Science

Key Stage 3

Science

Why is the study of Science important? 

 

Our intent is to provide all students, regardless of their background, with an exciting, contextual and expertly sequenced curriculum that prepares them for the next stage of their life or the next stage of their Science education in order for them to become ‘lifelong scientists.’

We want to explicitly teach students the wealth of scientific opportunities that exist for them in their local, national and international context.

Science Learning Journey – VIEW

  • What will you learn?

    Our Science curriculum goes above and beyond the National Curriculum.

    As well as developing the scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding contained in the Key Stage 3 programme of study, students will have the opportunity to explore areas of interest, from detecting cellular changes in the diagnosis of diseases to looking at how opticians diagnose eye diseases.

    The Science team have taken great care in deciding what knowledge and skills we would like our students to grasp, ensuring that Key Stage 2 prior knowledge is built upon in a spiral curriculum that gradually builds upon their existing schema, so that students are ready for the next step; their Key stage 4 course. We continually evaluate our curriculum so that it is constantly evolving in response to assessment findings, student voice and emerging developments within the scientific world.

    The sequence of learning at KS3 is as follows:

    Year 7:

    • Working scientifically baseline skills
    • Particles and states
    • Building blocks
    • Introduction to forces
    • Separating techniques
    • Gravity & the universe
    • Growing up and adolescence
    • Acids and alkalis
    • Simple circuits
    • Ecosystems and the environment
    • The Earth and its structure

    We build on this in Year 8:

    • Atoms and compounds
    • Energy stores & transfers
    • Diet & lifestyle
    • Sound waves and their properties
    • Introduction to the Periodic Table
    • Light
    • Chemical reactions
    • Heating and cooling
    • Inheritance and evolution
    • Speed

    We build on this in Year 9:

    • Cell Biology
    • Introduction to chemical bonds
    • Waves and their properties
    • Gas exchange & respiration
    • Exothermic and endothermic reactions
    • Accounting for energy
    • Lifestyle and health
    • Sustainability
    • Pressure and moments
    • Genetics
    • Magnetism and electromagnets
  • How is the Science curriculum implemented?

    Our primary method of curriculum implementation is through research based, quality first teaching and learning.

    The Science team are aware that learning is a change in long term memory.

    That’s why all of our team are trained on the effective implementation of Rosenshine’s principles and use these to carefully consider the best way to deliver the curriculum to ensure knowledge is retained in the student’s long term memory.

    We routinely check prior knowledge at the start of a lesson, build on this by explaining and modelling key concepts, checking student’s understanding and then allowing them to practice using their new knowledge. Knowledge is then regularly retrieved to ensure that true learning has taken place with teachers then confident and comfortable in re-teaching or re-clarifying material when necessary.

    We cater for students with additional needs by ensuring the level of scaffolding is appropriate for all. Guided practice is fully utilised to ensure that the ‘handover’ to students being completely independent in demonstrating their knowledge is appropriate and well judged. ‘Ready to fly’ students will receive less scaffolding than those who require the additional support for longer to ensure a high success rate in their understanding.

  • What about the future?

    The teachers in our team are very proud and privileged to teach Science to our students.

    Our lifelong aim is to transfer our enthusiasm for the living world and beyond to our students as we know that their futures, regardless of their chosen career path, will be shaped by their understanding of Science.

    We were immensely proud of the first Sirius Academy student to be accepted to study medicine last academic year and we hope that this provides an inspirational pathway for many of our students to continue down a Science based route.

     

    The study of Science prepares our students for a multitude of careers. Some of which are named below:

    • Medicine
    • Scientific research
    • Midwifery
    • Engineering
    • Biomedical Science
    • Teaching and lecturing
    • Audiology
    • Astronomy
    • Food Science
    • Forensic Science
    • Microbiology
    • Seismology
    • Veterinary Science

Student Testimonial

“I enjoy Science because it is fun, interactive and ‘hands on’ learning. The practical lessons are engaging and help me to advance my understanding through visual techniques. I have also developed group work skills as well as thinking skills through the theoretical sessions.”

Test link

Test link