Why choose this subject?

As with English and maths, science is a cornerstone within education. Science helps to develop our understanding of the world around us and is the basis for everything within the universe, from how an atom is made up to how the human body functions.

The progress through history has been a result of advantages within science from the use of medicines such as antibiotics to the understanding of gravity, with all of these advances being the result of students studying science.

Studying science gives students a pathway to share ideas, build on fundamental knowledge and allows for an enhanced view of the world.

Science as a subject allows for the development of progress and future scientific developments.

What will your child will learn?

Curriculum overview

Broadly speaking science is split into 3 main disciplines, Biology, Chemistry and Physics and students study topics within each. At KS3 students will study the following.

Biology: cell biology, health living, digestion, reproduction, biodiversity, photosynthesis and respiration. Microbes and disease and evolution.

Chemistry: particles, separating mixtures, elements and compounds, Acid and alkalis, chemical reactions, the periodic table, material chemistry, the earth and its atmosphere and the reactivity series.

Physics:  Forces, electrical circuits and magnetism, space, sound, energy, motion, light, pressure and energy resources and electricity.

At GCSE level students follow the AQA combined science GCSE, which is a combination of the 3 disciplines resulting in two GCSEs at the end of the 2-year course.

Imbedded within the curriculum students will complete a range of practical activities using scientific equipment, such as Bunsen burners.

Medium Term Plans

Each term students will complete a topic from each of the disciplines, with these topics having a diverse number of lessons. Students will be assessed on their knowledge at the end of every two topics completed with practical based skills being tracked throughout.

At GSCE students will follow the GCSE specification which will be taught in a similar format as at KS3, where students complete topics from each of the main 3 disciplines of science.

LOTCS/Drop Down events

We have recently completed a whole school STEM day where students where involved within a number of different STEM based activities that were planned through the day.

Students will have the opportunity to access hands on science at a learning outside of the classroom experience while visiting a local city.

Aim Higher

Within science there is always the opportunity to further develop student’s skills and understanding around the sciences. This is achieved through enrichment and further engagement of student’s skills. There is the potential for students to progress down a higher tier route at GCSE that enables students to achieve grade 9s.

What your child will gain from this subject

Through studying science students develop a number of skills that are transferable to any environment. This includes the development of functional academic skills such as being able to follow instructions, measuring length and mass and developing the ability to understand and follow signs. Studying science also helps to develop healthy and safety skills through the use of practical activities along with effective communication skills and the needed skills to work effectivity within a team or small group.   

The Science curriculum is developed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to complete the GCSE papers in the summer of year 10.

From the AQA combined science program students gain 2 GCSE qualifications and these are assessed in exam papers that last 1 hour 15 minutes each. There are 2 papers sat for each of the 3 disciplines.