Key Stage 4 Overview

Science can help us to understand the natural world from how cell replication allows organisms to grow, to why diamond so strong or even how stars are formed in the vast expanses of the universe. Our curriculum helps students to appreciate the achievements of science showing how the complex and diverse phenomena of the natural world can be described in terms of a number of key ideas relating to the sciences which are inter-linked, and which are of universal application. In the current climate it is important that we are able to analyse information and think critically about the impact humans are having on our planet. Our curriculum has been designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the scientific knowledge and ideas that will impact them as individuals within both local and global contexts so that they can be the scientists, innovators and problem solvers of tomorrow.

As a core subject of the National Curriculum, Science is compulsory in Year 10 and 11. Most students will study AQA Combined Science Trilogy GCSE across 6 lessons per week. A small number of students may choose to study Triple Science: AQA Biology, Chemistry and Physics across 9 lessons per week. Within Combined Science students are awarded 2 GCSE grades on a 17-grade scale e.g. 9-9, 9-8, 8-8. With Triple science students are awarded grade 9-1 for each discipline.

All assessment is done through the terminal exam of which there are 6 papers, two for each of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Some students will be entered for Higher Tier papers and some students will be entered for Foundation Tier papers.

The topics we study are:

Year 10
Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Organisation (Digestive system)	Chemistry of the atmosphere	Atomic structure & radiation
Organisation (circulatory system)	Energy changes	Forces
Infection and response	Chemical changes	Electricity
Homeostasis and response (nerves)	Electrolysis	Energy
Homeostasis and response (hormones)	Quantitative chemistry
	Using resources

 

Year 11
Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Cell biology	The rate of chemical change	Waves
Inheritance	Chemical analysis	Forces and motion
Classification	Organic chemistry	Magnetism
Ecology