Science

KS3

At key stage three, students follow a tailor-made curriculum designed to introduce all the topics that they will later meet at GCSE. This provides them with strong foundations of knowledge before beginning KS4. Practical skills are developed by planning and carrying out investigations before processing and evaluating their results. Investigative skills lessons are embedded into the curriculum. We also endeavour to help students to improve their scientific communication skills and vocabulary by including literacy and extended writing opportunities at this stage.

In Year 7 and 8 all Biology, Chemistry and Physics are delivered by a single member of staff. In Year 9, students will receive teaching from a subject specialist for each of their Science lessons.

Topics taught in Year 7 include cells; forces; the particle model; body systems; electricity & magnetism and elements, compounds and mixtures.

Topics taught in Year 8 include; chemical reactions; energy; reproduction; acids and alkalis; space and ecosystems.

Topics taught in Year 9 include; chemistry of the atmosphere; respiration & photosynthesis; waves; energy and rate of reaction; inheritance and variation; light and sound; atoms and the periodic table; fundamentals of life and electric current and voltage.

If you would like to support your child on their learning journey in science BBC bitesize has a collection of age specific resources that can help.

KS4

At GCSE, we currently deliver combined Science, which will amount to 2 GCSEs at the end of Year 11 which is a combination of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. We follow the AQA Trilogy Specification. This is assessed by 6 terminal exams sat at the end of Year 11, two exam papers for each Science. The exam papers assess both students understanding of concepts in Biology, Chemistry and Physics; and also experimental design and the process of Scientific investigations.

Students will receive lessons from a subject specialist for each of the sciences.

In Biology students will cover organisation; infection and response; and bioenergetics in Year 10, before moving onto study homeostasis; inheritance and ecology in Year 11.

In Chemistry students will study structure and bonding of substances; chemical reactions and energy changes in Year 10, before studying rate and extent of chemical change; organic chemistry; analytical chemistry; chemistry of the atmosphere and using resources in Year 11.

In Physics, during Year 10 students will cover domestic and generating electricity; energy; the particle model of matter and atomic structure and in Year 11 they will study forces; waves and magnetism.

Exam board specific resources can be found on BBC bitesize, if you would like to support your child studying or revising at home.

AQA Entry level Science is also available for students for whom the GCSE may not be appropriate. This course shadows the content of the Trilogy GCSE syllabus while offering more accessible assessment opportunities. More information can be found on the AQA website.

KS5

Many of our students who gain GCSE in Science move onto further and higher education. We have seen several go into the fields of engineering (aircraft , mechanical and automotive), and associated design. Several students have also moved on to become involved in the Aviation industry and Formula 1. The combined award nature of the AQA syllabus can allow successful students to further Science qualifications such as ‘A’ levels and beyond.

We currently offer BTEC Applied Science Extended Certificate using the Pearson exam board. This course is the equivalent to 1 A Level. Please see the table below for the course structure. The assessments are spread over the 2 year course, with the opportunity for re-sits if required. There is a variety of assessment styles ranging from terminal examinations, presentations, report writing and investigative skills. The differing assessment are an excellent preparation for either university courses or employment in a scientific field as they mirror real life tasks and university style assessments.