Science

The school’s vision is modelled in the Science curriculum, where we believe in inclusive education for all.

We believe that all of our students deserve a curriculum that meets their differing needs and enables them to fulfil their unique potential.

We want our students to be successful members of the community and to maximise their life opportunities.

It is the intention of the curriculum to enable this.

Our curriculum intent is:

• Coherently plan, sequence and adapt our curriculum to meet the unique needs of all of our learners.
• Offer breadth of study at KS3 that is sequential in leading to study at GCSE level; all students will be stretched and challenged over 5 years, taking into account different starting points.
• Develop effective literacy and numeracy skills through digital technology creating learners who are confident and competent readers, writers and speakers, with essential analytical skills needed for life.
• Embed a range of wider enrichment opportunities and experiences, at least one per year, to ensure our learners have an educational experience that is rich and varied.
• Encompass the whole school core values through the science curriculum.

As a result, the Science curriculum will:

• Inspire learners to become confident, resilient scientists who develop a love of learning science.
• Provide a stimulating environment that integrates discovery and exploration into learning and which takes into account individual needs, strengths and starting points.
• Develop successful learners who are able to apply scientific knowledge and understanding correctly to both familiar and unfamiliar contexts in the world.
• Enable learners to understand how science fits into society and thereby encourage them to make a positive contribution to their local and wider community.
• Enable learners to use a range of mathematical skills that can be applied to the world in which they live.
• Develop digital skills to remove all barriers to learning that enable learners to critically evaluate and refine methodologies and judge the validity of scientific conclusions that are presented to them in the media.
• Enable learners to critically analyse qualitative and quantitative data to draw their own logical, well-evidenced conclusions.
• To enable learners to use their knowledge and understanding of science to further their science education beyond Kidsgrove Secondary School and/or to further their career.
• Ensure students are challenged and stretched by developing their leadership, organisation, resilience, initiative and communication skills in order to provide foundations for every aspect of school life.

Recent projects have included:-

• The Importance of Global Hand Hygiene - A very topical theme given Covid-19.
• Oral Rehydration Therapies - Their importance and standards needed to tackle infant mortality rates.

Curriculum implementation

Our curriculum is implemented in a way that will ensure every individual achieves success. In order to deliver our aims science lessons are taught by passionate and experienced subject specialists.

• In year 7 students are taught through a bespoke scheme of learning delivered in 7 hours per fortnight. The scheme begins with an introduction to science and working safely in a laboratory and then focuses around key concepts and big ideas in science such as cells, atoms, and forces. We actively support the Gatsby Careers Guidance by ensuring all our science topics are linked to a science career to promote scientists of the future.
• In year 8 and 9 students continue to follow a bespoke scheme based around STEM careers which builds on key concepts and hones their working scientifically and investigative skills. They also have the opportunity to develop a more in-depth understanding the history of science studying topics such as evolution and the Periodic Table of Elements. Students complete a transition test at the end of the KS3 Scheme to determine their readiness for KS4
• Beginning in term two of Y9 (should be Starting at a flexible point in Y9, depending on students' knowledge and understanding,) and continuing into Y10 and 11 Key Stage 4 students follow the AQA syllabus. Combined science students are taught five one hour lessons per week ​(should be 9 hours per fortnight) delivered by the same teacher in order to build consistency and relationships. Separate science students are taught eight hours per week delivered by a specialist teacher for each of the three disciplines; biology, chemistry and physics (We don't offer separate sciences). We pay careful attention to the sequence of when knowledge is taught in science and this is reviewed regularly so that students have a deep understanding of key concepts and are well prepared to access exam content. We constantly plan for students to strengthen their literacy and numeracy skills in a science context, and we ensure that students are given ample opportunity to apply both their knowledge and their skills through the required practical element of the GCSE course

KS3 Curriculum Content

KS4 Curriculum Content

Science Curriculum Content