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Who are we?

Penny Edwards..........Head of Department
Howard Abramson.....Key Stage 4 Co-ordinator
Graham Riggans........Key Stage 3 Co-ordinator
Sydoney Jones
Lydia Moyo
John Pearson
Andy Scantlebury
John Taiwo

What are our aims?

As a department, it is our aim to inspire and enthuse pupils in the wonders of Science in order that they are motivated to achieve their potential.  We provide a well rounded approach to the National Curriculum and our courses enable pupils of all abilities to achieve.

The department has wealth of teaching experience and expertise from the different disciplines, thus ensuring that our pupils receive an excellent grounding in the principles of Science. We believe it to be very important that students are able to access Science in a way that best suits them and their style of learning. This is why at Key Stage 4, we offer 3 different courses.

Whilst results are important, we believe that part of our role is to encourage pupils to develop a curiosity about Science that will take them into their adult life.

What we do in KS3

We follow the Exploring Science programme of study.which is a very interactive course. All pupils receive their own textbook, to enable them to study at home.
The course covers a wide variety of topics including:-

• How science works
• Organisms, behaviour and health
• Chemical and material behaviour
• Energy, electricity and forces
• The environment, Earth and the universe

Progress is monitored by regular internal assessment

What we do in KS4

Three courses are offered at Key Stage 4 and pupils study the course most suited to their ability.
Our most able students study the separate Sciences and gain 3 GCSEs: ..Biology, Chemisrty and Physics.
The rest of our students study either:
Double Science, a tradional academic course where students gain 2 GCSEs: Core Science and Additional Science.
Or: BTec Applied Science, a vocational course where pupils gain the equivalent of 2 GCSEs.

What we do in KS5

All 3 Science disciplines are offered to students at A level.

Biology will appeal to those students who....

• have an interest in the study of living organisms
• are interested in the developments of ‘new’ biology topics, such as  genetic engineering and their impact on society.

Chemistry will appeal to those students who...

• have an interest in, and enjoyment of chemistry
• enjoy carrying out investigation by the application of imaginative, logical and critical thinking
• want to use chemistry to support other qualifications or progress onto further studies

Physics will appeal to those students who...

• want to find out about how things in the physical world work;
• enjoy applying their mind to solving problems;

How do we do it?

All three course have a modular structure. For both AS and A2, pupils sit modular exams in both January and June.  In addition, there is a assessed practical component to the courses.  The assessments take place during lessons.

Main topics covered in Biology are:

• Cells
• Biodiversity
• Food, Health and Disease
• Evolution
• Communication and Homeostasis
• Genetics
• Biotechnology
• Metabolic processes

Main topics covered in Chemistry are:

• Atoms, Bonds and Groups
• Chains
• Energy and Resources
• Rings
• Polymers
• Analysis.

Main topics covered in Physics:

• Mechanics
• Electrons, Waves and Photons
• Newtonian World
• Fields
• Particles
• Frontiers of Physics

How is my work assessed?

Knowledge, understanding and progress are assessed in two ways:

1. Summatively- work will be assessed according to OCR criteria. All pupils will have regular assessments throughout the course, including mock exam papers.
2. Formatively. From exam papers and assignments, students will be given detailed analysis of where they need to improve and what they need to do in order to raise their standards. Regular assessment aims to pick up any underachievement that maybe occuring and thus develop strategies to imporve progress.

What skills will I develop?

The aims of these specifications are to encourage candidates to:

• develop their interest in and enthusiasm for biology, chemistry and/or physics, including developing an interest in further study and careers in the scientific field;
• appreciate how society makes decisions about scientific issues and how the sciences contribute to the success of the economy and society;
• develop and demonstrate a deeper appreciation of the skills, knowledge and understanding of How Science Works;
• develop essential knowledge and understanding of different areas of biology, chemistry and/or physics and how they relate to each other

Will this course suit me?

The A level courses offered will suit students with a genuine interest in Science and successful completion of the GCSE course. 
The AS specification has been written to provide progression from GCSE Science and GCSE Additional Science, or from GCSE Biology/Chemistry/Physics.  Achievement at a minimum of grade C in these qualifications should be seen as the normal requisite for entry to the AS.  In addition, a minimul of grade C in Mathematics is required to study Physics. 
Continuation to A2 is dependent on successful performance at AS.

Where can it lead?

There is a vast array of Science related careers available, however most of these require successful completion of a Science degree.  Careers in Science following completion of a degree include: medicine, designing chemical warfare, working for NASA and advising on climate change.  In addition, scientific research is a popular career choice. The opportunities available depend on the Science discipline(s) studied and areas of specialisation

How can I find out more?

GCSE courses: - www.aqa.org.uk
BTEC course: - www.edexcel.org.uk
A Level courses: - www.ocr.org.uk

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