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Hello!

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Science

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Subjects
  • Computing
  • Creative
  • Design & Technology
  • English
  • Geography
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Modern Foreign Languages
  • Physical Education
  • Religious Education
  • Science
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“Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science.” 

Edwin Hubble

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Vision Statement

Science pervades every moment of our daily lives. The Science Department at Birkdale aims to provoke curiosity in our students so they have a desire to find out how the world around them works.  We want our students to explore the Universe and in doing so find awe, wonder, knowledge and joy.

We recognise that students have a range of scientific knowledge & experience and variation in their cultural capital. Irrespective of starting points, we aim to develop students’ capacity to understand the world around them by improving knowledge, skills and habits needed to become effective learners. Within our science curriculum, we seek to provide students with:

  • Fundamental knowledge, secure in long term memories, across a range of “big ideas” that underpin future learning.
  • Experience of making connections within and between science and non-science subjects.
  • Skills to plan & carry out practical science, analysing and evaluating resulting data.
  • A strong grasp of tier 2 vocabulary with multiple applications and more specific tier 3 science related vocabulary.
  • An appreciation of the historical development of scientific ideas and the application of science in current and future technologies and careers.
  • Opportunities to develop healthy habits in home work & responses to knowledge gaps.
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The Big Ideas

The goal of science education is not knowledge of a body of facts and theories but a progression towards key ideas which enable understanding of events and phenomena of relevance to students’ lives. We want our students to make connections between what they learn and the big ideas that are intrinsic to science.

Big ideas of science 

  1. All material in the Universe is made of very small particles. 
  2. Objects can affect other objects at a distance. 
  3. Changing the movement of an object requires a net force to be acting on it. 
  4. The total amount of energy in the Universe is always the same but energy can be transformed when things change or are made to happen. 
  5. The composition of the Earth and its atmosphere and the processes occurring within them shape the Earth’s surface and its climate. 
  6. The solar system is a very small part of one of millions of galaxies in the Universe. 
  7. Organisms are organised on a cellular basis. 
  8. Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they are often dependent on or in competition with other organisms. 
  9. Genetic information is passed down from one generation of organisms to another.
  10.  The diversity of organisms, living and extinct, is the result of evolution.

Big ideas about science:

  1. Science assumes that for every effect there is one or more causes. 
  2. Scientific explanations, theories and models are those that best fit the facts known at a particular time. 
  3. The knowledge produced by science is used in some technologies to create products to serve human ends. 
  4. Applications of science often have ethical, social, economic and political implications. 
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Cultural Capital

We explicitly teach key tier two vocabulary that is assigned to each unit to ensure that we are addressing the closing of the word gap. We develop tier 3 vocabulary throughout each unit to support learning. Both tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary is assessed and developed with google forms quizzes as part of the homework policy. Through verbal questioning, science teachers continually check on cultural capital and ensure that contexts are based on prior experiences or students are introduced to important concepts using effective scaffolding. We provide all students with opportunities to improve their cultural capital during extra curricular activities and educational visits, such as STEM competitions, Science Live Lectures, Animal Club, Science Fiction Film Club, Garden Design & Build, Silversmithing Club & others.

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An Equitable Curriculum - Removing Barriers

Students of all abilities work towards 2 or more GCSEs in science. We have a fluid process of setting in years 8-11 to ensure that all students are able to access the right level of support where it is needed but are also pushed to achieve as highly as possible. Prior and current attainment are used to support decisions made in setting. Disadvantaged and SEND students have priority seating to allow for enhanced scaffolding and teacher assessment & feedback within work checks. We actively encourage selected disadvantaged and SEND students to opt for triple science, allowing access to this higher attaining, more comprehensive route with greater learning hours.

Arbor data with lower thresholds for groups are used to trigger enhanced parental communications.

From 2021, disadvantaged students will receive GCSE revision guides to support learning. This group will also have priority access to extracurricular intervention / revision sessions

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Staffing
Curriculum Leader - Mr Woodley (Physics)
Deputy Curriculum Leader - Mrs Woodley (Chemistry)
Teacher of Biology - Mr Bennett
Teacher of Physics - Mr Cowap
Teacher of Biology - Ms Flood
Teacher Chemistry - Mr Dunning
Teacher of Science - Mrs Monaghan
Science Laboratory Technician - Mr Leece
Junior Laboratory Technician - Ms Dimitrova
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Curriculum Structure
Science - Foundation Stage - Years 7 & 8Science - Foundation Stage - Year 9
Examination Stage - Years 10 & 11
Year 7 - 6 hours per cycle
mixed ability
Year 8 - 6 hours per cycle
ability sets
Core Science (Biology / Chemistry / Physics)
2 hours for each Biology / Chemistry / Physics in year 9, rising to 3 hours in years 10 and 11

Triple Science
4 hours for each of Biology / Chemistry / Physics in year 9, rising to 5 hours in years 10 and 11
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AutumnSpringSummer
Year 7Introduction to Scientific enquiry
Structure and Function of living organisms
Particles
Energy
Reproduction
Nutrition & Digestion
Atoms, compounds & elements
Pure & Impure Substances
Forces
Electricity & Magnetism
Nutrition & Digestion
Skeletal & Muscular System
Pure and Impure substances
Chemical Reactions
Electricity & Magnetism
Year 8Photosynthesis
Respiration & Gas Exchange
Acid & Alkalis
Perioduc Table
Waves
Motion & Pressure
Respiration & Gas Exchange
Periodic Table
Reactivity Series
Motion & Pressure
Matter
Genetics
Earth & Atmosphere
Space Physics
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Autumn 1Autumn 2Spring 1Spring 2Summer 1Summer 2
Year 9
Triple
(B) Cells
(C) Atomic Structure and the Periodic Timetable
(P) Energy
(B) Exchange Surfaces
(C) Atomic Structure and the Periodic Timetable
(P) Energy Resources
(B) Enzymes and Digestion
(C) Bonding, structure and properties of matter
(P) Electricity 1
(B) Heart and Blood
(C) Bonding, structure and properties of matter
(P) Electricity 1
(B) Heart and Blood / Pathegens and Disease
(C) Quantitative chemistry
(P) Electricity 2
(B) Pathogens and Disease
(C) Chemical Change
(P) Particle model of matter
Year 9
Combined
(B) Cells
(C) Atomic Structure and Periodic Table
(P) Energy
(B) Cells
(C) Atomic Strucutre and Periodic Table
(P) Energy
(B) Exchange Surfaces
(C) Atomic Structure and Periodic Table
(P) Energy Resources
(B) Exchange Surfaces
(C) Bonding, structure and the properties of matter
(P) Electricity 1
(B) Enzymes and Digestion
(C) Bonding, structure and properties of matter
(P) Electricity 1/2
(B) Enzymes and Digestion
Bonding, structure and properties of matter
(P) Electricity 2
Year 10
Triple
(B) Respiration
(C) Chemical changes
(P) Particle Model
(B) Photosynthesis
(C) Energy changes
(P) Atomic Structures
(B) Nervous Response
(C) Rate and extent of chemical change
(P) Forces & interactions / Forces & Motion 1
Guided Revision and Mocks (B) Hormones
(C) Hydrocarbons
(P) Forces & Motion 1 & 2
(B) Ecology
(C) Hydrocarbons
(P) Moments & pressure
Year 10
Combined
(B) Heart and Blood
(C) Quantitative Chemistry
(P) Particle Model
(B) Pathogens and Disease
(C) Chemical Change
(P) Particle model / Atomic Structure
(B) Respiration
(C) Chemical changes
(P) Atomic structure
Guided revision and mocks(B) Photosynthesis
(C) Energy Changes
(P) Forces and their reactions
(B) Ecology
(C) The rate and extent of chemical change
(P) Forces and Motion 1/2
Year 11
Triple
(B) Human Impact
(C) Chemical Analysis
(P) Waves
(B) Genetics
(C) Chemistry of the atmosphere
(P) Magnetism
(B) Variation and Evolution
(C) Using resources
(P) Magnetism / Space
Mock 2 Review and Examination Prep
Year 11
Combined
(B) Nervous Response / Hormones
(C) Hydrocarbons
(P) Forces and Motion 2 / Waves
(B) Hormones / Genetics
(C) Chemical Analysis
(P) Waves / Magnetism
(B) Genetics / Variation and Evolution
(C) Chemistry of the atmosphere
(P) Magnetism
Mock 2 Review and Examination Prep
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Year 7 Programme of Study

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  • Year 7 Autumn Term
  • Year 7 Spring Term
  • Year 7 Summer Term
Sorry, we don't seem to have that policy.
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Year 8 Programme of Study

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  • Year 8
Sorry, we don't seem to have that policy.
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Biology Programme of Study (Years 9, 10 and 11)

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  • Science Examination Stage Biology
Sorry, we don't seem to have that policy.
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Chemistry Programme of Study (Years 9, 10 and 11)

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  • Science Examination Stage Chemistry
Sorry, we don't seem to have that policy.
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Physics Programme of Study (Years 9, 10 and 11)

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