Science

Intent

Our Science Department at Chilton Trinity will be embedding the “Big Ideas of Science Education” (Harlen, et al, 2010) to ensure that our students have a solid foundation of knowledge of the scientific world (please see link below). Throughout these units of work there will be four underlying themes that run throughout all scientific concepts:

Science is about finding the cause or the cause of phenomena in the natural world (“Science explains the world around me”).
Scientific explanations, theories and models are those that best fit the evidence available at the time (“Scientific theories are based on the evidence available”).
The knowledge produced by science is used in engineering and technologies to create products to serve human ends (“Science underpins medicine and technology.”).
Applications of science often have ethical, social, economic and political implications (“Science has ethical and social implications.”).

In delivering science, students need to develop the ability to ask questions and to spot patterns. They need dexterity when performing experiments and need to report accurately and fairly, even if the outcomes are not the desired. Integrity is vital and patience a necessity. Students will develop the art of compromise and teamwork as well as the ability to work independently.

The curriculum has been designed to allow topics to be revisited with frequency and for the complexity at each stage to be increased. Planning, analysing and concluding experiments will initially be taught in chunks, and as confidence grows, independence will follow. The questions that are asked will grow in complexity so that the ability to evaluate, compare and contrast, will become more evident as the key-stage unfolds.

We will also have a focus on careers within science. Where ever possible we will be looking to have speakers come in (physically or online) or to take students out into the workplace so that they can experience both traditional jobs and emerging roles affected by science in the working world.

Our aim is to develop the next wave of scientists, who understand how science is applicable to their everyday lives; for them to challenge what they hear and read in the media, be inquisitive of their surroundings, and to never stop asking the question ‘why?’.

Key Stage 3

Our KS3 is delivered in rotations to ensure that our students get the time to gain mastery of the subject and to be taught by a subject specialist. The rotations are in line with the 6 units and each class will cover 2 units of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Key Stage 4

We have two pathways in KS4 Science – Combined Science and Triple Science. Triple Science has been an option subject in the existing model and has been selected by the student, although this is due to change for the current Year 9s. For both pathways we use the AQA Trilogy exam board. Students can be entered for Foundation or Higher tier. Students entered for the Foundation tier can achieve a grade up to a 5. Students entered for the Higher tier can achieve between a 4 and a 9.

Combined Science is worth 2 GCSEs. At the end of Year 11 students will sit six papers that are each 1 hour and 15 minutes – two Biology, two Chemistry and two Physics.

Triple Science is worth three GCSEs, one for each discipline. At the end of Year 11, students will sit six papers that are each 1 hour and 45 minutes – two Biology, two Chemistry and two Physics.

Combined Science:

In Year 10, students will be taught elements of Biology, Chemistry and Physics within each unit. Each class is taught by two teachers with different specialisms in order to cover two thirds of the content with a specialist teacher.

Extra Curricular

STEM Club is every Wednesday 15.00 to 16.15. Students will be given the opportunity to work towards the Bronze Crest Award by working on various challenges independently.

https://www.crestawards.org/