Science

The science curriculum provides students with the opportunity to realise their potential by providing breadth, depth, stretch and challenge, enabling students to develop their scientific knowledge and skills.

The curriculum is based on the belief that all students can learn important science content to a level of excellence and mastery. Questioning, reflection, problem solving and discussion are integral part of teaching and learning in science. Teaching is underpinned by methodical curriculum design and supported by carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge.

The curriculum encourages specialist and holistic teaching approach to the three science subjects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Lessons are taught with clarity, enthusiasm and pace. This will ensure that students are well-motivated which will lead to accelerated learning and ensure that practical investigative skills and knowledge are more effectively embedded. This will help to make students into lifelong and independent learners with the ability of being able to think and work like a scientist.

Students are also exposed to opportunities of enhancing their learning outside of the classroom through educational trips, workshops, seminars and science fairs.

The science curriculum enables students to apply their knowledge and skills to solve scientific problems. Students are able to organise their thought processes eloquently and confidently argue for or against concepts and theories using scientific knowledge and keywords.

The importance of the different science topics to wider life experiences is explicitly shared with students from the onset. Therefore, students understand the purpose of the learning and can see the relevance to their own experience.

The science curriculum provides opportunities for all students to develop a high level of literacy and numeracy required for success in adult life. We embed the “big-write’’ or 6-mark questions as part of the lesson. Appropriate scaffolding and or challenge is in place for students to be able to write extensively about scientific knowledge and applications. Lesson keywords to be used as WORD activities during lessons. Science teachers will break down and explain science key words making it more relevant to student. The morphology and etymology of words will be used by science teachers to enable students understand and use key scientific vocabularies. Students are also able to acquire skills for recording experimental observations and data, draw graphs, analyse and evaluate data.

Our science curriculum broadens students’ horizons through a range of spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities both in KS3 and KS4. This is evident during the delivery of topics such as interdependence, genetic modification, maintaining biodiversity, sustainability, global warming, evolution, energy efficiency and stem cell research among others.

British values are also recognised. Students are encouraged to ensure that they respect the environment, respect and recognise the diversity of our local community and stay safe always. This way they can develop into responsible global citizens.

Further details of the curriculum can be downloaded below.