Science
Why study Science?
Each scientific discipline gives pupils a unique perspective to explain the world around them. As pupils learn science, they also learn about its uses and significance to society and their own lives. Pupils learn about the continuing importance of science in solving global challenges such as climate change, food availability, controlling disease and access to water. The curriculum is designed to build substantive knowledge of scientific concepts and disciplinary procedures. By doing so, pupils can reason scientifically about phenomena with increasing sophistication and can use their knowledge to work scientifically with increasing expertise.
How will I study Science?
Pupils study Science through both substantive and disciplinary knowledge. Each topic covers a sequence of lessons that builds sophisticated language through the delivery of scientific concepts and working scientifically. This goes beyond simply doing practical work or collecting data, it includes learning about the concepts and procedures that scientists use to develop scientific explanations. These are revisited throughout the course to gain a deeper understanding and equip pupils with a range of scientific ideas in the subject disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics making connections between these subject areas.
What will I study at Key Stage 3?
We encourage our pupils to be curious about the world around them and to develop a positive and practical approach to scientific learning. In key stage 3, we build an understanding of the ‘Big Ideas’ in science that are relevant to pupils’ lives during and beyond school. We achieve this through a wide and varied curriculum in which pupils are regularly challenged and reviewed. Pupils will develop an understanding that science is about working objectively and is continually changing and developing in the world around us.
What will I study at Key Stage 4?
Teaching science in key stage 4 continues to build upon and deepen the substantive and disciplinary knowledge and understanding developed in earlier key stages. In Biology, the topics covered seek to understand living organisms and life. It takes into account the complex systems involving interactions between genes, the environment and random chance. Physics builds its explanations on measurable quantities that can be put into numerical relationships. Chemistry draws heavily on the use of models and modelling to explain the behaviour of matter and routinely involves the synthesis of the objects it studies. Pupils continue to work scientifically and think like a scientist through a broad, coherent and practical based curriculum that will challenge and inspire students.
Assessment at Key Stage 4
Pupils will complete either GCSE Combined Science or separate sciences (GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics).
GCSE Combined Science Edexcel 1SC0
Biology Paper 1 (1SC0/1BH, 1SC0/1BF)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 10 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 60 marks 16.7% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Biology Paper 2 (1SC0/2BH, 1SC0/2BF)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 10 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 60 marks 16.7% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Chemistry Paper 1 (1SC0/1CH, 1SC0/1CF)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 10 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 60 marks 16.7% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Chemistry Paper 2 (1SC0/2CH, 1SC0/2CF)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 10 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 60 marks 16.7% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Physics Paper 1 (1SC0/1PH, 1SC0/1PF)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 10 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 60 marks 16.7% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Physics Paper 2 (1SC0/2PH, 1SC0/2PF)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 10 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 60 marks 16.7% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Assessment at Key Stage 4
GCSE Separate Science Edexcel 1BI0, 1CH0, 1PH0
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 100 marks 50% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 100 marks 50% of GCSE |
A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, calculations and extended open-response questions. |
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 100 marks 50% of GCSE |
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 examination |
Chemistry Paper 2 (1CH0/2H, 1CH0/2F)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 100 marks 50% of GCSE |
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 examination. |
Physics Paper 1 (1PH0/1H, 1PH0/1F)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 100 marks 50% of GCSE |
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 examination. |
Physics Paper 2 (1PH0/2H, 1PH0/2HF)
Overview | Focus |
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Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes Foundation and Higher Tier 100 marks 50% of GCSE |
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 examination. |
What learners will be required to do in class and at home?
There will be a higher focus on skills for Yr.8 Science. Learners will be working on both theoretical and experimental aspects of Science. This will enable our learners to gain practical skills and understand the thinking behind scientific phenomenon.
Learners are expected to complete all 2-3 pieces of Homework (for every topic) to reinforce their learning from class. This will also help learners to revise and prepare for the End of Unit Test.
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It is important that all students are active in their learning during lessons. Students should be making efforts to understand and remember new learning over time. They should be asking questions if they’re stuck and thinking deeply about the links between new and old learning. Between every lesson, students should be reading over their old work to help them to remember knowledge and valuable learning. They should also be completing the regular home learning set for them and revising for formal assessments thoroughly.
How will learners be assessed?
End of Unit Tests – Every 2 weeks at the end of the topic, to assess their understanding of the topic of study. This means that there will be an assessment for a Biology topic, a chemistry topic and a Physics topic every half term.
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Students in all years will sit regular, formal assessments every half-term which covers their learning up to that point. Additionally, at KS4, students will sit a full paper once they have completed all of their learning for each of the six papers e.g. Chemistry Paper 1.
Useful resources:
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CGP workbooks for Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Can be bought from shops and websites such as WH Smith, Amazon and Online GSCE bitesize for Key Stage 3 (KS3)
- www.edexcel.com
- www.kerboodle.com
- https://www.my-gcsescience.com/
- https://www.savemyexams.co.uk/
- https://www.freesciencelessons.co.uk/
- https://www.youtube.com/user/MaChemGuy
- http://www.knockhardy.org.uk/sci.htm
- https://www.chemguide.co.uk/
- https://www.youtube.com/user/Biorach
- physicsandmathstutor.com/biology
GCSE Combined Science – Edexcel – BBC BitesizeEdexcel GCSE Sciences (2016) | Pearson qualificationsPearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Science Core Practical videos – YouTube