Science

Aspects of Science are covered within the L4L curriculum.

Year 7 L4L Themes:

• Journey to the Centre of the Earth
• iRobot
• Water
• Silent Movies

In Year 7, students are taught Science through a blended model of two Science lessons a week within the L4L themes. Within L4L, Science is integrated into multiple themes including ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’, ‘iRobot’, ‘Growing’, ‘Water’ and ‘Silent Movies’. Alongside this, students will have the opportunity to develop all-important enquiry and scientific working skills within well-equipped laboratories while being taught six chapters that form the foundations of Science. The chapters are aimed to give the students a broad understanding of the fundamental ideas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The topics that students learn about in Year 7 Science lessons include: Air Force 1, Elemental, Energy, From Cell to Human and What’s the Matter. 

Each exciting topic has been designed to immerse students in the world of Science and ignite that enthusiasm and love for learning about Science. Throughout the year, students will be assessed on the knowledge and skills that they have acquired by sitting short topic tests and extended writing tasks. 

Aspects of Science are covered within the L4L curriculum.

Year 8 L4L Themes:

• Pudding Lane 
• Grand Designs 
• Da Vinci

In Year 9, students will commence all Science study within well-equipped labs over four-hour lessons per week. Students begin their year of study by learning the foundations of which they will build their GCSE knowledge on – whether this be AQA combined science or AQA triple science. As part of their Year 9 curriculum, students further strengthen their enquiry and working scientifically skills by carrying out a range of practical investigations within lessons. These practical’s are taught within the topics that they learn and are intended to strengthen specific working scientifically skills from graph drawing to writing a plan for an investigation to drawing conclusions from data given.

The topics that students learn about in Year 9 include: The building blocks of life, Fundamental Ideas in Chemistry, Megajoules and the Principles of Physics and Reactions for Life. Throughout the year, students will be assessed on the knowledge and skills that they have acquired at each stage by sitting short topic tests and completing extended writing tasks.

Combined Science:

Students who do not opt for Triple Science during their Year 9 options will begin the AQA Combined Science (Trilogy) specification over five weekly hour lessons. This will result in students achieving two GCSE grades in Science at the end of Year 11. Students will build upon their knowledge from Years 7-9 as they are taught the later topics in each of the three Science disciplines. Students will also carry out a number of required practical investigations. 

The topics that students learn about in Year 10 include: Bioenergetics, Homeostasis and Response, Inheritance, variation, Evolution, Ecology, Quantitative Chemistry, Chemical and Energy Changes, Electricity, Particle Model of Matter and Radioactivity. 

Throughout the year, students will be assessed on the knowledge and skills that they have acquired by sitting short topic tests and extended writing tasks. As well as this, a mock examination towards the end of the year will be completed to help guide students in their reflective practice. 

Triple Science:

Students who have opted for Triple Science in their Year 9 options will begin the AQA Biology, Chemistry and Physics specifications over eight weekly hour sessions. This will result in students achieving three GCSE grades, one for each of the disciplines, at the end of Year 11. Students will build upon their knowledge from Year 7-9 as they are taught topics in each of the three Science disciplines. Students will also carry out a number of required practical investigations. 

The topics that students learn about in Year 10 include: Bioenergetics, homeostasis and Response, Inheritance, Variation, Evolution, Ecology, Quantitative Chemistry, Chemical and Energy Changes, Electricity, Particle Model of Matter and Radioactivity. 

Throughout the year, students will be assessed on the knowledge and skills that they have acquired by sitting short topic tests and extended writing tasks. As well as this, students will sit a mock examination towards the end of the year to help guide students in their reflective practice.  

Combined Science:

Students who did not opt for Triple Science during their Year 9 options will complete their AQA Combined Science (Trilogy) studies over the course of five weekly hour lessons. This will result in students achieving two GCSE grades in Science at the end of Year 11. Students will build upon their knowledge from Year 7-10 as they are taught the final topics in each of the three Science disciplines. Students will also carry out a number of required practical investigations as they did in Year 10. 

The topics that students learn about in Year 11 include: Rates of Reaction and Equilibrium, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Analysis, Chemistry of the Atmosphere, Forces, Waves and Electromagnetism.

Throughout the year, students will be assessed on the knowledge and skills that they have acquired by sitting short topic tests and extended writing tasks. As well as two mock examinations, one in the autumn term and one in the spring term. 

Triple Science

Students who opted for Triple Science in their Year 9 options will complete their AQA Biology, Chemistry and Physics studies over the course of eight weekly hour sessions. This will result in students achieving three GCSE grades, one for each of the disciplines, at the end of Year 11. Students will build upon their knowledge from Year 7-10 as they are taught the final topics in each of the three Science disciplines. Students will also carry out a number of required practical investigations as they did in Year 10.

The topics that students learn about in Year 11 include: Rates of Reaction and Equilibrium, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Analysis, Chemistry of the Atmosphere, Forces, Waves, Electromagnetism and Astronomy. As well as two mock examinations, one in the autumn term and one in the spring term.

What exams are there?

• Terminal, all taken at the end of Year 11
• 6 exams: 2 Biology, 2 Chemistry, 2 Physics; each exam will assess different topics
• Each exam is 1 hour 15 minutes and contains 70 marks
• Each paper is worth 16.7% of the grade
• Exams include multiple choice, structured, closed, short answer and open response questions
• Two tiers of entry: Higher: grades 5-9 Foundation: grades 1-5
• There are a minimum of 30% common marks between Foundation and Higher tiers.

What grades can be achieved?

• Combined Science will have a 17 point grading scale, from 9–9 (highest), 9–8 through to 2–1, 1–1 (lowest)
• Teaching staff will guide students into an appropriate tier of entry, based on ability, prior attainment, literacy and numeracy skills.

How is the new course different from the old GCSE Science?

• No coursework or controlled assessment
• 16 required practicals covering content in Biology, Chemistry and Physics
• Students will carry out experiments which will involve some aspects of the following:
• a) Planning, b) Making measurements and observations, c) Interpreting and analysing data, d) Drawing conclusion, e) Evaluating procedures.

All content is assessed by terminal examinations.

• Regular and on-going learning and revision is required to ensure that students make the expected progress throughout the GCSE course and leave with excellent GCSE results.

How we will assess progress?

• In lesson assessment including questioning, mini tests, written work
• Regular end of topic tests
• Required practical work
• Mock exams

What homework can be expected?

Homework set for Science may consist of:

• Revision activities
• Exam style questions
• Century Tech
• Research tasks

What exams are there?

• Terminal, all taken at the end of Year 11
• 6 exams: 2 Biology, 2 Chemistry, 2 Physics; each exam will assess different topics
• Each exam is 1 hour 45 minutes and contains 100 marks
• Each paper is worth 50% of a GCSE
• Exams include multiple choice, structured, closed, short answer and open response questions
• Two tiers of entry: Higher: grades 5-9 Foundation: grades 1-5
• There are a minimum of 30% common marks between Foundation and Higher tiers.

What grades can be achieved?

• Each of the disciplines (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) is awarded one GCSE grade from grade 9 (Highest) to 1 (lowest)
• Teaching staff will guide students into an appropriate tier of entry, based on ability, prior attainment, literacy and numeracy skills.

How is the new course different from the old GCSE Science?

• No coursework or controlled assessment
• 28 required practicals covering content in Biology (10), Chemistry (8) and Physics (10)
• Students will carry out experiments which will involve some aspects of the following:
• a) Planning, b) Making measurements and observations, c) Interpreting and analysing data, d) Drawing conclusion, e) Evaluating procedures.

All content is assessed by terminal examinations.

• Regular and on-going learning and revision is required to ensure that students make the expected progress throughout the GCSE course and leave with excellent GCSE results.

How we will assess progress?

• In lesson assessment including questioning, mini tests, written work
• Regular end of topic tests
• Required practical work
• Mock exams

What homework can be expected?

Homework set for Science may consist of:

• Revision activities
• Exam style questions
• Century Tech
• Research tasks