The Heads of Science are:
Mr A Matthews – Director of Science
Mrs R Abbey and Mrs S McCole – Biology
Mrs K Ray and Mr T Randall – Chemistry
Mr S Pinder – Physics
Below is a summary of how science is taught to each year across the three sciences and how you can help your child in science. If you have a specific query, please contact your child’s science teacher, or the Heads of Science.
Y7
In Y7 science, students study the following topics:
Phase 1 (up until February) | Phase 2 (until end of Y7) | ||
Biology | Cells and Reproduction | Systems in the human body, healthy lifestyles | |
Chemistry | Particles | Acids and alkalis | Elements and compounds, mixtures and reactions |
Physics | Space and Energy | Heating and cooling, Seeing and hearing | |
There will be a test of approximately 40 minutes after each topic (note in chemistry, Phase 1, there are two tests, as particles is a topic that feeds into all three sciences). After each test, students will be given a score and feedback on how to improve for future tests.
Y8
Students study each of biology, chemistry and physics with a specialist teacher, meaning that their class will rotate in the order: biology, physics, chemistry, though they will start with different topics.
Phase 1 (up until February) | Phase 2 (until end of Y8) | |
Biology | Staying alive and variation | Plants and ecosystems |
Chemistry | Elements and the Periodic Table | Fundamental chemical reactions |
Physics | Forces and electricity | Waves and moving around |
We run the following clubs:
KS3 STEM club – Lab 3 on Wednesdays with Miss McClafferty and Dr Williams, 12.20 – 12.50pm, eat lunch afterwards
Eco club – Lab 3 on Thursdays with Miss Walton 12.45 – 1.10pm, eat lunch afterwards
KS4 STEM club – Lab 8 Thursday with Dr Bruce, 12.25-1.00 pm (you may bring your lunch)
How you can help your child in Science
- Check Show my Homework with them, using the link from the school website. https://notredamehigh.showmyhomework.co.uk/school/homeworks/calendar. You can search their year group and teachers without logging in if they have forgotten their password.
- Use Moodle on the school website (science, new KS3). These resources are particularly useful for physics topics.
- Use Kerboodle https://www.kerboodle.com/users/login?user_return_to=%2Fapp
- For a student called John Tate-Smith
- Username: jtatesmith
- Password (for first log in): jtatesmith
- Institution code: Cru6
- Potential issues: Double barrelled surnames have no space or hyphen; students with the same initial and surname as older students will have a number after their name – ask your teacher if unsure
- https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zng4d2p
- https://senecalearning.com/
- Their book, especially and glossaries of keywords they can use to test themselves
- In Y7 and Y8, the CGP KS3 revision guide, which will be loaned to students.
- Follow the our Science Department’s social media feeds on Instagram NDHSScience and Twitter @NDHSScience for science news, revision assistance, to keep up to date on Science clubs and trips and regular competitions.
KS4 (Y9-Y11)
We follow the AQA GCSE syllabus and students select either combined science trilogy (worth two GCSEs, covering all three sciences) or triple science.
Further details of the specification can be found: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse
Triple – biology (8461), chemistry (8462), physics (8463)
Double – combined trilogy (8464)
The topics studied are (T only means only students taking separate sciences will learn this content):
Y9 | Y10 | Y11 |
Cell biology | Bioenergetics | Inheritance |
Organisation and the systems of the body | Biological responses | Reproduction and evolution |
Infection and response | Homeostasis | Ecology |
Energy and Energy resources | Electrical circuits | Magnetism and electromagnetism |
Efficiency and power | Atomic physics | Waves |
Forces in action | Mechanics | Space Physics (T only) |
Atomic structure and the periodic table | Chemical changes | Quantitative chemistry |
Structure and bonding | Using resources | Chemical analysis |
The atmosphere | Energy changes | Organic chemistry (T only) |
Rates |
A level Biology
We follow the AQA Biology A level, please see attachment for further details.
A level Chemistry
We follow the OCR B Salters chemistry A level, please see attachment, which shows what is visible on the UCAS website, for further details.
A level Physics
We follow the Edexcel physics A level, please see attachment for further details.
Marking and feedback policy
All students will be given regular feedback so they know what they need to do to improve their understanding. This may take the form of marking in books, marking of tests, marking of homeworks, self assessment or peer assessment in lessons, interactive homework tasks which tell students the answer and explain why they were wrong (e.g. on Kerboodle or Seneca learning)
These are the textbooks used in the Science Department.
They can also be accessed by the students through Kerboodle (access details above), so there is no need to purchase.
These books may also be of interest:
Downloads:
