Edexcel GCSE (Biology A) (2005)

The following sections of the syllabus are relevant to teaching Origins in Science:

Aims
This specification gives students opportunities to:
acquire a systematic body of scientific knowledge, and the skills needed to apply this in new and changing situations in a range of domestic, industrial and environmental contexts
acquire an understanding of scientific ideas, how they develop, the factors which may affect their development and their power and limitations

B3: Variation, inheritance and evolution
Variation

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to:

understand that many mutations are harmful, some are neutral and a few are beneficial and can increase in the population by natural selection (B3.12)
(Adapted from page 16)

Evolution

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to:

understand that fossils provide evidence of evolution (B3.25)
describe how inherited variation can lead to evolution or extinction by the process of natural selection (B3.26)
(Adapted from page 17)

These above sections on variation, inheritance and evolution are flagged as statements where candidates might be assessed on:

how scientific ideas are presented, evaluated and disseminated
how scientific controversies can arise from different ways of interpreting empirical evidence
ways in which scientific work may be affected by the contexts in which it takes place
ways of considering the power and limitations of science in addressing industrial, social and environmental questions, including the kinds of questions science can and cannot answer, uncertainties in scientific knowledge and the ethical issues involved.

To gain a Grade C: Candidates describe how evidence is used to test predictions made from scientific theories, and how different people may have different views on some aspects of science. (page 31)

To gain a Grade A: Candidates explain how scientific theories can be changed by new evidence and identify some areas of uncertainty in science.

(Adapted from page 32)

Education for citizenship
The development of the Scientific Enquiry component, ideas and evidence in science, throughout this specification supports the candidate in making informed decisions eg:
the use and abuse of statistics in health issues
bias in scientific articles.
(Adapted from page 34)