Science
What is our curriculum intent?
Our intent is to enable all students to become subject experts by developing across our ‘Big Ideas’:
In Science. these are the fundamental principles that hold Science together:
- Biology: The study of life and living organisms
- Chemistry: The study of matter
- Physics: The study of matter and its motion through time and space
- Practical Science: Skills based learning
How do we implement our curriculum?
1. Through what we teach, when, as laid out below:
Year 7
| Biology | Chemistry | Physics | Skills | |
| Autumn Term | 2. Forces | 1. Introduction to science 2. graph skills |
Year 8
| Biology | Chemistry | Physics | |
| Autumn Term | 2. Chemical Reactions | 2. waves |
Year 9
| Biology | Chemistry | Physics | Skills | |
| Autumn Term | Atomic Structure | Energy & Waves | Risk Assessment Method & Variables, | |
| Spring Term | Cell Biology & Organisation | Bonding | Forces & electricity | Results, Evaluation, Conclusion |
| Summer Term | Organisation | Quantitative Chemistry | Particle model of matter | Whole Experiments |
2. Through how we group students
- support groups for students who need more support with Science broadly mixed ability groups for all other students
We assess our students regularly to ensure that they are making their expected progress.
3. Through the homework we set
- Homework is usually set each week with the expectation that students spend between 30 and 40 minutes per piece. More homework will be set at key times however, for example when students are preparing for summative assessments. As students are taught in subject specialisms they may receive more than one science homework per week.
- Homework is varied and may include: writing up experiments, research, answering questions and making models. Learning homework will also be set. In addition to this students may be expected to read ahead of the area under study, using the internet, library or Firefly as a method of accessing these materials. The subsequent lessons will built upon this reading with students expected to apply their knowledge.
- To develop our students as independent learners, some of these homeworks may be contained in booklets issued to students and take the form of mini projects set over a specific period of time.