KS3 Courses

We firmly believe that 'if you give us a child at Year 7 we will give you a Scientist at the end of Year 11'. All Science is taught with a positive attitude and with reference to real world examples.

Key Stage 3 (Years 7 - 9)

The National Curriculum to Key Stage 3 has been introduced through an active approach to Science. There are four Attainment Targets:

• Life Processes & Living Things (Biology)
• Physical Processes (Physics)
• Materials & Their Properties (Chemistry)
• Scientific Enquiry

Years 7 & 8

All pupils have three periods of Science in Years 7 and 8. The National Curriculum programme of study is taught through an active experimental and investigative approach, which engages pupils and encourages their full participation.

The topics covered in Year 7 are:

• Scientific Enquiry exercises throughout
• Investigating Science
• Materials
• Energy
• Forces
• Water
• Life
• Reproduction
• Separating Mixtures

Topics covered in Year 8 Science Courses are:

• Scientific Enquiry exercises throughout
• Energy Transfer and Resources
• Microbes & Health
• The Atmosphere
• Sound and Light
• Electricity and Magnetism
• Living Things in their Environment
• The Earth in Space
• Acids and Alkalis

In both Years 7 and 8 pupils are monitored and assessed by means of topic tests and an end of year exmination. Pupils are encouraged to take some responsibility for their own learning by regular self-assessment and target setting, which is recorded on an individual record card.

In Year 8 teaching groups are organised into five groups. Pupils are placed in appropriate groups based on overall performance in Year 7. Pupils are then more formally 'set' at the end of Year 8.

Year 9

The Separate Sciences are taught to all pupils, by specialist teachers. All pupils have one period a week of each Separate Science - Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

All pupils follow the same core scheme of work throughout KS3, regardless of grouping. Assessment of the National Curriculum is related to four Attainment Targets and both practical and theory attainment is assessed throughout the Key Stage 3 course. Reporting of this assessment will take place at the end of Year 9 on completion of the Key Stage 3 Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) and Teacher Assessment (TA). Pupils are entered for one of two tiers for the SATs. The tier of entry is based on the pupil's work during the Key Stage and TA.

It should be noted that Year 10 groupings are based only on teacher assessment and choice of GCSE course not on the results of the SATs.