Aiming High

Science

Curriculum Intent – Key Stage 3

The Key Stage 3 Science curriculum aims to develop scientific knowledge and understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Students should begin to make connections between these subject areas and relate scientific explanations to phenomena in the world around them.

Students will develop their working scientifically skills through conducting experimental investigations, where they will be encouraged to make predictions using scientific knowledge and understanding, make and record observations, and pay attention to health and safety. Students will analyse and evaluate the strength of their experimental work by interpreting observations and data, showing awareness of potential sources of error and suggesting improvements to increase repeatability. Students will learn to apply mathematical concepts in a variety of ways in order to adequately prepare students for the more advanced maths of GCSE Science.

Key Stage 3 units are sequenced so that they build in complexity from Year 7 to Year 9, building-up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts that are important for fostering curiosity and excitement about natural phenomena. We aim to ensure that all students are exposed to a diverse and rich set of Scientific literature, which aims to strengthen students’ literacy and oracy skills, as well as empowering students with the expertise needed to access texts and literature outside of the National Curriculum.

Year 7 

Year 8 

Year 9 

Curriculum Intent – Key Stage 4

From Year 10, students begin to study the AQA Combined Science: Trilogy course.

Throughout our two-year GCSE course, students will revisit, build upon, and link the key principles and knowledge from Key Stage 3, to more complex ideas throughout Key Stage 4. We continue to engage students in a broad and rich curriculum that develops their literacy and numeracy skills in apprehension of the GCSE at the end of Year 11.

In Year 10, the focus is placed upon Paper 1 topics of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, whilst Year 11 focuses upon Paper 2 topics. Students engage in retrieval practice starter activities and homework tasks throughout Key Stage 4 to promote long-term learning and avoid the loss of knowledge in the build-up to GCSE examinations.

Students will continue to develop their working scientifically skills through learning the theory of, and conducting, the 21 required practicals of the Combined Science: Trilogy GCSE course. Students will learn to collect, present and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data, and develop the critical skills to draw valid conclusions from investigations.

Year 10

From Year 10, students are taught to distinguish between topics assessed in the Biology 1 paper, Chemistry 1 paper, and Physics 1 paper.