Science

Approach to Teaching

Developing and promoting the natural inquisitiveness, enthusiasm, passion and creative talents of students learning Science. 

This approach is achieved by students: 

• Setting their own learning goals within each topic. 
• Planning investigations and obtaining sufficient data to support or refute a hypothesis. 

• Observing and reflecting on experimental data. 
• Identifying and solving problems by thinking creatively. 
• Charting their own progress through extended writing tasks and exam questions. 
• Assessing the progress of their peers by offering constructive feedback. 

Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9)

Year 7 

Students will complete a short introductory unit followed by twelve full length units.  

• Introductory Unit – Working Safely in a Lab. 
• Biology Units (7A-7D) – Cells, Tissues - Organs and Systems - Sexual Reproduction in Animals - Muscles and Bones - Ecosystems. 

• Chemistry Units (7E - 7H) – Mixtures and Separation - Acids and Alkalis - The Particle Model - Atoms, Elements and Compounds. 
• Physics Units (7I - 7L) – Energy - Current Electricity – Forces - Sound. 

Year 8 

Students will study twelve units throughout the year. 

• Biology Units (8A-8D) – Food and Nutrition - Plants and Reproduction - Breathing and Respiration - Unicellular Organisms. 
• Chemistry Units (8E-8H) – Combustion - The Periodic Table - Metals and Their Use - Rocks. 
• Physics Units (8I-8L) – Fluids - Light - Energy Transfers - Earth and Space. 

Year 9 

Students will study twelve units throughout the year.  

• Biology Units (9A-9D) – Genetics and Evolution - Plant Growth - Biology Revision and Projects - Biology Transition to GCSE. 
• Chemistry Units (9E-9H) – Making Materials – Reactivity – Chemistry Revision and Projects - Chemistry Transition to GCSE. 
• Physics Units (9I-9L) – Forces and Motion - Force Fields and Electromagnets - Physics Revision and Projects - Physics Transition to GCSE. 

Key Stage 4 (Year 10-11)  

Exam board – Pearson Edexcel

Most students will complete GCSE Combined Science. For Triple Science (3 separate Science GCSEs), please scroll down…

GCSE Combined Science (1SC0)

All examinations are completed at the end of Year 11 (6 exam papers - each worth 16.67%). A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. Calculators may be used in the examinations. All papers to be completed at either Foundation tier grades 1-1 to 5-5 or Higher tier grades 4-4 to 9-9.

Paper 1: Biology – Key Concepts in Biology - Cells and Control - Genetics - Natural Selection and Genetic Modification - Health, Disease and the Development of Medicine (1SC0/1BF, 1SC0/1BH) 

Paper 2: Biology – Key Concepts in Biology - Plant Structures and Their Functions - Animal Coordination, Control and Homeostasis - Exchange and Transport in Animals - Ecosystems and Material Cycles (1SC0/2BF, 1SC0/2BH) 

Paper 3: Chemistry – Key Concepts in Chemistry - States of Matter and Mixtures - Chemical Changes - Extracting Metals and Equilibria (1SC0/1CF, 1SC0/1CH)

Paper 4: Chemistry – Key Concepts in Chemistry - Groups in the Periodic Table - Rates of Reaction and Energy Changes - Fuels and Earth Science (1SC0/2CF, 1SC0/2CH)

Paper 5: Physics – Key Concepts of Physics, Motion and Forces - Conservation of Energy - Waves - Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum – Radioactivity (1SC0/1PF, 1SC0/1PH) 

Paper 6: Physics – Key Concepts of Physics - Energy - Forces Doing Work - Forces and Their Effects - Electricity and Circuits - Magnetism and the Motor Effect - Electromagnetic Induction - Particle Model - Forces and Matter (1SC0/2PF, 1SC0/2PH) 


Triple Science
3 separate GCSE’s covering concepts in greater detail.

GCSE Biology (1BI0)
Examinations completed at the end of Year 10 (2 exam papers - each worth 50%). A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. Calculators may be used in the examinations. All papers to be completed at either Foundation tier grades 1 to 5 or Higher tier grades 4 to 9.

Paper 1: Biology – Key Concepts in Biology - Cells and Control - Genetics - Natural Selection and Genetic Modification - Health, Disease and the Development of Medicines (1BI0/1F or 1BI0/1H) 

Paper 2: Biology – Key Concepts in Biology -Plant Structures and Their Functions - Animal Coordination, Control and Homeostasis - Exchange and Transport in Animals - Ecosystems and Material Cycles (1BI0/2F or 1BI0/2H) 

GCSE Chemistry (1CH0)
Examinations completed at the end of Year 11 (2 exam papers - each worth 50%). A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. Calculators may be used in the examinations. All papers to be completed at either Foundation tier grades 1 to 5 or Higher tier grades 4 to 9.

Paper 1: Chemistry – Key Concepts in Chemistry - States of Matter and Mixtures - Chemical Changes - Extracting Metals and Equilibria - Separate Chemistry 1 (1CH0/1F or 1CH0/1H)

Paper 2: Chemistry – Key Concepts in Chemistry - Groups in the Periodic Table - Rates of Reaction and Energy Changes - Fuels and Earth Science - Separate Chemistry 2 (1CH0/2F or 1CH0/2H)

GCSE Physics (1PH0)
Examinations completed at the end of Year 11. (2 exam papers - each worth 50%). A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. Calculators may be used in the examinations. All papers to be completed at either Foundation tier grades 1 to 5 or Higher tier grades 4 to 9.

Paper 1: Physics – Key Concepts of Physics - Motion and Forces - Conservation of Energy - Waves - Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum - Radioactivity – Astronomy (1PH0/1F or 1PH0/1H) 

Paper 2: Physics – Key Concepts of Physics - Energy - Forces Doing Work - Forces and Their Effects - Electricity and Circuits - Static Electricity - Magnetism and the Motor Effect - Electromagnetic Induction - Particle Model - Forces and Matter (1PH0/2F or 1PH0/2H)