Science and Discovery

In the Science Faculty we aim to inspire students to discover the wonder of Science through both practical and academic aspects, stimulate debate, develop a critical approach to scientific evidence and ignite students passion to learn in all three disciplines.

Head of Faculty

Miss S Galloway (sgalloway@wrhs1118.co.uk)

Faculty Subjects

Biology, Chemistry, Physics

Key Stage 3 Overview

Students in Years 7 and 8 follow a specifically developed skills based curriculum, which will extend their subject knowledge, engage debate, foster practical skills development through working scientifically and prepare them for Science at GCSE.

Students in Year 9 begin studying modules for their Combined Science GCSE.

Key Stage 4

Subjects studied/offered at Key Stage 4:

Combined Science Trilogy – AQA

Selected students will undertake Separate Science GCSEs in:

Biology – AQA
Chemistry – AQA
Physics – AQA

Key Stage 3

Year 7:

Chemical Reactions
Chemical Analysis
Forces
Electricity & Magnets
Cells
Reproduction and Inheritance
Periodic Table
Energy Resources
Sound
Ecosystem

Year 8:

Microbes
Photosynthesis
Light
Energy Stores & Pathways
Materials
Systems
Transport Systems
Rocks and Earths Atmosphere
Forces and Motion

Year 9

Modules from Combined Science Trilogy – AQA
Cell Structures and Organisation
Atomic Structure, Periodic Table and Bonding
Infection and Response
Photosynthesis
Exothermic & Endothermic Reactions
Reactivity of Metals and Reactivity of Acids
Organic Chemistry
Particle Model of Matter
Forces and Motion

Courses Studied

Combined Science Trilogy – AQA 8464

Selected students will undertake Separate Science GCSEs in:

Biology – AQA 8461
Chemistry – AQA 8461
Physics – AQA 8461

Students taking examinations from 2018 onwards

GCSE Combined Science

Exam Board and course reference number: AQA 8464

Units (with weightings): 6 Examinations in total, all sat in year 11. 2 Examinations at 16.7% each for each component of Combined Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics).

GCSE study in combined science provides the foundations for understanding the material world. Scientific understanding is changing our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all students should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. They should be helped to appreciate how the complex and diverse phenomena of the natural world can be described in terms of a small number of key ideas relating to the sciences which are both inter-linked, and are of universal application.

Separate Science

Exam Board and course reference number: AQA 8461, 8462, 8463

Units (with weightings): 2 Examinations in each subject (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) at 50% each

GCSE study in Separate Sciences provides the foundations for understanding the material world. Scientific understanding is changing our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all students should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. They should be helped to appreciate how the complex and diverse phenomena of the natural world can be described in terms of a small number of key ideas relating to the sciences which are both inter-linked, and are of universal application.

Biology 8461 gives students the chance to gain a good understanding of:

Cell Biology
Organisation
Infection & Response
Bioenergetics
Homeostasis & Response
Inheritance, Variation and Evolution
Ecology

Chemistry 8462 gives students the chance to gain a good understanding of:

Atomic Structure
Bonding
Quantitative Chemistry
Chemical Changes
Energy Changes
The rate of Chemical Reactions
Organic Chemistry
Chemical Analysis
Chemistry of the Atmosphere

Physics 8463 gives students the chance to gain a good understanding of:

Energy
Electricity
Particle model of Matter
Atomic Structure
Forces
Waves
Magnetism & Electromagnetism