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Science

 

Key Stage 3 Overview

Science helps students to understand and explain the natural world and the phenomena they encounter in everyday life. This can foster a sense of curiosity and wonder and help students to make informed decisions about the world around them. Through our science curriculum, we aim to inspire and motivate students to become curious, critical and confident learners, who understand how science fits into society and thereby encourage them to make a positive contribution to their local and wider community.

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that students have the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the key scientific principles and concepts outlined in the National Curriculum and our schemes place a strong emphasis on practical skills, ensuring that students have regular opportunities to engage in hands-on, experiential learning. This helps to bring scientific concepts to life and allows students to apply their knowledge in a meaningful way to develop the scientists of the future. Students are encouraged to be independent learners and are also expected to work in small groups and to carry out experiments carefully and safely. The skills of planning, observing, analysing and evaluating are developed throughout the course and are assessed by teachers. Students will also complete tasks related to risks, variables, apparatus, graphs, trends, modelling and the development of ideas over time.

Within Key Stage 3 there are 4 lessons per week. Students are taught in groups of similar ability. Homework is given each week and students are tested on skills development during each topic, and on content at the end of each topic. Learning Logs are used by teachers to assess progress through individual units.

The topics we study at KS3 are:

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Particles and their behaviour

Energy

Cells and transport

Cells

Health and lifestyle

Atomic structure & the periodic table

Elements, atoms and compounds

Digestion

The particle model of matter

Structure and function of body systems – movement and breathing

Separation techniques

Space Science

Forces

Photosynthesis and respiration

Bioenergetics and metabolic processes

Space science

Light and sound

Chemical bonding and the structure of materials

Reactions

Ecosystems

Variation and evolution

Acids and alkalis

Earth structure

 

Reproduction

Metals and other materials

 

 

Motion and pressure

 

 

Electricity and magnetism

 

 

Inheritance