Science

KS3

KS3 Science is studied in Years 7 and 8 at Heanor Gate Science College. Over these 2 years a variety of topics are covered including, forces, electricity, space, chemical reactions, acids and alkalis, particles, digestion, cell biology, life cycles, drugs and disease, variation and the environment.

There are numerous topics in Biology, Chemistry and Physics studied throughout the course of the two years following the Activate scheme. Each topic is assessed formally with extended writing questions, written assessments and topic tests. These scores will help your child to ensure they are making progress in all three science subjects and will be used by staff to set students in Year 8.

There are many exciting opportunities in Science including a variety of experiments and activities, as well as science / Forensics club and a trip to the Space Centre.

Staff contact - Nathan Moore nmoore@heanorgate.derbyshire.sch.uk

preparing your child for year 7 science

As your child moves to secondary school, you can help them prepare and get the most from Year 7 science by encouraging an appreciation and enthusiasm for science. You can help your child to be curious about the world around them and continue to develop their interest in, and ideas about science, by asking questions, considering how to answer them using a scientific investigation method of applying their knowledge, drawing conclusions and making evaluations.

At primary school, your child will have been encouraged to work scientifically by focussing on four key scientific processes: investigating; experimenting; evaluating; and explaining.

INVESTIGATING

• Use scientific ways of working to investigate questions and ideas.
• Identify the most appropriate approach to answer scientific questions, choosing the most appropriate equipment and evidence.
• Plan different types of scientific enquiry, make careful observations, take accurate measurements and check whether the results are consistent and reliable.
• Make changes to plans when necessary, and be able to justify the changes.
• Identify and manage hazards and risks and act responsibly when carrying out practical work.

EXPERIMENTING

• Be precise and make sure results are accurate and control variables.
• Keep appropriate records of findings using tables, graphs, diagrams and keys, where appropriate.
• Use data to identify patterns and make predictions.
• Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts to draw valid conclusions from data

EVALUATING

• Justify predictions based on scientific concepts and decide how best to test them.
• Select appropriate equipment and methods so that others can repeat tests.
• Identify and/or use appropriate evidence to support their ideas
• Distinguish between fact and opinion, and recognise valid and reliable evidence.

EXPLAINING

• Describe, using examples, how ideas can change when new evidence is found
• Identify when to use models to explain things that are difficult or impossible to see
• Describe how science is used in the world and how it can lead to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The 2014 National Curriculum describes what children need to do to work scientifically, and the knowledge and concepts they need to learn across biology, chemistry and physics. For more information, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239132/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Science.pdf (this letter can be found on the school website to access website links). At Heanor Gate Science College we will be regularly assessing your child's attainment in the areas mentioned overleaf, both through formal end of topic assessment and through written pieces of work, focusing on literacy and numeracy within Science. Belw you will find some top tips for supporting your child this year in Science at Heanor Gate Science College.

If you have any questions about the course your child will be studying with us throughout this year, please do not hesitate to get in touch with either their classroom teacher(s) or Mr Nathan Moore (KS3 Coordinator for Science)

THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE

It is important that children become familiar with and use the correct terminology to talk about science and scientific approaches, for example;

Accurate          Conclusion          Compare          Enquire

Evidence          Variable              Fair test           Observe

Method            Pattern               Prediction         Reliable

Results            Supports            Evidence

For more information on key scientific terms and their meanings see: www.gettingpractical.org.uk/documents/LoMsampleJan2010.pdf

BITESIZE REVISION

For revision, pupils can find work they are studying on Bitesize for Key Stage 3: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zng4d2p

REVISION GUIDES

CGP produce thorough revision guides which can also help to support students through the next two years in Key Stage 3 Science. Their development and condition was sponsored by our European partner. The site of our partner http://cc-tv.nl is the best online casino in the Nederlands with which you are able to spend your free time fun and not without benefit. The guides also have quite a lot of additional information with which the students will be able to raise their level of education. These can also be useful for supporting students in the run up to end of topic assessments. These books can be purchased on Amazon or in local book stores or from school. There are also more revision guides from a variety of different suppliers. https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/Parent/books_ks3_science.book_SHS33

KS4 - Years 9, 10 & 11

GCSE

Year 9/10 students are studying the new GCSE combined award in Science. It is a combined science course, worth two GCSE's. Topics that will be taught this year are Cell Biology, Atomic Structure and Forces. This qualification is linear, this means that students will complete all exams at the end of the course, summer 2018. There is no coursework component to the new GCSE, all practical skills will be covered in lessons and assessed in the written exams. Students have the option in Y10 to study separate sciences as part of their pathway which is worth 3 GCSE's.

Current Year 11: Year 11 most students will study for a dual award in Science consisting of Science and Additional Science, worth a total of 2 GCSE's. There are also Separate Sciences (3 separate GCSE's in Biology, Chemistry and Physics) Science covers equal proportions of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and is worth one GCSE. Students will start working towards this in Year 9 and complete formal examinations at the end of Year 11. Additional Science also covers equal proportions of Biology, Chemistry and Physics building upon the work covered in Science. Students start working towards the Additional Science in Year 11 and complete formal examinations at the end of Year 11. They will also need to complete a piece of Controlled Assessment worth 25%.

Separate Sciences in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students who opt to study Biology, Chemistry and Physics as 3 separate GCSEs are taught by 3 subject specialist teachers from the beginning of Year 10. They will complete 2 exams for each subject in May/June.

exam boards

• Year 11: AQA (www.ocr.org.uk)
• Year 9/10: GCSE AQA combined trilogy and AQA separate sciences

Staff Contacts: Dr G Heald – gheald@heanorgate.derbyshire.sch.uk and Mrs E Parkin – e.parkin@heanorgate.derbyshire.sch.uk

AS BIOLOGY - EDEXCEL SALTERS NUFFIELD

• Lifestyle, health and risk / Genes and Health
• Voice of the Genome / Biodiversity and natural resources

A2 BIOLOGY - EDEXCEL SALTERS NUFFIELD

• On the wild side / Infection, immunity and forensics
• Run for your life / Grey matter

Staff Contact: Mrs K Abrey – kabrey@heanorgate.derbyshire.sch.uk

as chemistry - aqa

• physical chemistry 1 – atomic structure, moles, bonding, energetics, kinetics, equilibria, redox,
• inorganic chemistry 1 – periodicity, group 2 and 7
• organic chemistry 1 – alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, halogenoalkanes, analysis

A2 CHEMISTRY - AQA

• physical chemistry 2 – thermodynamics, kinetrics, Kc, electrode potentials, acids
• inorganic chemistry 2 – periodicity, transition metals,
• organic chemistry 2 – isomerism, carbonyl group, aromatics, amines, polymers, amino acids, analysis

Staff Contact: Dr G Heald – gheald@heanorgate.derbyshire.sch.uk

as physics - edexcel

• Mechanics / Materials
• Waves / Electricity / nature of light

a2 physics - edexcel

• Further mechanics / Electric and magnetic Fields / particle physics
• Thermal physics / nuclear decay / oscillations / space and gravitation
• Visit to Cern

Staff Contacts: Mr C Epie-Nanje c.epienanje@heanorgate.derbyshire.sch.uk