Science Department Vision

1. To provide an inclusive and individualised Science curriculum for all students.
2. To provide an enjoyable and engaging experience for all students in Science lessons.
3. To ensure all student achieve or exceed their academic potential.

KS3 Curriculum
• >The Science team offer a varied KS3 curriculum.
• >KS3 is made up of year 7 and year 8 classes.
• >Class sizes are approximately 25 students.
• >Year 7: – 6 hours per fortnight
• >Year 8: – 7 hours per fortnight
• >Students study a combination of Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics, based on a combination of Exploring Science and Eureka schemes of work.

Year 7 Curriculum Topics
• Safety in science
• Acids and Alkalis
• Bubbles, bangs and burns
• What a waste and Water
• The solar system, satellites and space
• Circuits
• Forces
• Energy
• Classification and extinction
• Sex and inheritance
• Tissues, transplants and disease

Year 8 Curriculum Topics
• Heat transfers
• Light and the Electromagnetic spectrum
• Sound and Hearing
• Forces in motion
• Healthy life styles
• Green machine – plants
• Ecology
• Materials and recycling
• Building for the future
• Rocks, Flying machine

KS4 Curriculum
>The science team offers a varied KS4 curriculum.
>Studied in year 9, 10 and 11.
>The curriculum is linked to the pathway that the student studies.

Pathway 1: students study AQA triple/separate science route.
>Students will achieve a separate GCSE in biology, chemistry and physics.

AQA Chemistry Topic 1
>The Earth provides
◦ Fundamental ideas in chemistry
◦ Rocks and building materials
◦ Metals and rocks
◦ Fuels from oils
>Oils, Earth and Atmosphere
◦ Chemicals from alkenes
◦ Using plant oils
◦ The Earth and atmosphere

AQA Chemistry Topic 2
>Building blocks of chemistry
◦ Atoms, elements and compounds
◦ Structures
◦ Relative masses of atoms
>Rates, salts and electrolysis
◦ Rates of chemical reactions
◦ Energy from chemical reactions
◦ Making salts
◦ Electrolysis

AQA Chemistry Topic 3
>Looking for patterns
◦ The periodic table and its development
◦ What is in the water we drink?
◦ Energy from reactions
>Analysis, ammonia and organic compounds
◦ Identifying and analysing substances
◦ The production of ammonia
◦ Uses of alcohol

AQA Biology Topic 1
>How organisms work
◦ Healthy bodies
◦ Co-ordinated responses
◦ Drugs: Use and abuse
>Environment and evolution
◦ Interdependence and adaptation
◦ Energy
◦ Variation
◦ Evolution

AQA Biology Topic 2
>Growing and using our food
◦ Cells and cell structure
◦ Plants: obtaining food and growth
◦ Communities of organisms and their environment
>Understanding how organisms function
◦ Proteins and their functions
◦ Energy for respiration
◦ Patterns of inheritance
◦ Organisms changing through time

AQA Biology Topic 3
>Biological Systems
◦ Exchanges
◦ Transporting materials
◦ Homeostasis
>Humans and the environment
◦ Humans and the environment

AQA Physics Topic 1
>Energy
◦ Heat
◦ Energy and efficiency
◦ Electrical devices
◦ Generating electricity
>Waves and the Universe
◦ Waves
◦ Red shift

AQA Physics Topic 2
>Forces and motion
◦ Forces and motion
◦ Forces and kinetic energy
>Electricity, radiation, atoms and the stars
◦ Electrical circuits
◦ Electrical safety
◦ Atoms and radiation
◦ Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion

AQA Physics Topic 3
>Medical applications of physics
◦ Medical applications of physics
◦ Lenses and light
>Making things work
◦ Making things work
◦ Keeping things moving

Pathway 2: students study Edexcel core and additional science.
>Students will achieve two GCSE in science

Edexcel GCSE Core
>Biology 1 Influences on life
◦ Classification, variation and inheritance
◦ Response to a changing environment
◦ Problems of and solutions to changing environment

>Chemistry 1: Chemistry in our world
◦ The Earth’s Sea and atmosphere
◦ Materials from the Earth
◦ Acids
◦ Obtaining and Using metals
◦ Fuels

>Physics 1: Universal Physics
◦ Visible light and the solar system
◦ The Electromagnetic Spectrum
◦ Waves and the Universe
◦ Waves and the Earth
◦ Generation and transmission of Electricity
◦ Energy and the future

Edexcel GCSE Additional
>Biology 2: Components of life
◦ The building blocks of life
◦ Organisms and energy
◦ Common systems

>Chemistry 2: Discovering Chemistry
◦ Atomic structure and the periodic table
◦ Ionic bonding
◦ Covalent bonding
◦ Groups in the periodic table
◦ Quantitative chemistry
◦ Chemical reactions

>Physics 2: Physics for your future
◦ Static and current electricity
◦ Controlling and using electrical current
◦ Motion and force
◦ Momentum, work, power and energy
◦ Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion
◦ Advantages and disadvantages of using radioactivity

Pathway 3: Students study Edexcel BTEC extended certificate
◦ Students will achieve two GCSE equivalent qualification

BTEC Applied Science
>BTEC Certificate in applied science
◦ Unit 1: Chemistry and our Earth
◦ Unit 2: Energy and our Universe
◦ Unit 3: Biology and our Environment

>BTEC Extended Certificate in applied science
◦ Unit 4: Applications of chemical substances
◦ Unit 5: Applications of physical science
◦ Unit 6: Health application of life science

Extracurricular Provision

Regular catch up/revision classes take place closer to exams time to give our pupils the best preparation and confidence before sitting their exams.

Extra resources available via the school VLE and recommended sites like SamLearning