Aims
Welcome to Science, where students receive high quality, stimulating lessons that each include a variety of tasks delivered in an innovative and hands-on manner. Students engage in a range of Science concepts, from GM foods to the Higgs Boson through to Mendeleev and Theories of Relativity.
The Science Department at Notre Dame strives to give students a positive teaching and learning experience. Lessons cover not just theoretical content but include a range of practical activities aimed to challenge pupils as well as improve their technical skills.
The Science Department at Notre Dame strives to give students a positive teaching and learning experience. Lessons cover not just theoretical content but include a range of practical activities aimed to challenge pupils as well as improve their technical skills.
Curriculum
Key Stage 3
We deliver the Secondary Science Framework, including How Science Works, which puts the pupils learning in context and encourages them to evaluate the impact of developments on society. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They are encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
In Year 7 and 8 all students follow a two year KS3 curriculum embedding core concepts and skills in preparation for KS4. This consists of 12 topics per year, 4 in each of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Year 7
Biology:
- Cells and organisation
- Reproductive system
- Nutrition
- Ecosystems
- Different states and reactions
- The Periodic Table
- Solutions
- Rocks and the Earth
- Waves and sound
- Space physics
- Light
- Forces and motion
Year 8
Biology:
At the end of Year 8, there is a KS3 test taking place in May/June. Students then progress to GCSE Science in Year 9. Pupils are taught all 3 Science disciplines by the Science staff.
We also have a weekly extra-curricular Science Club for Year 7 and 8 students which includes fun and often messy experiments! This takes place on a Monday. There is also a STEM club on Tuesday lunchtime for Years 7-10 (COVID permitting)..
- Respiration
- Plants
- Genetics
- Human body systems and health
- Chemical reactions
- Acids and alkalis
- Chemical properties
- Atmosphere
- More forces
- Energy and matter
- Electricity
- Energy
At the end of Year 8, there is a KS3 test taking place in May/June. Students then progress to GCSE Science in Year 9. Pupils are taught all 3 Science disciplines by the Science staff.
We also have a weekly extra-curricular Science Club for Year 7 and 8 students which includes fun and often messy experiments! This takes place on a Monday. There is also a STEM club on Tuesday lunchtime for Years 7-10 (COVID permitting)..
Key Stage 4
We follow the AQA suite of GCSE Sciences, offering GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics to one set of pupils where they will gain a grade for each subject at the end of Year 11. The rest of the year group complete the GCSE Trilogy Science, which is a combination of all 3 science disciplines. The course consists of an equal split of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, all of which will be examined on at the end of Year 11 and will result in your child gaining two GCSE Science grades e.g. 7-7, 5-4
There are 24 topics (25 for the triple scientists) which we commence at the start of Year 9 and finish in the spring of Year 11. This means pupils need to keep their exercise books and retain/understand a large amount of content for their final exams.
GCSE Biology
- Cell biology
- Organisation
- Infection and response
- Bioenergetics
- Homeostasis and response
- Inheritance, variation and evolution
- Ecology
- Atomic structure and the periodic table
- Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter
- Quantitative chemistry
- Chemical changes
- Energy changes
- The rate and extent of chemical change
- Organic chemistry
- Chemical analysis
- Chemistry of the atmosphere
- Using resources
- Energy
- Electricity
- Particle model of matter
- Atomic structure
- Forces
- Waves
- Magnetism and electromagnetism
- Space physics (GCSE only)
We do hold regular end of topic tests across each science discipline and these will be scattered throughout the year. There will be a mock exam at the end of Year 9, 10 (towards June) and in November and February for Year 11 pupils each with 3 exams assessing your childs’ progress so far.
We would ask that you continue to encourage your child to review the materials covered on a regular basis and sell revision guides and flashcards to support this. Good websites to use include:
www.my-gcsescience.com
www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse
www.bbc.com/bitesize/levels/z98jmp3
Please also encourage your child to ask for help if they come across an area where they are not as confident, all of her teachers will be willing to give up lunches or after-school to support them. If your child is unsure of her target grade, they can discuss this with any of her Science teachers.
Key Stage 5
We offer traditional A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. All qualifications are offered by the OCR examination board.