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St. Columba's Catholic Boys' School

Science

Science Curriculum Intent

In Science, we plan, sequence and adapt our curriculum to meet the needs of all our students. By considering the different starting points of all our new students, we aim to deliver lessons that are engaging and challenging. During their journey in science, we would like our students to develop a great interest in learning new aspects about science and to be enthusiastic about the three disciplines of science taught. Students will develop their communitive, analytical and scientific problem-solving skills that they will encounter during their school career and beyond. During our lessons, we aim to maintain the awe and wonder our subject offers to our students by bringing real life situations to our classrooms.

At Key Stage 3, all areas of science are studied that continue to Key stage 4. The Key Stage 3 curriculum serves as a foundation for content that will be covered in Y10 and Y11. At Key Stage 4 we offer our students the opportunity to follow the separate science, or a mixed ability combined science curriculum. The mixed ability classes in combined science ensure that all abilities of students are challenged during lesson time. In Y10 and Y11, Science is taught by specialist teachers where a student will have a teacher for each discipline. Our broad and enriching Key Stage 4 curriculum ensures that our students are provided with sufficient opportunity to continue with science at A-level or IB.

All our science lessons take place in modern labs that have interactive whiteboards. With us having excellent facilities, it enables our students to effectively complete practical’s developing their scientific enquiry skills.

Literacy Intent statement

Scientific literacy is important because it helps in making informed decisions, assists in a better understanding and use of scientific terms, as well as helping with promoting and achieving scientific literacy. In our department, we achieve this by ensuring that all students are exposed to specific scientific keywords in every lesson. Students are given an opportunity to expand their literacy by completing an extending writing task per half term at KS3 where specific focus is placed on the command words used in the task. When students reach KS4, their improved scientific writing skills would be transferred and applied to questions that require practical writing skills and general 6-mark questions.

Key Stage 3 curriculum

Year 7

Y7 Autumn Y7 Spring Y7 Summer
Biology Chemistry Physics
Cell, Tissues, organs and systems Atoms, elements and molecules Forces
Sexual reproduction The particle model Current electricity
Muscles and bones Mixtures and separation Energy
Ecosystems Acids and Alkalis Sound

Year 8 

Y8 Autumn Y8 Spring Y8 Summer
Biology Chemistry Physics
Unicellular and organisms Metals and their uses Fluids
Plants and their reproduction The Periodic table Lights
Breathing and respiration Combustion Energy transfers
Food and nutrition Rocks Earth and space

Year 9 

Y9 Autumn Y9 Spring Y9 Summer
Biology/Chemistry Chemistry/Physics Physics/GCSE
Genetics and evolution Making materials Physics revision and projects
Physics end of unit assessment
Plant growth Chemistry revision and projects
Chemistry end of unit assessment
Core Practical – GCSE practical tasks
1) Microscopes
2) Investigating acceleration
3) Osmosis
4) Preparing copper sulphate
5) Neutralisation
6) Investigating refraction
Biology revision and projects
Biology end of unit assessment
Forces and motion
Reactivity Force fields and electromagnets

Key Stage 4 Curriculum

Y10

Autumn 2022 Spring 2022-23 Summer
Separate Science Separate Science Separate Science
C1 States of matter
C2 Methods of separating and purifying substances
P1 Motion
P2 Forces and motion
B1 Key biological concepts
B3 Genetics
C5 Ionic Bonding
C6 Covalent Bonding
C7 Types of Substance (1&2)
C8 Acids and Alkalis
P5 Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
B5 Health, Disease, and the Development of Medicine
C13 Transition Metals, Alloys, and Corrosion
C14 Quantitative Analysis
C15 Dynamic equilibria, calculations involving gases
P7 Astronomy
B2 Cells and control
P4 Waves
P3 Conservation of Energy
C3 Atomic structure
C4 The periodic table
B4 Natural selection and Genetic Modification
C9 Calculations involving Masses (1&2)
C10 Electrolytic Processes
C11 Obtaining and Using Metals
C12 Reversible Reactions and Equilibria
P6
Radioactivity
End of year exam prep
Combined Science Combined Science Combined Science
C1 States of matter
C2 Methods of separating and purifying substances
P1 Motion
P2 Forces and motion
B1 Key biological concepts
B3 Genetics
C5 Ionic Bonding
C6 Covalent Bonding
C7 Types of Substance (1&2)
C8 Acids and Alkalis
P5 Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
B5 Health, Disease, and the Development of Medicine
C13 Transition Metals, Alloys, and Corrosion
C14 Quantitative Analysis
C15 Dynamic equilibria, calculations involving gases
P7 Astronomy
B2 Cells and control
P4 Waves
P3 Conservation of Energy
C3 Atomic structure
C4 The periodic table
B4 Natural selection and Genetic Modification
C9 Calculations involving Masses (1&2)
C10 Electrolytic Processes
C11 Obtaining and Using Metals
C12 Reversible Reactions and Equilibria
P6 Radioactivity
End of year exam prep

Y11

Autumn 2022 Spring 2022-23 Summer
Separate Science Separate Science Separate Science
P7 Astronomy
B5 Health, Disease, and the Development of Medicine
C14 Quantitative Analysis
C15 and C16 Dynamic equilibria, calculations involving gases
P12 and P13 Magnetism and the Motor Effect Electromagnetic induction
B8 Exchange and transport in Animals
C20 and C21 – Fuels and Earth Science
B9 Ecosystems and materials
P14 and P15
Particle model
C25 and C26 – Qualitative Analysis
P8 and P9 Energy and forces
B6 Plant Structure and their function
C17, C18 and C19 -Groups, Rates of reaction and Energy changes
B8 Exchange and transport in Animals
P12 and P13 Magnetism and the Motor Effect Electromagnetic induction
C22, C23 and C24 – Hydrocarbons, alcohols, and Polymers
P14 and P15 Particle model
B9 Ecosystems and materials
C25 and C26 – Qualitative Analysis
P10 Motion and P11 Electricity and Circuits- static electricity
B6 Plant Structure and their function
C17, C18 and C19 -Groups, Rates of reaction and Energy changes
   
P10 Motion and P11 Electricity and Circuits- static electricity
B7 Animal Coordination
C20 and C21 – Fuels and Earth Science
   
Combined Science Combined Science Combined Science
B6 Plant Structure and their function
C9 Calculations involving Masses
P7 and P8 Energy and forces
B8 Exchange and transport in Animals
C13, C14 and C15 -Groups, Rates of reaction and Energy changes
P10 and P11 Magnetism and the Motor Effect Electromagnetic induction
P12 and P13
Particle model
B9 Ecosystems and materials
C16 and C17 – Fuels and Earth Science
B7 Animal Coordination
C10 Electrolytic Processes
C11 Obtaining and Using Metals
C12 Reversible Reactions and Equilibria
P7 and P8 Energy and forces
B9 Ecosystems and materials
C16 and C17 – Fuels and Earth Science
P10 and P11 Magnetism and the Motor Effect Electromagnetic induction
B9 Ecosystems and materials
C16 and C17 – Fuels and Earth Science
P12 and P13
Particle model
P9 Electricity and circuits
B7 Animal Coordination
C10 Electrolytic Processes
C11 Obtaining and Using Metals
C12 Reversible Reactions
   
P9 Electricity and circuits
B8 Exchange and transport in Animals
C13, C14 and C15 -Groups, Rates of reaction and Energy changes
   

Science Curriculum PlanClick Here

Useful links

GCSE (9-11)
Combined Science – Click Here
Biology – Click Here
Chemistry – Click Here
Physics – Click Here
Combined Science sample exam material – Click Here
Biology  sample exam material – Click Here
Chemistry sample exam material – Click Here
Physics sample exam material – Click Here
Physics equation sheet – Click Here
Science command words – Click Here

Science Photo Gallery 

Science-fair-2022-1 

Science-Iceland-2022-3

Science-Paris-2022-1