We aim to implement our curriculum to ensure our students develop the following key attributes, which are essential for being a successful scientist, a problem solver and an informed member of society:
• Practical Skills
• Application & Problem Solving
• Communicating Science
• Knowledge
We achieve this through engaging, creative and ultimately enjoyable lessons taught by our specialist Science team.
The curriculum has a spiral design whereby students will revisit key ideas and skills as they move through the years and key stages.
We have tried to ensure that the time in between meeting similar ideas and skills is balanced.
The curriculum is designed to not only build up a bank of factual knowledge but also build up the mathematical and experimental skills needed to become a successful scientist and problem solver.
Students are taught in mixed groups when they arrive at The Chase and continue to do so until Year 10.
Science is taught using the Activate for AQA scheme of work. GCSE Science then begins in Year 9.
There is a thriving Science (STEM) Club which provides a wide range of interesting and enjoyable experiences to enrich science for KS3 students.
Links to the current overview of content taught in specific year groups can be found here…
We currently offer two main pathways. In all cases students will have a specialist teacher for each science.
The AQA GCSE courses in Biology, Chemistry and Physics are taken by the students who show the greatest enthusiasm for Science. These courses are quite traditional and contain a high level of demand in terms of scientific knowledge and application. It is currently followed by about 25% of each year group.
AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy is taken by the majority students and nationally is the most common route to A-level Science. This course is equally demanding as the separate Sciences in terms of scientific skills and application but with slightly less content.
This course is also relatively traditional and emphasises a combination of practical and evaluative science skills and the core Biology, Chemistry and Physics needed for progression to further study.
Links to the current overview of content taught in specific year groups can be found here…
Science is a popular destination for students at The Chase Sixth Form. A-Level courses in Biology (OCR), Chemistry (OCR) and Physics (AQA) are offered. There are large numbers of students studying science subjects in the sixth form and results are excellent. Many of these students choose to continue related study at university. This may be in pure science, medicine or engineering.
OCR Biology A is a vast area of study and the A level course we study at The Chase covers aspects from organelles within cells and the biochemical reactions which happen within them to the environment around us and the impact which humans can have on it.
The course uses a variety of skills from explaining biological processes, application of knowledge to statistical analysis of data. Practical work will play an important part in your studies, which will encourage the development of excellent key skills and will be assessed in the written papers and through the Practical Endorsement certificate.