Science

Our science curriculum aims to promote scientific curiosity, develop successful scientists and encourage future scientists. Science takes students beyond their everyday experience by giving them access to Biology, Chemistry and Physics, embedding powerful knowledge in science through “big ideas” of and about science and creates that scientific curiosity in both a theory context and a practical one.  "BEST  Evidence" in Science Teaching has identified “the big ideas” that students need to build schema and to support their understanding of how the science curriculum fits together. We build understanding of the ‘Big Ideas’ in Science that are relevant to pupils’ lives during and beyond school using evidence from Education  Endowment Foundation (EEF) and their 7 recommendations. Sitting beneath each “big idea” are key concepts which form the basis of the units of work that students study. We also aim to use science as a tool to contribute to students acquisition of cultural capital.

Our curriculum builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding that pupils secured at Key Stage 2 and has been carefully sequenced to build schema.

Prior Knowledge form KS2 is explicit in our Programme of Study (POS) based on evidence of prior learning from "BEST" research based evidence.

We aim for our curriculum to  develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the 3 disciplines, building on prior knowledge. The curriculum aims to develop the understanding of nature, process and methods of science through different types of enquiry that helps students to answer scientific questions about the world around them. The curriculum is a spiral model which revisits key concepts throughout the 5 year journey.

Ambition: The science curriculum provides units of work which are supported by statements that detail the specified substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge (Programme of Study) to be taught and remembered. This is supported by Rosenshines principles and provides the foundations for understanding the world around us through Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Scientists talk, discuss and evaluate, this enables the science curriculum to model and embed ambition as part of our learning within the classroom in an ethical discussion or in a practical investigation. To address misconceptions and encourage self-regulation Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Specialised knowledge in science allows students to think about, do things that they perhaps wouldn’t normally do. This provides scientific curiosity and successful learners which leads to creating an ambitious curriculum.

Respect: Tolerance of differing cultural and religious values particularly when considering ethics of scientific practices.

Community: The EEF published in 2017 Improving Science in Secondary schools identified the strongest factor affecting pupils’ science scores is their literacy levels. Poor literacy skills can affect how well a pupil is able to understand scientific vocabulary and to prepare and engage with scientific reports. Therefore, our Programme of Study explicitly identifies Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary and specifies the reading that students should undertake each lesson. By improving literacy, we will enable our students to access the science curriculum in a more meaningful way and thus have a positive impact on their achievement and contribution to their community.

The purpose of assessment is to identify the strengths and any gaps in an individual students own learning and to establish whether there are any misconceptions amongst groups of students that may need to be retaught, taught differently or otherwise reinforced.

Learning is about effecting changes in long term memory and so we use assessments that establish whether pupils have mastered the basics in our subject and have the confidence to build towards concepts and skills with sufficient depth that are increasingly complex.

Within the science curriculum we aim to assess the students understanding all the time. Lessons have key questions after concepts have been taught to enable teachers to identify if the knowledge is embedded.  End of topic assessments are used to promote success and identify areas of misconceptions. Teacher assessed tasks are also used to assess literacy and scientific understanding along with AP assessments as per school calendar Yr7-13. After key assessments staff carry out a responsive lesson to identify on students’ strengths and areas for development and adapt their teaching in a responsive way to ensure knowledge is embedded and gaps are filled.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) have identified 7 areas which are important for successful science teaching and learning. Being clear about the purpose and sequencing is key. To support all our learners we are beginning to embed the 7 recommendations from the research: Preconceptions, Self-regulation, Modelling, Memory, Practical work, Language of science and Use of feedback. We are embedding self study into our practice to enrich the knowledge of our students and encourage them to work independently.

We have a very successful STEM club that runs within the faculty as an extra-curricular activity.

A science career is a great option if you are looking for a role that is varied, rewarding and challenging. A career in science allows you to improve people’s lives and help to develop your knowledge and understanding of people, nature and the world around us. The options are endless!!