Our science curriculum allows all pupils to obtain the knowledge and skills needed to help them think like a scientist, develop an understanding of scientific processes, and to understand the uses and implications of science today and for the future.
Our students will have:
• The knowledge to make critical judgements.
• Skills to critically analyse information, draw conclusions and evaluate the world around them.
• Expertise, curiosity, and passion for science, so that they can pursue science in the future.
Big Ideas in Science
Big Ideas are the building blocks of subjects.
Our curriculum is based around 17 ‘Big Ideas’ in science. Six of these big ideas are based around biology, five around chemistry and five around physics. One big idea is based on the scientific process which is the disciplinary knowledge in science.
The Big Ideas are:
BIOLOGY:
The Cell - All living organisms are made of cells, which carry out biological processes to
maintain life.
Transport - Substances are exchanged, into, out of and within organisms. The mechanisms
and processes which allow this to happen are essential to life
Interdependence - Living things do not exist in isolation. Every individual relies on other
organisms for everything to do with its survival.
The Gene - All life is dependent on a coded sequence of information that determines every characteristic, fundamentally underlying its ability to survive.
Organisation - Organisms are organised into organ systems, which are essential for survival
Bioenergetics - All life is dependent on a number of biochemical reactions.
CHEMISTRY:
Atomic Structure - All matter is made from tiny particles called atoms.
Bonding - Atoms can interact with each other to form chemical bonds. These
substances can have different properties to the elements that made them
Chemical reactions - In a chemical reaction chemical bonds are broken and formed.
Amount of substance - Chemists need to work out the precise amount of substances that they are
working with.
Particle Theory - The physical properties of a substance are dependent on the behaviour of
tiny particles.
PHYSICS:
Energy - There is a fixed amount of energy in the Universe, which can be transferred between
different stores.
Forces - When a force acts upon an object it can change the objects speed, direction or shape.
Waves - Energy can be transferred between stores via waves.
Space - Our planet is part of a Universe which contains billions of other celestial bodies
Electricity - The flow of charged particles is known as electricity.
WORKING SCIENTICALLY:
The Scientific Process - Scientists develop a hypothesis and then design, implement and write up reliable and valid experiment to test this hypothesis.
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