Our aim in Science is to enable young people to understand, enjoy and marvel at the natural world and universe around them. The ability to do this begins with students gaining a secure, fundamental knowledge of key scientific concepts. This knowledge is imparted through our ‘core components’ of Science – units that are studied in every year group to increasing levels of depth.

We continually draw on this fundamental knowledge in order to carefully build student understanding through our ‘additional components’ of Science – units that vary depending upon the year group – allowing students to make connections across the broader domain of Science and to tackle increasingly more complex problems. Students will engage in focussed and purposeful rehearsal of investigative skills to develop practical competency at KS3. These skills are then applied during practical work as they progress to KS4 in order to allow clear links to form between the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject. Students are further encouraged to connect their experiences in the classroom to a wider context in the world around them, allowing them to become critical consumers of scientific information and ideas.

In Science at The King’s School, we have a very clear methodology in teaching our subject to help students learn and retain knowledge and develop understanding. All lessons include ‘relevant retrieval’ which places an explicit focus on prior learning and the important links it has to that lesson. We carefully plan high-quality teacher explanation of new information and concepts using principles of cognitive science to facilitate the learning, and allow for rehearsal/practice of this both at a whole-class and individual level. We regularly check student knowledge and understanding though weekly ‘VIP (Very Important Point) Tests’ which allow us to identify knowledge gaps so that we can respond promptly to address them, and termly ‘Key Piece Assessments’ which allow us to gauge a student’s ability to use their knowledge and understanding in an applied situation.

The units in italics are ‘Core Components’ which are studied in every year with foundation knowledge being secured in KS3 and developing in depth as students’ progress into KS4.

Biology
• Cells - cell structure; microscopy; transport processes
• Systems - musculo-skeletal; respiratory; circulatory; digestive; reproductive
• Natural World - feeding relationships; cycles; bioenergetics; ecology
• Years 7 and 10: Disease - immune system; antibiotics; communicable & non-communicable disease; vaccination
• Year 8: Drugs - drug testing; legal & illegal drugs; drug withdrawal
• Years 9 and 11 - Inheritance: genetics; inheritance; natural selection; evolution
• Year 10: Coordination & Control - nervous system; hormonal control

Chemistry
• Atoms & Elements - atomic structure; the periodic table of elements
• Bonding & Molecules - covalent, ionic and metallic bonding; properties of molecules
• Reactions & Energy - chemical equations; acids & alkalis; combustion; rates of reaction; endothermic & exothermic
• Year 7: Chemical Methods - solutions; separating mixtures
• Years 8 and 11: Earth & Environment - fossil fuels; the limestone cycle; the Earth’s atmosphere; global warming
• Years 9 and 11: Organic Chemistry - crude oil; hydrocarbons; fractional distillation; cracking
• Year 10: Quantitative Chemistry - Relative Formula Mass; concentrations; moles; chemical calculations
• Year 10: Chemical Methods - pure substances; formulations; chromatography; testing for gases

Physics
• Energy - energy stores; energy transfers; power; efficiency; energy resources
• Electricity & Magnetism - circuits; domestic electricity; magnets; electromagnets; motors
• Forces - gravity; elasticity; motion
• Years 7 and 11 (Separate Science Only): Space - seasons; our galaxy; the universe; our solar system; stars; satellites
• Years 7 and 10: Matter - states of matter; changes of state; density; specific heat capacity
• Years 8 and 10: Atomic Physics – model of the atom; radiation
• Years 9 and 11: Waves – light and sounds; the electromagnetic spectrum