Our Curriculum

The Science Curriculum at LRS begins in Year 7, by building on foundation knowledge learned by pupils in their primary schools. The key difference between primary and secondary science lessons is that we introduce the 3 main strands of science in Year 7: Biology, Chemistry and Physics, whereas at primary level, the subject is simply called ‘Science’. Our KS3 Curriculum is taught across Year 7 and Year 8 only, at LRS. The outline of the topics covered can be seen below.

Year 7 Topics	Content
Cells	Observing; Plant & Animal; Specialised; Movement of Substances; Unicellular
Structure & Functions of Body Systems	Organisation; Gas Exchange; Breathing; Skeleton; Joints; Muscles
Reproduction	Adolescence; Systems; Fertilisation & Implantation; Fetal Development; Menstrual Cycle; Pollination; Germination; Seed Dispersal
Particles and their Behaviour	Particle Model; States of Matter; Melting & Freezing; Boiling; Changes of State; Diffusion
Elements, Atoms & Compounds	Elements; Atoms; Compounds & Molecules; Chemical Formulae
Reactions	Atoms in Reactions; Combustion; Thermal Decomposition; Conservation of Mass; Exo & Endothermic
Acids & Alkalis	Acids & Alkalis; Indicators and pH; Neutralisation; Making Salts
Forces	Intro to Forces; Squashing & Stretching; Drag & Friction; Gravity; Balanced & Unbalanced
Sound	Waves; Sound & Speed; Loudness & Pitch; Detecting Sound; Echoes
Light	Light; Reflection; Refraction; The Eye & Vision; Colour
Space	Night Sky; Solar System; The Earth; The Moon and Changing Ideas

 

Year 8 Topics	Content
Health & Lifestyle	Nutrients; Food Tests; Unhealthy Diets; Digestion; Bacteria & Enzymes in Digestion; Drugs; Alcohol; Smoking
Biological Processes	Photosynthesis; Leaves; Investigating Photosynthesis; Plant Minerals; Aerobic Resp; Anaerobic Resp.
Ecosystems & Adaptation	Food chains & webs; Disruption of food chains; Ecosystems; Competition; Adapting to Change
Inheritance	Variation; Continuous v Discontinuous; Inheritance; Natural Selection; Extinction
Periodic Table	More about Elements; Periodic Table; Reactions of Metals and Nonmetals; Group 1; Group 7; Group 0
Separation Techniques	Inside Particles; Mixtures; Solutions; Solubility; Filtration; Evaporation & Distillation; Chromatography
Metals & Acids	Metals & Acids; Metals & Oxygen; Reactivity Series; Displacement; Extracting Metals; Ceramics; Polymers
The Earth	Structure of Earth; Sedimentary Rocks; Igneous; Rock Cycle; Carbon Cycle; Global Warming; Climate Change; Recycling
Electricity & Magnetism	Static Electricity; Circuits & Current; Potential Difference; Resistance; Series & Parallel; Magnets & Magnetic Fields; Electromagnets; Using Electromagnets
Energy	Food & Fuels; Energy Resources; Energy Adds Up; Energy & temperature; Energy Transfer- Particles; Energy Transfer- Radiation; Energy Dissipation; Energy & Power
Motion & Pressure	Speed; Distance-Time Graphs; Pressure in Gases; Pressure in Liquids; Stress on Solids; Turning Forces

 

When students reach Year 9, they are eased into the next key stage, via a Bridging Course, lasting approximately one half-term. During this short course, lessons are focused on skills which are integral to success at GCSE level, for example: Maths in Science and Investigative Skills.

At the end of the Bridging Course, the vast majority of our students will go on to study AQA GCSE Combined Science.  The Combined Science GCSE course is extensive in terms of content and demanding in terms of challenge. Biology, Chemistry and Physics are equally weighted across the course, allowing students to gain access to any Level 3 Science course, such as A-Level.

A summary of the units of learning comprising our GCSE course is show below [NOTE that the year in which each unit is taught may vary, depending on the speicifc cohort of students].

Unit Code	Unit Title	Exam Paper	When taught
B1	Cell Structure & Transport	Biology Paper 1	Year 9
B2	Organisation	Biology Paper 1	Year 9
B3	Infection & Response	Biology Paper 1	Year 9
B4	Bioenergetics	Biology Paper 1	Year 10
B5	Homeostasis & Response	Biology Paper 2	Year 10
B6	Inheritance, Variation & Evolution	Biology Paper 2	Year 11
B7	Ecology	Biology Paper 2	Year 11
C1	Atomic Structure & the Periodic Table	Chemistry Paper 1	Year 9
C2	Bonding	Chemistry Paper 1	Year 9
C3	Quantitative Chemical	Chemistry Paper 1	Year 10
C4	Chemical Changes	Chemistry Paper 1	Year 10
C5	Energy Changes	Chemistry Paper 1	Year 10
C6	Rate & Extent of Chemical Change	Chemistry Paper 2	Year 10
C7	Organic Chemistry	Chemistry Paper 2	Year 11
C8	Chemical analysis	Chemistry Paper 2	Year 11
C9	Chemistry of the atmosphere	Chemistry Paper 2	Year 11
C10	Using resources	Chemistry Paper 2	Year 11
P1	Energy	Physics Paper 1	Year 10
P2	Electricity	Physics Paper 1	Year 10
P3	Particle model of matter	Physics Paper 1	Year 9
P4	Atomic structure	Physics Paper 1	Year 9
P5	Forces	Physics Paper 2	Year 10
P6	Waves	Physics Paper 2	Year 11
P7	Magnetism and electromagnetism	Physics Paper 2	Year 11

A small number of students may follow an alternative science pathway at Key Stage 4, which is known as the Entry Level Certificate. This is a Level 1 Course with an emphasis on practical components and everyday applications of science. Parents of students who are considered for this pathway will be invited to find out more about this option, at an appropriate time.

 

How we assess students in Key Stage 3

During our lessons, teachers continually assess the understanding of students, through a range of techniques, for example verbal & written questioning, multiple-choice quizzes and worksheets.

In addition, at the end of each topic, students complete a summative written test. The demand of the questions in each test, ranges from simple recall, to application, justification and evaluation. This allows students of all abilities to demonstrate how much they understand.

Drawing together information from classwork, homework and test scores, teachers make a judgment on where each child sits in the four level descriptors used across the school [FOUNDATION > DEVELOPING > SECURE > EXCELLING]. This is shared with parents at specific data-collection points throughout each academic year. For Science, we use assessment grids, specific for each topic. Teachers physically highlight the assessment grids, to clearly show where each student typically fits. The assessment grids are continually updated throughout the year. By reading the level descriptors, students are guided towards their personalised next steps, to ensure that learning is always progressive.

Please see the Assessment Criteria below.

 

How we support your child to succeed and where they can access help

Alongside high-quality teaching in the classroom, we support your child to succeed by setting regular and relevant home learning tasks. In Key Stage 3, the format will vary, but we are moving more towards topic-specific work booklets, which students complete over a series of 2-3 weeks. In Key Stage 4, students will sign up for the Tassomai learning app, on which they will complete a bespoke weekly quota of recall and application questions.

Following each formal assessment, science teachers will use suitable closing-the-gap activities (DIRT), to address misunderstandings and missing knowledge. This part of the learning cycle is specific, not just to each class, but to each student, to maximise effective use of lesson time.

For Year 11 students, we have a Microsoft Teams Student Science group. On this platform, your child can find a comprehensive selection of student-friendly resources, such as slides and practice exam questions, to support their revision outside school.

Members of our Science Team are regularly available outside lesson times- before school and after school, to offer extra support for students who need it. For Year 11, there are weekly after-school revision sessions, open to all students.

Science GCSE revision guides are available for students to purchase at a reduced price, should they wish to supplement their class notes.

There are many useful online resources for both Key Stage 3 and GCSE Science, but below are some of our favourites.

Key Stage 3

KS3 science BBC bitesize

CPG Books- free KS3 Science Online 10-Minute Tests

Revision Monkey (on YouTube)

 

Key Stage 4

PMT (Physics and Maths Tutor)

Save My Exams- online notes for each unit

Fuse School Science (You Tube)

Cognito Science (You Tube)