We promote students curiosity about the world we live in.
By studying Science at Beckfoot, students will learn about the way the world around them works and develop essential skills for future study and for life.
By looking at phenomena involving the largest objects in the universe down to those too small to see with the naked eye, we will create a sense of awe, wonder and natural curiosity. Students will leave us having become more employable, able to keep themselves safe, and with the cultural capital to engage with the science they encounter in the future. We intend to provide all our students with the a broad and balanced science curriculum.
Enrichment
Science provides regular opportunities to recognise how we affect the world around us and make
informed decisions in our lives. We look at the environmental, ethical, economic and social impacts of science on different communities.
Assessment
In years 7, 8 and 9, internal assessments will take place throughout each year to monitor student progress and further inform teaching and learning.
KS4 Specification
Careers
Science is all about moving forwards, developing improved technology and researching better ways of doing things. Students will develop skills which make them more employable and better able to cope with an ever-changing world.
Curriculum Overview
| Year | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Cycle 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Chemistry – Earth structure and universe: Introduction to our place in the universe and the planet we live on Biology – Ecosystem, interdependence and plant reproduction: Introduction to biological relationship sin the world around us Physics – Electromagnets, electricity: The basics of electricity and how circuits work Physics – Energy costs and transfer: Ideas about energy use and the availability and the availability of energy resources | Science – enquiry processes: Introduction to ‘thinking scientifically’, looking at how science asks questions and tries to collect evidence to answer them Physics – forces: Introduction to forces and motion Biology – genes, variation and human reproduction: Reasons behind the wide variety of life on Earth Biology – organisms, movement and cells: Introduction to the building blocks of life and their structures | Chemistry – reactions, acids and alkalis, metals and non-metals: Basic ideas around reactions between different types of chemicals Chemistry – matter: Building blocks of solids, liquids and gases and why materials behave the way they do Physics – sound and light: Introduction to waves and how we hear and see the world |
| Year 8 | Chemistry – climate: The human impact on the world Biology – Earth’s resources: How we can make use of resources available to us in a sustainable way Physics – electromagnets and magnetism Physics – energy, work, heating and cooling: Real-life examples of where we need to think about the use and efficient transfer of energy | Science – enquiry process: Further opportunity to think about how science works Physics – forces, constant forces and pressure: Building on the basics of forces and applying ideas to different situations Biology – genes, evolution and inheritance: Developing ideas of reproduction and variation Biology – breathing and digestion | Chemistry – reactions: Looking at specific types of reactions Chemistry – matter, elements and periodic table: Ideas about the structure of matter and different types of material Physics – wave effects and properties: further developing ideas about waves Biology – ecosystem, respiration and photosynthesis: Biological processes that keep plants and animals alive |
| Year 9 | Biology – bioenergetics: Developing a more detailed understanding of the energy involved in keeping things alive Biology – cells: Further develops the ideas around cells as the building blocks of life Biology – organisation: Structures and systems inside living things that work together to keep them alive | Chemistry – atomic structure and periodic table: Look in detail at the chemistry of matter and how our understanding has developed Chemistry – chemical changes: Look in more detail at some useful chemical reactions Chemistry of atmosphere: Looking in greater depth at the human impact of the atmosphere and a timeline of how it developed in the first place | Chemistry – energy changes: Energy changes that take place in chemical reactions Physics – forces (part 1): Looking at interactions between objects and perform calculations to explain the effects of forces we come across |
| Year 10 | Physics – forces (part 2): This unit looks at mathematical relationships for moving objects and how to visualise motion using graphs Biology (triple) – homeostasis and response: How bodies maintain a constant internal environment Biology (trilogy) – infection and response: Why we get ill and how our bodies fight infections with the help of modern medicine
| Chemistry – chemical analysis: How chemistry can be used to identify unknown substances and separate mixtures Chemistry – rate of chemical change: Explains the chemistry that controls how quickly a reaction happens using the idea of collision theory Chemistry – using resources: The way humans use resources available to them Chemistry – bonding, structure and properties of matter: Properties of different types of material and the reasons behind those properties | Physics – energy: Introduces a mathematical approach to energy transfers and greater depth to ideas about energy resources Physics – electricity: Basic of electricity and circuits, looking at a wider variety of components that can be used Physics – magnetism: Magnets and electromagnets how they work and what we can use them for |
| Year 11 | Biology (trilogy) – Ecology: How living things depend on each other in an ecosystem and how we can monitor populations of organisms Biology (trilogy) – Inheritance, variation and evolution: Building on knowledge of reproduction and genes to explain why we have a great variety of life on Earth | Chemistry – Organic chemistry: The useful products that can be obtained from crude oil and other hydrocarbons Chemistry – Quantitative chemistry: Mathematical relationships in chemistry and developing practical skills for future study | Physics – space: The biggest things that exist and where they fit into the universe – stars, planets, black holes and galaxies Physics (trilogy) – waves: Developing an understanding of the dangers of different types of waves |