Science

“Equipped with our five senses, we explore the Universe around and call the adventure Science”  Edwin Hubble.

Science Vision

 To provide a science curriculum that wants to instil a sense of wonder, intellectual challenge and encourage pupils to be curious and inquisitive about their environment. We ensure that pupils have the confidence to engage with science in their everyday lives, become learners who have a thirst for knowledge and have the creativity to become the Scientists of tomorrow.

All students will have the opportunity to:

1. Develop and obtain a secure mastery of key science concepts and develop scientific skills.
2. Experience a wide range of science activities with access to resources, ideas and questions which science brings to our lives.

The curriculum objectives are to provide:

1. The highest quality of teaching, where pupils will experience a wide range of motivating and challenging, learning opportunities.

2. The Teacher expertise to identify barriers to learning and plan ways to overcome these.

3. The opportunity for all pupils to achieve and succeed in Science whatever their individual circumstances.

4. A focus on the development of skills in:

• Investigation, observing, measuring, recording, predicting, communicating, interpreting and evaluating
• Improvement of use of scientific literacy
• Becoming effective communicators of scientific ideas, facts and data.
• To give confidence to build on their maths skills.

Key stage 3 Curriculum Intent

We follow the National Curriculum programme of study for key stage 3, which has been personalised for our use.

The KS3 curriculum builds a solid foundation of skills and knowledge to secure success at GCSE.

 For example, we want our students to know  that ‘understanding’ means having the knowledge  concepts and skills and applying them to  different situations.

We will achieve this by:

• Promoting the enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning by demonstrating the ability to design an investigation, take measurement, present data and identify pattern and relationships.
• Promoting confidence and competence with the recall of scientific facts and provide support so students can apply scientific ideas.
• Developing the ability to solve problems through decision-making and reasoning in a range of contexts. For example, writing out advantages and disadvantages of using fossil fuels over renewable resources like wind power.
• Developing a practical understanding of the ways in which information is gathered and presented. For example, looking at how data from an experiment is gathered and then presented via graphical representation.

Key stage 3 Curriculum

Key Stage 4 Curriculum intent

The KS4 curriculum is taught over three years. Our curriculum builds on the solid foundation laid down at KS3. The Ofqual objectives are incorporated to ensure all students are competent in recalling and applying knowledge of key scientific ideas, techniques and procedures.

 We follow the AQA Combined Science Trilogy Syllabus. To meet the needs of all students we dual teach the Entry level Certificate Science so all students gain a recognised qualification by the end of their time here.

Topics learnt are:

In the course. 21 required practical’s are covered where 15% of the GCSE exams will draw on the knowledge and understanding of them.

Exam information 2020

Science Curriculum progression map

Science results

Compare school performance published February 2020.

Science value added (0.67) was significantly above the national average and in the highest 20% of all schools in 2019.

The percentage achieving grade 4+ in science (83%) was in the highest 20% of all schools in 2019 as well as in 2018.