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Science

Subject Leader Mrs M Miriello
Teacher Mrs Z Hall
Teacher Mrs A Pendrey
Teacher Miss A Davies
Teacher Mr M Liddle
Teacher Mr B Pendrey

The Science curriculum strives to ensure that all pupils are passionate about the three science disciplines and are able to apply their knowledge, understanding and skills to real life familiar and new situations. The curriculum is designed to enthuse and inspire pupils to develop their key knowledge and skills, as well as a keen focus on guiding all pupils to become fluent in scientific language and proficient using mathematics for science. Our aim is to engage students for success by establishing a strong transition from key concepts introduced in key stage two and skilfully scaffold pupils learning to develop these fundamental ideas into more complex theories.

The science curriculum:

  • KS3 Syllabus 

  • GCSE Combined Science - Trilogy

  • GCSE Biology

  • GCSE Chemistry

  • GCSE Physics

  • Entry Level Science Certificate

Spiral curriculum

The key features of students learning Biology, Chemistry and Physics using a spiral curriculum model allows each big idea topic to contain multiple smaller topics that build in complexity.  Students revisit a topic, theme or subject several times throughout their school career. Each time the complexity of the topic or theme increases with each revisit. Therefore, new learning has a relationship with previous learning and is put in context with the information already gained. Using this model enables knowledge, understanding and application to be reinforced and solidified each time the students revisit the subject, it allows a logical progression from simplistic ideas to complicated ideas and students are encouraged to apply the early knowledge to later course objectives. 

To prepare students for their development of more complex ideas, 6R activity checkpoints at the beginning of new topics are used to assist memory,  identify gaps in understanding and to address misconceptions. This analysis identifies where re-teaching is necessary.  To aid the understanding, explanation and application of more abstract, theoretical ideas, models are provided, for example role playing, physical and/or information process modelling are regularly featured. Working scientifically skills are used consistently in all topics to embed the scientific enquiry process using evidence from data, observations and investigations to create logical explanations and answer questions. 6R’s practice (retrieve, restructure, revisit, reflect, repeat and review) features in lessons and ILT’s to promote prior knowledge and understanding being transferred from short to long term memory. 

Students use exercise books and subject folders to organise lesson notes and activities. Revision skills are integrated into lessons and students are encouraged to produce and store their own revision materials for use throughout the course before taking the end of topic tests. Students record their own data in micro-trackers which assists them in realising personal progression as well as identifying areas of strength and weakness, where they need re-teaching and to use the 6R’s to make personal progress.

Knowledge & skills gained during KS3

The subject content contained within our curriculum is fully compliant with the statutory content outlined in the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum. Using the AQA Key Stage 3 science syllabus ensures that students can organise the content around Big Ideas, which are the 10 fundamental themes in science and defines precisely what understanding is expected for each scientific enquiry. This progression model focuses on securing a rich-web of knowledge for every student. The aim is to get every student secure with key concepts before moving on and intervention is provided to help support this. Once students have a secure grasp of knowledge, they are supported and encouraged to use their maths, literacy, and working scientifically skills to put the knowledge and application into practice in scientific contexts. We embed purpose into the science curriculum by using the science capital approach and making the curriculum personalised and localised, linked to relative everyday science in order to build students confidence so that their curiosity in the sciences thrives.  

Knowledge & skills gained during KS4 and post-16 progression routes available

The subject content contained within our curriculum is fully compliant with the statutory content outlined in the Key Stage 4 National Curriculum. All students study either AQA Separate Science or Combined Science Trilogy content to ensure a deep, broad, rich and balanced curriculum to prepare students for life and post-16 STEM subjects. In addition, the science capital teaching and learning approach continues with opportunities to relate current science events with the content and building skills in preparation for GCSE examinations and beyond for A Level, BTEC and apprenticeships.

By the end of year 11, the science department aims to have developed our students by:

  • Giving them a strong foundation of scientific knowledge, with scientific enquiry skills that enables them to take biology, chemistry and physics to the next level and inspires a lifelong interest in science

  • Catering for differing backgrounds, interests and a full range of abilities by supporting each student to achieve well in whichever qualification they choose

  • Instill a natural curiosity about the the world around them, in science and elsewhere

  • Raising student awareness of the issues facing them, and the world, that can best be solved using scientific and technological approaches

  • Giving them transferable and cross curricular skills in order to distinguish claims in the media based on the use of scientific evidence

  • Enabling them to become independent, creative and resilient learners regardless of their starting point and background

Students who excel in science have the opportunity to learn about further topics, content, processes and application to unfamiliar contexts with further focus on analysis and evaluation which involves problem solving and creative and critical thinking skills. 

Students are encouraged to develop employability skills by effective communication, planning, organising, self-management, teamwork, presenting, problem solving, creativity, initiative, aiming high, leadership and staying positive.

We ensure that Year 7 effectively builds upon content delivered during Key Stage 2 by ensuring the KS3 curriculum builds on the KS2 knowledge and understanding and that it does not repeat content. This programme of study is completed in collaboration with feeder primary schools, such a Crowle Primary and their lead for science. Transition days take place from Year 3 to 6 to secure skills, confidence, curiosity and enthusiasm at an early educational stage in development.

Cultural Capital is developed whilst studying science by inviting external speakers into school, such as past students who have gone on to study science disciplines at universities such as Oxford and Nottingham, hosting physics days by the IOP, taking students to the Big Bang event and Cambridge and Hull universities to inspire higher education in STEM subjects. Running a STEM club and organising residential trips which incorporate activities that enhance science understanding relative to the specification content. Students are encouraged to engage in wider reading relevant to science such as:

KS3: Horrible Science series, KS3 revision guides and BBC bitesize  

KS4: AQA KS4 revision guides, The New Scientist, BBC Bitesize and Science, Technologies and Nature homepages.

The science curriculum has links with the following subject areas:

  • Maths - Collecting data, calculations and representing values and data, drawing charts and graphs, proportionality and ratio, finding relationships (graphs), scientific models and mathematical equations, mathematics in the real world such as conversion and standard form 

  • English - Reading, writing, evaluation and critical thinking for scientific literacy

  • ICT - Research, evaluating opinions, developments in hardware and software that allow data analysis and conclusions to be processed quickly

  • PE - biological and physical processes and concepts

  • RE - Ethical issues and evidence based scientific developments 

  • History - Discussion of surviving historical theory, documents, events and opinions 

  • Art - Isaac Newton white light investigation, colour and wavelength

  • Geography - Geology of the Earth, it’s structure and properties

  • D & T - Elements, composites and material properties

  • Food technology - Microscopy and aseptic techniques, states of matter

  • Textiles - Crude oil, plastics and clothing, recycling non-renewable and renewable resources

  • Complementary studies - Social sciences