Year 7 Science
Brief summary of the syllabus:
The Science Course closely reflects the statutory guidelines of the National Curriculum. It provides a firm foundation for Science at GCSE, a stimulating introduction to a broad range of scientific knowledge, opportunities to develop a number of practical skills, including the designing and carrying out of investigations which involve making hypotheses and observations, the correct use of apparatus, problem solving and the communication of ideas. It is based on the 2008 QCA scheme of work, written in-house but using Heinemann Science Scheme, textbooks of which are intended to act as a valuable resource for study and revision. Underlying the whole course is the understanding of “How Science Works”. This is meant to make the students more aware of how science influences our daily lives and also how discoveries are made and ultimately turned into everyday products and mechanisms.
Boys at Queen Elizabeth's have two double lessons of Science each week in Year 7. Homework is set each week; it may consist of the completion of the accounts of practical work, a piece of independent research, diagrams or questions based on class work or questions and related work from the textbook. Science homework for the week should take between 45 and 60 minutes.
| Module | Topic |
| 1 | Cells and Reproduction |
| 2 | Particles and Solutions |
| 3 | Environment and Classification |
| 4 | Acids, alkalis and simple chemical reactions |
| 5 | Forces and Electricity |
| 6 | Solar system and energy resources |
What skills and attributes are being developed and tested?
Pupils build on their scientific knowledge and understanding and make connections between different areas of science. They use scientific ideas and models to explain a range of events and understand applications of science. They think about the impact of science on the environment and other contexts and in so doing they take account of other views. This involves quantitative practical work which they evaluate. They select information from different sources and learn how scientists work.
What can parents expect to see in classwork and homework?
Both classwork and homework will display a wide range of work, from simple learning of facts, to their application in novel situations. The science course is also designed to develop key thinking skills, such as creative writing and information processing: examples of this work will be used as homework to re-enforce the learning which has taken place in lessons.
What can parents do to help in this subject at this stage?
Parents can encourage good work habits, such as the completion of homework when it is set, and forward planning.
Final examination:
The final exam is taken soon after the Summer half term and will test all the topics covered up to that point. It will be used for the re-setting of pupils into Year 8.
Tests and setting:
- There are six topics, each lasting approximately half a term.
- The first two topics are taught in rotation among the sets so that all groups have completed these before the end of the first term. Tests will be sat at the end of each of the two topics.
- They will sit a further examination just before the end of the first term which will test their knowledge and understanding of the first two topics. Pupils are re-set on the basis of how they perform in this examination.
- The four remaining topics are taught in rotation across the sets (for reasons of availability of resources) and each is tested with a National Curriculum based test at the end of each topic.
- There is also an end of year exam, which examines all the work that they have completed up to this point.
- Re-setting for Year 8 is made on the basis of the results from all six topic tests and the end of year exam together. More weight is given to the end of year exam than to any one individual topic test.
- In borderline cases, professional judgement based on marks for homework and class work will be used.
Revision:
Key to success in science is the learning of essential scientific knowledge and understand, without which further more abstract work can not progress. Therefore revision should in the first instance, concentrate on these foundations. Self testing and the production of some form of revision notes is one way of ensuring that this process happens.
Pupil target setting:
Feedback from all tests ensures that all pupils know at what level they are achieving. After each test, every pupil completes a section in their pupil progress file, as well as setting themselves appropriate targets for improvement.
Working towards Target National Curriculum Levels:
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) expects that the majority of pupils nationally will attain somewhere between levels 2 and 5 at Key stage 2 and between levels 3 and 7 at Key stage 3. At Queen Elizabeth’s School we expect pupils to be entering with Science levels at 4, 5 or even 6. By the Key Stage 3 examinations, we would naturally expect attainment to be at level 6 or above. There is a defined Level 8 but beyond this attainment is recorded as 'exceptional performance'.
In the Autumn term, each pupil and his parents will be made aware of a target National Curriculum Level which he should be aiming to achieve by the end of the academic year. Progress towards this target will be reviewed at the end of each half-term and in the mid-year review of pupil progress, which is reported home in the Spring term. The criteria for each National Curriculum Level in Science can be read here.
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