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Curriculum content is currently under review
For the termly Curriculum Newsletter please see https://www.thamesmead.surrey.sch.uk/ks3/ for Year 7-9 students
Curriculum Information for Key Stage 3 students
“Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science.”
– Edwin Powell Hubble, The Nature of Science, 1954
Welcome to the Science department
Aim:
The science department aims to deliver an interesting and stimulating curriculum that allows all students to achieve and enjoy. The curriculum enables students to develop secure knowledge and understanding of basic scientific principles and core investigative skills.
Overview:
Through their scientific study students should understand and appreciate the importance and limitations of science, as well as gaining an awareness of the wider social, cultural, moral and economic factors that arise from scientific research.
Science should teach students skills that equip them for the wider world and the Thamesmead science department encourages a problem solving approach to scientific enquiry, including the ability to apply scientific knowledge to unfamiliar situations. Our schemes of work are designed to provide a range of learning experiences that match with student needs and capabilities across the whole ability range.
What topics will I study in KS3 (years 7, 8 & 9):
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Year 7 | Topics:
Unit 1-Cells, Unit 2 – Safety in the lab and Particles and their behaviour, Unit 3 – Heat transfer
Assessment: No assessment
|
Topics:
Unit 4 – Reproduction Unit 5- Acids and Alkalis
Unit 6 – Sound
Assessment: Includes Unit 1, 2, 3 |
Topics:
Unit 4 – Reproduction Unit 5 – Acids and alkalis
Unit 7 – Light
Assessment: No assessment |
Topics:
Unit 8- adaptations Unit 9 – Scientific skills Unit 7 – Light Unit 10 – Electricity
Assessment: Includes Unit 4, 5, 6 |
Topics:
Unit 11- Feeding relationship Unit 12 – chemical reactions Unit 10 – electricity
Assessment: no assessment |
Topics:
Unit 14- classification and ecology Unit 13 – separating mixtures Unit 15- Magnetism
Revision for end of year exam in Summer 2
Assessment: End of year exam includes Unit 1-13 |
| Year 8 | Topics:
Unit 1 – Fit and Healthy
Unit 2 – Atoms, Elements and compounds
Assessment: No assessment
|
Topics:
Unit 3 – Energy
Unit 4 – Respiration
Assessment: includes Unit 1, Unit 2 and first half of Unit 3 |
Topics:
Unit 5 – Electricity
Unit 6 – Reactivity Series and displacement reactions
Assessment: No assessment |
Topics:
Unit 7 – Photosynthesis
Unit 8 – Forces, Gravity and Space
Assessment: Includes Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6 |
Topics:
Unit 9 – Microbes
Unit 10 – Rocks and Weathering
Assessment: No assessment |
Topics:
Revision for end of year exam in Summer 2
Finish Unit 10
Unit 11-The structure of atoms Assessment: End of Year Exam includes Units 1-8 |
| Year 9 | Topics:
Unit 1- Forces Unit 2- Inheritance and selection Unit 3- Using Chemistry
Assessment: no assessment
|
Topics:
Unit 1- Forces Unit 2- Inheritance and selection Unit 3- Using Chemistry
Assessment: End of KS3 exam |
Topics:
Starting GCSE B1 – Cell Biology C1- Atomic structure and the Periodic table P1 – Energy
Assessment: No formal assessment |
Topics:
B1 – Cell Biology C1- Atomic structure and the Periodic table P1 – Energy
Assessment: Includes B1 topic |
Topics:
B1 – Cell Biology C1- Atomic structure and the Periodic table P1 – Energy
Assessment: no assessment |
Topics:
Revision for the end of year exam
Finishing B1, C1, P1
Assessment: End of year exam includes B1, C1, P1 |
Can I study this at KS4?
All students will study Combined Science Trilogy in KS4. Those wishing to extend their knowledge can choose to take the Triple Science option which leads to GCSEs in the three separate Sciences of Biology, Chemistry and Physics
Are there any enrichment opportunities in school?
The Thamesmead Plus programme offers the Year 7 STEM club to further develop students’ interest in Science.
What could I do/read at home to help myself or where could I visit to help my learning?
Visiting Science and Natural History museums as well as Science exhibitions will help students with their learning and understanding of science. Scientific journals and tv programmes are good at supporting student’s natural curiosity and scientific vocabulary.
Useful websites:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z4kw2hv