (Explaining the Modern World) (9-1) - J410
- GCSE History A: Can my students answer the questions in any order they like?
- GCSE History A: How long should students spend on each question in the exams?
- GCSE History A: Do my students need to know everything in the textbook? How should I best use the textbooks?
- GCSE History A: How should my students approach the exam questions?
- GCSE History A: Can you put me in touch with other teachers who teach my topics?
- GCSE History A: I’m not sure how much depth to teach in. How can I get help with planning my delivery?
GCSE History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) - J411
- GCSE History B: How much time should I give to each part of the course? How much depth should I go into?
- GCSE History: There seems to be less content in the History B specification – is that the case? How will I know what to teach?
- GCSE History B: Is there a ‘best’ type of site to study?
- GCSE History B: With centres able to pick their own sites, how do you set questions?
- GCSE History B: How do I plan the teaching of History Around Us? What support is available?
- GCSE History B: Do I have to do a site visit?
GCSE Latin (9-1) - J282
GCSE Mathematics (9-1) - J560
- GCSE Mathematics: When can I sit the a GCSE (9-1) mathematics qualification?
- GCSE Mathematics: Which formulae will be provided in GCSE (9-1) mathematics assessments?
- GCSE Mathematics: What formulae must candidates recall in GCSE (9-1) mathematics?
- GCSE Mathematics: Do I need to teach specific methods for topics?
- GCSE Mathematics: Is content graded in the GCSE (9-1) mathematics?
- GCSE Mathematics: What are the weightings for each content area?
GCSE Media Studies (9-1) - J200
- GCSE Media Studies: What changes are being made to the set media products?
- GCSE Media Studies: For the Promoting Media topic which advert do students study?
- GCSE Media Studies: How do we access episodes of the Live Lounge?
- GCSE Media Studies: How many set theorists do students need to know?
- GCSE Media Studies: What is the ‘Media Theoretical Framework’?
- GCSE Media Studies: Can candidates appear in their own media products?
GCSE Music (9-1) - J536
GCSE Physical Education (9-1) - J587
- GCSE PE: Where can I find resources and Support?
- GCSE PE: What dates do we need to make entries/submit/arrange/apply for by?
- GCSE PE: What are the grade boundaries for the GCSE qualification?
- GCSE PE: Can we do a sport which is not listed in the specification?
- GCSE PE: When should they start the coursework?
- GCSE PE: What needs to be in the Analysis and Evaluation performance (AEP)?
GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Physics A (9-1) - J249
- GCSE Physics A: What is Teach Cambridge and how do I access it?
- GCSE Physics A: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Physics A: How do I keep up to date with Science at OCR?
- GCSE Physics A: Is there an alternative to Combined Science for students who can’t access GCSE level Science?
- GCSE Physics A: Which practicals do I need to cover with my students?
- GCSE Physics A: Where can I find resources and support?
GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Physics B (9-1) - J259
- GCSE Physics B: What is Teach Cambridge and how do I access it?
- GCSE Physics B: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Physics B: How do I keep up to date with Science at OCR?
- GCSE Physics B: Which practicals do I need to cover with my students?
- GCSE Physics B: Where can I find resources and support?
- GCSE Physics B: Is there a scheme of work available?
GCSE Psychology (9-1) - J203
- GCSE Psychology: What are the command terms used?
- GCSE Psychology: Where can I find resources and support?
- GCSE Psychology: Can students get marks for a plan in 13 mark questions?
- GCSE Psychology: Do students achieve marks for quality of written communication (QWC) in the exams?
- GCSE Psychology: Evaluate questions require a 'substantiated judgement' to be reached in order to get top marks, what might this look like?
- GCSE Psychology: Can they use non-named studies on the specification in a 13 mark answer?
GCSE Religious Studies (9-1) - J625, J125
- GCSE Religious Studies: What resources do OCR have available?
- GCSE Religious Studies: What professional development courses are available?
- GCSE Religious Studies (Short Course): What resources do OCR have available for the Short Course qualification?
- GCSE Religious Studies: What textbooks are available?
- GCSE Religious Studies (Short Course): What textbooks are available for the Short Course qualification?
GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Combined Science A (9-1) - J250
- GCSE Combined Science A: What is Teach Cambridge & how do I access it?
- GCSE Combined Science A: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Combined Science A: How do I keep up to date with Science at OCR?
- GCSE Combined Science A: Where can I find resources and support?
- GCSE Combined Science A: Is there a scheme of work available?
- GCSE Combined Science A: Will there be more practice/mock papers this year?
GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Combined Science B (9-1) - J260
- GCSE Combined Science B: Which practicals do I need to cover with my students?
- GCSE Combined Science B: What is Teach Cambridge and how do I access it?
- GCSE Combined Science B: Do OCR have plans to hold face-to-face science teacher networks?
- GCSE Combined Science B: How do I keep up to date with Science at OCR?
- GCSE Combined Science B: Where can I find resources and support?
- GCSE Combined Science B: Is there a scheme of work available?