Science

Key Stage 3

The Trumpington Science Department aims to produce inquisitive students with enthusiasm for scientific knowledge who are well versed in the methods of scientific enquiry. Our curriculum is designed to develop children’s scientific understanding so they can be scientifically informed citizens and, if they wish, pursue careers in science, or careers that require some scientific understanding. To be scientifically informed requires a broad knowledge of scientific ideas, an appreciation of how experimentation and observation develop this knowledge, and an ability to think rationally and analytically when applying this knowledge in new contexts. We want to provide local industries, sixth form providers and also universities with scientifically literate individuals.

In Key Stage 3, we take a year-by-year approach to teaching the curriculum. Each unit has a code, which specifies the year in which it will be assessed in the United Learning end of year exams, the subject, and the unit title (e.g., 7PF (Year 7 Physics Forces). Students are taught for four hours per week by two teachers to allow access to specialised teachers, and so that links between the three disciplines (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) can be forged as students progress through the curriculum. The entire National Curriculum is taught at Key Stage 3 with mid and end of year tests to assess progress. We complete Key Stage 3 by the middle of year 9 and begin GCSE content at this point.

View Curriculum Roadmap

Key Stage 4

We are committed as a school to providing the challenge of Separate Sciences to as many students as we can in a year group. This is with a view to students accessing local employment, Post 16 providers and university. At Key Stage 4 we teach AQA GCSE Science either as three separate sciences (triple) or as a double award
qualification depending on students’ aptitude and enthusiasm for the subject. Both routes have 6 exams in Year 11, two in each science discipline; the double award has less content and shorter examinations.

Students are taught 3 hours of each discipline each fortnight, with another lesson for consolidation of ideas spanning all three sciences. Again they are taught a combination of factual knowledge, application of this knowledge and integrated themes embedding the principles of scientific enquiry and rigour. All students must
study Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

You can view the specifications for each qualification on the AQA website via the links below:
Double award
Biology
Chemistry
Physics

Year 10 and 11 topics

Knowledge Maps and Keyword Lists

Keywords for each topic can be pre-learned to ensure greater understanding.

Assessment

Students are assessed using low stakes methods to ensure progress on a lesson by lesson basis, either as a whole class or individually. They are given the chance to see exam style questions as a short diagnostic test at the end of each topic. Twice a year they are formally assessed on their cumulative subject knowledge.

Safety

We take the safety of our students in science very seriously; we risk assess all our practicals according to the guidelines issued by CLEAPSS 

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

We run a general science club aimed at key stage 3, a Crest award club which allows students a chance to work like engineers and scientists on an extended STEM project and obtain an award. We welcome STEM ambassadors as guest speakers and participate in a range of local competitions and lectures. The aim is to ensure that students meet a range of scientists and can envision themselves with similar careers.

We offer a robot club which aims to enter various local competitions both locally in Cambridge, and nationally. We also have programming and computer clubs.

For key stage 4 students we run revision sessions and drop in sessions for students wanting to consolidate their learning.

Future Careers

Any job at Addenbrookes Hospital or in the Health Service, science park, university, sports science, engineering, veterinary work, optometry, game design, geology