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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. |
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Carl Sagan |
CURRICULUM INTENT
Science education within Heathfield community school aims to equip students with the rich and powerful knowledge of the curriculum alongside the skills of working scientifically. We believe this supports their understanding the world around them while preparing them for the next stage of education and kindling a love for the subject. We encourage curiosity and an enquiring mind, ensuring that our students question statements and make decisions based on evidence.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our cyclical scheme of work is designed to rotate through the three disciplines and the big ideas within them along our student’s five-year journey. We seek to enthuse with practicals which allows students to experience the scientific process. New knowledge is systematically integrated into prior learning checked through quizzing every lesson. Topics and key skills are revisited regularly to build confidence and long-term learning. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills at the end of each topic with a rich marking activity.
KS3
At KS3 we ambitiously follow the national curriculum and seek to inspire our students with our science staff’s passion of the subject while embedding foundational knowledge and confidence in practical skills.
KS4
We are proud to offer a choice of either combined science or triple science at GCSE to every student so all students have every opportunity. On either route students study all three sciences and can achieve up to a grade 9. Triple students have 6 lessons a week compared to combined students with 4 lessons, this is to reflect the additional content they are required to study.
Grades are awarded by Edexcel based on performance in written exams in May/June. Students sit six examinations in total, comprised of two papers in each subject Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Combined students achieve two GCSE qualifications (9-1) comprised from an average of their overall performance while triple students achieve three separate GCSE qualifications (9-1) one for each science. Examinations are longer for triple students to assess for the additional content.