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Key Stage 3 |
Our KS3 Science curriculum aims to captivate students' love of the subject whilst also giving them the opportunity to experience new experiments in our labs. At Fernhill KS3 Science encompasses years 7 and 8 and students are taught all three disciplines throughout. Within the Biology topics students explore tiny cells under a microscope, the parts of a flower through dissection and plan investigations to see how unique we all are. Chemistry involves understanding the link between tiny atoms and the Earth’s itself. Practicals take centre stage with students looking at separating techniques, group 1 elements, the colourful acids and alkalis and combustion. For Physics students study big challenging concepts including energy and electricity with the hope to therefore understand the world around them. They also have the opportunity to study the interesting topics of sounds and light and electromagnet. At the end of KS3 students will be ready to take the next step in their Science careers at Fernhill and will be fully prepared to start their GCSE journey.
All year 7 students will start with the basics of science, that being cells, particles and energy. From these critical areas we venture in topics such as reproduction, electricity, acids and chemical reactions. We focus on getting the students' confidence in these building blocks of science so the rest of their curriculum is a smooth progression into more complex areas.
Year 8 students start to learn about more difficult chemical reactions, including how to write these reactions down using chemical notation. Light, sound, digestion and forces are also fleshed out in this year.
The first year of GCSE Science is composed of the following topic areas. Chemistry; structure of atoms, maths of chemistry, how atoms bond with each other and the energy in chemical reactions.
Biology; cells, causes of disease and immunity, systems within the human body and how they functions, how plants use sunlight to live and how we power our muscles.
Required practicals including microscope, separating techniques and electrolysis are also covered.