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SCIENCE

Our ambitious and inclusive curriculum is designed to empower our students to become life-long learners and successful global citizens.

Through a well-sequenced curriculum, we intend to embed knowledge and skills that challenge all learners. Biology, Chemistry and Physics concepts are sequenced to allow students to build and consolidate their scientific understanding so that they can apply this knowledge to the world around them and prepare for further scientific study at Key Stage 5 and beyond. The curriculum is underpinned by key questions such as "why are organisms so different?" or "how do we store and transmit energy?". Students build their "Working scientifically" skills, under the themes of Development of scientific thinking, Experimental skills and investigations, Analysis and evaluation and Vocabulary, units, symbols and nomenclature, over the five years of Key Stage 3 and 4. At Key Stage 4 students may choose to follow a Combined Science GCSE, worth two GCSE's, or separate GCSE's in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, worth three GCSE qualifications. 

Our curriculum is designed to cultivate a rich scientific vocabulary, enabling our students to think and write like a scientist and students are taught disciplinary literacy in an explicit and direct manner.

We enrich our students learning, beyond the National Curriculum, by exposing them to a broad range of opportunities to apply their scientific knowledge to real-life contexts. We celebrate curiosity and encourage our students to see the creativity that drives scientific innovation. 

As part of our Society -centred curriculum students will explore morality in science in a range of topical and controversial issues from stem cell research and vaccination ethics to the use of nuclear power. An emphasis on Climate Change and Sustainability, prepares our students for the problems their generation will experience and their ongoing responsibility, as global citizens, to find solutions and protect vulnerable communities and biodiversity. By teaching our students about an array of diverse historical and modern scientists, we intend to develop their cultural and scientific capital and further prepare them to become aware and positive members of our community. 

To raise aspirations and allow our students to make informed decisions about their future, we provide subject specific careers education. Students learn about educational and skill requirements for professions such as radiologists, ecologists, genetic counsellors and engineers.

Our Curriculum Maps outline our curriculum design and the development of knowledge and skills from Years 7-11. The curriculum is adapted to support and challenge students with different starting points, whilst remaining ambitious for all. Students are examined on the AQA Specification in GCSE Combined Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.