Science

We offer a science curriculum that inspires curiosity, excitement and understanding about the world around them through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics whilst supporting the Fundamental British Values. 

The curriculum ensures progression of skills and cumulative learning, building on and supporting learning strategies. Subject specific vocabulary is taught and built upon as topics are revisited to ensure conceptual understanding in order to be used accurately and precisely. 

Key Stage 3

The aim of the science department is develop enquiry skills in science so that students are able to develop and test a hypothesis, be able to explain why a variables must be controlled. We aim to do this by balancing content with practical skills and have placed a large emphasis on practical skills and data analysis on our formative assessments.

Profile of the students at La Retraite

Students arrive with a vast range in ability in science, this discrepancy seems to be due to some primary schools putting different amount of emphasis on science. One of the key challenges we have to overcome is the discrepancy in graph skills, general physics in in science (biology is the best science that is covered) the most importantly is reading scales of graphs and trying to plot a line of best fit. This is going to be even more of a challenge as the new intake in 2021 would have had some  major gaps in learning due to remote learning and removal of SATs will have had an impact on numeracy and key maths skills used in science.

Year 7, Term 1

The 1st topic we will be doing is a biology topic, almost all of our students from primary school will have encountered cell biology so there are very little discrepancies amongst the new intake. This is not as conceptually difficult, there will be more recall here so lessons will have significant amount of spot checks to remember parts of animal and plant cells. These will be done in class as quizzed. We have decided to introduce a key element of KS4 biology which is magnification. This is comes into cell Biology in year 9 and many students find the magnification questions very difficult – especially when taking measurements from an image. Students will be focusing on using magnification equation and steps on how to use the microscope to focus a clear image – note only top sets will have to deal with units.

The first term we will be focusing a significant amount of teaching time getting all students to a decent base line for practical skills and graph plotting, and we sequence skills to plug gaps, we get students to plot data of a spring (force Vs extension). The key skill is to be able to plot data, (including the linear and non-linear graphs) we chose this task as we will purposefully push the spring beyond its elastic limit so that students will have to plot a non-linear scale. We will also introduce a very important concept to them which is systematic error. For more able students they will hopefully spot the anomalous results and give a reason for it which is incorporated into the FA.

This topic will set the groundwork for forces and motion which is done at the end of year 10. We will topic will be reinforced in year 8 when they learn about forces and motion and in year 9 when they look at weight and GP. Term 1 we will work with maths so that we both are focusing on linear and non-linear graphs, students will be expected to use term directly proportional and recognise graphs which are or are not, similar assessments from HL quizzes in both subjects.

The next area we will do is the particle model of matter, which is very important for them to have a good foundation as this is a large part of GCSE physics (particle model covered in year 9) chemistry (atoms and chemical reactions covered in year 9 and 10) as well as biology when they study diffusion in year 10. Almost all students will have met this concept at KS2 but there are frequent misconceptions – especially when it comes to drawing particles in a solid and liquids.

Again, there is a large emphasis on scientific enquiry, they will be assessed on practical skills (that were introduced in forces topic) The focus will be on planning out an investigation deciding on variables. We work with maths so that this term we will introduce means / average calculations which are mirrored in maths. Both subjects will be assessing students in HL tasks so that students link in maths skills in science to what they do in maths.

Year 7, Term 2

Main emphasis is physics and chemistry, we tackle light and sound topic with an emphasis on the eye and the ear in the role of detecting the stimulus. This is needed as a grounding for year 11 when they do the waves topic. It is reinforced in year 8 when they look at infrared and convection and radiation as well as particle model in year 9. The key skill which students have no clue about is using protractor in mearing angles. We show them how to use a protractor to measure angles of light rays whilst maths does some key work on angles in trigonometry.

For chemistry they look at separating techniques they key skill is applying maths skills to collected data and involves them working out RF values and taking measurement of distance using a ruler which is reinforced in year 11 when they do chemical analysis.

Year 7, Term 3

Year 7’s will have a very hands on approach to the topic electricity, a large emphasis will be on building circuits and testing components. These skills will be further honed in on in year 10 when they take GCSE electricity topic and will need to make IV graphs of components and investigate length VS resistance. They will again be assessed on practical skills on setting up a circuit to work out the resistance of a component or a length of wire depending on ability.

Biology is covered in Summer 2 with topic on reproduction it covers PSHE criteria (KS3 H7, H35, R33)

The key skill here is writing an extended scientific answer (6 mark) using data that is provided.

We link in the British value of Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs when we take the lesson on contraceptives. We explain different methods (including catholic method of natural family planning) and explain to students that people have the right to choose which method they want to use and that we should not judge them if they have a different method that is based on religion or beliefs.

This is reinforced later when the look at abortion and IVF.

Year 8, Term 1

Students will get a good grounding of chemical reactions as well as chemical formulae, how atoms are arranged in the period table and properties of metals and group 1, 7 and 0. Students will be spending much time being able to look at formula and work out how many each type of atom is present in a compound and recognise common compounds. They will be introduced to balancing equations which will build the foundations for quantitative chemistry which will be used again in year 10.

We will build on this with the melting and boiling points of group 1 and 7 which is a key element that they return to in year 9 term 1

Particular feedback is given to students on being able to recognise chemical and physical properties and recognise how the properties of elements will change in a chemical reaction, all students will be able to give examples of this for say forming water.

Quantitative chemistry is further supported in the spring term when they learn chemical reactions, they will have the idea of chemical reactions enforced again and be able to make predictions and to be able to name common compounds which include salts, water and methane for higher students. This is setting foundations for year 10 term 1 topic.

Students will start with the energy topic – we begin to use terms like energy stored and pathways which will be new to them and has been a challenge for us to get students to be able to use these new terms which are not used in primary schools. This has been updated in the curriculum and if students have been taught it before they will most certainly not refer to energy stores and pathways.

This covers RSHE H14 Physical activity and health students are able to work out energy form different food on a food label and link how different forms of exercise need various amounts of energy.

We will also try and work on recognising units and prefixes (particularly milli and kilo) and get students comfortable with using very large and small numbers – they will be introduced to standard form which will be reinforced in maths lessons when they are in year 9. We will be working on converting answers to different significant figures which will be mirrored with the maths department. Then trying to convert units in particularly converting years into seconds and cm and km into m.

Year 8, Term 2

Students will start by reinforcing what they did in year 7 with reproductions topic. We will start to introduce adaptations which is reinforced in year 9 cell biology. Then apply it to variation and lastly apply this to natural selection, students are taught about the peppered moths and should be able to explain how this links to natural selection which is covered again when they get to year 11. We will focus on British values here with the idea that we have tolerance of those with different beliefs, especially as scientists we need to use data to verify a theory and that fact that theories are modified if the data no longer.

We will introduce a new type of graph and get students to be able to tell the difference between discontinuous and continuous data. Maths department will also introduce the idea of bar graphs, histograms and scatter graphs. In the second part of the term, we will check understanding of rearranging formulae and using the triangle as a way to double check if they are correct.   

Year 8, Term 3

Students will be looking at health, a challenge for use teaching in London is get students to appreciate the importance of balanced diet, especially when junk food is in abundance and very cheap. We will cover digestion of food with important emphasis on importance of a balanced diet and health issues related to a deficiency of a nutrient or food groups. This cover RSHE H17 Unhealthy diets, the unit also cover H20 on drugs and the effects.

We have added lessons on vaccines and have put extra emphasis on the danger of spreading fake news which is becoming more of an issue, and something ALL students will need to be aware of. We will look at the pros and cons of mass vaccinations and how fake news has lead to many people being strongly against vaccines and the pit falls of this. This covers RSHE H19. This lesson will also use data which will be adapted from data obtained about the vaccination of COVID which will be updated by SSH in March 2021.

Key skill we will be assessing is the ability to use formula and layout the workings in a logical manner. We will also work on oracy skills when they learn about renewable energy resources. A big challenge is that many of our students have limited knowledge of the impact of global warming and carbon footprint. We aim to have them understand the consequences of our carbon footprint by the time they leave year 11 this is an important part.

Later they will be doing speed and motion, we spend some time reinforcing the forces that they did in year 7s and get students to be able to use the speed / distance and time triangle. All students will also be told how to rearrange the equation and have opportunity to work on this crucial maths skill.

The formative task is now to assess if students graph skills have improved since year 7, they will be assessed on preparing appropriate scales, plotting points, drawing lines of best fit and describing graphs. They will also be assessed on rearranging the pressure formula and being able to identify key information from a question to put into a formula.

Year 9

In 9 students will study topics that build on key elements studied in year 7 and 8. In particular cell, the biology builds on year 7 term 1 biology. Students will already have ideas about organelles from plant and animals as well as the magnification equation.

When they do structure of the atom and the periodic table they will build on properties on groups and balanced chemical equations which were covered in year 8.

The topic on photosynthesis and respiration builds heavily on the balanced diet (in year 8) and cell biology (year 7) when we looked at photosynthesis (adaptation of plant cells).

 Energy topic is probably the most challenging for us as we really need to break down the stereotype which seems to surround females doing physics and engineering. There is quite  a heavy maths demand and there are plenty of equations for students to have to memorise. The equations are also very challenging as they have to deal with squaring and square root functions. We worked with maths to ask them to support students in rearranging the formulae for kinetic energy and elastic potential energy. We do use the triangle method to rearrange a formulae. We try and get a specific reading skill of getting students to skim read a questions link the units to the symbols and then get students to select the triangle which they all learn off by heart and draw on the front page of the test paper. Students have used the triangle method in year 7 and 8 so should be familiar with this but are now dealing with many equations that they need to memorise.

Year 9s also study structure and bonding which does build on the electron structure in atoms which was taught to them in term 1. But now they need to relate the type of bond to explain the properties of the material.

The last topic of year 9 is another physics topic is the particle model of matter which builds on the year 7 topic on particle model which was covered in chemistry.

Key Stage 4

We have a very high retention of our students that do A level sciences with us, we have diverted a large amount of teaching resources to developing out students practical analysis and maths skills.

Ensuring progression and retention

We have carefully mapped out the key areas of KS4 that are vital for students to succeed in the course and the foundations of these are covered in year 7 and 8. Students start the GCSE science at the start of year 9 and the GCSE is covered over 3 years.

In year 10 and 11 we run a weekly parallel revision in which we set students weekly revision tasks and do a 10 minute assessments to ensure that students are retaining this knowledge.

Our aim is to have all of the paper 1 content from AQA done by Easter in year 10 (50% of the course) . Students will set 2 paper 1 series exams in year 10 the first being after Easter and the second at the end of the year.

Year 10

We teach the remaining topics of paper 1 and with the weekly parallel revision revisit paper 1 content that was covered in year 9. Students will have a significant amount of exam practice after Easter to get them used to the format and exam technique required for the GCSE science exam.

In the Summer once the paper 1 series exams have been done we start with the paper 2 with a predominant focus on ecology and sustainable development – these are from biology and chemistry but have very similar themes.

Year 11

We continue the parallel revision of year 9 and 10 topic, complete teaching of the papers 2 series. With an initial emphasis on Biology and physics so that we can facilitate a full paper 2 mock exam by Spring 1 for Physics and Biology.