Curriculum Intent for Science

The Science department at Meopham School has an inclusive curriculum aimed to inspire students to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity for science. We want to deepen scientific understanding through a multitude of techniques. Instilling an appreciation for the world around them, whilst understanding uses and implications of Science today and for the future. As students move through the curriculum, we make incremental developments in working scientifically and knowledge. 

Our inclusive, bespoke curriculum provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics which not only encompasses the National Curriculum but is also broader. With this diverse curriculum we aspire to equip our learners with a variety of transferable skills. This also aids to deepen pupils’ understanding of Science in the media, to initiate a genuine interest and desire around scientific topics. Our aim is to ensure all students are able to access our curriculum and have a genuine enthusiasm towards Science. 

Students are supported and challenged to excel throughout the curriculum. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts. Pupils will be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes to develop working scientifically attributes. Concepts are regularly revisited through daily retrieval starters and spaced retrieval lessons that occur termly. This is to ensure students' long term memory is being routinely developed to ease cognitive load over time. 

We seek to prepare all students for life in an increasingly technological society so that they can appreciate, understand, and make informed decisions about topical scientific, social, environmental and ethical issues. Studying science is more than just learning a collection of facts and understanding ideas: it is rather a way of thinking. As teachers we look for opportunities to remedy misconceptions, which are built into the schemes of work. We want to conceptualise the learning to all students by making Science more relatable.

 

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Intent

In key stage 3 Science, we develop reading and communication skills to promote and support whole school literacy and oracy. We strive to constantly evaluate and evolve our curriculum to ensure that pupils’ knowledge is built up in a logical and incremental way which is vital for a thorough understanding of complex scientific concepts. 

The curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

1. Daily and termly opportunities for spaced retrieval to support both working and long term memory.

2. Effective questioning to support and challenge all students.

3. Optimum sequencing of concepts and modelling. 

4. Appropriate stages of practice to support embedding of concepts and skills. 

The key stage 3 scheme of work describes a sequence of knowledge and concepts where students are encouraged to develop a secure understanding of each key topic of knowledge and concepts. They will develop a deeper understanding of a range of scientific ideas in the subject specific disciplines. Pupils will begin to see the connections between these subject areas and become aware of some of the big ideas underpinning scientific knowledge and understanding. They will be encouraged to relate scientific explanations to phenomena in the world around them and start to use modelling and abstract ideas to develop and evaluate explanations.

Pupils will become familiar with and use technical terminology accurately and precisely. They will apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data. They will use simple equations and carry out appropriate calculations and undertake basic data analysis.

We have secure assessments for the end of each term, which consists of two topic areas. There is extensive feedback on summative assessments that is rigorously tracked to demonstrate progress or identify where interventions may be necessary. Interim marking in key stage 3 is to develop investigative skills and core knowledge progress checks. 

 

Key Stage 4 Curriculum Intent

The key stage 4 Science curriculum continues with building upon and deepening scientific knowledge and the understanding of ideas developed in earlier key stages in the subject disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Each topic is linked intrinsically to prior knowledge and skills from KS3 and builds in terms of complexity, skills and application, which underpins our spiral curriculum and supports memory retrieval. Our aim is that pupils will develop an appreciation of Science in their everyday lives. 

For some of our students, studying the sciences in key stage 4 provides the platform for more advanced studies, establishing the basis for a wide range of careers. For others, it will be their last formal study of subjects that provide the foundations for understanding the natural world around them. Therefore, our aim is that all students should leave Meopham School being able to understand and explain the scientific world around them and be equipped with skills to problem solve. 

To support this, students will be given Core Question knowledge organisers for every unit they study to support all learners. These resources help in supporting and improving literacy, oracy and provide additional opportunities for retrieval practice for all learners. Science comes with its own barrier as an extension of the English language, this ensures new language/terminology is introduced, explained and modelled when building on prior knowledge within each topic.  

Assessment of students’ understanding of the curriculum is constant and low stakes. Through formative assessment techniques this is then fed directly into planning so that lessons are personalised to meet the needs of all students. In preparation to the summative end of unit assessments, students are given in-depth personalised feedback to reflect upon. Progress is rigorously tracked and reviewed regularly. 

The curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

1. To continue to develop and deepen scientific knowledge, daily and termly opportunities for spaced retrieval to support both working and long term memory.

2. Effective questioning to support and challenge all students.

3. Optimum sequencing of concepts and modelling.

4. Appropriate stages of practice to support embedding of concepts and skills. 

 

Key Stage 5 A - Level Biology Curriculum Intent

To equip our young people with the knowledge needed to understand the world and technology around them. To encourage a curiosity in the natural, physical and chemical world around them. To foster critical thinking and provide our young people with a chance to broaden their horizons and provide multiple routes into STEM careers.

The course takes students into the molecular detail of biological substances and processes such as Photosynthesis, how your body turns DNA code into proteins like enzymes and how these enzymes work. The course also takes a wider view of processes such as ecological development and speciation.

The curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

1. To continue to develop and deepen Biological scientific knowledge, through opportunities for spaced retrieval to support both working and long term memory.

2. Effective questioning to support and challenge all students.

3. Optimum sequencing of concepts and modelling.

4. Appropriate stages of practice to support embedding of concepts and skills. 

5. Enhancing and upskilling students to use appropriate laboratory skills and techniques needed for further education.