Science

Intent:

Our curriculum has been developed to allow students to build the foundational knowledge and skills to leave each key stage with a grounding in the science of the world in which they live. We use examples of students lives and other cultures to develop and apply these core concepts alongside hinterland knowledge creating a lifelong love of science and curiosity of the world around them.  Students will develop the investigation skills fundamental to scientific development through planning, accurate measuring, analysing and evaluating data remembering that a crucial part of scientific discovery is trying to prove a theory wrong in the pursuit of absolute truth.

Upper Key Stage 2 Pre-requisite knowledge/skills for KS3 (Y5/6):

BIOLOGY

• Describe the differences in life cycles of mammals, amphibians, insects and birds including reproduction processes in some plants & animals
• Describe changes as humans develop to old age
• Be able to and give reasons for the classification of plants and animals
• Name the key parts of the circulatory system
• Describe the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on body function and how nutrients are transported around the body
• Describe animal and plant adaptations in relation to evolution including the evidence of fossils
• Recognise living things produce offspring of the same type but not normally identical to the parent

PHYSICS

• Recognise light travels in straight lines and use this to explain reflection and shadows
• Explain how we see things due to reflected light
• Relate the brightness of a bulb or buzzer volume to the number of cells in a circuit
• Compare the function of various components and describe them using recognised symbols
• Describe the movement of Earth and other planets relative to the Sun
• Describe the movement of the moon relative to the Earth
• Describe the shapes of the Sun, Earth and Moon
• Use the ideas of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the Sun
• Explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth due to gravity
• Identify forces on moving objects and the effects they have
• Recognise how some mechanisms such as levers and pullets allow a small force to have a greater effect

CHEMISTRY

• Compare and group materials based on their properties e.g. hardness, conductivity etc
• Know some materials dissolve in a liquid and form a solution and how to recover the substance
• Use ideas of solids, liquids and gases to decide how mixtures can be separated
• Use evidence from fair tests to give reasons for the use of materials
• Demonstrate dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible
• Explain some changes result in new materials and is often not reversible

WORKING SCIENTIFICALLY 

• Plan different types of scientific enquiries including use of variables
• Take accurate measurements, record data and represent in tables and graphs or charts
• Use data to make conclusions and further predications
• Identify evidence used to support or refute ideas or arguments

Key Stage 3 and 4 Summary:

1. Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry, and physics
2. Develop understanding of the nature, processes, and methods of science, through different types of scientific enquiry that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
3. Develop and learn to apply observational, practical, modelling, enquiry, problem-solving skills, and mathematical skills, both in the laboratory, in the field and in other environments
4. Develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence, and conclusions, both qualitatively and quantitatively.  

Please see our Science Curriculum Progress Map in the attachment below or by clicking here