{"id":280,"date":"2012-09-13T09:54:53","date_gmt":"2012-09-13T09:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/?page_id=280"},"modified":"2017-10-05T09:20:18","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T09:20:18","slug":"astronomy-gcse","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/?page_id=280","title":{"rendered":"GCSE schools"},"content":{"rendered":"

Astronomy GCSE for schools\/colleges at Lawrence House\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

Offered externally to secondary (and sixth form) schools and colleges.<\/p>\n

The course follows the Edexcel syllabus, running from early February, for approximately 16 months, concluding with the final single exam in the following summer.<\/p>\n

There are two possible timetable scenarios – usually dependant upon funds for travel etc:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Pupils attend the astronomy centre once a week for a lesson lasting approximately one-and-a-half hours<\/p>\n

or…<\/p>\n

2. Lessons alternate on a fortnightly basis: two consecutive weeks at the centre followed by two weeks\u00a0when\u00a0I will come to\u00a0your school … etc<\/p>\n

Often a school group will include a member of their own staff – who also takes the astronomy GCSE<\/em>… This works very well regarding the organisation of travel -and as a general\u00a0primary liaison between myself and your school\/college.<\/p>\n

Once a ‘weekly day’ has been decided upon, I am completely flexible regarding the specific timing\u00a0– whether ‘extra-curricular’ or within the ‘normal school day’.<\/p>\n

Please enquire for current fees and any detailed information regarding the course.<\/p>\n

01253 772974<\/p>\n

nick@astronomyforall.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

The Astronomy Centre comprises;<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0a standard classroom,<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0a tiered lecture theatre,<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0a housed planetarium<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0our on-site Assheton Observatory and an array of telescopes for you to utilise<\/p>\n

How long will it take?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The course timetable is spread over sixteen months, following your school’s school-term-time schedule.<\/p>\n

What do we study on the course?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are many topics, roughly divided into five major \u2018chapters\u2019.\u00a0 Pupils will learn about:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 \u00a0 Our \u2018home\u2019, the Earth, and its place within the Universe<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 \u00a0 The Moon and the Sun, and their influence upon our planet<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 \u00a0 The planets in our Solar System<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 \u00a0 Stars and Galaxies \u2013 the life and structure of the stars – Constellations, and the night sky.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 \u00a0 Observing Techniques \u2013 how we view and study the Universe.<\/p>\n

How is it assessed?<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the end of the course, your knowledge of astronomy will be tested in two written exams. Each exam will be 100 mins in duration.<\/p>\n

These papers tend to reflect the general division of the course between:<\/p>\n

1. How and what we observe in our night sky, with the naked eye;<\/p>\n

2. How, as astronomers, we observe and comprehend the greater Universe, with optical (telescopic) aid etc.<\/p>\n

What do the pupils need regarding equipment?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I personally recommend loose leaf A4 paper to write on, and a ring binder\u2013 this is then also a good way to keep any handouts that I give out.\u00a0 \u00a0Apart from that, pupils will need the usual pencil case \u2013 pens pencils ruler etc \u2013 and one thing I always recommend: a good pair of compasses for drawing circles\u2026!!<\/p>\n

Pupils do not need any observing equipment <\/strong>\u2013 there\u2019s plenty for us to use here at the centre.<\/p>\n

A subject rarely offered at GCSE level<\/strong>. Recent and ongoing revelations in the field have established the discipline as a true \u2018cutting edge\u2019 science for the 21st century.<\/p>\n

There has never been a better time to study astronomy!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The current (quite new) syllabus actually makes an astronomer of you!\u00a0 It trains pupils not just in factual content but also in how to do astronomical observations<\/em>\u2013 using telescopes properly etc.\u00a0 The \u2018coursework\u2019 element is the \u2018practical stuff\u2019 \u2013 and it\u2019s great fun \u2013 observing\/recording\/sketching\/photographing the night sky etc<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Astronomy GCSE for schools\/colleges at Lawrence House\u00a0 Offered externally to secondary (and sixth form) schools and colleges. The course follows the Edexcel syllabus, running from early February, for approximately 16 months, concluding with the final single exam in the following … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/280"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=280"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":700,"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/280\/revisions\/700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomyforall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}