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Birkdale)School)Mission)Statement)

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“We!want!our!school!to!be!a!happy,!caring,!orderly!and!respectful!

community!in!which!people!are!treated!with!fairness!and!are!

supported!in!developing!themselves!to!the!fullest!possible!

extent!to!enable!them!to!take!their!place!in!society.”!

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Science)Department’s)Mission)Statement)

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“The!Science!Department!aims!to!consolidate!and!build!on!!

Key!Stage!2!Science!skills,!confidence!and!understanding!

to!achieve!success!at!all!levels.!!We!will!do!this!by!providing!!

a!safe!and!secure!learning!environment!that!encourages!

positive!behaviours!and!independent!learning!with!an!

emphaisis!on!the!importance!of!thorough!investigative!skills.”!

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Departmental)Vision)!• To!engage!young!people!in!Science!and!develop!the!scientists!of!the!future.!!• Create!a!learning!environment!which!is!stimulating!and!exciting.!• Create!a!learning!environment!which!is!challenging!yet!supportive.!!• Creating!a!learning!environment!which!offers!true!equality!of!opportunity,!where!all!individuals!share!

a!sense!of!community!where!discrimination!and!prejudice!are!eradicated.!• Encourage!all!Pupils!to!treat!each!other!with!respect!and!as!members!of!a!shared!community.!The!

emphasis! is! on! the! shared! commonality! of! experience!whilst! at! the! school! in! preparation! for! the!wider!community!outside!school.!

• Each! member! of! the! Science! Department! recognises! their! responsibility! to! raise! standards! and!expectations!of!all!Pupils.!

!Through! the!exploration!and!study!of!Science,!a! coherent!education!experience! for!all! Pupils!enabling!them!to!acquire!sufficient!understanding!and!knowledge!to!become!confident!citizens!in!a!technological!world,!able!to!take!or!develop!an!informed!interest!in!scientific!matters.!!We! recognise! that! every! pupil! has! individual! ideas,! needs! and! aspirations.! We! envisage! Science!facilitating!and!empowering!their!own!independent!learning!allowing!them!to!recognise!the!usefulness,!and! limitations,! of! scientific! methods! and! appreciate! their! applicability! on! other! disciplines! and! in!everyday!life.!!Throughout!their!time!in!Science!at!Birkdale!pupils!will!develop!abilities!and!skills!that:!!(i)!! are!relevant!to!the!study,!practice!and!application!of!Science.!(ii)!! are!useful!in!everyday!life.!(iii)! encourage!safe!working!practice.!!With! the! future! of! our! world! depending! ever! increasingly! on! the! development! of! Science,! our!department!will!endeavour!to!stimulate!curiosity,!interest!and!enjoyment!in!Science!and!its!methods!of!enquiry.!!!Science! will! become! the! driving! force! to! encourage! and! nurture! an! ethos! and! culture! of! the! love! of!learning!at!Birkdale!School.!!!)))))))))))))))

Department)Overview)!The!Science!Department!at!Birkdale!High!School!Academy! is!a!young,!vibrant,! forward!thinking!hub!of!activity.! The! department!welcomes! new! initiatives! and! believes! that! the! needs! of! the! learner! should!come!first.!!The!department!consists!of!7!laboratories!and!5!prep!rooms.!The!department!is!well!resourced!with!a!range!of!practical!equipment.!!Teaching!Staff!!Mr!P!Caslake! ! Head!of!Science! ! ! Chemistry!Mrs!S!Woodley! Deputy!Head!of!Science! ! Chemistry!Mr!J!Woodley!!! ! ! ! ! ! Physics!Mr!S!Bennett! ! Head!of!Year!8!! ! ! Biology/Physics!Mr!S!Burcher! ! Deputy!Head!of!Year!8! ! Biology/Chemistry!Miss!Flood! ! ! ! ! ! ! Biology!Mr!Spallen! ! ! ! ! ! ! Physics!!Lab!Technicians!!Mr!B!Leece! ! Senior!Lab!Technician!Mrs!K!Sartain! ! Senior!Lab!Technician!))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

KS3)Overview)We!have!recently!moved!back!from!a!two!year!KS3!to!a!three!year!KS3,!this!is!to!allow!Pupils!more!time!to!develop!the!fundamental!skills!needed!to!succeed!at!GCSE!Science!and!beyond.!Our!current!year!8!(Class!2018)!will!be!the!first!year!to!sit!the!new!GCSEs,!the!content!of!these!is!yet!to!be!confirmed.!This!means!that!the!content!being!delivered!at!KS3!currently!differs!depending!on!the!year!your!son!is!in.!!Resources!

• Exploring!Science!How!Science!Works!Active!Teach.!• Exploring!Science!textbooks.!• Hodder!Science!1!&!2!textbooks.!• Testbase!SATs!questions!

!Taught!groups!Each!year!group!has!been!divided! into!sets!based!on!their!KS2!results,!CAT!scores,!FFT!data!and!exam!results.!These!are!monitored!throughout!the!year.!Year!7,!8!and!9!are!all!set!from!1!–!6.!!Each!set!has!6!lessons!per!fortnight.!!2!lessons!each!for!Biology,!Chemistry!and!Physics.!!!Homework!Each!set!should!receive!approximately!20!–!30!minutes!of!homework!per!subject!over!a!fortnight.!This!may!vary!at!different!times!of!year.!All!homework!will!be!published!on! ‘Show!My!Homework’,! if! there!are!any!queries!with!regards!to!the!completion!of!any!homework!then!the!Pupil!should!see!their!class!teacher,!Mrs!Woodley!or!Mr!Caslake.!!Monitoring!progress!Pupils!should!be!made!aware!of!their!targets!and!record!them!on!the!front!of!their!books.!They!will!also!record!their!progress!over!the!year!on!the!inside!of!their!exercise!books.!!Work! in! the! books! will! be! assessed! frequently,! this! may! be! in! the! form! of! selfdassessment,! peer!assessment!or!formal!assessment.!(GCSE!coursework!and!mock!exams!will!take!priority!during!busy!periods).!Pupils!will!complete!assessed!tasks!throughout!the!year,!usually!1!per!unit,!results!will!be!tracked!over!the!year.!SATs!questions!and!AFL! tasks! may! also! be! written! into! topics.! Extended! writing! tasks! can! be! used! to! monitor! literacy!progress.!!!

Raising!Attitude!to!Learning!With!the!recent!move!back!to!terminal!examinations!it!is!paramount!the!boys!develop!the!skills!required!

to!become!independent! learners!taking!responsibility!for!their!preparation!for!end!of!topic!and!end!of!

year!assessments.!This!includes!organising!their!revision!time!and!dedicating!the!appropriate!amount!of!

time!to!preparing!themselves!adequately.!!

To!this!end!if!their!result!in!an!assessment!does!not!show!adequate!preparation!the!boys!will!be!required!

to! prepare! themselves! again! for! a! retest.! This! will! be! completed! either! during! a! lunchtime! or! after!

school.!

If!they!consistently!fail!to!match!the!staff!expectations!then!contact!will!be!made!with!parents!to!discuss!

strategies!to!improve!their!sons!preparation!for!these!assessments.!

Current'year'8'(Class'2018)'and'year'9'(Class'2017)'–'Following'the'Exploring'Science'Schemes'of'work'based'on'the'old'National'Curriculum''

Current'year'8'(Class'2018)'have'completed'the'year'7'units'and'will'complete'the'year'8'and'year'9'units'before'commencing'the'new'GCSEs'in'2016,'for'examination'in'2018.'

Current'year'9'(Class'2017)'have'completed'the'year'7'and'8'units'and'will'complete'year'9'units'before'commencing'the'current'GCSEs'in'2015,'for'examination'in'2017.'

The'units'are'covered'in'this'order'from'left'to'right.'However,'there'may'be'an'occasion'when'a'teacher'has'to'swap'the'order'of'two'units'due'to'equipment'clashes.''

Year'7' 7A'Tissues'and'transplants' 7B'Sex'and'Science' 7C'Ecology'Matters' 7D'Classified'

7E'Acids'and'alkalis' 7F'Bubbles,'bangs'and'burning' 7G'What'a'waste!' 7H'Materials'from'Earth'

7I'Energy'and'sustainable'living' 7J'Electrical'circuits' 7K'Forces'and'their'effects' 7L'The'solar'system'and'beyond'

Year'8' 8A'Food,'glorious'food' 8B'Going'for'gold' 8C'Doctors'and'diseases' 8D'The'way'of'the'dodo'

8E'Water' 8F'Materials'and'recycling' 8G'All'that'glitters' 8H'Explaining'the'earth'

8I'Heat'transfers' 8J'Forces'and'transport' 8K'Light' 8L'Sound'and'hearing'

Year'9' 9A'Science'and'fiction' 9B'A'model'career' 9C'On'the'farm' 9D'Crime'scene'investigations'

9E'Building'for'the'future' 9F'Sculpture'park' 9G'Cleaning'up' 9H'Flying'materials'

9I'Buying'energy' 9J'Satellites'and'space' 9K'Record'breakers' 9L'Dam'it!'

New'KS3'Curriculum'

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239134/SECONDARY_national_curriculum_`_Science.pdf'

Our'current'year'7'will'be'the'first'year'group'to'follow'the'new'KS3'curriculum'right'the'way'through'from'year'7`9.'The'units'covered'are'as'follows'and'will'be'taught'in'

this'order'over'the'year'from'left'to'right.'However,'there'may'be'an'occasion'when'a'teacher'has'to'swap'the'order'of'two'units'due'to'equipment'clashes.''

Year'7' B1'Cells'and'tissues' B2'Animal'+'Plant'reproduction' B3'Environment'and'adaptation' B4'Variation'and'classification'

C1'Particles' C2'Atoms'and'elements' C3'Acids'and'alkalis' C4'Pure'and'impure'substances'

P1'Energy'transfers' P2'Forces'and'effects' P3'Electricity' P4'Energy'resources'

Year'8' B5'Photosynthesis' B6'Food'and'digestion' B7'Lungs'and'gas'exchange' B8'Respiration'

C5'Simple'chemical'reactions' C6'Compounds' C7'Periodic'Table' C8'Extracting'metals'

P5'Magnets'and'electromagnets' P6'Motion' P7'Domestic'and'static'electricity' P8'Waves'and'sound'

Year'9' B9'Muscles'and'bones' B10'Inheritance'and'evolution' B11'Drugs'and'health' B12'Microbes'

C9'Reactions'of'acids' C10'Describing'reactions' C11'Earth'and'atmosphere' C12'Innovative'materials'

P9'Light' P10'Application'of'forces' P11'Heat'transfer' P12'Exploring'Space'

'

KS4$Overview$At#Key#Stage#4#the#Pupils#will#build#on#their#prior#learning#and#follow#one#of#the#following#pathways:##Additional#Science#Pathway#

What#can#I#expect?##All#pupils#from#the#classes#of#2015,#2016#and#2017#will#be#following#the#AQA#GCSE#Science#2011#syllabus.##

Most#pupils#will#study#for#2#GCSE#grades#in#Science#(Science#A#and#Additional#Science).##

Year#10.#AQA#GCSE#Science#A#(4405),#this#is#the#equivalent#of#1#G.C.S.E.#Grades#A*SG.##Year#11.#AQA#GCSE#Additional#Science#(4408),#this#is#the#equivalent#of#1#G.C.S.E.#Grades#A*SG.##Pupils#will#receive#9#lessons#of#Science#per#fortnight;#3#lessons#of#the#9#will#be#covering#Biology,#3#Chemistry#and#3#Physics.#Pupils#will#have#a#specialist#teacher#for#each#area.###Each#GCSE#will#be#split#up#as#shown#in#the#diagrams#below:#$

#

#

#

###########

$

How$is$Science$Assessed?$75%#of#each#GCSE#will#be#external#assessment#examinations.#There#will#be#three#1#hour#written#papers#worth#60#marks#(equal#to#25%#of#the#final#grade)#and#will#include#closed#questions,#structured#questions#and#questions#needing#longer#answers.#The#remaining#25%#will#be#in#the#form#of#a#practical#controlled#assessment#and#corresponding#papers.#

Where$can$Additional$Science$lead?$Additional#Science#provides#a#platform#for#progression#to#A#Level#Science,#other#further#education#courses#or#into#employment.#This#qualification#develops#a#variety#of#key#skills#that#can#be#used#in#all#areas#of#working#life#beyond#education.####

Year#10# Biology#1#Exam#

(25%)#

Chemistry#1#Exam#

(25%)#

##Physics#1#Exam#

(25%)#

#Controlled#Assessment#1#

(25%)#

#

SCIENCE#A#=##

1#GCSE#

Year#11#

#

Biology#2#Exam#

(25%)#

#Chemistry#2#Exam#

(25%)#

#Physics#2#Exam#

(25%)#

#Controlled#Assessment#2#

(25%)#

#

ADDITIONAL#

SCIENCE#=#1#GCSE#

#

Triple$Science$Pathway$#More#able#pupils#can#choose#follow#the#Triple#Science#Pathway.##Year#10#&#11#GCSE#Biology#(4401),##GCSE#Chemistry#(4402)#and#GCSE#Physics#AQA#(4403)##However,#in#order#to#deliver#the#required#number#of#lessons#a#fortnight,#from#this#year#onwards,#pupils#must#take#Science#as#an#option.#This#will#not#be#open#to#all#boys#and#the#criteria#for#this#pathway#will#be#discussed#with#the#boys#in#year#9,#as#below.#

What#can#I#expect?#Pupils#will#receive#15#lessons#of#Science#per#fortnight;#5#lessons#of#the#15#will#be#covering#Biology,#5#Chemistry#and#5#Physics.#Pupils#will#have#a#specialist#teacher#for#each#of#these#3#areas#of#Science.##

This#is#a#demanding#pathway#to#follow#and#we#will#be#using#data#from#the#boys#attitude#to#learning,#homework#and#attainment#to#decide#on#whether#this#is#an#appropriate#route#on#an#individual#basis.#We#have#suggested#this#as#a#pathway#to#those#boys#who#not#only#have#the#capability#but#also#a#strong#desire#to#succeed#in#each#individual#element#of#Science.#

Each#GCSE#will#be#split#up#as#shown#in#the#diagrams#below:#

#

#

#

$

How$is$Triple$Science$assessed?$75%#of#each#GCSE#will#be#external#assessments#in#the#form#of#examinations.#There#will#be#three#1#hour#written#papers#worth#60#marks#(equal#to#25%#of#the#final#grade)#and#will#include#closed#questions,#structured#questions#and#questions#needing#longer#answers.#The#remaining#25%#will#be#in#the#form#of#a#practical#controlled#assessment#and#corresponding#papers.#

Unlike#the#Science#A#and#Additional#Science#ALL#examinations#will#be#sat#at#the#end#of#the#course.#This#will#mean#that#pupils#studying#for#these#exams#will#sit#9#exams#(3#exams#per#subject)#spread#over#only#6#days#during#May/June#of#year#11.##

Where$can$Triple$Science$lead?$Triple#Science#is#a#demanding#academic#course#which#will#prepare#them#for#pursuing#Science#at#A#Level#and#beyond.#This#qualification#develops#a#variety#of#key#skills#that#can#be#used#in#all#areas#of#working#life#beyond#education.##

Chemistry#2#(25%)#

##

Years#9,#

10#&#11#

#

Chemistry#1#(25%)#

Chemistry#3#(25%)#

#Controlled#Assessment#2/3#(25%)#

#

Chemistry#

Years#9,#

10#&#11#

#

Physics#1#

(25%)#

Physics#2#

(25%)#

##Physics#3#

(25%)#

#Controlled#Assessment#2/3#(25%)#

#

Physics#

Years#9,#

10#&#11#

Biology#1#

(25%)#

Biology#2#

(25%)#

##Biology#3#(25%)#

#Controlled#Assessment#2/3#(25%)#

#

Biology#

Resources#• Nelson#Thornes#AQA#GCSE#textbooks#–#Biology,#Chemistry#and#Physics.#• It#is#recommended#the#boys#purchase#a#revision#guide#to#work#alongside#what#we#do#in#class:#

Year#10#Science#A#–#Nelson#Thornes#Science#A#GCSE#Revision#Guide#–#contains#all#three#subjects.#Year# 11# Additional# Science# –# Nelson# Thornes# Additional# Science# GCSE# Revision# Guide# –# contains# all#three#subjects.#Triple# Scientists# –# Nelson# Thornes# Biology# GCSE# Revision# Guide,# Nelson# Thornes# Chemistry# GCSE#Revision#Guide#and#Nelson#Thornes#Physics#GCSE#Revision#Guide#

• AQA#past#papers#• Testbase#exam#style#questions#

#Taught#groups#Each#year#group#has#been#divided#into#sets#based#on#their#KS2#results,#CAT#scores,#FFT#data#and#exam#results#from#year#9.#These#are#monitored#throughout#the#year.#Year#10#are#set#from#1#–#7#and#year#11#are#set#from#1#–#8.##Homework#Each#set#should#receive#approximately#30#–#40#minutes#of#homework#per#subject#over#a# fortnight.#This#may#vary#at#different#times#of#year.#All# homework# will# be# published# on# ‘Show# My# Homework’,# if# there# are# any# queries# with# regards# to# the#completion#of#any#homework#then#the#Pupil#should#see#their#class#teacher,#Mrs#Woodley#or#Mr#Caslake.##Monitoring#progress#Pupils# should# be#made# aware# of# their# targets# and# record# them# on# the# front# of# their# books.# They#will# also#record#their#progress#over#the#year#on#the#inside#of#their#exercise#books.##Work#in#the#books#will#be#assessed#frequently,#this#may#be#in#the#form#of#selfSassessment,#peer#assessment#or#formal#assessment.#(GCSE#coursework#and#mock#exams#will#take#priority#during#busy#periods).#Pupils#will#complete#assessed#tasks#throughout#the#year,#usually#1#per#unit,# results#will#be#tracked#over#the#year.#Exam#questions#and#AFL#tasks#may#also#be#written#into#topics.#Extended#writing#tasks#can#be#used#to#monitor#literacy#progress#in#preparation#for#Quality#of#Written#Communication#(QWC)#questions#in#the#exams.##

Raising#Attitude#to#Learning#

With#the#recent#move#back#to#terminal#examinations#it# is#paramount#the#boys#develop#the#skills#required#to#become# independent# learners# taking# responsibility# for# their# preparation# for# end# of# topic# and# end# of# year#assessments.# This# includes#organising# their# revision# time#and#dedicating# the#appropriate#amount#of# time# to#preparing#themselves#adequately.##

To#this#end#if#their#result#in#an#assessment#does#not#show#adequate#preparation#the#boys#will#be#required#to#prepare#themselves#again#for#a#retest.#This#will#be#completed#either#during#a#lunchtime#or#after#school.#

There#will#be#intervention#sessions#run#on#a#Friday#after#school#by#Mr#Caslake#and#Mrs#Woodley,#to#which#your#son# may# be# requested# to# attend,# this# may# be# to# complete# the# above# assessment# or# another# form# of#intervention.# This# is# a# positive# intervention# approach# to# ensure# your# son# is# achieving# his# potential,# we#appreciate#your#support#with#this#strategy.#

If#they#consistently#fail#to#match#the#teacher’s#expectations#then#contact#will#be#made#with#parents#to#discuss#strategies#to#improve#their#sons#preparation#for#these#assessments.#

GCSE#Content#Unit#1#–#Science#A,#Core#modules#

Topic# Biology#–#B1# Chemistry#–#C1# Physics#–#P1#

1# Keeping#Healthy# Fundamental#ideas# Energy#transfer#by#heating#

2# Coordination#and#control# Rocks#and#building#materials# Using#Energy#

3# Medicine#and#drugs# Metals#and#their#uses# Electrical#energy#

4# Adaptation#for#survival# Crude#oil#and#fuels## Generating#electricity#

5# Energy#in#biomass# Products#from#oil# Waves#

6# Variation,#reproduction#and#

new#technology#

Plant#oils# Electromagnetic#waves#

7# Evolution# Our#changing#planet# #

Unit#2#–#Additional#Science#modules#

Topic# Biology#–#B2# Chemistry#–#C2# Physics#–#P2#

1# Cells,#tissues#and#organs# Structure#and#bonding# Motion#

2# Organisms#in#the#environment# Structure#and#properties# Forces#

3# Enzymes# How#much?# Work,#energy#and#momentum#

4# Energy#from#respiration# Rates#and#energy# Current#electricity#

5# Simple#inheritance#in#animals#and#plants#

Salts#and#electrolysis# Mains#electricity#

6# Old#and#new#species# # Radioactivity#

7# # # Energy#from#the#nucleus#

Unit#3#–#Triple#Science#only#modules#

Topic# Biology#–#B3# Chemistry#–#C3# Physics#–#P3#

1# Exchange#of#materials# The#Periodic#Table# Medical#applications#of#physics#

2# Transporting#materials# Water# Using#physics#to#make#things#

work#

3# Keeping#internal#conditions#constant#

Energy#Calculations# Using#magnetic#fields#to#keep#things#moving#

4# How#humans#can#affect#the#environment#

Analysis#and#synthesis# #

5# # Organic#chemistry# #

#

#If#your#son#is#in#year#10#or#11#please#make#yourself#aware#of#the#dates#of#the#Science#examinations#for#the#summer#of#2015.##These$examinations$are$actual$GCSE$examinations,$particularly$in$year$10$please$be$aware$that$these$are$not$mock$examinations.$

Provisional Science GCSE Examination Timetable 2015 Day Date Session Code Subject Paper Board Pupils

Tuesday 12/05/2014 PM BL2 BL3

Biology Unit 2 Unit 3

AQA All year 11

Y11 Triple Science

Thursday 14/05/2014 AM CH2 CH3

Chemistry Unit 2 Unit 3

AQA All year 11

Y11 Triple Science

Wednesday 20/05/2014 PM PH2 PH3

Physics Unit 2 Unit 3

AQA All year 11

Y11 Triple Science

Friday 05/06/2014 PM BL1 Biology Unit 1 AQA Y10 (all except Triple)

Y11 Triple Science

Tuesday 09/06/2014 PM CH1 Chemistry Unit 1 AQA Y10 (all except Triple)

Y11 Triple Science

Friday 12/06/2014 PM PH1 Physics Unit 1 AQA Y10 (all except Triple)

Y11 Triple Science