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Kingswood Secondary Academy

Ofsted Good

Course Information

Key Stage 3 Science (Years 7-8)

When students join the Academy in Year 7 they begin the journey through Science, which will continue through until Year 11 and, for some, into ‘A’ level. The three science subjects of Biology, Physics and Chemistry are delivered in topics across all three years of Key Stage 3.  The detail and complexity of these increases as students move from year to year. This means that some topics feature in more than one year and develop knowledge and skills over time.  There is also a greater focus on practical work, and the skills required for accurate scientific analysis.

These topics are interspersed with assessments. As the drive towards assessments at the end of courses increases, it is appropriate to try to help students to prepare for this by giving them the opportunity to develop their skills within the exam environment. These assessments also allow our students to see where they are in terms of levels and to review their progress in line with their expectations. These assessments involve both theoretical and practical aspects and will be formal in their approach.

Please click here for an Overview of KS3.

Year 9-11 GCSE Sciences (GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy)

All Students embarking on their Science GCSE journey from September 2016 will study GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy unless they opt to study GCSE Triple Science. Successful completion Combined Science: Trilogy leads to the award of two GCSE qualifications.

There’s no better way to learn about science than through purposeful practical activities as part of day to day teaching and learning. Whilst there is no longer a practical exam, the course includes 21 required practicals assessed within the classroom environment.

GCSE Programme

Modules Studied

Number and Date of Exams

GCSEs Awarded

Combined Science: Trilogy

Biology 1 + 2

Chemistry 1 + 2

Physics 1 + 2

 

6 exams in May of Year 11

2 GCSEs

Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes (Foundation and Higher Tier)

70 marks worth 16.7% of GCSE.

Each paper consists of multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response questions.

Students will be selected by the Curriculum Lead to study the separate Sciences programme at the end of Year 9 and will be awarded three GCSE qualifications upon successful completion of the course – a separate GCSE in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. 

GCSE Programme

Modules Studied

Number and Date of Exams

GCSEs Awarded

GCSE Biology, Chemistry & Physics

 

Biology 1 + 2

Chemistry 1 + 2

Physics 1 + 2

 

6 exams in May of Year 11

3 GCSEs

Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes (Foundation and Higher Tier)

100 marks worth 50% of GCSE

Each paper consists of multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response questions

All students on any of our GCSE programmes are assessed regularly throughout the course so that we can monitor progress and intervene where necessary to offer additional support. Key assessment dates will be sent home along with details on how parents can support their children’s learning in Science.

A-Level Biology

Biology is the fascinating study of life, in all of its forms. A good grade in A-Level Biology is a requirement for university courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and other medically-related degrees.  A-level Biology also provides a useful background to a wide variety of higher education courses.

The A-Level comprises six teaching units with a variety of practical activities embedded within the learning outcomes of the course. There are 22 practicals carried out in the classroom over the course of the two years; 13 in AS and 9 in A2, which contribute to the achievement of the Practical Endorsement section.

Content Overview

Assessment Overview

Content is split into six teaching modules:

• Module 1 – Development of practical skills in biology

• Module 2 – Foundations in biology

• Module 3 – Exchange and transport

• Module 4 – Biodiversity, evolution and disease

• Module 5 Communication, homeostasis and energy

• Module 6 – Genetics, evolution and ecosystems

Component 01assesses content from modules 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Component 02 assesses content from modules 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Component 03 assesses content from all modules (1 to 6).

Biological processes

(01)

100 marks

2 hour 15 minutes

written paper

37%

of total

A level

Biological diversity

(02)

100 marks

2 hour 15 minutes

written paper

37%

of total

A level

Unified biology

(03)

70 marks

1 hour 30 minutes

written paper

26%

of total

A level

Practical Endorsement in biology  (04) (non exam assessment)

Reported

separately

Students are assessed at regular intervals during the course, to monitor their progress and intervene to offer additional support where necessary. We follow the OCR exam specification, which students can download, along with past exam papers, from the OCR website:http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-biology-a-h020-h420-from-2015/

A-Level Chemistry

Three different areas of chemistry are studied: organic, inorganic and physical. In the physical chemistry there is a strong link to physics and maths. The topics that are covered range from atomic structure all the way to aromatic chemistry and kinetics. Over the course of the two years students will complete six units with a variety of practical activities embedded within the learning outcomes of the course which contribute to the achievement of the Practical Endorsement section.

Content Overview

Assessment Overview

Content is split into six teaching modules:

• Module 1 – Development of practical skills in chemistry

• Module 2 – Foundations in chemistry

• Module 3 – Periodic table and energy

• Module 4 – Core organic chemistry

 • Module 5 – Physical chemistry and transition elements

• Module 6 – Organic chemistry and analysis

 Component 01 assesses content from modules 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Component 02 assesses content from modules 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Component 03 assesses content from all modules (1 to 6).

Periodic table, elements

and physical chemistry

(01)

100 marks

2 hours 15 minutes

written paper

37%

of total

A level

Synthesis and

analytical techniques

(02)

100 marks

2 hours 15 minutes

written paper

37%

of total

A level

Unified chemistry

(03)

70 marks

1 hour 30 minutes

written paper

26%

of total

A level

Practical Endorsement in chemistry(04) (non exam assessment)

Reported

separately

Students are assessed at regular intervals during the course, to monitor their progress and intervene to offer additional support where necessary. We follow the OCR exam specification, which students can download, along with past exam papers, from the OCR

http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-chemistry-a-h032-h432-from-2015/

A Level Physics

Physics A level provides a seamless transition to A Level from previous studies and develops students’ interest and enthusiasm for physics. The A level provides the opportunity to develop the students’ with topics covering familiar and new concepts. It also includes optional topics to further specific interests. The specification provides a smooth pathway from GCSE and a route to university courses in physics and other subjects, whether physics is a key component or not.

Content Overview

Assessment Overview

Content is split into six teaching modules:

• Module 1 – Development of practical skills in physics

• Module 2 – Foundations of physics

• Module 3 – Forces and motion

• Module 4 – Electrons, waves and photons

• Module 5 – Newtonian world and astrophysics

• Module 6 – Particles and medical physics

Component 01 assesses content from modules 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Component 02 assesses content from modules 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Component 03 assesses content from all modules (1 to 6).

Modelling physics

(01)

100 marks

2 hours 15 minutes

written paper

37%

of total

A level

Exploring physics

(02)

100 marks

2 hours 15 minutes

written paper

37%

of total

A level

Unified physics

(03)

70 marks

1 hour 30 minutes

written paper

26%

of total

A level

Practical Endorsement in physics (04) (non exam assessment)

Reported

separately

Students are assessed at regular intervals during the course, to monitor their progress and intervene to offer additional support where necessary. We follow the OCR exam specification, which students can download, along with past exam papers, from the OCR

http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-physics-a-h156-h556-from-2015/

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