Head of Faculty: Mrs S Bennett
Throughout Key Stage 3 students are taught the three Science disciplines – chemistry, biology and physics, through the completion of 6 units per year. Each unit takes approximately 6 weeks to complete and is assessed with an end of unit test .Throughout these units Students are also taught key practical skills to include:
- Predictions and Hypotheses
- Planning Investigations
- Recording data
- Making conclusions
- Evaluating data
These are each formally assessed twice during each year.
Students study Science for 3 hours a week in KS3 and home learning tasks are set weekly.
All students follow the Core and Additional Science GCSEs in Key Stage 4 and are working towards two GCSE qualifications. They follow Core and Additional Science and will receive two GCSE grades. Students follow the AQA Trilogy course in Year 10 and will be awarded two grades 1-9 following their GCSE examinations in the summer of Year 11. The current year 11 are studying OCR 21st Century Additional Science which is still graded A*-G. The vast majority of students receive 5 hours a week of Science lessons, while a small number of students that follow a vocational pathway at GCSE receive 4 hours a week of Science. Assessments to track progress are set regularly throughout each half term. With feedback being related to GCSE criteria to highlight areas of strength and development throughout the course.
Throughout their time at Kirkby High, students are taught the following key skills:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
• scientific ideas
• scientific techniques and procedures - Apply knowledge and understanding of:
• scientific ideas
• scientific enquiry, techniques and procedures - Analyse information and ideas to:
• interpret and evaluate
• make judgements and draw conclusions
• develop and improve experimental procedures
Overview of the Science Curriculum
The topics students cover throughout Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 are outlined in the table below:
| Year | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| 7 | Introduction to Science
|
Chemical Reactions (Chemistry)
Electricity and Magnetism (Physics)
|
Chemical Reactions (Chemistry)
Electricity and magnetism (Physics)
|
Cells and Reproduction (Biology)
|
Ecology (Biology)
|
Scientific investigation
|
| 8 | Body systems and drugs (Biology)
|
Rocks and climate change (Chemistry)
|
Rocks and climate change (Chemistry)
Light, forces and speed (Physics)
|
Waves, sound and space (Physics)
|
Particle model and transfer of heat energy (Physics)
Plants and respiration (Biology)
|
Plants and respiration (Biology)
Particle model and transfer of heat energy (Physics)
|
| 9 | Pre GCSE Biology 1: organ systems and functions.
|
Pre GCSE Biology 2: energy cycles and processes.
|
Pre GCSE Chemistry 1: reactions and equations.
|
Pre GCSE Chemistry 2: Acids and their reactions.
|
Pre GCSE physics 1: Heat transfer and light.
|
Pre GCSE physics 2: Electricity and forces
|
| 10 | B1 & B2
Cell biology Organisation |
B3 & B4
Infection & response Bioenergetics |
C1 & C2
Atomic structure & the periodic table Bonding, structure and the properties of matter |
C3 – C5
Quantitative chemistry Chemical changes Energy changes |
P1 & P2
Forces energy |
P3 & P4
Waves Electricity |
| 11 | Additional Biology units B4, B5, B6
Processes of life Growth & Development |
Additional Physics Units P4, P5, P6
Explaining Motion Electric circuits Radioactive materials |
Additional Chemistry Units C4, C5,, C6
Chemical patterns Chemicals of the natural environment Chemical synthesis |
Revision | Revision |
Links to GCSE Exam Board Specifications
The specification code for AQA GCSE Trilogy is 8464
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464
The specification code for AQA GCSE Science Biology is 8461
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/biology-8461
The specification code for AQA GCSE Science Chemistry is 8462
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/chemistry-8462
The specification code for GCSE Science Physics is 8463
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/physics-8463
The specification code for OCR GCSE 21st Century Additional Science is J242
The specification code for OCR GCSE Gateway Science is J261
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-gateway-science-suite-science-b-j261-from-2012/
The specification code for OCR GCSE Biology is J263
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-gateway-science-suite-biology-b-j263-from-2012/
The specification code for OCR GCSE Chemistry is J264
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-gateway-science-suite-chemistry-b-j264-from-2012/
The specification code for OCR GCSE Physics is J265
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-gateway-science-suite-physics-b-j265-from-2012/
Additional Information
Include details of any extra-curricular activities including:
- Intervention sessions on Tuesday after school
- Revision sessions – during school holidays
- Homework support – every lunch time in Lab 3
Teaching Staff
| Mrs J Chang | Head of Faculty |
| Mrs S Bennett | Deputy Head of Faculty |
| Mrs C Colton | Science Teacher |
| Miss F Edgar | Science Teacher & Numeracy Coodinator |
| Mr J Nolan | Science Teacher |
| Mrs K Nolan | Science Teacher |
| Mrs A Thomas | Science Teacher |