Science
The Science Faculty is based in the purpose-built Powell’s Centre. There are eight well-equipped labs, two with ICT facilities and dataloggers. The Science Faculty teaching staff are enthusiastic and dedicated, with a range of experience from NQT to more than 20 years’ experience. Some of the Science Staff have previous industrial or academic experience. All of the Science teaching staff believe in the value of practical and investigative work, and the Science teaching staff are well supported by a team of Science Technicians.
Science Curriculum Intent:
- To provide every pupil with the opportunity to learn the knowledge, skills and ethics to make appropriate choices on a personal to global level.
- To create safe, enjoyable and engaging lessons that challenge pupils’ thinking.
- To ensure differentiated and varied activities, so that every pupil can access the wonder of Science.
- To deliver a full curriculum to every pupil to ensure as broad a learning experience as possible.
- By relating Science lessons to real-life examples, we can encourage pupils to consider Science at a higher level or within their chosen occupation.
- To continue to achieve strong pupil performance through high expectations and access to proven resources.
Find out about each Key Stage in Science:
KS3 Science
Our pupils follow the National Curriculum for Science.
Our Schemes of Learning have been enhanced by our own practicals and demonstrations, to make our pupils’ lessons more varied, relevant and accessible. Pupils’ skills in Numeracy are explicitly developed in many of our lessons to help to build this fundamental key skill. We try hard to maintain a sense of ‘awe and wonder’ in Science and the World around us and promote independent thinking that allows pupils to consider themselves as part of something larger – within the UK and the wider world.
Pupils in Science study a ‘spiral curriculum’ in which key concepts are revisited and built upon. There is an increasing requirement for numeracy within the Science curriculum, so our Schemes of Learning are written to provide suitable practice in these key skills.
In the document below, the topics covered in Years 7 to 9 are outlined, together with particularly strong examples of opportunities in Numeracy (‘N’), ‘Awe and Wonder (‘A’) and relevance to life in modern Britain (‘GB’).
KS4 Science
Our Key Stage 4 offer allows every pupil to pursue a course that is suitable for their ability and interests. Separate Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and Combined Science follow a ‘traditional’ pattern. Scientific content is taught in a series of short modules and assessed in terminal exams at the end of Year 11. Assessment is based on 100% examination.
Pupils have a choice of either:
‘AQA GCSE combined Science: Trilogy’ (two GCSEs) in 10 lessons a fortnight (20% of curriculum time); Find out more...
or
‘AQA GCSE Separate Sciences’ in which Biology Chemistry and Physics are taught as individual subjects (three GCSEs) in 15 lessons a fortnight (30% of curriculum time)
Find out more about the Learning Journey of each Science below:
There are many opportunities for pupils to engage in extra-curricular activities in Science. At GCSE level we have offered visits for pupils to Oxford Natural History museum, Bristol University Chemistry Department and Bath University (DNA workshop). We extend invitations to other specialists to give presentations or run workshops for our other KS4 pupils - these have included astronomers, health professionals and GCHQ. At Key Stage 3 we offer Gifted and Talented opportunities within school and extra-curricularly. We have a partnership with Xylem pressure systems, who have delivered activities to some of our KS3 pupils.
Useful links: