We revise our qualifications regularly to make sure that they continue to meet the needs of learners, schools and higher education institutions around the world and reflect current thinking. We have updated this syllabus and all assessment materials so they are clearer and more consistent with the separate science syllabuses - Cambridge O Level Biology (5090) Cambridge O Level Chemistry (5070) and Cambridge O Level Physics (5054). This is helpful for teachers who are teaching more than one science syllabus. Please see the 2023-2025 syllabus document for full details on the changes.
What are the main changes to the syllabus?
To support teachers and learners, we have:
- introduced a third assessment objective and written paper assessing experimental skills and investigations
- updated the learning objectives to demonstrate the depth you should teach each topic, the wording is consistent with Cambridge O Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics
- updated the topic structure to make sure topics and sub-topics are coherent, and consistent across this syllabus and the separate Cambridge O Level science syllabuses
- removed and added topics; making sure that the teaching time is still within the guided learning hours.
What are the main changes to the assessment?
- We have reduced the number of marks and paper duration in Paper 2.
- Paper 3 is a new written paper assessing experimental skills and investigation and includes a planning question.
When do these changes take place?
The updated syllabus is for examination from June 2023 onwards. Please see the 2023–2025 syllabus above for full details.
Support
We are developing a comprehensive range of materials to help you teach the updated syllabus. These resources will be available from June 2021 onwards before first teaching through our School Support Hub and include:
- Scheme of work
- Learner guide
- Teacher guide
- Specimen Paper Answers
- Example Candidate Responses (after first examination).
Training
Face-to-face and online training will be available. For up-to-date information, visit our Events and training calendar.