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:
Students develop their investigative and practical skills throughout all the topics they study.
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.
There will also be 2 formal assessments held each year, in Terms 3 & 6. The results of which will be analysed and used to feedback to students regarding areas for improvement.
The department offers two different routes at GCSE:
All students study a minimum of Combined Science : Trilogy, which awards them two GCSEs.
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)
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.
Key Stage 3:
One weekly online assignment on https://sparxscience.com/. Pupils are required to log in using their school Microsoft accounts. Sparx science is designed to adapt to the individual pupil and therefore offers a tailored experience that will support their progress. They are expected to complete 100% of the assignment.
Key Stage 4:
One weekly online assignment on https://sparxscience.com/. Pupils are required to log in using their school Microsoft accounts. Sparx science is designed to adapt to the individual pupil and therefore offers a tailored experience that will support their progress. They are expected to complete 100% of the assignment. Additional homework may be set by individual teachers depending on need, up to a maximum of 60 minutes per week in Year 10 & 90 minutes in Year 11
Students in Triple Science may also be set further work by the individual subject teachers.
If you would like to discuss the work that we do or further information about the Science curriculum then please contact
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