Science
Useful Resources and Revision Support
-
Learning Checklists – all students are provided with these in their exercise books
- Wider Reading List - Science
Studying Science gives young people a better understanding of the world around them. At Bingley we encourage our students to develop a positive and practical approach to Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
At GCSE, most of our students follow the AQA Combined Science Trilogy pathway which is made up of all three science subjects and is worth two GCSEs. The three sciences equip students with many skills that will support them in their later lives. At A level we follow the AQA Chemistry, Physics and Biology A level specifications and the Edexcel Applied Science specification for our BTEC courses. Students who perform well, display outstanding attitudes to learning and have a clear interest in science consistently throughout year 10 will be invited to join our challenging separate science courses.
Science is an enquiry-based subject which we embed throughout the curriculum to enable students to develop their ideas in a supportive environment. Making clear links between scientific subject knowledge and practical enquiry makes science a unique and important subject to study. Our learners are inspired to achieve.
Assessment
Each topic is assessed continually during lessons by teaching staff and by students via peer and self-assessment. We also use regular end of unit assessments. These assessments focus upon recently covered material and ideas previously covered in linked topics taught earlier in the course.
KS4 Exam Board specification, AQA
Separate Science Courses covered at BGS
KS5 Exam Board Specification–AQA (A level) and Edexcel (BTEC Applied Science)
Enrichment
The department offers a KS3 Science club and we run themed lesson in KS3 at relevant times of the year (such as the science of fireworks in November and the science of Christmas in December). We organise a range of activities both in school as well as outside school to celebrate events such as British Science Week www.britishscienceweek.org.
The department arranges school-wide competitions and takes part in local and national competitions such as the Royal Society of Chemistry's Chemistry Challenge and the Shell Energy Bright Ideas Challenge.
In GCSE and A Level exam years revision sessions are offered to students to consolidate learning.
We also run various transition events inviting classes from local primary schools into our science labs allowing the children to get used to life at upper school in a fun but controlled way.
Curriculum Overview
Year 7
Biology
-
Food and Nutrition
-
Cells, tissues, organs and systems
-
Reproduction
-
Muscles and Bones
Chemistry
-
Mixtures and Separation
-
Rocks
-
Atoms, Elements and Materials
- The Particle Model
Physics
-
Energy
-
Current Electricity
-
Forces
- Sound
Year 8
Biology
-
Breathing and Respiration
-
Plant Growth
-
Unicellular Organisms
-
Ecosystems
Chemistry
-
The Periodic Table
-
Acids and Alkalis
-
Combustion
- Metals and their uses
Physics
-
Fluids
-
Energy Transfer
-
Light
- Earth and Space
Year 9
Biology
-
Genetics and Evolution
-
Health and Disease
-
Cell Biology
Chemistry
-
Reactivity
-
Making Materials
-
Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table
Physics
-
Forces & Motion
- Force Fields
-
Energy
Year 10
Biology
Organisation
- Digestion
- Enzymes
- Heart and blood
- Cancer
- Plant tissues
Infection and Response
- Communicable diseases
- Human defences
- Vaccines
Bioenergetics
- Photosynthesis
- Respiration
Homeostasis and response
- Homeostasis
- Nervous system and reflexes
- Endocrine system
- Glucose and diabetes
- Kidney
- Human reproductive hormones
Chemistry
Bonding, structure and the properties of matter
- Ionic bonds and compounds
- Covalent bonds
- Metallic bonds
- States of matter
- Polymers
- Carbon structures
Quantitative chemistry
- Conservation of mass
- Relative formula mass
- Chemical measurements
- Moles
Chemical changes
- Reactivity series
- Extraction of metals
- Acid reactions
- Neutralisation
- Electrolysis
Energy changes
- Exothermic and endothermic reactions
- Reaction profiles
- Energy change of reactions
Rate and extent of chemical change
- Calculating rate of reaction
- Collision theory
- Catalysts
- Reversible reactions
- Equilibrium
Physics
Electricity
- Circuit symbols
- Electrical charge
- Current and potential difference
- Resistors
- Series and parallel circuits
- Mains electricity
- Power and efficiency
Particle model of matter
- Density
- Internal energy
- Temperature changes in a system
- Specific latent heat
- Particle motion in gas
Atomic structure
- Structure of an atom
- Isotopes
- Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation
- Half-lives
Forces
- Scalar and vector quantities
- Contact and non-contact forces
- Gravity
- Resultant forces
- Work done and energy transfer
- Forces and elasticity
- Speed and velocity
- Acceleration
- Newton's laws of motion
- Braking distances
- Momentum
Year 11
Biology
Inheritance, variation and evolution
- Reproduction
- Meiosis
- DNA
- Inheritance
- Evolution
- Extinction
- Classification
Ecology
- Communities
- Organisation in an ecosystem
- Cycling materials
- Biodiversity
Chemistry
Organic chemistry
- Carbon compounds as fuels
- Fractional distillation
Chemical analysis
- Pure substances
- Chromatography
- Identification of common gases
Chemistry of the atmosphere
- Earth’s early atmosphere
- Changes in oxygen levels
- Greenhouse gases
- Global climate change
- Atmospheric pollutants
Using resources
- Potable water
- Waste water treatment
- Life cycle assessment
Physics
Waves
- Transverse and longitudinal waves
- Properties of waves
- Electromagnetic waves
Magnetism and electromagnetism
- Poles of a magnet
- Magnetic fields
- Motor effect
- Electromagnetism
- Electric motors