Science

Aims

• To maintain and/or stimulate student curiosity, interest and enjoyment in science.
• To enable students to be familiar with a body of scientific knowledge, principles and vocabulary.
• To enable students to see science in the context of a wider body of knowledge and skills. To enable students to understand and use scientific method with safety being a major consideration.
• To enable students to develop a range of desirable personal qualities such as politeness, perseverance, initiative and independence and to therefore understand how learning in science contributes to personal development.
• To enable students to be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• To employ teaching methods and resources that allow all students (irrespective of their gender, ethnic origin, academic ability, etc.) to have equal access to science and to experience success and enjoyment in their science work.
• To develop an awareness in students of the implications of science (past and present) for the individual, the community and the environment.
• To allow students to develop informed opinions and to be able to support them by reasonable arguments while encouraging respect for animals and the environment in general.
• To enable pupils to see the benefits of using ICT to enhance scientific knowledge and understanding.

Key Stage 3

All students broadly follow the QCA scheme of work published by central government.

This has been adapted to suit the resources and skills available within Harton School and has undergone some development to ensure adequate differentiation to suit the individual needs.

Students in KS3 have three hours of science per week.

HASA
What is HASA?

• A new thematic approach to Year 7 Key Stage 3 Science at Harton introduced in September 2009.
• Designed by Miss K Walker and Mrs K Pattison in conjunction with Miss R Kelly and Miss H Swanson.

Aims:

• to more actively engage pupils at the beginning of their secondary Science education;
• to condense the Key Stage 3 curriculum taking into account recent National Curriculum changes and subsequent reworking of the Science Programme of Study.

3 Modules:

• The Journey Begins!
• Hi-de-hi, here we are!
• Hartoners the Explorers!

Pupils given workbooks for each of the 3 modules and a diary to be kept all year. PowerPoint's are also used for each lesson.
Intra-year group competitions to take place.
All year 7 pupils cover the same material in the same way with differentiation by outcome.
Pupils to be sent a letter prior to the end of the Summer holidays introducing them to the scheme.
Based on a fictitious mission to colonise another planet following the destruction of our planet by Global Warming.

Key Stage 4

AQA Double Award Modular Science:
Students follow a broad Science curriculum leading to the award of 2 science GCSEs. The majority of students in Harton follow this course. During the two years students will study for both a Science GCSE (in year 10) and an Additional Science GCSE (in year 11).

AQA GCSE Science (A) consists of 6 modules, 2 in each of the Science disciplines. 
These are:
B1a – Human Biology
B1b – Evolution and Environment
C1a – Materials from Rocks
C1b – Oils, Earth and atmosphere
P1a – Energy and Energy resources
P1b – Radiation and the Universe

All modules are assessed through examinations which take place in March and June.  The coursework component of the course involves Investigative Skills Assessments (ISA’s) carried out in each Science discipline with only the highest mark being submitted to the examination board.

AQA GCSE Additional Science consists of 3 modules, 1 in each of the Science disciplines. 
These are:
B2 – Additional Biology (sub divided into Cells, Plants and Photosynthesis, Ecology, Enzymes, Homeostasis and Inheritance).
C2 – Additional Chemistry (sub divided into Structures and bonding, Structures and properties, How much, Rates of reaction, Energy and reactions, Electrolysis, Acids, alkali’s and salts).
P2 – Additional Physics (sub divided into Motion, Speeding up and slowing down, Work, energy and momentum, Static electricity, Current electricity, Mains electricity and Nuclear physics).

These modules are assessed through examinations which take place in the June of year 11.  The coursework component of the course again involves Investigative Skills Assessments (ISA’s).

More details of the course syllabus can be found at www.aqa.org.uk.

AQA Separate Sciences
Students follow a more in depth science curriculum leading to the award of individual GCSE’s in Physics, Chemistry & Biology.  The course includes all units studied to obtain both Science and Additional Science GCSE’s but is enhance by the coverage of 3 further modules, one for each Science discipline.  These are:
B3 – Further Biology (sub divided into Exchange of materials, Transporting substances and Microbiology).
C3 – Further Chemistry (sub divided into Development of the periodic table, More about acids and bases, Water, Energy calculations and Analysis).
P3 – Further Physics (sub divided into Turning forces, Light and sound, Electromagnetism and Stars and space).

Again further details of the course syllabus can be found at www.aqa.org.uk.

OCR Double Award Applied Science:
Students follow an applied science curriculum leading to the award of 2 GCSEs. This is a more practical course than the traditional route.  The course in two thirds coursework based and consists of three units.  These are:

Unit 1 – Developing Scientific Skills
This unit is assessed through coursework.  Pupils complete investigations and write reports based upon their findings.
Unit 2 – Science for the needs of society
This unit is assessed through a single examination completed in the June of year 10.  Pupils will study sub modules in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Unit 3 – Science at Work
Again this unit is asses completely through coursework.  Pupils look at the real life applications of Science and carry out investigative work to get them ready for the world of work in a scientific context.

More details of the course syllabus can be found at www.ocr.org.uk.

Staff

• Miss K Walker, Subject Leader
• Miss R Kelly, Assistant Subject Leader
• Mrs K Pattison, Advanced Skills Teacher
• Mrs C Robertson, part-time
• Mr J Smith
• Miss H Swanson, i/c Science Community Liaison
• Mr G Varley, Director of Learning (Year 10)
• Miss S C Wallace, part-time
• Mr A Williams, Director of Learning (Year 7)