Course Information: Science at KS3 – Catalyst Scheme of Work.

Science at KS4 - Core, Core & Additional and Separate Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) – AQA Examination board.

AS and A2 Chemistry (AQA), AS and A2 Biology (OCR) and AS and A2 Physics (OCR advancing Physics).

Trips, Visits and other Links.
We have links with University of Glamorgan with their “Hands on Science programme” (KS4), and links with Cardiff University (KS5 trips). Our annual Science prize for Endeavour in Science is also kindly sponsored by a local company, International Rectifier.

Awards.

Two year 11 Science prizes are presented at our annual Awards Evening, a Science Shield for Endeavour and a Science Cup for the best year 11 student. Science competitions are held in class and for the school Eisteddford. Merits and commendations are also awarded.

Useful Websites.

The BBC bitesize websites are an extremely useful resource for pupils at both KS4 and KS3

Science Department.

As a department we always aim to make Science in school as relevant as possible to student’s everyday life and seek to make links with their own experiences. Experimential learning via practicals and other hands on activities play a large part in Science lessons. All students are encouraged to undertake both peer and self-assessment which allows them to identify their strengths and areas for development, thereby helping them to improve.

Students in KS3 have 6 one hour lessons per fortnight and study a wide variety of units covering the areas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. They are generally taught by one member of staff throughout the year. KS3 work is now done during years 7 and 8, with GCSE Core Science beginning in year 9. Core and Additional Science are allocated 5 one hour lessons per fortnight and are usually taught by science subject specialists. Students achieving good grades for Core Science in year 9 will progress to Additional Science (a second GCSE) during year 10, while students requiring more support to achieve their potential with Core Science will be given the opportunity to improve their Core science grade during year 10. Students who succeed at Additional Science during year 10 will then continue working towards the award of Separate Sciences during year 11, which will lead to 3 separate GCSE grade, while others will continue with Additional Science during year 11 to ensure they achieve the best possible GCSE grade they can.

By following this type of personalised learning, we aim to help students to maximise their potential in Science. Assessment & Homework At KS3, students undertake a level assessed task at the end of every unit, which is peer assessed, then self-assessed and then finally teacher assessed. Improvement targets are provided at every stage so that students can develop their understanding and use this to improve their performance in the future. A variety of both written and more practically based homework tasks are set throughout the year for pupils in KS3 which also allow Science staff to identify areas that their students are doing very well at, or struggling with so that problems can be dealt with as and when they occur. At KS4, Core Science is assessed via regular internal tests in all 3 Sciences and also externally via 6 x 30 minute multiple choice GCSE examinations (in March and June) which make up 75% of the Core Science GCSE plus one piece of coursework (25%) which is completed during normal Science lessons. Additional Science is also assessed internally via interim tests and then in June via 3 x 45 minute GCSE free response examination papers (75%) and one piece of coursework, again undertaken during normal Science lessons (25%). Students studying Separate Sciences build upon their Core and Additional Science work and sit 3 x 45 minute free response external GCSE examinations and require 3 pieces of coursework, one for each Science discipline (undertaken throughout KS4) to complete their 3 Separate Science GCSEs. All KS4 students are also regularly set a variety of homework tasks which further allow their progress and achievement to be monitored.

As Students at KS4 sit external GCSE examinations throughout years 9, 10 and 11, it is vital that they are present in school on these examination dates.

Revision/Study Support:
All science staff are friendly and approachable and are more than happy to provide extra help to their students as and when required – please encourage your children to ask if they are struggling! Staff often help both KS3 and KS4 students during lunchtimes when needed and regular revision sessions are held after-school on a Tuesday (3.15- 4.15pm) for KS4 students whose GCSE examinations are approaching. The Science department also provide revision sessions during the Easter holidays for GCSE students. Revision guides for any of the GCSE Science courses can be purchased through the school at a discounted rate via the Head of Science – please ask for more details.