Science
Welcome to the Science Department at Kingsmead School
The Science department at Kingsmead School strongly believe that learning science is fundamental in strengthening a person’s emotional and physical wellbeing into adulthood. Science is needed, more now than ever, to educate our next generation in a step towards addressing the many problems that we face as a global society. To put it simply, someone who leaves Kingsmead school with a good understanding of science will be better able to look after themselves, their families and the planet we depend upon.
- Students finishing Y8 have grounding in working scientifically, particles, elements and compounds, cells and life processes, key physics topics such as forces and electrical circuits.
- Students then make the move into GCSE with confidence and enthusiasm.
- GCSE Science is about more than the qualification. It is about developing young citizens, preparing them for their future as active, useful members of society.
- The GCSE science curriculum we follow is not just about learning facts, there is emphasis on the real world and how science works.
- The applications and implications of what we learn permeate throughout the course content.
- We hope that GCSE Science ensures that pupils are prepared not just for their exams, but also for life in the 21st century
KS3 Science at Kingsmead School
In years 7 & 8 students study Science in their tutor groups for 6 lessons every 2 weeks. Science is taught by specialist teachers in purpose-built science labs in our new science block. Building on the KS2 Science curriculum students will follow a streamlined 2 year KS3 program of study as part of a bigger ‘5 Year KS4 curriculum’.
This approach emphasises learning as a progression and avoids the unnecessary re-visitation of topics, allowing for more time to be spent developing a real understanding of the key concepts.
The Scheme of Learning is based on the successful Activate scheme of work and is supported by Kerboodle.com - the online homework and resource pack which includes PowerPoints, animations and interactive simulations. These can be used by students to support home learning, for revision for tests, catching up with missed work, and for researching extended project work.
Lessons will have a practical aspect to them wherever possible and will focus on students developing the skills of Working Scientifically; their ability to write and think using scientific terms, plan investigations, collect and present data, draw conclusions and evaluate their work.
Students are assessed in a variety of ways; informally during lesson and formally in end of unit tests, as well as in longer term projects that prepare students for the requirements at Key Stage 4.
KS4 Science at Kingsmead School
At Kingsmead we offer a variety of Science qualifications and try to meet the needs of all our learners to help them achieve their potential.
GCSE Biology gives students the chance to gain a good understanding of; Human Biology, Organisms, Evolution and the Environment.
There are two separate exams, Biology 1 and Biology 2, and each is 105 minutes long. They are offered at higher and foundation level and are taken at the end of the course.
The course integrates the principles of 'How Science Works' throughout the units with a number of required practical activities. The course helps put Biology in the context of students' everyday lives with topics ranging from 'Keeping Healthy' to 'Humans and their Environment'.
The specification is based on a series of topics relevant to students and to the living world. It is designed to help them understand how Science can be used to explain the world in which they live, and the impact humans have.
We encourage students to develop their practical skills with hands-on work. Students can see how Biology is used to solve problems, ranging from infectious diseases to creating biofuels.
It is suitable for students of all abilities, whether they intend to study Biology further or not. If the course has been studied at the higher tier level it is excellent preparation for A level Biology or The International Baccalaureate (IB). It can also open the doors to future careers in Medicine and the Life Sciences.
GCSE Chemistry gives students the opportunity to gain a good understanding of: the nature of substances and how they react together; how Chemistry is used in business and industry; how our use of raw materials in fuels and manufacturing can affect the global and local environment.
There are two separate exams, Chemistry 1 and Chemistry 2, and each exam is 105 minutes long. They are offered at higher and foundation level and are taken at the end of the course.
The course is designed to help students understand how to formulate a scientific approach to understanding and explaining the world around them and solving problems. This means that the 'How Science Works' approach is integrated throughout the course.
The specification is structured in a way that starts with the fundamental ideas in Chemistry; putting the building blocks in place. This enables students to develop an understanding of topics such as chemical structures and their properties, chemical reactions and how to analyse substances.
Many of the materials considered are substances that students will come across in their daily lives like drinking water, vegetable oils and metals. This helps engage students by putting their learning in context. We encourage students to develop their practical skills with hands-on work which helps make the subject come alive in the classroom.
It is suitable for students of all abilities, whether they intend further study in Chemistry or not. If the course has been studied at the higher tier level it is excellent preparation for A level Chemistry or The International Baccalaureate (IB). It can also open the doors to future careers in Medicine.
GCSE Physics offers students the chance to gain a good understanding of: the use and transfer of energy; waves, radiation and space; and the application of Physics.
There are two separate exams, Physics 1 and Physics 2, and each exam is 105 minutes long. They are offered at higher and foundation level and are taken at the end of the course.
The course is designed to give students the tools and concepts they need to be able to construct a scientific approach to solving problems. Students will learn to ask and answer questions about the fundamental laws that govern natural phenomena. This is done by integrating the 'How Science Works' approach throughout the specification.
Students are likely to be engaged by the aspects of the course that they can relate to their everyday life, such as the efficiency of electrical appliances and braking distances; as well as larger concepts like nuclear fission and fusion and evidence of the Big Bang.
We encourage students to use practical work to develop skills in a way that helps the understanding of theory and brings the subject alive in the classroom.
It is suitable for students of all abilities, whether they want to carry on studying Physics. If the course has been studied at the higher tier level it is excellent preparation for A level Physics or The International Baccalaureate (IB).
GCSE Combined Science offers students a broad, coherent programme of study that develops their knowledge and understanding of the living, material and physical worlds. This is achieved by studying modules from Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
There are six separate exams, each exam is 75 minutes long and all are offered at higher and foundation level; Biology 1 and 2, Chemistry 1 and 2 and Physics 1 and 2. All exams are taken at the end of the course.
Combined Science is available for students of all abilities and helps students to understand theoretical concepts alongside developing their practical science skills.
The course serves as a foundation for further progress in Science and is suitable preparation for Science subjects at A level and The International Baccalaureate (IB) if it is studied at the higher tier level.
Entry Level and Foundation Combined Science GCSE
The students who would find GCSEs in Science difficult to access will be encouraged to first complete an Entry Level Science qualification alongside GCSE combined Science at Foundation tier level. In the Entry Level course students will study two components from Biology, Chemistry and Physics which match closely to content in the AQA GCSE Combined Science modules. The same set of skills and knowledge are assessed but with lower demands.
Following the Entry Level course, the students can still complete Foundation GCSE Combined Science at the end of Year 11.
This route is not a suitable preparation for students wishing to go on to A levels in the Science subjects. However, it is good preparation for many vocational courses post 16.
The Science department offer trips whenever possible such as Salters Chemistry in Y8, Skirting Science in Y9, and the Chemistry conference for Y10 and Y11. We also arrange for outside speakers or theatre groups to come into school when the opportunity arises.
Sequence of Learning in Science
This is a summary of the topics studied in Science at Kingsmead School. The sequence of teaching for individual groups varies
|
Key stage 3 sequence of learning |
Year 7 |
Year 8 |
|---|---|---|
|
Term 1 (Sept-Oct) |
Working Scientifically, Cells + Respiration, Particles and forces |
Working Scientifically, Gravity, Speed + Pressure, Elements + the Periodic Table, Health + Lifestyle |
|
Term 2 (Nov-Dec) |
Continue Cells + Respiration, Particles and forces |
Continue Gravity, Speed + Pressure, Elements + the Periodic Table, Health + Lifestyle |
|
Term 3 (Jan-Feb) |
Separating mixtures, Sound + Light, Earth + Space |
Metals + Non-metal, Energy, Chemical Reactions |
|
Term 4 (Feb-Mar) |
Continue Separating mixtures, Sound + Light, Earth + Space |
Continue Metals + Non-metal, Energy and Chemical Reactions |
|
Term 5 (April-May) |
Acids + Alkalis, Reproduction, Circuits |
Interdependence, Magnetism, Variation + Evolution |
|
Term 6 (June-July) |
Continue Acids + Alkalis, Reproduction and Circuits End of year exam |
Continue Interdependence, Magnetism, Variation + Evolution
End of year exam |
|
Key Stage 4 Sequence of Learning |
Year 9 |
Year 10 |
Year 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Term 1 (Sept-Oct) |
Particle model, cell biology and atomic structure and periodic table. |
Energy, infection and response, chemical changes (2) |
Quantitative chemistry and chemical analysis, magnetism and electromagnetism, homeostasis and response. |
|
Term 2 (Nov-Dec) |
Particle model, cell biology and atomic structure and periodic table continued |
Energy, infection and response, chemical changes (2) continued |
Mock Exams. Complete Chemical analysis, magnetism and electromagnetism, homeostasis and response. |
|
Term 3 (Jan-Feb) |
Particle model, cell biology and atomic structure and periodic table continued |
Electricity, energy changes, rates of reaction |
Chemistry of the atmosphere, inheritance, variation and evolution, space physics |
|
Term 4 (Feb-Mar) |
Forces (1), organisation, structure and bonding |
Bioenergetics, waves, continue energy changes and rates of reaction |
Using resources, complete space physics, inheritance, variation and evolution |
|
Term 5 (April-May) |
Forces (1), organisation, structure and bonding continued |
Ecology, organic chemistry and waves |
Revision and preparation for GCSE Exams |
|
Term 6 (June-July) |
Forces (1), organisation and bonding continued. Chemical change (1) Inheritance (1) End of year exams |
Continue ecology, organic chemistry and waves. End of year exams |
NA |
Top 5 Websites
For additional learning and revision in this subject, see these websites:
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/levels/z4kw2hv BBC Bitesize
- http://www.kerboodle.com/users/login Kerboodle Login
- https://www.fuseschool.org/users/sign_in Fuse school
- https://app.senecalearning.com/login Seneca learning
- https://www.freesciencelessons.co.uk/videos/ free science lessons
Science Progress Overviews
These are designed to outline the progression of Science based learning within each year group. They make clear the skills, understanding and knowledge within each category of our language for learning.