Science Curriculum - Biology

Why is the study of Biology important?

Biology is the study of living things and how they depend on each other for their survival. As humans, we are not alone on the planet so, Biology gives our students the opportunity to reflect on their position on Earth and consider their interaction with other living organisms.

The Biology strand of our curriculum has been deliberately sequenced in a way that establishes student’s prior knowledge and experiences, builds on this understanding and allows them to apply their new knowledge to their own context as a student at Sirius Academy West. The curriculum will also ensure that students are curious about the living world around them as it evolves and changes.

Across the Biology strand of the curriculum, all students will explore key biological areas such as cell biology, puberty & adolescence, genetics and ecology. Students will gain an appreciation of how topics interlink and their relevance to the world outside of Sirius Academy West.

Students will have the continual opportunity to develop and hone their practical skills with key ‘working scientifically’ criteria interwoven through each unit across the 5 years of study. Most importantly, students will study a Biology curriculum that is relevant to their own life as a Sirius student in Hull with many links to local industries, attractions, sports teams, City of culture and more. We strongly believe that students will enjoy the subject more if it is explicitly relevant to their life growing up in the City of Hull.

What skills will the study of Biology teach you?

At Sirius Academy West, we are able to bring the living world to the classroom. Our bespoke sequenced curriculum will teach you to:

• Understand key Biological concepts and keep up to date with emerging local, national and global developments
• Create and interpret models that support this understanding
• Carry out experiments and link experimental findings to biological theories
• Present, interpret and evaluate experimental data
• Apply mathematical skills to solve problems
• Develop a deeper understanding of how scientific concepts are relevant to our everyday life

How does your study of Biology support your study in other subjects?

The Biology curriculum strand is interleaved with both the Chemistry and Physics strands of Science. This allows students to see the link between all of the scientific disciplines and how the skills learnt can be applied to many facets of the curriculum. If students can transfer the skills learnt in one area to another area then they have truly mastered their understanding and will be able to apply the underpinning Science to unfamiliar contexts.
At Sirius Academy West, STEM provision is a real strength of the school. Our curriculum allows all students to use skills developed in Mathematics, Technology and other subjects in different contexts in the Science curriculum. The extra- curricular opportunities provided ensure that the sequenced curriculum is supplemented with expertise from local Science and industry. We believe that this helps students understand the relevance and ignites their curiosity further, with many of them choosing to pursue scientific careers or further study.

Key Assessment Objectives
AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
• Scientific ideas • Scientific techniques • Scientific procedures
AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding of:
• Scientific ideas • Scientific enquiry • Scientific techniques and procedures
AO3: Analyse information and ideas to:
 • Interpret and evaluate • Make judgements and draw conclusions • Develop and improve experimental procedure

How can Biology support your future?

Students will be immersed in the study of Biology from years 7 to 11. Our aim is to encourage as many students as possible to continue with this study beyond the compulsory school years as we offer the rigorous A Level Biology course at Key Stage 5.
Careers that the study of Biology supports includes:

• Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science
• Biomedical Science
• Teaching
• Marine Biology
• Zoology
• Health work and social work
• Sports Science

If students do not choose this career pathway, or it is not appropriate for them, we strongly believe that the study of Biology will support their everyday life as a key member of society, especially with their newly developed transferable skills. For instance, an understanding of current Biological issues both locally and globally ensures that students are able to keep up to date with current affairs. An understanding of living organisms allows them to enjoy local experiences such as visiting ‘The Deep’ and the local parks. Understanding their own body’s processes enables them to consider their health and lifestyle choices more carefully to allow them to live long, healthy and happy lives.

In addition to the content above, students studying the KS4 Triple Science course will also gain the following knowledge from the Biology strand:

• Testing antibiotics
• Plant diseases
• The brain
• The eye and eye defects
• The kidneys and water balance
• Auxins
• Protein synthesis
• Cloning
• Biotechnology

View Science Curriculum