Head of Department
Mr T McPherson
Year 7
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| We welcome Y7 with the fundamental concepts of biology and chemistry that build upon their KS2 learning and form a foundation for the rest of Ks3, 4 and ongoing science education beyond ARK Charter. Students begin to develop practical skills through microscopy, evaluate scientific models and analyse data to draw conclusions. | Students build upon their knowledge of the fundamental units of life (cells) by studying how organisms reproduce. Students embark upon their physics education by learning about forces and how these bring about change in the world around them. Students apply mathematical principles to calculate resultant forces and manipulate the density equation. |
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B1.1 Cells Cell Structure Specialised Cells Microscopy Cell Organisation C1.1 Particles The Particle Model Changes of State Diffusion |
P1.1 Forces Balanced and unbalanced forces Resultant Force Friction Density B1.2 Reproduction Sexual and Asexual reproduction Puberty The Menstrual Cycle Embryo Development Plant reproduction |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| This half term students begin linking their concept of particles with the actual chemicals those models represent and why different chemicals behave in different ways. Their appreciation of forces is applied to gravity as students begin to develop the skill of rearranging equations. | Students expand the scope of their understanding of living organisms into the links between organisms and non-living aspects of their ecosystems, which builds on their KS2 experience of food chains and simple ecosystems. Taking their understanding of gravity further, students learn about the solar system and satellites. |
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C1.2 Elements, Atoms and Compounds Chemical symbols Elements and Compounds Metals and Non-Metals P1.2 Space Mass and Weight Gravity Solar system Satellites |
B1.3 Interdependence Ecosystems Feeding Relationships Competition Biotic and Abiotic Factors |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| With students appreciating the differences between chemicals from spring 1 and able to draw particle diagrams from autumn 1, we can now bring in concepts of purity, mixtures and separating impure mixtures. We introduce energy transfers at this stage as another underpinning physics concept upon which much of the physics and chemistry curriculum relies. | In their final half term of year 7, students have an opportunity to apply their understanding of energy, backed by their KS2 experience of simple electrical circuits to current, potential difference and how electricity behaves in different circuit layouts. |
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C1.3 Mixtures Pure and Impure substances Melting and Boiling Separating Mixtures Solubility P1.3 Energy Transfers Energy and Energy Transfers Wasted Energy Heat and Temperature |
P1.4 Electric Circuits; Current and PD Series and Parallel Circuits Electric Current Potential Difference |
Year 8
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Students apply their understanding of cells to the more complex tissue and organ structures needed for complex organisms to have evolved and how these systems behave and interact with each other and changing environments. Building on all of Y7 chemistry students apply their understanding of particles, chemicals and mixtures to explain the nature of acids and alkalis. From forces in Y7 autumn 2 students develop an understanding of movement and pressure, combining this with energy from Y7 summer 1 students can begin to understand the meaning of ‘work done’. | This half term students complete their learning of movement and pressure, then utilise their knowledge of tissues and organs and chemical reactions from autumn 1 to explain the biochemical reactions fundamental to life. |
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B2.1 Tissues and Organs Gas exchange Skeletal & Muscular Systems Recreational Drugs C2.1 Acids and Alkalis The pH scale Neutralisation P2.1 Movement and Pressure (pt1) Speed Distance-Time Gap |
P2.1 Movement and Pressure (pt2) Work Done Pressure B2.2 Respiration & Photosynthesis Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration Photosynthesis |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Students take their fundamental understanding of chemistry and apply this to how chemicals change in various conditions. Students study the basics of magnetism and tie this to their developing knowledge of circuits in terms of creating electromagnets. They then use their knowledge of the cell to explore how cells contain the information required for all the complex organisms on Earth and how humans impact evolution through selective breeding for desirable traits. | During spring 2 students apply their understanding of chemical and physical changes to material cycling on Earth. From summer 2 in year 7 students have a fundamental understanding of electrical circuits, which they expand into resistance and ohm’s law. |
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C2.2 Changing substances Conservation of mass Balanced equations Oxidation Acids and Metals Testing for gases P2.2 Magnetism Magnetic Force Magnetic Fields Electromagnetism B2.3 Life Diversity Variation (pt1) Selective Breeding Adaptation |
B2.3 Life Diversity Natural selection Evolution C2.3 Earth Systems The Rock Cycle The Water Cycle Combustion |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Now that students have an understanding of tissues, organs and organ systems, these can be tied together by learning about diet, nutrition and digestion. | Towards the end of Y8 students recall their KS2 learning about light and apply it to a new fundamental of physics, the properties of light as a wave and its behaviour. |
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P2.3 Electric Circuits; Resistance Resistance Ohm’s Law Measuring Resistance B2.4 Nutrition Diet & Nutrition Digestive System |
P2.4 Light Properties of Light Reflection Refraction |
Year 9
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| As we begin year 9 students build upon the knowledge they gained early in year 7 about cells, adding further details in terms of how cells interact with each other and organisms’ internal environment. Students also call on their knowledge of atoms and elements to explain why chemicals behave differently to each other depending on their tiniest structures. | From their learning in Y7 (ecosystems) and Y8 (life diversity) students develop their understanding of how humans study and affect the Earth’s ecosystems. Bringing together learning from Y7 (forces, energy) and Y8 (movement), students study Newton’s laws and the calculations involved in finding the acceleration of objects. |
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B3.1 Growth & Differentiation Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic cells Cell Transport Cell Division Stem Cells C3.1 The Periodic Table Subatomic particles Isotopes The Atomic Model Periodic Patterns |
P3.1 Acceleration Vectors Newton’s First Law Newton’s Third Law Velocity-Time Graphs B3.2 Human Interaction (pt1) Biodiversity Global Warming Food Security |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Students bring together concepts of energy and acid reactions with their developing mathematical skills in order to explore quantitative chemistry. In Y7 summer 1 students gained the foundations to prepare them for thermal energy transfers and specific heat capacity in this half terms physics topic. | In spring 1 of Y8 students began to understand how humans leverage our understanding of variation to selectively breed organisms, they now learn the underpinning aspects of genetics and how scientists can directly control the evolution of species via genetic engineering and understand the inheritance of characteristics between individuals. |
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B3.2 Human Interaction (pt2) Biotechnology Sustainable Farming Pyramids of Biomass C3.2 Intro to quantitative chemistry Atom Conversion Moles Amounts of Substances Concentration Acids and Salts P3.2 Heating (pt1) Thermal Transfer Specific Heat Capacity |
P3.2 Heating (pt2) Pressure B3.3 Genetics Sexual and Asexual reproduction Genes and DNA Genetic Engineering Cloning Monohybrid Inheritance Gene Theory |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Various aspects of chemistry throughout Y7 and 8 are needed for students to understand how we utilise technology to maintain potable water supplies. Students consider how we access and use Earth’s resources in manufacture and therefore must be aware of the environmental impact we can have through analysing product life cycles. In Y8 summer 1 we introduced students to light and now can deepen their understanding of other waves and their applications. | As students prepare for their end of year 9 assessments we spend summer 2 in re-teaching and revision as well as exam technique practice so that students can be as successful as possible before entering into their GCSEs. Lastly, we draw together all the previous work students have done on electricity and circuits to consider how electricity is used safely in the home and everyday life. |
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C3.3 Using Resources The Reactivity Series Potable Water Product Life Cycle P3.3 Sound and Waves Longitudinal and Transverse Wave Properties Sound Waves Seismic Waves and Ultrasound |
P3.4 Home Electricity Mains Electricity Electrical Appliances The National Grid Static Electricity |
Year 10
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Throughout KS3 students have developed their understanding of the cells and systems of the body, we begin Y10 by applying these to the digestive system. Structure & bonding allows students to build upon their understanding of atoms and their interactions, to explain increasingly complex molecules and behaviours. | Continuing the application of biological knowledge, students learn to explain how and why the circulatory system in larger animals is important and relate the chemical reaction of respiration with life processes in organisms. Through application of the rules of chemistry students were introduced to at KS3, they learn how different metals are extracted from the ground based on their reactivity |
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B4.1 Digestive system C4.1 Structure & bonding P4.1 Matter |
B4.2 Circulation & Respiration C4.2 Extraction of metals |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Taking the concept of energy further, students learn why the universe behaves in the way it does, that energy is conserved in interactions Reflecting on the biological processes studied in KS3, students tie together the cycling of materials through ecosystems. |
With students now appreciating the structure and bonding of atoms and the basics of reactivity, we use this half term to equip them to describe various chemical interactions quantitatively, incorporating and building upon a significant number mathematical skills we introduced through maths in science lessons throughout KS3. Motion leverages KS3 physics learning about speed and movement when introducing Newton's laws and the effects of these in life |
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P4.2 Energy conservation B4.3 Plant & material cycling |
C4.3 Quantitative chemistry P4.3 Motion |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Combining previous learning of cells and biological systems, health and disease can now be studied in depth to support students in understanding how and why illnesses can occur. Throughout KS3 students have learnt about both energy and electrical circuits, P4.3 ties these concepts together and empowers them to explain why certain electrical phenomena can be observed. In chemistry we build on students’ understanding of atomic bonds and tie this together with their energy physics to explain why energy changes occur when some chemicals react | Tying together atomic theory and energy, students can begin to explain radioactivity and why some particles display this characteristic. Looking at the bigger picture of ecosystems and living things, we finish Y10 with an ecology topic in much greater depth, with many more knowledge tie-ins that students have previously studied in KS3. |
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B4.4 Health & disease C4.4 Energy changes P4.4 Electric circuits & energy |
P4.4 Radioactivity B4.5 Ecology |
Year 11
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Knowledge of body systems is applied in the study of hormones, building in the concept of organs interacting with other systems. Carbon chemistry draws on understanding from both KS3 and KS4 to support students in understanding how hydrocarbons are made useful in everyday life. The electromagnetic spectrum requires recall of the properties of waves and introduces how we are able to utilise waves in everyday life for communication, medicine and cooking. |
Y11 reproduction focuses on the hormonal control of the reproductive system in terms of menstrual cycle and contraception. Rates of reaction builds on students' understanding of energy transfers and reactivity. Magnetism draws heavily on recalling key facts from KS3 and building an additional layer of understanding on those foundations to appreciate the importance of magnetism in everyday life and the cosmos. |
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B5.1 Co-ordination C5.1 Carbon chemistry P5.1 Electromagnetic Spectrum |
B5.2 Reproduction C5.2 Rates of reaction P5.2 Magnetism |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Y11 genetics, selection, evolution and classification build on nearly all aspects of inheritance, evolution, ecosystems and disease that we have taught through KS3-4, ensuring students appreciate the importance of the history of the theory of evolution, development of genetic research and it's impact on modern medicine and agriculture. Earth's atmosphere draws together strands from biology, chemistry and physics into a chemistry topic reflecting the changing environment and how Earth's atmosphere is changing over time due to natural and human factors. Our final topic, separating substances draws back on chemistry understanding right from early in Y7, rounding out the course with a deepening understanding of how chemical scientists can analyse chemicals and materials and predict their interactions. |
From spring 2 onwards Y11 students follow a bespoke plan created for each of our cohorts, classes and individual students to support them in best preparing for their GCSE examinations. Further details of this curriculum will be provided to students and their families after mock examinations and mastery quizzing provide us the necessary information about students' knowledge gaps and exams skills weaknesses. |
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B5.3 Genetics C5.3 Earth's atmosphere B5.4 Selection, evolution & classification C5.4 Separating substances |
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