Wallingford School

Science

At Wallingford school the Science curriculum aims to:

  • Ensure the curriculum builds on pupils’ varying knowledge of science from primary school and provides frequent opportunities to develop their planning, analytical, evaluatory and problem solving skills through practical and investigative work.
  • Develop learners who have a thirst for knowledge and the creativity to become Scientists of tomorrow by nurturing enquiring minds to ask “Why?” and “How?”.
  • Develop students’ appreciation of the impact science has on their lives both positive and negative.
  • Ensure a science curriculum that stretches and challenges the ablest while also providing the scaffolding needed to ensure that students of all abilities achieve and exceed their potential.
  • Provide curriculum pathways which support students of all abilities ensuring the best opportunities to successfully access higher education.
  • Develop students mathematical and scientific literacy skills through applications in science.

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KS3 Science

In each year group, classes are taught the same set of topics, but in a different order.

Year 7

  • Introduction to Science
  • Cells, Inheritance and the Genome
  • Substances, Mixtures, Atoms and Elements
  • Energy
  • From Cells to Organ Systems
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Forces
  • Reproduction
  • Space Physics

Year 8

  • Biochemistry (photosynthesis and respiration)
  • The Periodic Table, Elements and Mixtures
  • Waves
  • Health and Fitness
  • Reactions and Sustainability
  • Electricity and Magnetism
  • Organisms and their Environment
  • Earth Science

Year 9

In Year 9, students start studying the AQA Combined Science GCSE, which is worth two GCSEs. Some students will then go onto studying Triple Science (3 separate GCSEs in year 10). The topics covered this year include, although they may be delivered in a different order:

  • Biology
    • B1 Cell Biology
  • Chemistry
    • C1 Atomic Structure and Periodic Table
    • C9 The Atmosphere
    • C10 Using Resources
  • Physics
    • P1 Energy
    • P3 Particle Model of Matter

GCSE Combined Science

Students are following AQA Trilogy GCSE specification, which is worth two GCSEs.

Year 10

  • Biology
    • B2 Organisation
    • B3 Infection and Response
    • B4 Bioenergetics
  • Chemistry
    • C2 Bonding
    • C3 Quantitative Chemistry
    • C4 Chemical Changes
    • C5 Energy Changes
  • Physics
    • P2 Electricity
    • P4 Atomic Structure
    • P6 Waves

Year 11

  • Biology
    • B5 Homeostasis
    • B6 Inheritance, Variation and Disease
  • Chemistry
    • C6 Rates of Reaction
    • C7 Hydrocarbons
    • C8 Chemical Analysis
  • Physics
    • P5 Forces 1 & 2
    • P7 Electromagnetism

GCSE Triple Science

Students are following AQA Biology, Chemistry and Physics GCSE specification. This gives students 3 separate GCSEs.

Year 10

  • Biology
    • B2 Organisation
    • B3 Infection and Response
    • B4 Bioenergetics
  • Chemistry
    • C2 Bonding
    • C3 Quantitative Chemistry
    • C4 Chemical Changes
    • C5 Energy Changes
  • Physics
    • P2 Electricity
    • P4 Atomic Structure
    • P6 Waves

Year 11

  • Biology
    • B5 Homeostasis
    • B6 Inheritance, Variation and Disease
  • Chemistry
    • C6 Rates of Reaction
    • C7 Hydrocarbons
    • C8 Chemical Analysis
  • Physics
    • P5 Forces 1 & 2
    • P7 Electromagnetism
    • P8 Space

AAQ in Applied Science (Year 12 only)

Year 12

Term 1

  • Unit 3 Physics Section C: Electricity and Energy (Electrical components in series and parallel and how they behave. Electrical energy and domestic energy costs)
  • Unit 4 Internal assessment: (C2) Transfer of energy through electrical circuits. Calibration of equipment, finding resistivity of a metal.
  • Unit 1 Biology Section A: Structure and function of cells and tissues
    • A1 Structure and function of cells and tissues
    • A2 Structure and function of specialised cells in multicellular organisms

Term 2

  • Unit 4 Internal assessment: (C1) Transfer of thermal energy cooling curves to find specific heat capacity of liquids
  • Unit 3 Physics Section A1: Working with waves (Basic wave theory, light emission spectra, superposition, diffraction gratings and standing waves
  • Unit 3 Physics Section A2: Principles of optical fibres (Refraction, total internal reflection and uses in communication and medicine)
  • Unit 1 Biology Section A: Structure and function of cells and tissues
    • A3 Structure and function of biological tissues
  • Unit 1 Biology Section B: Structure and function of biological molecules
    • B1 Structure and function of water
    • B2 Structure and function of carbohydrates
    • B3 Structure and function of proteins

Term 3

  • Unit 3 Physics Section A3: Uses of electromagnetic waves in communication. (The electromagnetic spectrum, inverse square law and using electromagnetic waves and frequencies in communication applications)
  • Unit 4 Internal assessment: (C3) Transfer of energy from a renewable resource. Investigating solar cells output.
  • Unit 3 Physics Section B1 Measurement and representation of motion (Graphical representation of motion and SUVAT equations)
  • Unit 1 Biology Section B: Structure and function of biological molecules
    • B4 Structure and function of nucleic acids
    • B5 Structure and function of lipids
  • Unit 1 Section C: Cellular transport and enzyme activity
    • C1 Cell transport mechanisms

Term 4

  • Unit 3 Physics Section B2: Laws of motion (Newton’s laws of motion, rate of change of momentum and application to transport safety. Reaching terminal velocity and applications)
  • Unit 2 Chemistry Section A: Atomic and electronic structure (Atomic structure, electron arrangement, s,p,d, subshells and ionisation energies)
  • Unit 1 Section C: Cellular transport and enzyme activity
    • C2 Enzymes as biological catalysts
    • C3 Homeostasis

Term 5

  • Revision on Unit 3 Physics - Unit 3 exam May (16.7%)
  • Revision on Unit 1 Biology - Unit 1 exam May (16.7%)

Term 6

  • Unit 2 B: Bonding and structure (metallic, ionic and covalent bonding, physical properties of substances, molecular shape, Electronegativity and polarity, Intermolecular forces, Effect of hydrogen bonding on the properties of water
  • Unit 2 Chemistry Section D: Physical chemistry D1.1 Concept of the mole and use in yield calculations
  • Unit 4 Internal assessment Section A1 Laboratory equipment and its calibration
  • Unit 4 Internal assessment Section A2 Preparation and standardisation of solutions using titration

BTEC Level 3 Applied Science (Year 13 only)

Year 13

Term 1

  • Unit 3 practical skills and theory on Fuels and hydrocarbons
  • Unit 8 Assignment preparation on the physiology of the human body
  • Unit 1 Chemistry and Biology revision for mock
  • Unit 8 Assignment carried out

Term 2

  • Unit 3 practical skills and theory on electrical circuits
  • Unit 1 Physics revision for January unit 1 exam
  • Unit 1 Biology revision for January unit 1 exam
  • Unit 1 Chemistry revision for January unit 1 exam

Term 3

  • January unit 1 exam second week into term
  • Unit 3 practical skills and theory on electrical circuits (continued)
  • Unit 3 practical skills and theory on photosynthesis
  • Unit 3 practical skills and theory on enzymes

Term 4

  • Unit 3 practical skills and theory on diffusion
  • Practical skills mock exam practice covering as wide a range of practicals and written exams.

Term 5

  • Revision for unit 3 practical exam
  • Revision for retakes of Unit 1 exam

A Level Biology

Year 12

Term 1

  • Biological molecules
  • Nucleic acids
  • Cell structure
  • Transport

Term 2

  • Immune system
  • DNA, genes and protein synthesis
  • Genetic diversity
  • Exchange

Term 3

  • Biodiversity
  • Mass transport
  • Photosynthesis

Term 4

  • Populations and ecosystems
  • Response to stimuli

Term 5

  • Nervous coordination and muscles
  • Response to stimuli cont.
  • Populations and ecosystems cont.

Term 6

  • Revision and mock exams

Year 13

Term 1

  • Respiration
  • Energy and ecosystems
  • Homeostasis

Term 2

  • Gene expression
  • Recombinant DNA technology
  • Homeostasis
  • Inherited change

Term 3

  • Populations and evolution
  • Recombinant DNA technology cont.
  • Revision for mock exams

Term 4

  • Populations and evolution cont.
  • Recombinant DNA technology cont.
  • Revision

 

A Level Chemistry

Year 12

Term 1

  • Introduction to atoms
  • Amount of substance
  • Basic organic chemistry
  • Alkanes
  • Alkenes

Term 2

  • Acids and redox
  • Electron structure
  • Structure and bonding
  • Alcohols

Term 3

  • Periodicity
  • Reactivity trends
  • Haloalkanes
  • Organic synthesis

Term 4

  • Enthalpy
  • Rates of reaction
  • Spectroscopy

Term 5

  • Transition Metals

Term 6

  • Revision for mocks

Year 13

Term 1

  • Rates of reaction
  • Aromatic Chemistry
  • Carbonyls
  • Amines, amino acids and proteins

Term 2

  • Equilibria
  • Acids, bases and pH
  • Buffers and neutralisation
  • Organic synthesis

Term 3

  • Enthalpy
  • Redox and electrode potential
  • Spectroscopy

Term 4

  • Transition metals review

Terms 5 & 6

  • Revision

A Level Physics

We want our students to leave with the best possible grade from their two years, a grade that will open future doors.

What is more, it is our aim that students should end our two years together with an increased passion for Physics. Not simply a passion for the subject content but for the chase of solving a physical problem using acquired knowledge, logic and a bit of maths.

We hope that students will have an increased awareness of the Physics that is constantly around them and try to use various models and analogies from daily life to help students understand more abstract concepts. We hope that students will soon discover that they have the laws of Physics already in built into them.

We hope, through the use of a Flipped Classroom model to produce independent learners that are well prepared for study at university level whose understanding is greater through having engaged more intently through self-guided learning.

Our students will have developed and honed practical skills through the implementation of the endorsed practical investigations allowing them to take precise and accurate measurements from which they can calculate a desired physical constant.

Moreover, through the inclusion of innovative practical challenges that are not simply those on the spec, we hope to produce learners with a thirst for solving problems, the skill to plan a solution and the tenacity to stick with the problem until the end.

Year 12

Term 1

Kinematics; Linear motion; Projectile motion; Dynamics; Non-uniform acceleration; Moments and equilibrium; Density and pressure; Scalar and vector; ; springs; properties of matter.

Term 2

Properties of matter (cont.); Newton's Laws; collisions; charge; mean drift velocity; triangle of forces; work, energy and power; kinetic and potential; power; wave motion.

Term 3

EM waves; superposition; stationary waves; EMF & Pd; resistance and resistivity; series and parallel.

Term 4

Series and parallel (cont.); energy of photon; PE effect; W/P duality; internal resistance and potential dividers.

Term 5

Thermal physics; capacitors.

Term 6

Revision

Year 13

Term 1

Circular motion; centripetal force; simple harmonic oscillations; revision for internal exams.

Term 2

Radioactivity; Capacitors, Thermal Physics, Ideal Gas.

Term 3

Electric Field; Coulomb's law; Magnetic Fields; Medical Physics.

Term 4

Revision and consolidation of the course.