The Sciences

Intent of the Science Curriculum: 

Science has the capacity to inspire and motivate students by allowing them to gain an understanding and curiosity of the natural world around them and how Science is used in their everyday lives.  As such, Science is at the very core of a school’s curriculum. Science links together different subjects and enhances learning across the curriculum by the development and use of cross curricular links.

The intent of the Science Curriculum at Ferryhill School embodies three key principles;

Progression:

Students follow a curriculum that has been designed to ensure it is progressive in nature, drawing on their prior learning and building throughout five years to ensure breadth and depth of knowledge.

Enquiry:

Students will undertake activities about scientific enquiry to learn about the scientific process and ‘Science in Society’ to give students awareness of the world around them.

Enrichment:

Students will study inspiring academic content with enrichment and practical opportunities for all to encourage a love and curiosity of Science.

By following our key PEE principles, we believe This will allow students who study Science at Ferryhill School to become individuals with integrity, creativity and excellence.

Implementation of the Science Curriculum:

Year 7 + 8 Science Curriculum

The provision in Year 7 and Year 8 has a focus to secure a knowledge and skill base to prepare for GCSE.  The curriculum is mapped against the national curriculum programme of study to ensure seamless progression from KS2 using the AQA Activate KS3 scheme of work. In Year 7 and 8 students will cover ten key areas from the AQA Activate scheme of work including; Forces, Electromagnets, Energy, Waves, Matter, Reactions, Earth, Organisms, Ecosystems and Genes which are then separated into two key areas of study per strand. At the end of each strand students will carry out a summative assessment covering content from each of the ten key areas.  

Y9 Science Curriculum

In Year 7 and 8 students cover the fundamentals of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. In Year 9 students build on and develop these fundamental concepts that they have learned in terms of their disciplinary knowledge. Students are introduced to the GCSE units Cell Biology, Organisation, Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table, Bonding, Energy, Electricity and the Particle Model at this stage. The understanding of these units is paramount to success in Year 10 and 11. At this stage there is an emphasis on practical work and key skills such as data interpretation, graph work and question decoding skills that are needed to answer GCSE exam level questions.  

Y10 + 11 Science Curriculum

In Year 10 and Y11 students commence formal coverage of the GCSE program of study.  The curriculum allows for two routes of study at both a higher and foundation tier of entry:

·         AQA Separate Science.

·         AQA Combined Science.

In Year 10 students cover more advanced content such as Bioenergetics, Chemical Changes and Radiation which require a prerequisite of embedded knowledge. In Year 11 emphasis is placed on reviewing previously covered material, revision techniques and exam technique to ensure the most positive outcomes for students.  

The Wider Curriculum

A dedicated teacher with a passion for Science focused extra - curricular activities is now leading FBEC Adventures and our STEAM initiative. The department operates a STEAM club run by two staff early on in their careers and supported by a very experienced technician.  This allows for additional cross curricular links with Maths, Technology and ICT in a context that although linked to the Science Curriculum sits outside of it.

Impact of the Science Curriculum:

The intended outcomes of the Science curriculum are to give students the skills, knowledge and understanding to make a positive use of their science education in a real - world situation to facilitate a positive contribution to British society.

Regular timed formative assessments and termly summative assessments allow staff to monitor progress and where necessary intervene and provide feedback to parents, carers and students. Over time, assessment information will indicate that pupils have a secure grasp to the best of their individual ability of the intended knowledge for particular units as well as prior learning. Final outcomes are measured in external exams which are then evaluated through exam analysis.

Careers in Science:

Science is a highly valued subject that nurtures the development of transferable skills essential for the work place. Science provides a foundation for many science-related and unrelated careers such as: doctor, vet, physiotherapist, chemist, beautician, plumber, nurse, architect, surveyor, engineer, farmer, sports trainer, lawyer, journalist, computer games developer, marine biologist and electrician, to name but a few. A strong knowledge of at least one of the sciences will be highly desirable if not essential.