Science at The Cornerstone Academy

The Curriculum

Students follow the TCA curriculum and this is supported by a UL central curriculum that is amended and brought to life for TCA students. These are linked to the National Framework for Key Stage 3 Science. Throughout the different years they will study the following modules:

 

Reproduction and variation 7BR Cells and Organisation 7BC	Ecological relationships and classification 8BE Digestion and nutrition 8BD	Biological systems and processes 9BB Plants and photosynthesis 9BP
Particles, Substances and Mixtures 7CP Chemical changes 7CC	Materials and the Earth 8CM The periodic table 8CP	Reactivity 9CR Energetics and rates 9CE
Fundamentals of Physics 7PF Energy 7PE	Light and space 8PL Electricity and magnetism 8PE	Sound waves 9PS Forces in action 9PF Matter 9PM

Students develop their investigative and practical skills throughout all the topics they study.

Assessment

Students are assessed regularly in class via formative assessment. They are assessed through end of topic tests or in class assessed tasks. The assessment is used to check understanding and address misconceptions so that learning in the classroom and at home will aid progress.

The department offers two different routes at GCSE: 

• Combined Science: Trilogy
• Triple science 

All students study a minimum of Combined Science : Trilogy, which awards them two GCSEs.

The Curriculum

Students will study the content specified by the AQA exam board. The course is broken down in to 6 modules- 2 Biology, 2 Chemistry and 2 Physics.  

As well as exam assessed content, students are expected to complete a number of required practicals for the course.  These aim to develop working scientifically skills including, but not limited to, safety, analysis and evaluation.

The topics covered at GCSE are:

Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Cell Biology Organisation Infection and response Bioenergetics Homeostasis and response Inheritance, variation and evolution Ecology	Atomic Structure and the Periodic table Bonding Quantitative Chemistry Chemical and Energy changes Rates of reaction Organic Chemistry Chemical Analysis Atmosphere Using Resources	Energy Electricity Particle model of matter Atomic Structure Forces Waves Magnetisms and Electromagnets Space* (Triple only)

Assessment

Students studying Combined Science: Trilogy will sit 6 GCSE papers at the end of Year 11. Each paper is 1 hour 15 minutes in duration. 

Students studying Triple Science will also sit 6 GCSE papers at the end of Year 11. Each paper is 1 hour 45 minutes in duration. 

KS4:

• GCSE Combined Science - KS4 Bitesize
• Science Revision and Past Papers
• Physics Tutor
• FuseSchool
• Science Lessons Videos
• Sparx Science

KS3

• KS3 Science - BBC Bitesize
• Sparx Science