Science curriculum statement

A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. The application of Science is an integral component of our day-to-day lives, and is vital to the world’s future prosperity.

Communication

• Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, our pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They are encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

• Our pupils are encouraged to be able to describe associated processes and key characteristics in common language, but they should also be familiar with, and use, technical terminology accurately and precisely. They should build up an extended specialist vocabulary.

Healthy Relationships

• ‘Working scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science and requires our pupils to work in groups.

Self-Worth

• Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, our pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena.

• Gaining qualifications enables our pupils to gain entry for their preferred college courses.

Independence

• We aim develop our pupils 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 and make more informed decisions about their world as adults.

• are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future

Cross-curricular

• Our pupils are taught to apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data.

• Our teaching highlights key Scientific discoveries that have influenced the development of the human race since the dawn of man.

• Geography

• PE

• Careers

• English, cross fertilization

KS1:

The principal focus of science teaching in key stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos.

‘Working scientifically’ is described separately in the programme of study, but must always be taught through and clearly related to the teaching of substantive science content in the programme of study. Throughout the notes and guidance, examples show how scientific methods and skills might be linked to specific elements of the content.

Pupils should read and spell scientific vocabulary at a level consistent with their increasing word-reading and spelling knowledge at key stage 1.

KS2:

The principal focus of science teaching in stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out.

‘Working scientifically’ is described separately at the beginning of the programme of study, but must always be taught through and clearly related to substantive science content in the programme of study. Throughout the notes and guidance, examples show how scientific methods and skills might be linked to specific elements of the content.

Pupils should read and spell scientific vocabulary correctly and with confidence, using their growing word-reading and spelling knowledge.

KS3:

Year 7

Our students start Key Stage 3 with practical experience of Science. We focus our first lessons on laboratory skills and the scientific method of thinking. We then look at the elements and the Periodic Table and build our students knowledge from atoms to molecules and patterns of chemical reactions.

From these building blocks we then move on to a historical journey through the world of Science starting with the Stone Age and learning how early scientific discovery allowed us to develop tools and farming, enabling us to begin changing the world around us. We learn how Science has impacted society through the Bronze and Iron Ages. The harnessing of steam and electricity in Victorian times. The changing of modern warfare in World Wars 1 and 2 and revolutionising of medicine and even allowing mankind to leave the Earth and journey into space.

Years 8 and 9

During upper Key Stage 3 our rolling programme of study focusses on teaching Science in a real-world context. The broad National Curriculum based topics are delivered using workplace scenarios wherever possible. This allows our students to see, first-hand, how Science is used to solve problems, find solutions, and pose questions. Our scheme of work aims to show the importance of Science in the workplace. How Science has impacted upon and is used in industries such as transport and logistics, farming, medicine, retail, communication, and the military to name but a few. Science is everywhere.

KS4:

Years 10 and 11

KS4 Science starts with the AQA Entry Level Science qualification. This is a broad hands-on qualification covering Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students are assessed on their laboratory work with three assessed practical projects followed by three short written tests.

Once completed, our students progress to OCR GCSE Physics. This course takes an academic look at the world of Physics and perfectly complements the teaching of other GCSE subjects at Maplefields. It prepares our students for several careers such as in Electronics, Building and Construction, Radio and Satellite Communication and Motor Vehicle.

The course also looks at the impact of Science on the Environment allowing our students to have a greater understanding of the UK’s place in the Green Revolution.

Main Textbook: OCR Gateway GCSE Physics, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-835983-8