Making the grade: Demystifying high demand science questions

This CPD session supports science teachers in unpacking the complexity of high demand GCSE questions. These questions often challenge students not only in content but in cognitive load, language, and reasoning. Teachers will explore what makes a question “high demand,” and how to build the skills needed for success. Outcomes: By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Identify the features and demands of high demand GCSE science questions. Develop or adapt classroom tasks that build confidence and resilience in tackling challenging questions. Overview: The session will breakdown the specific requirements of high demand questions using real GCSE examples, highlighting the blend of content knowledge, application, and extended reasoning required. Teachers will engage in a series of activities to look at examples of high demand questions and explore how to best support their students in preparing for them.