Science

“The important thing is to never stop questioning”

Albert Einstein

Head of Science: Ms S Parry

Key Stage 3

Overview

At Borough, our Science curriculum is based on Harlen’s ‘Big Ideas of Science’. We have worked closely with schools across the Trust to build a curriculum which builds our students’ knowledge over time, revisiting the ‘Big Ideas’ on a regular basis to deepen the depth and breadth of their understanding.

Content Covered at KS3:

Year 7 – in line with the new Big Ideas curriculum

	Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Term 1	Unit 1 – Living Things & Cells	Unit 1 – Matter & Particles	Unit 1 - Forces
Term 2	Unit 2 – Healthy Diet	Unit 2 – Mixtures & Solutions	Unit 2 – Floating, Sinking & Density
Term 3	N/A	Unit 3 – Elements & Compounds	Unit 3 - Energy
Term 4	Unit 3 – Supplying Cells	Unit 4 – Chemical Reactions	Unit 4 - Sound
Term 5	Unit 4 – Heredity & the Human Life Cycle	Unit 5 – Acids & Bases	N/A
Term 6	Unit 5 – Plant Nutrition Unit 6 - Interdependence	N/A	Unit 5 - Light

Year 8 – currently in line with Activate scheme of work

	Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Term 1	Chapter 1 Health and Lifestyle	Chapter 1 The Periodic Table	Chapter 1 Forces
Term 2	Chapter 1 Health and lifestyle continued	Chapter 1 The Periodic Table continued	Chapter 1 Forces continued
Term 3	Chapter 2 Ecosystem processes	Chapter 2 Separation Techniques	Chapter 2 Electricity and Magnetism
Term 4	Chapter 3 Adaptation and Inheritance	The Periodic Table and Separation Techniques	Electricity and Magnetism continued
Term 5	Chapter 3 Adaptation and inheritance	Chapter 3 Metals and Acids	Chapter 3 Motion and Pressure
Spring		Chapter 4 The Earth	Chapter 3 Motion and Pressure continued
Summer	Turning points in Biology unit	Turning points in Chemistry unit	Turning points in Physics unit
	End of Year 8 Biology Assessment	End of Year 8 Chemistry Assessment	End of Year 8 Physics Assessment

Year 9 – in line with the new Big Ideas curriculum

	Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Term 1	B1 Cells & Enzyme Action	C1 Atomic Structure	P1 Changes of State & Temperature
Term 2	B2 Exchange & Transport in Animals	C2 Groups of the Periodic Table	P2 Density & Pressure
Term 3	B2 Exchange & Transport in Animals	C3 Introduction to Chemistry Calculations	P3 Forces & Their Effects
Term 4	B3 Plant Structures & Their Functions	C4 The Atmosphere	P4 Measuring Motion
Term 5	B4 Pathogens	C5 Introduction to Rates of Reaction	P5 Energy of Moving Objects
Term 6	B5 Ecosystems & Adaptations	C6 Metallic Bonding	P6 Electromagnetic Spectrum

Textbooks: GCSE

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology Student Book (Edexcel (9-1) GCSE Science 2016) (ISBN: 978-1292120201)

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Chemistry Student Book (Edexcel (9-1) GCSE Science 2016) (ISBN: 978-1292120218)

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physics Student Book (Edexcel (9-1) GCSE Science 2016) (ISBN: 978-1292120225)

Key Stage 4

Overview

The suite of GCSE sciences comprises of different specifications, which utilise common material and use a similar style of examination questions. The different specifications are GCSE Combined Science and GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics.

Candidates taking either the GCSE combined trilogy or the GCSE Separates route, will have the experience necessary to progress to appropriate Level 3 qualifications.

Edexcel Combined Science

The students following this route will receive two GCSEs. The subject content and required practicals in this specification are also in the GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This means we have the flexibility to co-teach and to move the students between courses.

Edexcel GCSE Separates (GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry, GCSE Physics

The students following this route will receive three GCSE’s.

The Edexcel GCSE Specifications can be found here:

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/sciences-2016.html

Required Practicals

There are a number of required practicals over the three disciplines which will be tested on in the GCSE examinations. More information on required practicals can be found in the specifications.

Maths Skills

Maths skills are now included in the assessment of all GCSE science qualifications. A minimum percentage of marks must be allocated to assessing mathematical skills at an appropriate level of difficulty, in line with new rules and guidance from the Department for Education.

Examinations

All students sit 6 exam papers at the end of Year 11 – 2 x Biology, 2 x Chemistry and 2 x Physics

Year 10

Biology	Chemistry	Physics
B4 Natural Selection	C2 States of Matter	P5 Light and EM Spectrum
B5 Health and Disease	C3 Chemical changes	P6 Radioactivity
B6 Plant Structure and Functions	T4 Extracting metals and equilibria	T7 Astronomy
Revision	T5 - Separate Chemistry 1	P8 Energy and Forces doing Work
	T6 Groups in the periodic table	P9 Forces and their Effects
	T7 Rates of Reaction and Energy changes	P10 Electricity and Circuits
	Revision	T11 Static Electricity
		P12 Magnetism and the Motor Effect
		Revision

Year 11

Biology	Chemistry	Physics
B7 Animal Coordination	T8 Fuels and Earth Science	P13 Electromagnetic Induction
B8 Exchange and Transport in Animals	T9 Separate Chemistry 2	P14 Particle Model
B9 Ecosystems and Material Cycles	Revision	P15 Forces and Matter
Revision		Revision

Textbooks

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology Student Book (Edexcel (9-1) GCSE Science 2016) (ISBN: 978-1292120201)

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Chemistry Student Book (Edexcel (9-1) GCSE Science 2016) (ISBN: 978-1292120218)

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physics Student Book (Edexcel (9-1) GCSE Science 2016) (ISBN: 978-1292120225)

LEARNING JOURNEY

Please click here for KS3-4 Learning Journey for Biology

Please click here for KS3-4 Learning Journey for Chemistry

Please click here for KS3-4 Learning Journey for Physics

HOME LEARNING

Much of the home learning pupils undertake is to revise and consolidate key knowledge for each subject discipline. Our online learning platforms are designed to support pupils with specific gaps in their knowledge.

At Key Stage 3, pupils receive regular homework using our Tassomai platform. At Key Stage 4, pupils receive regular homework using our Carousel Learning platform.

At Key Stage 4 we also set extended independent written examination practice. Pupils should be revising for a minimum of 90 minutes a week for Science from KS4.