Foundation The Sciences
Mae disgrifiad y cymhwyster yn Saesneg yn unig, gan ei fod wedi ei gymryd o fanyleb Saesneg CBAC.
Foundation The Sciences is an Entry Level and Level 1 qualification for learners in Years 10 and 11 who need a practical, accessible science course built around scientific enquiry. Literacy sits in reading test questions and secondary sources, using scientific words, planning an enquiry in simple words, and writing short conclusions, evaluations and reasoned decisions in the Unit 2 and Unit 3 tasks. Numeracy is integrated throughout, as Appendix C sets out: careful measuring, tables and bar charts, plotting two variables, means, decimals and percentages, sampling, and simple calculations such as BMI, energy efficiency and payback time. The biggest thing Key Stage 3 can build is a secure routine of measuring, recording in a table, graphing and then writing one clear sentence about what the results show.
- Corff dyfarnu
- CBAC
- Lefel
- Entry Level and Level 1
- Addysgu gyntaf
- Medi 2027
- Faint o waith llythrennedd
- Canolig
- Faint o waith rhifedd
- Canolig
- Manyleb
- Agor y fanyleb
Sut mae'r cymhwyster hwn yn cael ei asesu
- Unit 1: Science in Everyday Life: Two topic tests of 30 minutes each, 30%, 60 marks (2 × 30), set and marked by WJEC; tiered (Foundation tier Entry 1 to Entry 3, Higher tier Entry 3 to Level 1); centres choose on-screen or paper tests within a four-week window
- Unit 2: Caring for the Planet: Non-examination assessment, four enquiry tasks of 30 minutes each plus up to one additional hour per task for data collection or data presentation, 40%, 60 marks (4 × 15); centres choose one WJEC set task for each of the four contexts; marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC
- Unit 3: Me and My Health: Non-examination assessment, two tasks with up to 20 hours in total, 30%, 60 marks; set by WJEC, centres can tailor the practical elements; marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC
Sgiliau sy'n defnyddio Cynllunio a threfnu ar gyfer gwahanol ddibenion, cynulleidfaoedd a chyd-destunau
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Planning an enquiry in simple words
For each Unit 2 enquiry learners say what they want to find out, make a basic prediction, choose equipment and method, explain why they chose that method in simple words and identify risks. Unit 3 tasks also involve practical enquiries, such as heart rate, skin sensitivity and reaction times.
Llythrennedd: Cynllunio a threfnu ar gyfer gwahanol ddibenion, cynulleidfaoedd a chyd-destunau
Paratoi disgyblion
- Blwyddyn 7
- Pupils fill in a planning frame for a dissolving experiment with a question, a prediction and a numbered equipment list.
- Blwyddyn 8
- Pupils write a short method for testing which material insulates best, with numbered steps and one sentence saying why they chose it.
- Blwyddyn 9
- Pupils write a full plan for a pulse rate investigation, including a prediction linked to what they know, a method, a reason for it and a list of risks.
Dangos geiriad y fanyleb a datganiadau'r Fframwaith Llythrennedd a Rhifedd
Ble mae yn y fanyleb: Unit 2, Planning an enquiry, page 17; Unit 3, Sections 3.1.2, 3.1.3 and 3.2.1, pages 21 and 22
“explain why they chose that method in simple words”
Cam cynnydd 3
Rwy'n gallu defnyddio ac addasu gwahanol strwythurau yn fy ngwaith ysgrifennu, e.e. adroddiad ar ddigwyddiad, ymchwiliad neu arbrawf.
Rwy'n gallu ystyried ffyrdd gwahanol o gynllunio, drafftio a chyflwyno fy ngwaith yn briodol.
Cam cynnydd 4
Rwy’n gallu dewis a defnyddio strategaethau priodol er mwyn cynllunio a datblygu fy ngwaith ysgrifennu at wahanol ddibenion ac ar gyfer gwahanol gynulleidfaoedd.
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Writing conclusions and evaluations
Learners state what their results show in simple language, link them back to their prediction or question, say what went well, suggest simple improvements and comment on repeatability. AO3, analysing, interpreting and evaluating, is 20% of the qualification and runs through all three units.
Llythrennedd: Cynllunio a threfnu ar gyfer gwahanol ddibenion, cynulleidfaoedd a chyd-destunau, Cysyllteiriau a chystrawen
Paratoi disgyblion
- Blwyddyn 7
- Pupils finish the sentence starters "My results show that..." and "My prediction was right because..." after a plant growth experiment.
- Blwyddyn 8
- Pupils write a short paragraph concluding a heat loss experiment, using because and therefore, and suggest one improvement.
- Blwyddyn 9
- Pupils write a conclusion and evaluation for a reaction time investigation that links to their prediction, comments on whether repeats were similar and suggests two improvements.
Dangos geiriad y fanyleb a datganiadau'r Fframwaith Llythrennedd a Rhifedd
Ble mae yn y fanyleb: Unit 2, Form conclusions and evaluate approaches, page 18; Section 3.1, page 25
“link their results back to their prediction or question”
Cam cynnydd 3
Rwy'n gallu defnyddio ac addasu gwahanol strwythurau yn fy ngwaith ysgrifennu, e.e. adroddiad ar ddigwyddiad, ymchwiliad neu arbrawf.
Rwy'n gallu defnyddio amrywiaeth gynyddol o gysyllteiriau i drefnu fy syniadau mewn brawddegau, paragraffau a thestunau cyfan.
Cam cynnydd 4
Rwy'n gallu defnyddio crynodebau, trafod materion, rhoi esboniadau manwl a defnyddio rhesymeg wrth ymdrin â phwnc.
Rwy'n gallu defnyddio amrywiaeth o gysyllteiriau'n benodol wrth drefnu fy syniadau yn destunau cyfan at wahanol ddibenion.
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Weighing up evidence and explaining decisions
Learners use evidence to make sensible choices such as recycling, energy use or personal safety, weigh up evidence and arguments, and use simple scientific language to explain their decision. In Unit 3 they consider the evidence on vaccinations and are aware that parents may hold different opinions.
Llythrennedd: Siarad cydweithredol, Gofyn cwestiynau, Cynllunio a threfnu ar gyfer gwahanol ddibenion, cynulleidfaoedd a chyd-destunau
Paratoi disgyblion
- Blwyddyn 7
- Pupils sort cards of reasons for and against recycling plastics into two piles and tell a partner which side they agree with and why.
- Blwyddyn 8
- Pupils discuss in groups whether the school should switch to LED lights, using cost and energy facts, and agree a decision.
- Blwyddyn 9
- Pupils hold a structured class discussion on a contested health topic, such as sugar taxes, using evidence cards, then write a paragraph explaining their own decision.
Dangos geiriad y fanyleb a datganiadau'r Fframwaith Llythrennedd a Rhifedd
Ble mae yn y fanyleb: Unit 2, Make informed decisions, page 17; Unit 3, Section 3.2.3, page 23
“weigh up evidence and arguments before making a decision”
Cam cynnydd 3
Rwy'n gallu ystyried materion heriol neu ddadleuol drwy amrywiaeth o gyd-destunau dilys, gan gynnwys cynnal rôl.
Rwy’n gallu ymateb i safbwyntiau pobl eraill, gan geisio eglurder, crynhoi ac esbonio’r hyn rwyf wedi ei glywed, ei ddarllen neu ei weld.
Cam cynnydd 4
Rwy'n gallu defnyddio sgiliau siarad mewn amrywiaeth o gyd-destunau dilys er mwyn ystyried materion heriol neu ddadleuol.
Rwy'n gallu defnyddio crynodebau, trafod materion, rhoi esboniadau manwl a defnyddio rhesymeg wrth ymdrin â phwnc.
Da gwybod
- Mathematical skills must be taught within the science, not separately: they "must be integrated into the teaching of subject content rather than taught in isolation" (Section 2, page 9, and Appendix C, page 42).
- Calculation demand rises with tier in the Unit 1 topic tests: foundation tier calculations carry "1 mark maximum" and data is shown to 1dp, while higher tier calculations carry "Up to 3 marks available" with "Data displayed up to 2dp" (Section 3.2, page 26).
- Unit 2 allows extra time for numeracy work: learners "may have up to an additional one hour for any data collection or data presentation linked to the task(s)" (Section 3.2, page 27).
- In the internally marked units, "Written evidence must be annotated to show how it meets the marking criteria" and spoken work such as presentations is recorded on observation records (Section 3.3, page 28).
- Appendix A maps listening, reading, speaking and writing, and all four numeracy strands, to all three units (pages 34 and 35), and Appendix C lists the mathematical skills: handling data and graphs (page 42).
- Unit 1 topic tests are taken "under invigilated examination conditions" and can be on screen or on paper (Section 3.2, page 27; Summary of assessment, page 5).
Cysylltiadau â chymwysterau eraill
Foundation The Sciences prepares learners for GCSE The Sciences (Double Award) and GCSE Integrated Science (Single Award), which use the same enquiry writing and data skills but add longer evaluations, chemical calculations, rearranging equations and gradients. The Appendix C data and graph skills overlap with Foundation Mathematics and Numeracy, the reasoned decisions about waste, energy and pollution link with Geography and Humanities, and the BMI, diet and exercise work links with Physical Education and Health.
Ffynhonnell: WJEC Entry Level/Level 1 Foundation The Sciences specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027, for award from 2029 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).