Science
Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated.
Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958), British chemist and X-ray crystallographer
At George Green’s School, Science aims to deliver a stellar curriculum fit for the space-age, filled with awe and wonder. Our ambitious and engaging curriculum is designed to help students to understand themselves, the world and our place in it, and the beautiful and beguiling Universe that we call home. We will construct a knowledge-rich curriculum complemented by practical experience and live demonstrations that will develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena, providing a solid foundation for understanding the ever-evolving world around us.
George Green’s pupils are the engineers, doctors and teachers of the future, and our challenging academic curriculum recognises the power of rational explanation, prediction and analytical thinking to help shape the future of our civilisation. What’s more, we want our pupils to be active and informed members of our local community, who have the scientific knowledge and skills needed to make important decisions about their lives, families and local community.
All students will learn essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science;
- They will gain appreciation of how the complex and diverse phenomena of the natural world can be described in terms of a small number of key ideas that relate to the science.
- Practical work is a very important part of the science, not only to consolidate learning, but also to develop skills in planning, analysing and evaluating. Students need to carry out around 8 “Core practical” tasks every year.
- The practical skills will also be assessed as part of the written examinations in all assessment including public exams.There is no coursework in the Science.
Key Stage 3 Science
We follow Oxford KS3 Science (Activate) based on the National curriculum programme of study to develop our own programme of study. Both GCSE and A level, the courses we follow are the Edexcel Science courses, however, for Psychology, we follow AQA specifications.
At GCSE, there is a choice of two main routes to science GCSEs, either a two-GCSE Combined Science, or a three-GCSE Separate Sciences route.
The first option is to study Combined Science. This is a two-GCSE sized (double award) qualification covering the three science disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students are awarded grades based on their overall performance across these three disciplines. Psychology is only offered in KS4 & KS5.
Assessment
Classwork is continually assessed within each lesson, ensuring every student makes progress and closes the learning gap. For more complex tasks, ‘task’ marking is used, allowing teachers to provide opportunities for the student to make progress on their work. At the end of each unit, students will undertake an assessment.
Key Stage 4 Science
Exam Board: Edexcel
At Key Stage 4, all core areas Biology, Chemistry and Physics are further addressed, regardless of student qualification, however there are options available.
1. Triple Science (GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics).
2. GCSE Science and GCSE Additional Science.
Assessment
Students will undertake regular assessments within the school year at the end of topics in addition to final examinations at the end of the two year course. There are two tiers of entry to GCSE: Foundation (grade 5-1) and Higher (grades 9 to 4); both GCSE Science courses are composed of two written exams to assess the quality of knowledge and written communication and a controlled assessment.
Curriculum Map
A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.
Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Aims
The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
- are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future
Key stage 3 Science topics per Year Group
Key Stage 4 Science Topics per Year Group