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Science
Science curriculum vision
At Epsom and Ewell High School the science curriculum aims to provide students with the industrial skills (researching, presenting and analysing data) needed to work not only in science but also in numerous other fields. By the time students leave EEHS they will be able to critically scrutinise information they encounter to enable them to make informed decisions throughout their lives.
At the start of their scientific study at EEHS students become equipped with a foundational skill set in laboratory techniques and data handling to ensure that all students are on a level playing field when they join us (as many have never been in a science laboratory before secondary school).
Schemes of work are designed to ignite students’ curiosity about the world around them with practical investigations, research projects and debates.
How do we help our students to ROAR?
Resilient: In the science department we challenge students to analyse and evaluate scientific data to draw their own, informed conclusions. Students are challenged to see links between pieces of evidence and interpret trends for themselves.
Open-minded: Woven throughout the curriculum are opportunities to explore global science issues and students are encouraged to consider multiple points of view when forming their own opinions. Students also have the opportunity to debate some of these issues where they learn to actively listen and value the opinions of others.
Aspirational: Through our curriculum, we aim to give our students the opportunity to explore the vast number of careers that qualifications in science can prepare them for. We offer the CREST certificate (Bronze and Silver) to those students who show a keen interest in scientific study.
Reflective: Students are encouraged to reflect on their work and progress throughout the key stages. This may be achieved through evaluating their experiments or contemplating and improving on their current conception of how the world works.
Year 7:
Intent
In Year 7, we equip students with the necessary skills to work safely and effectively in a laboratory and to analyse the data that they will collect in their investigations. We also reinforce the industry skills needed in science during their end of term projects.
We select topics for Year 7 that link not only to their KS2 knowledge, but are the basic building blocks for each of the science disciplines, biology, chemistry and physics.
Implementation:
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Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
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Introduction to Scientific Skills Space Organisation |
STEM Project The Periodic Table Reproduction |
Sustainability Forces Materials |
Year 8:
Intent:
In Year 8, students continue to hone their scientific skills of analysing and evaluating through new topics from each of the scientific disciplines. As in Year 7, practical work forms the core of students’ learning whilst at the same time we lay the foundational knowledge that will help them grasp more complex ideas at GCSE.
Implementation:
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Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
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Diseases Pharmacology Sky at Night |
Evolution Energy Chemistry of the Earth |
Waves Ecology Chemical reactions |
Year 9:
Intent:
In Year 9, students are introduced to the building blocks from each science needed in both Combined and Triple Science GCSEs. In the autumn term, students complete an introductory topic on laboratory and research skills. After this topic students are introduced to the key ideas of GCSE sciences with a focus on seeing the patterns between reactions and movement of particles in all systems and looking at the breadth of practical work that can be done to see these phenomena in real life.
Implementation:
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Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
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Science project Biology – How systems are interconnected Chemistry – Reactions between chemicals |
Physics – Energy and substances Biology – The human body |
Chemistry – Testing materials Physics – Movement and interactions |
Year 10:
Intent:
In year 10, students study all three of the sciences concurrently, students can choose to complete Triple Science as an option, if this is not chosen students will complete Combined Science:Trilogy.
Though scientific theory plays a bigger role at GCSE than at Key Stage 3, the practical element of each science remains a key focus. Not only must students complete a range of required practicals which they could be examined on at the end of the course, we also include a range of other practical investigations throughout each of the three science curricula.
Implementation:
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Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
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Biology - Cell biology and organisation Chemistry - Atomic structure and bonding Physics - Energy |
Biology - Infection and response Chemistry - Chemical changes and energy changes Physics - Electricity |
Biology - Bioenergetics Chemistry - Quantitative and the rate of change Physics - Particle model and atomic structure |
Year 11:
Intent:
In Year 11, from the spring term we recap the course content with a strong focus on exam technique to prepare students for their GCSEs. Lessons focus on recall of key information and the key skills of applying information to new situations, describing and explaining trends in unfamiliar data, and evaluating evidence relating to content they have studied.
Implementation:
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Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
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Biology - Homeostasis Chemistry - Organic chemistry and chemical analysis Physics - Forces |
Biology - Inheritance and ecology Chemistry - Atmosphere and using resources Physics - Waves and magnetism |
All Sciences - Revision Final exam preparation and formal exams
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Years 12 and 13:
Intent:
In KS5, science students develop their scientific intrigue, literary and analytical skills. This allows them to draw informed conclusions in the outside world. These skills will also be transferable into a wide range of industries and opportunities for further study.
Implementation:
Biology - AQA A-Level Biology
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Year 12 |
Year 13 |
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Chemistry - AQA A-Level Chemistry
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Year 12 |
Year 13 |
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Physics - AQA A-Level Physics
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Year 12 |
Year 13 |
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