Science
Science Staff
Mrs C Goundrill – Head of Sciences Faculty
Mrs E Morrison – Head of Science
Mr P Nicholson – Deputy Head of Science
Miss R Welsh – Teacher of Food Technology and Vice Principal
Mr I Choudhury – Teacher of Science
Miss E Thomas – Teacher of Science
Mr K Bover – Teacher of Science
Mrs T Howgill – Senior Science Technician
Miss Y Butler – Science Technician
Why Science is for me
Learning Journey
Combined Science at GCSE: Biology, Chemistry & Physics
Separate Sciences at GCSE: Biology, Chemistry & Physics
Curriculum Journey
Year 7 & 8 (KS3)
Our aim in science is to ensure that students can think like scientists and have a deep-seated enthusiasm for the subject; for this reason, working scientifically skills are developed throughout the big ideas across years 7 and 8.
We follow the AQA KS3 curriculum to prepare the students for the AQA GCSE specification in KS4. The KS3 AQA specification ensures a spiral curriculum; we interleave the topics throughout the two years ensuring we build on the big ideas (mentioned below) in biology, chemistry, and physics. The syllabus we follow uses multiple interactions with big ideas and mastery goals that equip students for their successes at GCSE level.
The working scientifically skills that we cover across KS3 relate to the following:
- Scientific Attitudes
- Experimental Skills and Investigations
- Analysis and Evaluation
- Measurement
The topics we cover are:
| Big Idea | Year 7 | Year 8 |
| Organisms | Movement & Cells | Breathing & Digestion |
| Matter | Particle model & Separating mixtures | Periodic table & Elements |
| Forces | Speed & Gravity | Contact forces & Pressure |
| Ecosystems | Interdependence & Plant reproduction | Respiration & Photosynthesis |
| Reactions | Metals and non-metals & Acids and alkalis | Chemical energy & Types of reaction |
| Electromagnets | Voltage, resistance and current | Magnetism & Electromagnets |
| Genes | Variation & Human Reproduction | Evolution & Inheritance |
| Energy | Energy costs & Energy transfer | Climate & Earth Resources |
| Earth | Earth Structure & Universe | Work & Heating and cooling |
| Waves | Sound & Light | Wave effects & Wave properties |
Year 9 (Gateway year)
In the science gateway year we aim to embed and build on the KS3 working scientifically skills whilst introducing any new KS4 skills to prepare the students for GCSE level; this is to allow a greater focus on the application of skills in years 10 and 11. Students will remain in the ‘gateway’ phase for either one or two terms, depending on which band they are in; they will then begin the GCSE course.
GCSE (KS4)
We are following the AQA GCSE science specifications; students will complete the course and end with either of the following qualifications: GCSE Combined Science (trilogy) or GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics.
We teach biology, chemistry, and physics in ways that help our students to develop curiosity about the natural world, have an insight into how science works and an appreciation of its relevance to their everyday lives. The scope and nature of their study is broad, coherent, practical, and satisfying, and thereby encourages students to be inspired, motivated, and challenged by the subject and its achievements
The overarching topics of the curriculum are identified in the table below.
Key: P1 = paper 1 of that subject P2 = paper 2 of that subject
| Biology | Chemistry | Physics |
Cell biology (P1) Organisation (P1) Infection and response (P1) Bioenergetics (P1) Homeostasis and response (P2) Inheritance, variation, and evolution (P2) Ecology (P2)
| Atomic structure and the periodic table (P1) Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter (P1) Quantitative chemistry (P1) Chemical changes (P1) Energy changes (P1) The rate and extent of chemical change (P2) Organic chemistry (P2) Chemical analysis (P2) Chemistry of the atmosphere (P2) Using resources (P2) | Energy (P1) Electricity (P1) Particle model of matter (P1) Atomic structure (P1) Forces (P2) Waves (P2) Magnetism and electromagnetism (P2) *Space Physics* separate only (P2)
|
Exams
Combined trilogy students will complete six papers, two papers in each subject. Each paper is 1 hour 15 minutes long. Students will achieve two GCSEs.
Separate scientists still complete six papers, two papers in each subject, but each paper is 1 hour 45 minutes long. Students will achieve three GCSEs.
Science Rationale
SMSC in Science
Extra-Curriculars
Throughout the year, there are different types of extra-curricular opportunities that encourage, motivate and inspire young scientists. Some of these opportunities include Science Week, STEM days, STEM clubs, the BAE systems/RAF roadshow, I’m a Scientist and Greenpower, to name a few.
Careers
Useful Websites
What’s on the bookshelf?
KS3 Leisure Reading for Science
- Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson
- Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
- Shouting in the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
- The Line Tender by Kate Allen
- FloodWorld by Tom Huddleston
- Stargazing for Beginners by Jenny McLachlan
- The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge
- Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
- Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos
- Roof Toppers by Katherine Rundell
- The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller
- Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
- We are all made of molecules by Susin Nielsen
- Free Lunch by Rex Ogle
- Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm
- Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake
- Good Enough by Jen Petro Roy
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
GCSE Leisure Reading for Science
- Florence Nightingale: The courageous life of the legendary nurse by Catherine Reef
- Almost Astronauts: 13 women who dared to dream by Tanya Lee Stone
- The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Geek Girls by Sam Maggs
- Why Can’t Elephants Jump?: and 113 other tantalising science questions by New Scientist
- A Black Hole is not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano
- One, Two, Three…Infinity: Facts and Speculations of Science by George Gamow
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