Science

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.”

Marie Curie

Year 7

The Rationale

The units in Year 7 focus on a set of core powerful ideas that are unique to science. As students acquire these ideas we hope that they are able to inquire freely about the world from a scientific perspective.  We also to explore how these ideas came to be and learn that science is also a way of doing things that has its own rules and rituals that we want students to become familiar with.

Autumn TermSummer TermSummer Term
Curriculum KnowledgeCells and Movement
Acids and Alkalis
Energy
Variation and Interdependence
Particles
Electricity
Reproduction
Atoms, compounds & Mixtures
Sound
Subject SkillsRisk assessments
Variables in experiments
Following a method safely
Writing hypothesis
Controlling variables in experiments
Identifying anomalies
Calculating means
Plotting bar charts
Recording results in tables
Drawing scatter graphs
Using graphs to identify patterns

How can you help your child engage with the content?

Encourage your child to self-quiz using our core knowledge questions or knowledge mats (paper copies are handed out at the start of a unit of work). It is important that they force themselves to remember core knowledge and either write down their answers to questions or say them out loud. They then need to check their answers for accuracy and correct. This will help identify gaps in knowledge, help them make connections between key facts, and check for misunderstanding. Repetition of this will strengthen connections between key facts in their memory and make these connection more robust and also allow them to be more flexible with this knowledge and apply it to new situations

Curriculum Opportunities

Year 7 Science ClubBritish Science WeekBAE roadshow

Career Links

Year 8

The Rationale

The units in Year 8 build upon the core powerful ideas taught in Year 7 and continue to give students specialised ways of thinking about the world that they otherwise would not acquire through their everyday lives. We aim for students to build upon the ideas taught in Year 7 and connect together the related knowledge taught in year 8 in a logical way.  We continue to explore how these ideas came to be and learn that science is also a way of doing things that has its own rules and rituals that we want students to become familiar with.

Autumn TermSpring TermSummer Term
Curriculum contentBreathing & Respiration
Periodic Table
Heat Transfer
Digestion & Photosynthesis
Earth’s Resources
Light
Inheritance & Extinction
Rocks
Space & Forces
Key SkillsDefine hypothesis, range and interval.
Define resolution and precision.
Define continuous data and categoric variables.
Define and identify anomalous results.
Define repeatable and reproducible.
Define accurate.

How can you engage with your child?

Encourage your child to self-quiz using our core knowledge questions or knowledge mats (paper copies are handed out at the start of a unit of work). It is important that they force themselves to remember core knowledge and either write down their answers to questions or say them out loud. They then need to check their answers for accuracy and correct.

This will help identify gaps in knowledge, help them make connections between key facts, and check for misunderstanding. Repetition of this will strengthen connections between key facts in their memory and make these connection more robust and also allow them to be more flexible with this knowledge and apply it to new situations 

Curriculum Opportunities 

Year 8 Science ClubBritish Science Week

Career Links

Year 9

The Rationale

In Year 9 we start delivering the GCSE content. These units build upon the core powerful ideas taught in years 7 &8 and continue to give students specialised ways of thinking about the world that they otherwise would not acquire through their everyday lives. We aim for students to build upon the ideas taught in years 7 & 8 and connect together the related knowledge taught a logical way.  We continue to explore how these powerful ideas came to be and learn and explain how and why scientific knowledge is generated in the first place.

Autumn TermSpring TermSummer Term
Curriculum contentCell structure and transport & Cell Division
Atomic structure
Wave Properties 
Organisation and digestive system
The periodic table
Electromagnetic spectrum
Organising animals and plants
Rates
Molecules and matter
Key SkillsDevelopment of scientific thinking
Experimental skills and strategies
Analysis and evaluation
Quantities, units, symbols & nomenclature
Development of scientific thinking
Experimental skills and strategies
Analysis and evaluation
Quantities, units, symbols & nomenclature
Development of scientific thinking
Experimental skills and strategies
Analysis and evaluation
Quantities, units, symbols & nomenclature

How can you engage with your child?

Encourage your child to self-quiz using our core knowledge questions or knowledge mats (paper copies are handed out at the start of a unit of work). It is important that they force themselves to remember core knowledge and either write down their answers to questions or say them out loud. They then need to check their answers for accuracy and correct.

This will help identify gaps in knowledge, help them make connections between key facts, and check for misunderstanding. Repetition of this will strengthen connections between key facts in their memory and make these connection more robust and also allow them to be more flexible with this knowledge and apply it to new situations

Career Links