Science

In the Science curriculum we aim to nurture scientific thinkers to have an impact in an ever-changing world. To share the wonder of science and allow our students to be curious and inquisitive about the world. To enable them strategies and skills in order to find ways to answer their questions. For our students to recognise that science is happening everywhere and use science knowledge and skills in their own lives.

Courses availiable:

Available courses:
GCSE Biology
KS 3 Science

Name of Course
GCSE Biology

Qualification
GCSE Biology

Outline of Course
Students will undertake AQA GCSE Biology at KS4, but we can deliver other sciences to GCSE if the students have already started in their home schools.

This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit two exams at the end of year 11.

Throughout the course students will be investigating, observing, experimenting or testing out ideas and thinking about them.

How it’s taught
Practical work
Discussions
Small Group Activities
Written Tasks
Independent Research

Topic Areas
The GCSE Biology content covers seven subject areas, split across two separate papers:

Cell biology
Organisation
Infection and response
Bioenergetics
Homeostasis and response
Inheritance, variation and evolution
Ecology

Homework
Homework will mainly consist of recapping and revising the content that is covered in lessons. Students can access BBC Bitesize or resources that will be given to them. Exam practice is also essential, so completing past paper questions is a great way to prepare for the exams at the end of year 11.

Name of Course
KS 3 Science

Qualification
National Curriculum based on KSSS’s Thematic curriculum

Outline of Course
Students arrive at Kettlebrook with many different experiences of Science. We plan to enable our students to develop their scientific practical skills and extend their knowledge and understanding across all 3 main Sciences; Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students will learn how to responsible scientists, working safely within a laboratory environment and use various skills to complete a number of investigations.

How it’s taught

• Practical work
• Discussions
• Small Group Activities
• Written Tasks
• Independent Research

Topic Areas

Every half term we will have a theme that runs across all subjects.

Community:
Ecosystems within our community: food chains and food webs; biodiversity; population size. ​
The organisms within communities: adaptations. ​
Exploring local pond/ water life in and around Tamworth​.
Plant nutrition- photosynthesis, planting and growing your own plants in KSSS community.

Celebrations:
The science behind Bonfire Night and Fireworks; combustion, the fire triangle, flame testing metal ions. How we enjoy the celebrations; how the eyes work and how we see colours.
The science behind Christmas; Santa’s Sleigh Friction investigation and Christmas Tree investigations.

Me, Myself and I:
My body and how different body systems work together. ​
My skeletal/ muscle system, circulatory system, respiratory system and digestive system. ​
Puberty including the menstrual cycle, reproduction and the stages of pregnancy.

The World Around Us:
The Earth and the Atmosphere; the Earth’s structure, types of rock, the rock cycle, fossils, crude oil.
Our environment and the problems we face; atmosphere and climate, the carbon cycle, recycling and sustainability.

Healthy Living:
Healthy lifestyles; nutritional food groups, balanced diets, food deficiencies. ​
Disease; infectious and non-infectious diseases, vaccination, antibiotics. ​
Substances: Alcohol, recreational drugs and medicinal drugs.
Exercise; how exercise affects the body, investigating pulse rate.

Belonging:
Where we belong within the universe: our solar system.
Gravity ​and how it changes on different plants.
Our star, the Sun, and other stars in our universe. ​
Planets in our solar system.
Mars colonisation and space exploration.

Homework
There will not be lots of homework on this course, just some completion of short tasks & Science around us at home.