Why do we learn chemistry?
The science curriculum teaches scientific knowledge and content as well as the skills that are authentic to the discipline and so will allow students to begin to think like a scientist. It is our intention that across all key stages, students can access the practical skills required to be a scientist and that we develop their understanding of the mathematical skills which will help them process, analyse and evaluate experimental data. Our aim is to provide a robust, knowledge rich curriculum that allows all learners to emerge informed, articulate, and well able to hold their own intellectually at university and beyond. Not only this, but also, our curriculum aims to develop “citizen scientists” who are able to engage with Science when it overlaps with their lives; for example when making healthcare decisions for themselves and their families or when deciding on the type of car they might purchase.
Head of Department
Ms C Gayle
Our approach
Our curriculum was designed by considering what a successful scientist looks like at A level and beyond and then mapping concepts back through each year.
Each year students cover topics within a threshold. The complexity of the content deepens and become more challenging as students progress through the school years. This model ensures that pupils can internalise key concepts and use them in ever-more sophisticated ways throughout their school career. It is not only subject content, but also the mathematical and working scientifically skills which are built into the curriculum in this way. Our knowledge rich curriculum is structured as a narrative overtime, which includes a fertile question for each topic to provide a golden thread through a sequence of learning allowing students to make links in and across the sciences.
At KS3 students will be taught the core, foundational knowledge in each of the three disciplines, they will begin to grapple and make sense of why things happen, feeding their growing curiosity. The most challenging and difficult topics will be introduced early in KS3 to give the students more than one opportunity at studying and grappling with these. Core skills, such as using equations, identifying variables and drawing conclusions, will be presented here; we will use a “junior version” of what we expect at KS4 and beyond, rather than oversimplifying and losing meaning.
We have, by necessity, included all the content currently included in the AQA Separate Award, but have also included concepts not covered by the specification, but considered important to a deep understanding of scientific ideas. We include Triple Science content in Y7-9 as it means that every child has the option of taking Triple Science for GCSE when they pick options at the end of Year 9.
At KS4 students will deepen and secure their foundational knowledge and begin to use, interpret and justify why practical procedures happen, what they tell us and how we can modify them for the benefit of human and animal population.
At KS5, pupils can study A-Level Science, which deepens their understanding of each subject discipline, preparing pupils for further education. A BTEC Extended Diploma in Biomedical Science will also be available for pupils who are interested in pursuing a career in a practical aspect of Biology.
Year 12
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Oxidation, reduction and redox equations Physical properties of Period 3 elements Fundamental particles Mass number and isotopes Electron configuration Classification Group 2, the alkaline earth metals Trends in properties Uses of chlorine and chlorate |
Ionic bonding Nature of covalent and dative covalent bonds Metallic bonding Bonding and physical properties Shapes of simple molecules and ions Bond polarity Forces between molecules Relative atomic mass and relative molecular mass The mole and the Avogadro constant The ideal gas equation Empirical and molecular formula Balanced equations and associated calculations |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Trends in properties Uses of chlorine and chlorate |
Nomenclature Reaction mechanisms Isomerism Fractional distillation of crude oil Modification of alkanes by cracking Combustion of alkanes Chlorination of alkanes Nucleophilic substitution Elimination Ozone depletion Structure, bonding and reactivity Addition reactions of alkenes Addition polymers Alcohol production Oxidation of alcohols Elimination Identification of functional groups by test-tube reactions Mass spectrometry Infrared spectroscopy |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Rate equations Determination of rate equation Equilibrium constant Kp for homogeneous systems Born–Haber cycles Gibbs free-energy change, ∆ G, and entropy change, ∆S |
Optical isomerism Aldehydes and ketones Carboxylic acids and esters Acylation |
Year 13
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Brønsted–Lowry acid–base equilibria in aqueous solution Definition and determination of pH The ionic product of water, Kw Weak acids and bases Ka for weak acids pH curves, titrations and indicators Buffer action Equilibrium constant Kp for homogeneous systems |
Optical isomerism Aldehydes and ketones Carboxylic acids and esters Acylation Bonding in Benzene Electrophilic substitution Preparation of amines Base properties Nucleophilic properties Condensation polymers Biodegradability and disposal of polymers Amino acids, proteins and DNA Organic synthesis |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Electrode potentials and cells Commercial applications of electrochemical cells Properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides General properties of transition metals Substitution reactions Shapes of complex ions Formation of coloured ions Variable oxidation states Catalysts Reactions of ions in aqueous solution |
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy Chromatography RP / CPAC Revision |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| External exams | External exams |