Welcome / Curriculum / Science

Science

1
4
2

Year 7

The time allocation is 3 hours per week or 12% of the curriculum time. Students are taught in mixed ability groups until the autumn half term when they are banded according to their KS2 science scores. Students are taught in half-year populations.

Topics covered

  • Materials
  • Forces
  • Human Biology
  • Energy
  • Ecology

Year 8

The time allocation is 3 hours per week or 12% of the curriculum time. Students are allocated into groups as a result of progress in Year 7. They are able to move up or down according to performance in topic tests.

Topic covered

  • Acids and alkalis
  • Fuels
  • Space
  • Light
  • Sound
  • Plants
  • Electricity and magnetism

Year 9

The time allocation is 3 hours per week or 12% of the curriculum time. Separate sciences are taught i.e. one hour of physics, chemistry and biology per week. Students are set.

Topics covered:

 

Physics     

  • Forces
  • Energy
  • Light  
  • Sound
  • Density

    Chemistry 

    • Particles                                
    • Atomic theory                      
    • Elements, compounds and mixtures
    • Geological changes                       
    • Reactivity metals                             
    • Physical properties                         
    • Reaction rates                                         

    A useful link for students revising Key Stage 3 topics is:



    http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/science

    Key Stage 4

    Students study:

    • Contemporary issues in science
    • The importance of scientific enquiry
    • How scientists use their knowledge, skills and understanding in the world of work

    During year 10, students study a single award GCSE science or a separate science award GCSE.  These courses cover the core component of the new programme of study. At the end of year 10 the students sit a GCSE examination. The students will then follow another prescribed course of study and sit another GCSE examination in year 11.

    The three GCSE awards that are offered at the end of year 10 and which are studied in year 11 are:

    • GCSE additional science
    • GCSE applied science
    • GCSE separate sciences (physics, chemistry and biology)

    As a result of following the progression routes above students will be awarded either two GCSE grades or three GCSE grades for the work covered in years 10 and 11.

    The separate science course option is very rigorous and academically challenging.  It is designed for students who will take AS and A2 courses at sixth form with the intention of pursuing careers such as pharmacy, medicine or veterinary science.

    Assessment

    There are two components of assessment:

    External examination papers, which are taken at the end of each year in January or June as appropriate.

    Internal assessments based on:

    • Investigations                       
    • Research tasks                    
    • Case studies
    • Data analysis                       
    • Practical work

    Students choosing to study additional science or separate sciences in Year 11 will be able to study A Level subjects in the Sixth Form if they obtain a B grade or higher.

    An entry level course, if required, will be available to enable students to access the core GCSE programme.

    This is a useful link to the OCR Gateway Science B website:



    http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/a-z/s.aspx