Development of core skills

Cognitive/intellectual skills

• applying simple rules/laws to new examples/situations, e.g. balancing equations
• using simple facts to deduce nature of chemicals, e.g. if it boils at 40°C it must be liquid at room temperature and pressure
• observing patterns and then using them to make predictions
• designing experiments
• critically analysing experiments and results
• drawing conclusions and using scientific concepts to explain them
• problem-solving
• using scientific models to explain behaviour, e.g. the model of the atom
• researching and writing reports/pieces of creative work, e.g. "a day in the life of a O₂ molecule"
• communicating and working in groups, e.g. designing investigations

Practical/experimental skills

• manipulating safely simple apparatus and making decisions about how/when to use certain apparatus
• handling chemicals safely (including using appropriate quantities)
• observing: both qualitatively, e.g. test tube reactions, and quantitatively
• controlling and using a suitable range of variables

Presentational/written skills

• organising and presenting written work in a clear and concise way - this includes the quality of written English
• use of symbols, formulae and equations in written work
• use of appropriate scientific terminology, e.g. "solution of CuSO₄" rather than "liquid CuSO₄"
• appropriate methods of displaying results, e.g. tables and graphs
• use of appropriately labelled diagrams
• use of IT to produce some written work