Science
Building on from the key areas from KS2:
Living things and their habitats
Plants
Animals (including humans)
Uses of everyday materials
Working scientifically
Rocks
Light
Forces and Magnets
States of Matter
Sound
Electricity
Properties and changes in materials
Earth and Space
Evolution and Inheritance
as well as preparing for the next step of study for GCSEs, our KS3 science curriculum builds on the continuity of learning by enabling our learners to relate their scientific explanations to phenomena in the world around them and start to use modelling and predicting as well as abstract ideas to further develop a firm foundation of knowledge.
“To provide our students with strong foundations in key scientific concepts to enable them to develop a better understanding of the world around them through observation, experimentation and enquiry”
Here at Tor Bridge High our 5-year curriculum for science education intends to develop our students so they identify and understand the fundamental scientific principles from Biology, Chemistry and Physics. These principles will embed foundations for understanding and navigating the world around them.
In addition to the scientific content, we also want our students to understand the processes of scientific inquiry that leads to the creation and development of concepts and theories. Students will understand how Science can be used to make and explain observations and make predictions about natural phenomena.
Our curriculum follows a spiral progressive approach across Key stages 3 and 4 which supports students in building a solid foundation in the key scientific disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Through engaging lessons and practical experiments, students develop both theoretical understanding and practical skills, enhancing their ability to think scientifically, evaluate evidence, and apply concepts to real-world situations.
We are committed to providing a learning environment where students are challenged in their thinking, conduct investigations, and work collaboratively. By fostering these skills, we aim to nurture the next generation of innovative thinkers who are not only prepared for further academic study but also for active and informed participation in society. Our approach ensures that students gain confidence in their ability to communicate scientific ideas, critically assess information, and make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.
Ultimately, our intent is for all students to leave Tor Bridge with a deep understanding of key scientific concepts, a sense of excitement about the natural world, and the skills necessary to engage with science in a wide variety of contexts—whether in further education, future careers, or everyday life.
Our science curriculum follows a spiral progression model, ensuring that core concepts are revisited and expanded upon at different stages of a student’s learning journey. The curriculum is structured to ensure a balanced approach across the three key scientific disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
All students in key stage 3 are taught using a booklet style delivery and following the TWT common curriculum by using the same sequential lesson plans so that everyone is given access to the scientific knowledge and skills to progress in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
With that said, teachers understand the need to adjust and differentiate their lessons and resources to make them accessible as well as challenging for all learners. Although students at secondary level are taught in different sized groups and towards different tiers, we have the same high expectations of all students.
In Science, the 5-year curriculum programme of study is planned so that core knowledge is mastered and then built up and re-visited in later units. For example, in year 7 the core knowledge on the typical structure of an animal and plant cell is taught and in year 9 we build on this core knowledge by closely looking at how cells link with levels of organisation in the human digestive system and then in year 10 looking at cells in reproduction. This allows students to revisit, retain and retrieve knowledge via implementing cognitive load theory and spaced review theory. Every lesson starts with a retrieval set of questions which encourage learners to retrieve more recent knowledge as well as accessing longer term knowledge. Where possible we use BEST (Best evidence in science teaching) resources in lesson planning. These resources have been developed from the best research evidence on common misunderstandings in science to help address common misconceptions which students experience in science.
Practical skills are an integral part of the science curriculum and embedded throughout all of our schemes of work. Developing numeracy and literacy skills within our science curriculum is also key to promoting good outcomes and well-rounded individuals. The development of exam technique focuses on identification of science command words, unpicking the language of exam questions and the accurate use of subject specific vocabulary.
The 3 cycles of delivery over the academic year incorporate mid cycle assessments where students cover a short unit of learning and then a short formative assessment. This provides a key opportunity for students to revise the unit and enables teachers to assess learning and re-teach knowledge gaps or address misconceptions before the end of cycle assessment. At the end of each cycle, all students complete an assessment on the whole content covered since the start of the cycle.
Home learning for both key stage 3 and 4 is achieved using Sparx Science. Key Stage 5 home learning is personalised to each of the subjects.
We use a centralised resourcing system within the department which staff members have contributed to resourcing across key stage 3 and 4. Lessons are linked to the cycles for the year and are continually reviewed and edited.
In addition to the core curriculum, students will have the opportunity to engage in extra-curricular activities that extend their scientific learning:
Science Clubs and Competitions: A weekly science club will provide students with a platform to pursue their interests beyond the classroom. Students will also be encouraged to enter regional and national science competitions.
STEM Ambassadors: Partnerships with local universities and industries will be established to allow students to interact with professionals and gain insight into science-related careers.
Workshops and Masterclasses: Opportunities for students to attend workshops or masterclasses on specialized topics in science, such as women into STEM careers will be provided.
As a department we want to instil a love and interest in science to all our students. This can be assessed by the proportion of our students that opt to go on to study level 3 sciences as they prove to be popular choices in our sixth form for example A level Biology, Chemistry, Physics and the vocational route of BTEC Applied Science.
We want our students to be able to use their scientific powerful knowledge to make sense of the world and be able to make their own judgements on information and data through the skills we have taught them. This is also evidenced by the number of students who apply to our local engineering/science firms such as Babcock, Becton Dickinson, NHS and Princess Yachts.
Our new cycle by cycle approach will enable teachers to analyse in greater depth the outcomes from assessments so that weaker points can be identified and acted on by reteaching, thus enabling our students to learn the intended knowledge and skills of the science curriculum. Due to the nature of the whole year group sitting the same assessments we will be able to analyse data across the cohort from which we can re-evaluate the curriculum and lesson planning, adapting them where necessary.