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Science

Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, that all students should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. They should appreciate the achievements of science in showing how the complex and diverse phenomena of the natural world can be described in terms of a number of key ideas relating to the sciences which are inter-linked, and which are of universal application.

Curriculum Intent

Our purpose is to provide a high-quality science education, which lays the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  This will be achieved by building up a body of key knowledge and concepts, that will encourage students to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena.

Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, students will be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena.

Students will be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Knowledge and understanding

Teachers will use different contexts to maximise students’ engagement with and motivation to study science. It will be taught in ways that ensure students have the knowledge to enable them to develop curiosity about the natural world, insight into working scientifically, and appreciation of the relevance of science to their everyday lives, so that students:

  • Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
  • Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science, through different types of scientific enquiry that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
  • Develop and learn to apply observational, practical, modelling, enquiry, problem-solving skills and mathematical skills, both in the laboratory, in the field and in other environments
  • Develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions, both qualitatively and quantitatively
  • Develop the use of common language and also the use of technical terminology. They will build up an extended specialist vocabulary.
  • Develop the ability to apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data.
  • Develop their understanding of the social and economic implications of science
  • Encouraged to relate scientific explanations to phenomena in the world around them and start to use modelling and abstract ideas to develop and evaluate explanations.
  • Develop their ability to see the connections between science subject areas and become aware of some of the big ideas underpinning scientific knowledge and understanding.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Overview

Year 7 Science

Term 1

  • Biology –Students are taught about different aspects of cells, including specialisation and movement of substances.  They then develop their understanding of multicellular organisms and how organisms are built and function.  
  • Chemistry –students are particles and their behaviour, including states or matter and change of state.
  • Physics – Students learn about to forces; what they are and how they affect different materials.

Term 2

  • Biology –Students study human reproduction and the changes that occur during puberty.
  • Chemistry –Students are introduced to elements, atoms and compounds and start t learn about chemical reactions and formulae.   They then develop this in more depth in the reactions module, where they learn about a range of different reactions including combustion, thermal decomposition as well as endo and exothermic reactions.
  • Physics – Students investigate the science of sound and light as methods of energy transfer.  They learn about reflection, refraction and how light is absorbed.

Term 3

  • Biology –Students conclude the reproduction topic looking at plant reproduction and seed dispersal.
  • Chemistry –Students are introduced to acids, alkalis and neutralisation reactions.
  • Physics – Students investigate the night sky and solar system in the space module.

Year 8 Science

Term 1

  • Biology –Students learn about health and life style, focusing on diet, drugs, alcohol and smoking.   They also learn about the biological processes photosynthesis, chemosysnthesis and respiration and why they are important in energy transfer in ecosystems.
  • Chemistry –Students are introduced to the periodic table and how it has been developed.  They also look at the trends in reactivity of different groups, using group 1 and 7 as models.
  • Physics – Students learn about electrical circuits and magnetism, including the similarities and differences in series and parallel circuits.

Term 2

  • Biology –Students learn about food chains and webs.
  • Chemistry –Students learn about the different separation techniques to produce pure products, including filtration, evaporation, distillation and chromatography. 
  • Physics – students learn about energy and energy transfer.  They then develop this by looking at power and efficiency.

Term 3

  • Biology –Students start to learn about adaptation and how important characteristics for survival are passed from one generation to the next through the process of inheritance.
  • Chemistry –Students continue the work they started in year 7 on acids and alkalis looking at the reactions of acids with metals, they then develop this further looking at other reactions of metals.  Following on from the work on space they started in year 7 they now focus on the Earth and how different types of rocks have formed and are cycled in the rock cycle. 
  • Physics – Students develop the work they started in year 7 on forces, looking at the impact of forces on acceleration and pressure.

Year 7 Curriculum Content

Topics Covered:

  • Structure and function of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.
  • Reproduction in plants and animals
  • Particle model and their behaviour
  • Elements, atoms, compounds and chemical reactions
  • Forces and their effect
  • Waves (including sound and light)

Key Knowledge and Skills:

  • To know that the fundamental units of all living organisms are cells.
  • The hierarchical organisation of living organisms.
  • The structure and function of organ systems, including reproductive system and changes during puberty.
  • The process of diffusion
  • Describe what atoms are and the properties of elements. 
  • Know what a compound, how to identify a reaction and write simple chemical names for reactants and products.
  • Classify some simple reactions and predict the products.
  • Identify different forces and describe their effect.
  • State the law of reflection and know how waves can be reflected and refracted.
  • Use tier 3 scientific vocabulary and extended reading.
  • Use equations and complete calculations.
  • Measure angles
  • Make predictions, analyse data (including graphing), draw conclusions and evaluate methods and data.
  • Use equipment and carry out practical activities.
  • Write word and symbol equations.

Assessment:

  • Progress tasks in lessons
  • VIP recall quizzes in class
  • A4P tasks in lessons
  • End or topic exams
  • Multi topic TSAT exams

Homework:

  • VIP questions
  • Keyword / definition-based tasks
  • Exam revision prior to end of topic or TSAT exam

Links to Careers and Preparation for Life in Modern Britain:

  • Experiencing fascination, awe and wonder
  • Developing and expressing personal views or values
  • Mutual respect
  • Developing personal qualities and using social skills
  • Participating, cooperating and resolving conflicts

Year 8 Curriculum Content

Topics Covered:

  • Acids, alkalis and neutralisation
  • Space and the solar system
  • Health and lifestyle (including effect of drugs, smoking and alcohol on the body)
  • Ecosystems and the adaptation of organisms to their environment
  • The periodic table and reactions of group 1,7 and 0. As well as the reactions of metals and acids.
  • Electricity, magnetism and energy

Key Knowledge and Skills:

  • The objects that can be seen in the night sky and the arrangement and properties of planets in the solar system.
  • What the pH scale is
  • The nutrients needed for a healthy diet and the consequence of malnutrition.
  • Use of practicals to identify protein, lipids and carbohydrates in food.
  • The processes of photosynthesis and respiration and their word equations.
  • How organisms are adapted to their environment and how they can change over generations through the mechanism of natural selection. 
  • Use of the periodic table to identify metals and non-metals and to make predictions about how an element will react.
  • Use tier 3 scientific vocabulary and extended reading.
  • Use equations and complete calculations.
  • Measure angles
  • Make predictions, analyse data (including graphing), draw conclusions and evaluate methods and data.
  • Use equipment and carry out practical activities.
  • Write word and symbol equations.
  • How to separate mixtures using the techniques filtration, crystallisation, distillation and chromatography.
  • Describe how materials become charged
  • Describe differences between series and parallel circuits
  • Describe magnets and how they interact

Assessment:

  • Progress tasks in lessons
  • VIP recall quizzes in class
  • A4P tasks in lessons
  • End or topic exams
  • Multi topic TSAT exams

Homework:

  • VIP questions
  • Keyword / definition-based tasks
  • Exam revision prior to end of topic or TSAT exam

Links to Careers and Preparation for Life in Modern Britain:

  • Experiencing fascination, awe and wonder
  • Developing and expressing personal views or valuess
  • Mutual respect
  • Developing personal qualities and using social skills
  • Participating, cooperating and resolving conflicts

Year 9 Curriculum Content

Topics Covered:

  • The Earth (including the rock cycle, climate change and recycling).
  • Motion, pressure and moments
  • Structure and function of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
  • Structure and function of DNA
  • Enzymes and enzyme-controlled reactions
  • Respiration and photosynthesis
  • Photosynthesis
  • The particle model and its limitations
  • Atomic structure and its development

Key Knowledge and Skills:

  • Know the structure of the Earth and how rocks are cycled.
  • The impact of humans on the atmosphere.
  • How to calculate pressure and how temperature affects it.
  • How to use equations to calculate speed, pressure and moments.
  • The fundamental units of life on Earth are cells, their structure and function
  • Use of equations to describe photosynthesis.
  • Use of equations to describe respiration.
  • Describe the main features of the particle model.
  • Describe changes that occur when a change of state occurs (including calculations)
  • Recall the mass, charge and location of subatomic particles
  • Use tier 3 scientific vocabulary and extended reading.
  • Use equations and complete calculations.
  • Measure angles
  • Make predictions, analyse data (including graphing), draw conclusions and evaluate methods and data.
  • Use equipment and carry out practical activities.
  • Write word and symbol equations.

Assessment:

  • Progress tasks in lessons
  • VIP recall quizzes in class
  • A4P tasks in lessons
  • End or topic exams
  • Multi topic TSAT exams

Homework:

  • VIP questions
  • Keyword / definition-based tasks
  • Exam revision prior to end of topic or TSAT exam

Links to Careers and Preparation for Life in Modern Britain:

  • Experiencing fascination, awe and wonder
  • Developing and expressing personal views or values
  • Mutual respect
  • Developing personal qualities and using social skills
  • Participating, cooperating and resolving conflicts

Key Stage 4 Curriculum Content

The combined science GCSE is a dual GCSE course that covers all three sciences (chemistry, physics and biology) .

The course is split into the following modules:

Biology

  • Working scientifically
  • Cell – level systems
  • Scaling up
  • Organism-level systems
  • Community-level systems
  • Genes, inheritance and selection
  • Global challenges – Biology focused.
  • Practical skills.

Chemistry

  • Working scientifically
  • Particles
  • Elements, compounds and mixtures
  • Chemical reactions
  • Predicting and identifying products
  • Monitoring and controlling chemical reactions
  • Global challenges – chemistry focused.
  • Practical skills.

Physics

  • Working scientifically
  • Matter
  • Forces
  • Electricity and magnetism
  • Waves and radioactivity
  • Energy
  • Global challenges – physics focused
  • Practical skills.

Key knowledge and skills in Key stage 4 (Years 10 & 11)

  • Cellular biology including photosynthesis and respiration and the role of enzyme in controlling biological processes.
  • Molecular genetics and DNA and its role in inheritance
  • Environmental science, evolution, natural selection and mans impact on the natural world.
  • Reactions of metals and their uses.
  • Chemistry of fuels, and the impact of pollution on the environment (including global warming and acid rain)
  • Energy, forces and electricity.
  • Waves, radiation and matter
  • Use tier 3 scientific vocabulary, reading for science and extended writing.
  • Use equations and completing calculations.
  • Measure angles
  • Make predictions, analyse data (including graphing), draw conclusions and evaluate methods and data.
  • Use equipment and carry out practical activities.
  • Write word and symbol equations.