Science
Biology
- Hours taught per fortnight (KS3): 6 Science lessons per fortnight
- Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 3
The Biology curriculum introduces and builds upon the fundamental topics that will underpin a student’s biological knowledge. They will learn about the basic building blocks of life and how they join to form a variety of multicellular organisms, as well as how those organisms are adapted to live in their environment. Students will learn about diseases and how they are spread, and preventative measures including how drugs are scrupulously tested before use. Homeostatic mechanisms, DNA and the nervous system are topics used to explore diversity and difference. Alongside these key concepts, students will learn about the history of biology, how technologies have changed and influenced ideas and understanding, and will develop the skills required to debate ethical issues linked to the use of these technologies.
Students will also develop their practical skills by carrying out a variety of different investigations, learning new competencies such as evaluating methods, identifying variables and recording accurate, reliable and repeatable results. They will blend their scientific skills with mathematical skills; manipulating data and preparing graphs and charts to help them to analyse their data. Students will be given opportunities to enrich their subject knowledge with a range of wider reading and extra-curricular opportunities such as science club, university visits and competitions.
Chemistry
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Hours taught per fortnight (KS3): 6 Science lessons per fortnight
- Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 3
The study of Chemistry sparks students’ curiosity about phenomena in the world and offers opportunities for students to find explanations. It engages learners by linking practical experience with scientific ideas. Experimentation and modelling are used to develop, analyse and evaluate scientific explanations. Learning about how and why atoms bond together to form compounds and larger polymers helps students appreciate how scientific ideas contribute to technological change and affect industry, business and medicine. Our Chemistry curriculum will develop and embed many skills, particularly practical skills, including the analysis and evaluation of data. Students’ mathematical skills grow as students move from simple atomic and mass number calculations to calculating molecular mass, theoretical yield and percentage yield. Using their new understanding, students learn to make links to industry and gain an appreciation of how valuable resources are made in the laboratory and how and why the economics of these processes must be considered. Students will be given opportunities to enrich their subject knowledge with a range of wider reading and extra-curricular opportunities such as science club, university visits and competitions.
Physics
- Hours taught per fortnight (KS3): 6 Science lessons per fortnight
- Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 3
The aim of our curriculum is to create exceptional Physicists. We challenge students to think, act and speak like those working in the field would. High quality teaching ensures that students understand the fundamental concepts of Physics and can articulate them, with precise use of technical terminology, and can apply them to a variety of familiar and unfamiliar contexts. Students develop strong working scientific skills so that they understand how experiments can provide evidence and can evaluate data and link this to theory. We bring the subject to life through demonstrations, experiments and real-world concepts.
We believe that knowledge underpins and enables the application of skills; both are inextricably linked. We build the Cultural Capital of our students by exploring with them the links to the curriculum of current scientific issues. Through our curriculum we introduce students to the narrative of some of the most influential physicists throughout history, their discoveries, and the impact their work has had on the world in which we live.
We provide the opportunity for our highest achieving KS4 and KS5 students to enter the British Physics Olympiad.
Psychology
Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 5
The study of psychology helps students gain a greater understanding of human behaviour and mental processes. Pupils go through a lot of changes as they age, both in terms of their own minds and emotions, and their relationships with others. An understanding of psychology equips them to manage some of these difficult developmental transitions and also highlights that the stress and uncertainty that they may experience are normal and transitory. Psychology supports students in their study of Science as it teaches the scientific method - how reliable evidence is gathered through the manipulation and measurement of variables while keeping other factors constant.