Science

Mr Fowler - Curriculum Leader Science

Hello, I am Mr Fowler the curriculum leader for Science and I have the honour of welcoming you to the Park High Science faculty. I have a fantastic team of specialist teachers across the three disciplines; Biology, Chemistry and Physics that deliver engaging lessons designed to stimulate and enthuse our students to develop their inquisitive minds. Our suite of seven laboratories, managed by our highly qualified technicians, allow us to deliver a full and exciting curriculum for our students. Our expertise and commitment to the school ethos ‘No child gets left behind’ means that we will always approachable and here for our learners.

Science underpins everything in the world around us. As a department our goal is to foster a love of Science and to help students develop the enquiring minds that will enable them to become lifelong learners. We will guide learners to challenge their thinking and make informed arguments on issues.

To achieve this goal, students will use scientific reasoning and thinking skills to problem solve, communicate effectively, work cooperatively and use technology to become well rounded individuals for the modern global environment.

As Science staff, we strive to raise the aspirations of all learners, provide a safe and secure environment in which all are challenged to be the best that they can be and ensure that no one gets left behind. Science lessons will provide interest, challenge and practical opportunities to investigate a wide range of scientific phenomena.

The Science faculty aims to ensure that all pupils:

develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics
develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.

Key Stage 3

Year 7 and 8

At Key stage 3, topics are delivered to cover the fundamental concepts of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, while also developing investigative and group working skills. In Years 7 and 8, pupils are taught 9 topics per year across the three scientific disciplines with the intent of providing a clear sequence of learning and a firm foundation on which to build for their GCSE courses.

Year 7	Year 8
Introduction to Science	Practical skills
B1 - Cells	B4 - Systems
C1 - Matter	C4 - Matter 2
P1 - Energy	P4 - Waves
B2 - Variation	B5 – Diet and Exercise
C2 - Reactions	C5 - Reactions 2
P2 - Forces	P5 - Electricity
B3 - Reproduction	B6 - Plants
C3 - Acids and Alkalis	C6 - The Earth and Atmosphere
P3 - Space	P6 - Magnetism

Assessment

Each topic is assessed through a variety of homework and classwork, including glossary quizzes, a level assessed task for each topic and a summative assessment at the end of the topic linked to our curriculum-related expectations. As well as this, pupils undertake examinations during the assessment week in June.

Year 9

In Year 9, pupils undertake our bespoke curriculum in each of the three scientific disciplines. The schemes of work have been designed to broaden the student’s understanding of the key concepts which will allow them to move through to GCSE and beyond. Where possible, the science staff deliver lessons in their specialism, with pupils having one lesson of each science per week.

Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Movement in plants and animals.	It’s all about the electrons.	The particle model of matter, energy and forces.

Assessment

Each Science is assessed at key points in the curriculum content by assessed preps and summative tests. Pupils also undertake examinations during assessment week in June.

How to help with Key Stage 3 Science

Encourage an interest in Science matters via books (other than text books), newspaper articles and TV programmes. Try to match up these ideas with those from school (solar eclipse, GM foods, oil spillages, etc).

Ask questions about the world at large (Why is the sky blue? Where do flies go in winter? What is the ozone layer?) and encourage your child to search for some kind of answer.
Encourage your child to use explanations that actually involve some real science, not everyday ideas. For example, “We need food to supply the energy we use and the materials to make our bodies from” NOT “We need food for its goodness, otherwise we will die”.
Try to get your child to make detailed and accurate observations of events around them. Some birds fly overhead. How many? All the same kind? High or low? What direction? And, of course, follow up with, where to/from? How do they fly? Etc.
Encourage your child to learn the meanings of new words on a regular basis; sometimes words have a different meaning in science to that of everyday language (e.g. a “table” of results).
Encourage the use of EVIDENCE and not just OPINION e.g. research shows men are more likely to be involved in motor accidents as opposed to ‘men are better drivers’.
Some pupils think of practical work as simply “playing” with special equipment. Encourage them to think in terms of careful exploration. Enjoy practical work, but we are trying to learn something!

Key Stage 4

Key stage 4 starts in Year 10 with delivery of the key GCSE topics from each of the three sciences.

The majority of students at Park undertake the AQA combined Trilogy course, with top set pupils being given the opportunity to sit the separate Sciences. The tiering for the examinations is finalised in Year 11, using the data generated throughout the course and with teacher input.

Biology	Chemistry	Physics
B1 - Cell biology	C1 - Atomic structure and the Periodic Table	P1 - Energy
B2 - Organisation	C2 - Bonding, structure and the properties of matter	P2 - Electricity
B3 – Infection and response	C3 - Quantitative chemistry	P3 - The particle model of matter
B4 - Bioenergetics	C4 - Chemical changes	P4 - Atomic structure
B5 - Homeostasis and response	C5 - Energy changes	P5 - Forces
B6 - Inheritance, variation and evolution	C6 - Rate and extent of chemical change	P6 - Waves
B7 - Ecology	C7 - Organic Chemistry	P7 - Magnetism and electromagnetism
	C8 - Chemical analysis	P8 - Space (Triple Science only)
	C9 - Chemistry of the atmosphere
	C10 - Using resources

Assessment

As well as the terminal examinations in Year 11, pupils are assessed with progress checks at regular points within the courses; these progress checks build as more content is covered. More formal assessment is also undertaken in the two assessment weeks in both Years 10 and 11. These progress checks and assessments allow for clear tracking of pupil progress throughout the course and the identification of any areas of weakness.

GCSE

AQA GCSE Combined Science : Trilogy

This course results in the award of 2 GCSE grades for combined science

Aims

GCSE specifications in science must enable learners to:

develop their knowledge and understanding of the material, physical and living worlds
develop their understanding of the nature of science and its applications and the interrelationships between science and society
develop an understanding of the importance of scale in science
develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the scientific process through hypotheses, theories and concepts
develop their understanding of the relationships between hypotheses, evidence, theories and explanations
develop their awareness of risk and the ability to assess potential risk in the context of potential benefits
develop and apply their observational, practical, enquiry and problem-solving skills and understanding in laboratory, field and other learning environments
develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions
develop their skills in communication, mathematics and the use of technology in scientific contexts.

Specification

AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464)

Content

Subject

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Topic

1. Cell biology

2. Organisation

3. Infection and response

4. Bioenergetics

5. Homeostasis and response

6. Inheritance, variation and evolution

7. Ecology

1. Atomic structure and the periodic table

2. Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter

3. Quantitative chemistry

4. Chemical changes

5. Energy changes

6. The rate and extent of chemical change

7. Organic chemistry

8. Chemical analysis

9. Chemistry of the atmosphere

10. Using resources

1. Energy

2. Electricity

3. Particle model of matter

4. Atomic structure

5. Forces

6. Waves

7. Magnetism and electromagnetism

Paper

Bio Paper 1

Bio Paper 2

Chem Paper 1

Chem Paper 2

Phys Paper 1

Phys Paper 2

Year

Assessment/ Exam

Biology Paper 1 – External examination worth 16.7% (one hour 15 minutes duration)

Chemistry Paper 1 – External examination worth 16.7% (one hour 15 minutes duration)

Physics Paper 1 – External examination worth 16.7% (one hour 15 minutes duration)

Biology Paper 2 – External examination worth 16.7% (one hour 15 minutes duration)

Chemistry Paper 2 – External examination worth 16.7% (one hour 15 minutes duration)

Physics Paper 2 – External examination worth 16.7% (one hour 15 minutes duration)

The total of marks from these papers is used to give two GCSE combined science grades

GCSE	AQA GCSE Biology (Part of the Separate Sciences two-year course)
Aims	GCSE specifications in biology must enable learners to: develop their knowledge and understanding of biology develop their understanding of the effects of biology on society develop an understanding of the importance of scale in biology develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the nature of science and of the scientific process develop their understanding of the relationships between hypotheses, evidence, theories and explanations develop their awareness of risk and the ability to assess potential risk in the context of potential benefits develop and apply their observational, practical, modelling, enquiry and problem-solving skills and understanding in laboratory, field and other learning environments develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions both qualitatively and quantitatively develop their skills in communication, mathematics and the use of technology in scientific contexts.
Specification	AQA GCSE Biology 8461
Content	Topic - Cell biology - Organisation - Infection and response - Bioenergetics - Homeostasis and response - Inheritance, variation and evolution - Ecology	Paper Bio Paper 1 Bio Paper 1 Bio Paper 1 Bio Paper 1 Bio Paper 2 Bio Paper 2 Bio Paper 2	Year 10 10 10 10 11 11 11
Assessment/ Exam	Biology Paper 1 – External examination worth 50% (one hour 45 minutes duration) Biology Paper 2 – External examination worth 50% (one hour 45 minutes duration) The total of marks from these papers is used to give one GCSE Biology grade

GCSE	AQA GCSE Chemistry (Part of the Separate Sciences two-year course)
Aims	GCSE specifications in chemistry must enable learners to: develop their knowledge and understanding of chemistry develop their understanding of the effects of chemistry on society develop an understanding of the importance of scale in chemistry develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the nature of science and of the scientific process develop their understanding of the relationships between hypotheses, evidence, theories and explanations develop their awareness of risk and the ability to assess potential risk in the context of potential benefits develop and apply their observational, practical, modelling, enquiry and problem-solving skills and understanding in the laboratory and other learning environments develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions both qualitatively and quantitatively develop their skills in communication, mathematics and the use of technology in scientific contexts.
Specification	AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462
Content	Topic - Atomic structure and the periodic table - Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter - Quantitative chemistry - Chemical changes - Energy changes - The rate and extent of chemical change - Organic chemistry - Chemical analysis - Chemistry of the atmosphere - Using resources	Paper Chem Paper 1 Chem Paper 1 Chem Paper 1 Chem Paper 1 Chem Paper 1 Chem Paper 2 Chem Paper 2 Chem Paper 2 Chem Paper 2 Chem Paper 2	Year 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11
Assessment/ Exam	Chemistry Paper 1 – External examination worth 50% (one hour 45 minutes duration) Chemistry Paper 2 – External examination worth 50% (one hour 45 minutes duration) The total of marks from these papers is used to give one GCSE Chemistry grade

GCSE	AQA GCSE Physics (Part of the Separate Sciences two-year course)
Aims	GCSE specifications in physics must enable learners to: develop their knowledge and understanding of physics develop their understanding of the effects of physics on society develop an understanding of the importance of scale in physics develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the nature of science and of the scientific process develop their understanding of the relationships between hypotheses, evidence, theories and explanations develop their awareness of risk and the ability to assess potential risk in the context of potential benefits develop and apply their observational, practical, modelling, enquiry and problem-solving skills and understanding in the laboratory and other learning environments develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions both qualitatively and quantitatively develop their skills in communication, mathematics and the use of technology in scientific contexts.
Specification	AQA GCSE Physics 8463
Content	Topic - Energy - Electricity - Particle model of matter - Atomic structure - Forces – Waves - Magnetism and electromagnetism – Space Physics	Paper Phys Paper 1 Phys Paper 1 Phys Paper 1 Phys Paper 1 Phys Paper 2 Phys Paper 2 Phys Paper 2 Phys Paper 2	Year 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11
Assessment/ Exam	Physics Paper 1 – External examination worth 50% (one hour 45 minutes duration) Physics Paper 2 – External examination worth 50% (one hour 45 minutes duration) The total of marks from these papers is used to give one GCSE Physics grade

How to help with Key Stage 4 Science

Encourage your child to read around the topics covered in the GCSE curriculum.
Try to get your child to read a range of scientific texts.
Encourage your child to use the learning cards on a regular basis to help them with the basic language of learning in the three Sciences.
Encourage your child to watch the news and look at the role that science plays in the wider world around them.

Useful Links

BBC Bitesize:

Home - BBC Bitesize

Oak National Academy:

Oak National Academy (thenational.academy)

Seneca Learning:

Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com)

Student resources in Science sharepoint

Science

Key Stage 3

Year 7 and 8

Assessment

Year 9

Assessment

How to help with Key Stage 3 Science

Key Stage 4

How to help with Key Stage 4 Science

Useful Links

Science Learning Journey