Science

Vision Statement

The Science Department has the highest expectations of – and for – our students, which means we are committed to instilling a love of learning about the world around us and all its exciting, natural phenomena.

We are dedicated to developing students’ knowledge and skills so that they can be inquisitive and further understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

We believe and support our school’s vision to provide students with the best possible learning experience consistent with the school’s values of welcome, service and hard work. In order to achieve this, we ensure that students are challenged and supported in every lesson.

Aims

To achieve this, St Mary’s will:

• Support you in building a deep understanding of Science through talking, reading and writing about Science.
• Encourage the development of knowledge and understanding in Science through opportunities for working scientifically that are woven throughout our schemes of learning. Working scientifically, is the sum of all the activities that scientists do, from hypothesising to conducting and analysing experiments and their results.

Curriculum Overview

Science is a set of ideas about the material world around us. Students develop their understanding through investigating, observing, experimenting, testing out ideas and thinking about them.

Key Stage 3

Year 7- topics taught:

Key concepts; Cells tissues, Organs; Sexual Reproduction in animals; Ecosystems; Mixtures and Separation; Acids and Alkali; The Particle Model; Atoms, Element, Molecules-Foundations; Earth and the Atmosphere; Energy; and Electricity-Foundations;

Year 8 -Topics taught:

Forces-Foundations; Light; Earth and Space; Energy transfer; Fluids; The Periodic Table; Metals and their Uses; Combustion; Plants and their Reproduction; Breathing and Respiration; and Nutrition and Digestion.

Year 9- topics taught (transition to GCSE Content)

Muscles and Breathing; Cell Biology; Organisation; Atomic structure and Periodic table; Bonding; Energy; Waves - Foundations; Particle model; and Describing motion and Forces.

Science - Year 7 Curriculum Map

Science - Year 8 Curriculum Map

Science - Year 9 Curriculum Map

Key Stage 4

In Key Stage 4 students will follow the AQA Combined Science: Trilogy specification.

Year 10- topics taught (GCSE content)

Infection and response; Bioenergetics; Homeostasis; Quantitative Chemistry; Chemical Changes; Energy Changes; Rate and extent of Chemical changes; Electricity; Atomic Structure; and Forces.

Year 11-topics taught (GCSE Content)

Inheritance and Variation; Ecology; Organic Chemistry; Chemical Analysis; Chemistry of the Atmosphere; Using Resources; Waves; and, Magnetism and Electromagnets.

Science - Year 10 Curriculum Map

Science - Year 11 Curriculum Map

AQA Combined Science: Trilogy - Specification