Students in year 7 and 8 have 4 Science lessons per week and will study a range of Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics. Roughly 50% of the KS3 course should be practical investigation work. The scheme of work that we use is called Activate Science.
Year 7 Biology Topics
- Structure and function of body systems
Year 7 Chemistry Topics
- Particles and their behaviour
- Atoms, elements and compounds
- Acids and alkalis
Year 7 Physics Topics
Year 8 Biology
- Health and lifestyle
- Ecosystems and processes
- Adaptations and inheritance
Year 8 Chemistry Topics
- The periodic table
- Separation techniques
- Metals and acids
- The earth
Year 8 Physics Topics
- Electricity and magnetism
- Motion and pressure
Students will complete assessments at the end of each topic and these assessment grades will be used to inform their assessment point data. They will also sit an end of year exam, which will examine everything they have studied throughout that year.
Year 9 Science
Students in year 9 have 3 science lessons per week and will be set 1 piece of homework per week.
At the end of year 8 students will complete a transition test to assess which areas need to be consolidated before they go on to start the GCSE course. These units will be taught in the first half term of year 9.
Following the October half term students will begin the AQA GCSE content. The content covered is listed below.
- Cell biology
- Cell division and transport in cells
- Cellular organisation
- Atomic structure
- The periodic table
At the end of year 9 students will be allowed to opt to take separate sciences or will take the compulsory dual science. This is currently offered to students who achieve a level 6A or above, however this will change at the end of the current year 9 in line with the new 1-9 grading system.
In order to support you child in science you can purchase a revision guide. We recommend the CGP guides. These will be available through parent pay later in the year. If you have already purchased a revision guide it can be used in year 7, 8 and 9.
Please encourage students to watch the news, read the science and technology pages of newspapers and to watch science based documentaries. Not only will this improve their interest in the subject but will allow them to apply the knowledge they learn in lessons to a real life situation.
You can also direct them to the websites listed below. These are key stage specific sites that will help your child with homework and revision.