At Wallingford school the Science curriculum aims to:
- Ensure the curriculum builds on pupils’ varying knowledge of science from primary school and provides frequent opportunities to develop their planning, analytical, evaluatory and problem solving skills through practical and investigative work.
- Develop learners who have a thirst for knowledge and the creativity to become Scientists of tomorrow by nurturing enquiring minds to ask “Why?” and “How?”.
- Develop students’ appreciation of the impact science has on their lives both positive and negative.
- Ensure a science curriculum that stretches and challenges the ablest while also providing the scaffolding needed to ensure that students of all abilities achieve and exceed their potential.
- Provide curriculum pathways which support students of all abilities ensuring the best opportunities to successfully access higher education.
- Develop students mathematical and scientific literacy skills through applications in science.
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KS3 Science
In each year group, classes are taught the same set of topics, but in a different order.
Year 7
- Introduction to Science
- Cells, Inheritance and the Genome
- Substances, Mixtures, Atoms and Elements
- Energy
- From Cells to Organ Systems
- Chemical Reactions
- Forces
- Reproduction
- Space Physics
Year 8
- Biochemistry (photosynthesis and respiration)
- The Periodic Table, Elements and Mixtures
- Waves
- Health and Fitness
- Reactions and Sustainability
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Organisms and their Environment
- Earth Science
Year 9
In Year 9, students start studying the AQA Combined Science GCSE, which is worth two GCSEs. Some students will then go onto studying Triple Science (3 separate GCSEs in year 10). The topics covered this year include, although they may be delivered in a different order:
- Biology
- B1 Cell Biology
- Chemistry
- C1 Atomic Structure and Periodic Table
- C9 The Atmosphere
- C10 Using Resources
- Physics
- P1 Energy
- P3 Particle Model of Matter
GCSE Combined Science
Students are following AQA Trilogy GCSE specification, which is worth two GCSEs.
Year 10
- Biology
- B2 Organisation
- B3 Infection and Response
- B4 Bioenergetics
- Chemistry
- C2 Bonding
- C3 Quantitative Chemistry
- C4 Chemical Changes
- C5 Energy Changes
- Physics
- P2 Electricity
- P4 Atomic Structure
- P6 Waves
Year 11
- Biology
- B5 Homeostasis
- B6 Inheritance, Variation and Disease
- Chemistry
- C6 Rates of Reaction
- C7 Hydrocarbons
- C8 Chemical Analysis
- Physics
- P5 Forces 1 & 2
- P7 Electromagnetism
GCSE Triple Science
Students are following AQA Biology, Chemistry and Physics GCSE specification. This gives students 3 separate GCSEs.
Year 10
- Biology
- B2 Organisation
- B3 Infection and Response
- B4 Bioenergetics
- Chemistry
- C2 Bonding
- C3 Quantitative Chemistry
- C4 Chemical Changes
- C5 Energy Changes
- Physics
- P2 Electricity
- P4 Atomic Structure
- P6 Waves
Year 11
- Biology
- B5 Homeostasis
- B6 Inheritance, Variation and Disease
- Chemistry
- C6 Rates of Reaction
- C7 Hydrocarbons
- C8 Chemical Analysis
- Physics
- P5 Forces 1 & 2
- P7 Electromagnetism
- P8 Space
BTEC Level 3 Applied Science
Year 12
Term 1
- Chromatography techniques leading to Unit 2 C assignment - Chromatography of amino acids / plant pigment
- Ionic formula and balancing equations
- Concentration, molarity and making standard solutions
- Titrations
- Colorimetry and making standard dilutions
Term 2
- Unit 2 A Assignment - Undertake titration and colorimetry to determine the concentration of solutions.
- Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding
- Trends in the periodic table
- Use of microscope
- Cell structure and specialist cells
- Structure and function of the blood
Term 3
- Cooling curves and calibration on thermometers
- Dative bonds and bond angles
- Types of intermolecular forces
- Respiratory system and disease
- Nervous system
Term 4
- Unit 2 B Assignment - Undertake calorimetry to study cooling curves
- Unit 2 D Assignment - Review personal development of scientific skills for laboratory work.
- Reactions of metals with water, oxygen and acids
- Redox reactions and half-equations
- Displacement reactions
- Spectroscopy
Term 5
- Halogens and halide ions and reactivity
- First ionisation trends and electron affinity trends
- Oscillations and waves
- Two source interference, diffraction gratings and line spectra
Term 6
- Standing waves
- Revision and mock exams Unit 1 Biology exam and Unit 1 Chemistry exam
Year 13
Term 1
- Unit 3 practical skills and theory on Fuels and hydrocarbons
- Unit 8 Assignment preparation on the physiology of the human body
- Unit 1 Chemistry and Biology revision for mock
- Unit 8 Assignment carried out
Term 2
- Unit 3 practical skills and theory on electrical circuits
- Unit 1 Physics revision for January unit 1 exam
- Unit 1 Biology revision for January unit 1 exam
- Unit 1 Chemistry revision for January unit 1 exam
Term 3
- January unit 1 exam second week into term
- Unit 3 practical skills and theory on electrical circuits (continued)
- Unit 3 practical skills and theory on photosynthesis
- Unit 3 practical skills and theory on enzymes
Term 4
- Unit 3 practical skills and theory on diffusion
- Practical skills mock exam practice covering as wide a range of practicals and written exams.
Term 5
- Revision for unit 3 practical exam
- Revision for retakes of Unit 1 exam
A Level Biology
Year 12
Term 1
- Basic components of living systems
- Biological molecules
- Plasma membranes
- Cell division
Term 2
- Enzymes
- Exchange surfaces and breathing
- Transport in animals
- Classification and evolution
Term 3
- Transport in plants
- Biodiversity
- Communicable diseases
Term 4
- Biodiversity (continued)
- Communicable diseases (continued)
- Ecosystems
Term 5
- Photosynthesis
- Populations and sustainability
Term 6
- Revision and mock exams
Year 13
Term 1
- Neuronal communication
- Respiration
- Revision and mocks
Term 2
- Neuronal communication (cont.)
- Hormonal communication
- Genetics of living systems
- Patterns of inheritance and variation
Term 3
- Patterns of inheritance and variation (cont.)
- Photosynthesis
- Homeostasis
- Manipulation genomes
Term 4
- Photosynthesis (cont.)
- Revision
Terms 5 & 6
- Revision
A Level Chemistry
Year 12
Term 1
- Introduction to atoms
- Amount of substance
- Basic organic chemistry
- Alkanes
- Alkenes
Term 2
- Acids and redox
- Electron structure
- Structure and bonding
- Alcohols
Term 3
- Periodicity
- Reactivity trends
- Haloalkanes
- Organic synthesis
Term 4
- Enthalpy
- Rates of reaction
- Spectroscopy
Term 5
- Transition Metals
Term 6
- Revision for mocks
Year 13
Term 1
- Rates of reaction
- Aromatic Chemistry
- Carbonyls
- Amines, amino acids and proteins
Term 2
- Equilibria
- Acids, bases and pH
- Buffers and neutralisation
- Organic synthesis
Term 3
- Enthalpy
- Redox and electrode potential
- Spectroscopy
Term 4
- Transition metals review
Terms 5 & 6
- Revision
A Level Physics
We want our students to leave with the best possible grade from their two years, a grade that will open future doors.
What is more, it is our aim that students should end our two years together with an increased passion for Physics. Not simply a passion for the subject content but for the chase of solving a physical problem using acquired knowledge, logic and a bit of maths.
We hope that students will have an increased awareness of the Physics that is constantly around them and try to use various models and analogies from daily life to help students understand more abstract concepts. We hope that students will soon discover that they have the laws of Physics already in built into them.
We hope, through the use of a Flipped Classroom model to produce independent learners that are well prepared for study at university level whose understanding is greater through having engaged more intently through self-guided learning.
Our students will have developed and honed practical skills through the implementation of the endorsed practical investigations allowing them to take precise and accurate measurements from which they can calculate a desired physical constant.
Moreover, through the inclusion of innovative practical challenges that are not simply those on the spec, we hope to produce learners with a thirst for solving problems, the skill to plan a solution and the tenacity to stick with the problem until the end.
Year 12
Term 1
Kinematics; Linear motion; Projectile motion; Dynamics; Non-uniform acceleration; Moments and equilibrium; Density and pressure; Scalar and vector; ; springs; properties of matter.
Term 2
Properties of matter (cont.); Newton's Laws; collisions; charge; mean drift velocity; triangle of forces; work, energy and power; kinetic and potential; power; wave motion.
Term 3
EM waves; superposition; stationary waves; EMF & Pd; resistance and resistivity; series and parallel.
Term 4
Series and parallel (cont.); energy of photon; PE effect; W/P duality; internal resistance and potential dividers.
Term 5
Thermal physics; capacitors.
Term 6
Revision
Year 13
Term 1
Circular motion; centripetal force; simple harmonic oscillations; revision for internal exams.
Term 2
Radioactivity; Capacitors, Thermal Physics, Ideal Gas.
Term 3
Electric Field; Coulomb's law; Magnetic Fields; Medical Physics.
Term 4
Revision and consolidation of the course.