KS3 Science

Overview
Through a variety of theoretical and practical classroom based activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of our world in a rational and scientific manner. They will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as maths, IT and DT, Geography and the humanities to understand our physical world and the moral role we have in behaving in an informed way as responsible citizens. Pupils learn how to take risks, become resourceful, questioning, tolerant of other views and ready to defend ideas through cogent argument. The British values of tolerance, reasoned debate and respect for a range of ideas will be promoted throughout the course. They are assessed by regular end of unit tests, oral and written questioning and by tailor made tests for a subtopic, often on a home-learning activity. The subject will be taught by Ms Shuttleworth and Mr Thorpe.

In year 7 the pupils will study:
Safety and care – (introduction to lab sciences.)
Electrical circuits and their applications.
Acids and alkalis
Cells (their structure and function.)
Simple chemical reactions
Forces and effects
Particle theory
Energy resources
Reproduction
Solutions
Solar system
Variation and classifying
Feeding relationships

In year 8 the pupils will study:
Light
Respiration
Atoms and elements
Compounds and mixtures
Sound
Microbes and disease
Rocks and weathering
Rock cycles
Magnetism
Food and digestion
Heating and cooling
Ecological relationships

In year 9 the pupils will study:
Reactions of metals
Patterns of reactivity
Energy and electricity
Investigating scientific questions
Chemistry
Using chemistry
Plants for food
Speeding up
Pressure and moments
Gravity and space

Enrichment Activities
Students will have increased access to the laboratory by the freeing up of the lab through changed staffing levels. There will also be opportunity to extend their written responses to questions by providing more structured frameworks that allow extended answers to be produced. The new GCSE regulations mean that we shall provide even greater opportunity for linking maths and literacy into our teaching and learning – we have already undertaken some inset training linking literacy and science. Home learning will also be directed towards allowing increased opportunity for data analysis and numerical applications.

We are currently looking at the need to bring material more closely linked to GCSE work as the demands of the new GCSE are considerably greater than in the past. This will involve bringing GCSE material into the final term of year 9 and bringing maths and literacy skill into year 9 responses so that they lead in to year 10 requirements.

Assessment for learning will be undertaken throughout the course with a variety of written, pictorial, numerical and graphical data used to allow students to show their progress through the year. AFL is a naturally ongoing process and will influence planning organically, so that students’ needs can be addressed continually and material adapted to suit their needs.