Curriculum Mission Statement

We are part of an amazing universe. From supermassive black holes down to microscopic bacteria, the natural world inspires wonder and curiosity from all of us. At Sandhill View, we see Scinece as a vital opportunity for pupils to engage with the world around them; we look to feed that curiosity and instil a sense of awe and wonder that will inspire a love of learning that will last their whole life.

Science is not just a body of knowledge, it is a way of looking at the world around us through the prism of reason and logical deduction; these skills are vital in every single aspect of our lives and through the teaching of Science at Sandhill View, we look to develop these extensively in all pupils, preparing them possibly for a career in Science but more importantly for a life beyond education. Pupils are provided with the opportunity to learn in a culture of high expectation, where emphasis is always placed upon personal best.

Progression | Further/Higher Education and Careers

Through achieving success in GCSE Science, pupils will receive wide and varied further education opportunities, including Biology, Physics and Chemistry A-Levels, paving the way to study many Science-related degrees including Biomedical Sciences, Physiotherapy, Sports Science, Dentistry, Medicine and Veterinary Science. Demand for graduates in all of these field is high and successful graduates with a good degree are almost guaranteed employment within the first year.

In addition to English and Maths, most employers regard Science GCSEs as highly as Maths and English. A good Science GCSE can open doors to A-Level courses, college courses and apprenticeships which have very little to do with Science as a subject.

Curriculum/Course Overview

How the subject supports pupils in making progress

In Science, pupils progress in lessons and over time is rigorously monitored to ensure timely, appropriate support in allowing all to achieve their personal best. Below are ways in which this progress is monitored and acted upon:

• A half-termly analysis of performance data
• Half-termly action plans to identify any pupils performing below expectations and implementing measures to support them in bridging any knowledge gaps and addressing misconceptions
• Evaluation of individuals pupils ‘barriers to progress’ with action plans to overcome these
• Providing effective feedback specific to the needs of each pupils to ensure their own misconceptions are addressed and they are encouraged to think more deeply about content
• Regular and challenging homework to consolidate and extend learning, communicated to parents/carers using ‘Show My Homework’

Assessment & Feedback

At Key Stage 3, pupils are measured against ‘age expectations’ meaning that a set of expectations is established in Year 7 that we would like all Year 7 pupils to be able to demonstrate, if they are to be on-track to achieve a good grade by GCSE. The level of expectation then increases appropriately in Year 8. Pupils will either be working ‘toward’, ‘at’ or ‘greater than’ their age expected level. Please click here for the Science Age Expected Levels. For every topic, pupils complete an assessment which allows key skills to be assessed against Age Expectations. These assessments take the form of either an investigative, extended writing or exam-based task.

At KS4, pupils are given an ‘end of topic’ assessment in which they are tasked with demonstrating the skills developed throughout the unit of study they’ve just completed. Teachers then provide feedback on the work produced and give the pupils the opportunity to respond to the feedback, addressing misconceptions and deepening their understanding of the topic.

Staffing

Mr. L. Blood – Curriculum Leader for Science

Mr. G. Bunn – Assistant Curriculum Leader for Science

Mrs. L. Turner – Key Stage 3 Coordinator

Mrs. L. Cook – Teacher of Science

Mrs L. Rowland – Teacher of Science

Miss L. Lee – Teacher of Science

Miss. T. Thompson – Science Technician

Mrs G. Jane – Teacher of Science

Miss. A. Doherty– Teacher of Science

Mrs. J. Lynch – Teacher of Science

Useful Links

• www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

• https://www.memrise.com

• www.docbrown.info

• www.s-cool.co.uk

• www.youtube.com – Dr Herschkowitz, Get that C in your GCSE