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Intent 

The intent of the science curriculum is to promote an interest in science and its importance as a subject in the modern world. The curriculum intends to provide students with the necessary skills to become competent scientists with a broad knowledge base. These skills which include investigation and enquiry is built on throughout the cyclic nature of the KS3 course and through KS4 by the delivery of the GCSE required practicals and other investigations delivered throughout the course. 

The emphasis on investigation skills is important as not only is this an essential skill for scientists as this is how the scientific model has allowed humans to develop as a society, it is also a great transferrable skill that will help the students in other areas of their education. 

The curriculum intends to make students more aware of their own place in the world and universe also how their bodies work and the role of science in society and how science is critical to our modern world. 

The intent of the cyclic nature of the science curriculum is to revisit topics annually during KS3 and then again ta KS4 to build on prior learning and to try to make the learning more concrete as it is revisited and consolidated more frequently. 

Implementation

Pupils learning journey in science at Friesland begins in key stage 3. Our spiralised sequence of the key stage 3 curriculum ensures that there is clear progression of the powerful knowledge pupils will acquire which enables pupils to develop a strong understanding of scientific concepts. This progressive journey through our key stage 3 curriculum ensures that concepts within science are continually interleaved and revisited which strengthens pupil’s memory retrieval and for pupils to make connections between the big ideas within science. The big ideas pupils explore are:

  • All matter in the Universe is made of very small particles
  • Objects can affect other objects at a distance
  • Changing the movement of an object requires a net force to be acting on it
  • The total amount of energy in the universe is always the same but can be transferred from one energy store to another during an event
  • The composition of the earth and its atmosphere, and the processes occurring within them, shape the earth’s surface and its climate
  • Our solar system is a very small part of one of billions of galaxies in the universe
  • Organisms are organised on a cellular basis and have a finite life span
  • Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they often depend on, or compete with, other organisms
  • Genetic information is passed down from one generation of organisms to another
  • The diversity of organisms, living and extinct, is the result of evolution

Our medium-term plans in key stage 3 make strong links to the knowledge and understanding pupils would have acquired at key stage 2 to build on this and extend pupils understanding further. Diagnostic questions in our Year 7 curriculum effectively establish individual pupils starting points and their preconceptions in science so that these can be built upon. Each medium-term plan plans outlines the rationale for our sequencing to explain how the scientific concepts link to prior and delivered future learning.

Throughout our key stage 3 curriculum opportunities are built in to make links to the world of work to enhance the careers and the applications of science locally and globally. Each of our key stage 3 classes are named by scientists who have made contributions towards understanding the world around us and reflect the diverse scientific community:

  • Marie M Daly
  • Min Chueh Chang
  • Henrietta Swan Leavitt
  • Sir David Attenborough
  • James Clerk Maxwell
  • Marie Curie
  • Martyn Poliakoff
  • Rosalind Franklin

100% sheets

Our year 7 science curriculum embeds the use of the 100% sheets which act as an effective tool in supporting pupils to acquire the powerful knowledge. The 100% sheets support pupils to have a solid foundation in their scientific knowledge to enable pupils to develop a strong understanding, as well as the connections between and application of complex scientific concepts.

Investigative Science Skills

The development of pupils’ scientific investigative skills is progressive in the curriculum journey at Friesland. The skills are mapped across the two years to ensure comprehensive coverage which enables pupils to master the skills with confidence. At the start of key stage, Year 7 learn to name and identify different pieces of scientific equipment. This progresses onto being able to use equipment to take measurements whereas further along in the curriculum pupils have to justify why they have selected pieces of equipment based up on accuracy of the measurements which can be made.

Literacy

The development of pupil’s literacy is an integral part of our curriculum in enabling pupils to articulate their understanding of the scientific concepts confidently.  The 100% sheets in the year 7 curriculum support pupils to have a strong understanding of the tier 3 vocabulary and act as a scaffold for pupils to utilise these words when explaining their scientific ideas.  Alongside this, there is the explicit delivery of the tier 3 vocabulary with strategies like dual coding and the use of the Frayer model.

Maths skills 

Cross curricular links within maths ensure that the skills pupils learn in maths are consistent with those techniques learnt in science. This supports pupil’s confidence and reduces cognitive overload, for instance, pupils learn the techniques of how to re-arrange a calculation rather then re-calling the calculation triangle.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is integral part of our curriculum to assess pupils’ levels of knowledge recall and understanding of scientific concepts. Regular retrieval challenge quizzes throughout the curriculum are effective in assessing the strengths of pupil’s memory recall of the powerful knowledge and for us to be responsive to pupils learning as gaps in knowledge are revisited and further practice is given. Big questions assess pupils’ levels of understanding of the scientific concepts and the links between them. The interleaving of the scientific concepts in the big questions support pupils active recall of knowledge from prior learning as well as encouraging pupils to apply the concepts being assessed. The big questions act as a tool in identifying misconceptions and gaps in knowledge which enable us to respond by pupils revisiting and relearning concepts followed by further practice.

Formative practical assessments allow pupils to demonstrate their progress in the scientific investigative skill in the areas which they have developed at that point in the curriculum. These assessments encourage pupils to think critically as a scientist by designing an investigation to test a hypothesis, collecting and analysing data to make valid conclusions.

The skills pupils have mastered are identified through the use of these assessments as well as the areas which pupils need to strengthen along their journey through our curriculum.

Summative Assessment

There are 3 summative assessments points for each year at key stage 3. These take in form of cumulative synoptic tests which measure the progress pupils have made over time. The data from these summative tests are analysed at the individual question level to inform us how well pupils can recall and apply the powerful knowledge and scientific concepts. From this analysis the curriculum can be tailored to support pupils learning journey through focused GAP style lessons whether it be whole cohort or key pupils.

Data from summative assessments are continually reviewed and evaluated to assess the impact of our curriculum has on pupils learning journey. The information is acted on to decide which areas of the curriculum and pedagogical practices to support delivery can be strengthened.

Pupils learning journey at key stage 4 begins in science at Year 9. Our key stage 4 curriculum builds upon the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired at key stage 3 and extends this further. The scientific concepts in biology, chemistry and physics at key stage 4 have been carefully sequenced to ensure there is logical progression to the powerful knowledge pupils will acquire, to enable pupils to develop a strong understanding of scientific concepts. Our spiralised key stage 4 curriculum ensures that concepts within science learnt in year 9 are interleaved and revisited in year 10 and 11 but at greater depth and detail. This supports pupil’s memory retrieval and their confidence in being able to apply their understanding to a range of different contexts.

Exam board

Pupils study towards the AQA specification. Most pupils study towards the AQA Combined Science: Trilogy GCSE course apart from a selection of students in each year group 10-11 who study the AQA single science GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Investigative Science Skills

The development of pupils’ scientific investigative skills builds upon those which pupils have acquired at key stage 3. As part of the AQA specification pupils complete required practical’s which are mapped to specific scientific concepts outlined in the AQA specification.

The required practical’s allow pupils to demonstrate the progress in their scientific investigative skill in the areas which they have developed at that point in the curriculum. The required practical’s encourage pupils to think critically as a scientist by designing an investigation to test a hypothesis, collecting and analysing data to make valid conclusions.

The completion of required practical’s indicates the skills pupils have mastered the skill, and identifies the areas which pupils need to strengthen which can be tailored to pupils along their journey through our key stage 4 curriculum.

Literacy

The development of pupil’s literacy is an integral part of our curriculum in enabling pupils to articulate their understanding of the scientific concepts confidently and become scientifically literate. There is explicit delivery of the tier 3 vocabulary with strategies like dual coding and the use of the Frayer model. Pupils are frequently assessed in their memory recall of the tier 3 words through the use of Do Now activities and the retrieval challenge quizzes.

In preparing pupils for examinations there is greater emphasis at key stage 4 on developing pupils’ skills on comprehension and how to answer questions successfully. Pupils develop the skills on how to answer questions depending on the command word and structure longer extended responses when explaining their scientific ideas.

Maths skills 

Cross curricular links within maths ensure that the skills pupils learn in maths are consistent with those techniques learnt in science. This supports pupil’s confidence and reduces cognitive overload, for instance, pupils learn the techniques of how to re-arrange a calculation rather then re-calling the calculation triangle.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is an integral part of our curriculum to assess pupils’ levels of knowledge recall and understanding of scientific concepts. Regular retrieval challenge quizzes throughout the curriculum are effective in assessing the strengths of pupil’s memory recall of the powerful knowledge and for us to be responsive to pupils learning as gaps in knowledge are revisited and further practice is given. Big questions assess pupils’ levels of understanding of the scientific concepts and the links between them. The interleaving of the scientific concepts in the big questions support pupils active recall of knowledge from prior learning as well as encouraging pupils to apply the concepts being assessed. The big questions act as a tool in identifying misconceptions and gaps in knowledge which enable us to respond by pupils revisiting and relearning concepts followed by further practice. In year 11, formative assessment takes place in the form are more frequent exam practice. This is to ensure pupils are gain exam technique skills and apply what they have learnt in being able to answer questions successfully.

Summative Assessment

There are 3 summative assessments points for each year at key stage 4. These take in form of cumulative synoptic tests/global papers using past paper questions from AQA exam pro, which are used to measure the progress pupils have made over time. The data from these summative tests are analysed at the individual question level to inform us how well pupils can recall and apply the powerful knowledge and scientific concepts. From this analysis, the curriculum can be tailored to support pupils learning journey through focused GAP style lessons whether it be whole cohort or key pupils.

Data from summative assessments are continually reviewed and evaluated to assess the impact of our curriculum has on pupils learning journey. The information is acted on to decide which areas of the curriculum and pedagogical practices to support delivery can be strengthened.

At key stage 5 we offer the opportunity for students to explore the big ideas within science in biology, chemistry and physics and greater breadth and depth. Pupils acquire the skills to become independent, critical thinkers in order to apply their scientific concepts in a wide range of contexts.

Pupils study towards the OCR specification in A-level Biology, Chemistry and Physics.