A-Level Physics Practical Endorsement Course

The A-Level Physics Practical Endorsement course at BioGrad Education is a five-day, laboratory-based assessment programme designed for students studying AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel or Eduqas A-Level Physics. Students complete a minimum of 12 practical activities, providing opportunities to demonstrate the Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC) routinely and consistently.

The course covers essential A-Level Physics practical techniques, including investigations into mechanics, oscillations, waves, electricity, magnetism, thermal physics and radiation. Students use specialist laboratory equipment to collect and analyse data, take accurate measurements and evaluate experimental errors and uncertainties.

Practical assessments are delivered by experienced scientists who provide guidance and support throughout the course. Students should already have a good understanding of the practical skills and procedures required by their examination board, as the programme focuses on assessing competency rather than teaching the A-Level Physics syllabus.

BioGrad Education offers A-Level Physics Practical Endorsement courses for private candidates, home-educated students and independent learners who need to complete their practical assessments separately from their written A-Level examinations.

Students must be registered with an exam centre where they will sit their written A-Level Physics examinations. The exam centre must have an appropriate working agreement with BioGrad Education so that Practical Endorsement results can be communicated correctly.

Is your exam centre not already partnered with BioGrad? Contact our team before booking. We can approach your preferred centre to discuss establishing a working agreement. You can also view our consortium exam centres .

During BioGrad Education's A-Level Physics Practical Endorsement course, students complete a minimum of 12 practical activities covering essential techniques in mechanics, wave behaviour, electricity, magnetism, thermal physics and radiation.

These activities provide opportunities to apply existing scientific knowledge, work with specialist measuring equipment and demonstrate the Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC) routinely and consistently.

Practical 1 – Standing waves on a wire under tension.

Practical 2a – Measuring the separation of Young’s slits.

Practical 2b – Measuring the wavelength of light with a diffraction grating.

Practical 3 – Measuring g by freefall.

Practical 4 – Young’s modulus of a metal wire.

Practical 5 – Measuring the resistivity of a metal wire.

Practical 6 – Measuring the EMF and internal resistance of a power supply.

Practical 7a – Oscillations of a mass on a spring.

Practical 7b – Investigating the oscillations of a simple pendulum.

Practical 8a – Boyle’s law.

Practical 8b – Charles’ law.

Practical 9 – Slow discharge and charging of a capacitor.

Practical 10 – Force on a current-carrying wire.

Practical 11 – Magnetic flux.

Practical 12 – Investigation of the inverse-square law for gamma radiation.

• Students must be studying an England A-Level Physics qualification with AQA, Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel or OCR.
• This is an intensive practical course designed for students who are ready to complete their A-Level Practical Endorsement. Students are expected to have a good understanding of the practical skills, techniques and procedures required by their examination board specification before attending. The course provides multiple opportunities to demonstrate competency against the Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC).
• If a student has had limited opportunities to develop their practical laboratory skills, BioGrad Education recommends considering our 1-day Introduction to Laboratory Skills course before completing their Practical Endorsement. This course provides an opportunity to develop essential laboratory skills and confidence.