Whitchurch High School offers electronics GCSE for male and female students going into Year 10.
Why choose GCSE Electronics?
The study of Electronics will enable you to develop an understanding of electronic components, systems, processes and methods. The contents of your study will help you answer questions about actual circuits and solve practical engineering tasks. The theory studied will be reinforced by practical investigations, and design and make tasks throughout the course of study.
What will I study? You will study a course with 11 topic areas divided between two components. For each topic you will study the theory and then carrying out practical investigations you put the theory into practice. The topics you will study are:
Component 1
1. Electronic systems and sub-systems
2. Circuit concepts
3. Resistive components in circuits
4. Switching circuits
5. Applications of diodes
6. Combinational logic systems
Component 2
1. Operational amplifiers
2. Timing circuits
3. Sequential systems
4. Interfacing digital to analogue circuits
5. Control circuits
Electronics affects everyone, from changes to our leisure time, to making industry more efficient. By studying this course, students have a real understanding of how electronics can make an impact on society.
This is an ideal course for girls and boys, who have enquiring minds, and wish to develop their practical and mental skills. The knowledge and skills you will learn and practice throughout the course will help you to progress to Level 3 courses or apprenticeships in electronics or wider engineering areas, such as engineering, process control, systems design, manufacturing, robotics/automation and medical services. The transferrable skills developed by studying electronics are actively sought out by employers.
Students who choose GCSE electronics are expected to be able to design, build and evaluate a wide range of electronic systems. They should also be capable of using equations to specify how their circuits will perform.
How will I be assessed? The qualification is assessed in 3 components:
Component 1 |
Assessed by exam A mix of short answer questions, structured questions and extended writing questions, with some set in a practical context |
40% of the final mark |
Component 2 |
Assessed by exam A mix of short answer questions, structured questions and extended writing questions, with some set in a practical context |
40% of the final mark |
Component 3 |
Non-exam Assessment Assessed by an extended system design and realisation task An extended system design and realisation task to assess electronics skills |
20% of the final mark |