Science

Our vision for Science at Maplewell Hall School is to deliver a knowledge-based science curriculum that allows students to;

• Study towards nationally recognised qualifications
• Apply knowledge of science across multiple subjects
• Have broad science knowledge and appreciation for science in everyday life.

We aim to enthuse and excite our students’ natural curiosity about the world around them and teach them how the three areas of science interact with each other. We believe that students should have inquiring  minds and ask questions about the world. In addition, we want them to learn the skills in order to ask valid questions and understand how to perform planned assessments and draw conclusions from their results. Through promoting tier 3 vocabulary, we want students to understand scientific language and use it to provide accurate and precise answers during lessons.

The curriculum is sequenced to enable the embedding of fundamental principles, e.g. learning about energy in physics before studying the interactions of molecules in chemistry, to move on to digestion of macromolecules in biology.

The science curriculum allows students to sharpen their mathematical and investigative skills by using specialised practical equipment to write hypotheses, plan, implement and evaluate practical experiments.

Our labs at Maplewell Hall

At Maplewell Hall School we recognise that children will enter our classrooms at different learning states; therefore we have created a three pathway system that allows children of all abilities to access the science curriculum.

Experiments, exciting trips, teacher demos and various practical activities are core components of science, which we strive to incorporate into our lessons as often as we can. Coupled with plenty of “real-life” examples, the impact of the Maplewell Science Department ensures that pupils see the applications of science in the world around them.

Our intent is that all pupils leave our school with improved science literacy and resilience to a changing future.

Biology Bites

The science curriculum at Maplewell Hall School is coherently planned and sequenced to provide cumulative knowledge and skills for future learning and employment.

We adapted the National Curriculum for Science to ensure that students develop the core skills they need, before embarking on their nationally recognised qualification of either Entry level or GCSE courses.

Maplewell Hall School has adopted the Mastery System, wherein pupils are assessed on their level of “mastery” of particular topics. This means that it is far easier for teachers to determine a pupil’s level of understanding of a topic and therefore focus in on areas of weakness in order to ensure maximum progress. This method is integral for understanding where pupils’ knowledge gaps are, therefore allowing us to adapt our teaching accordingly.

Teachers present subject matter clearly, promoting appropriate discussion about the science being taught. Regular assessment and feedback are also an integral part of the science curriculum. Over the course of study, teaching in science is designed to help students to commit learning to their long-term memory and to integrate new knowledge into broader scientific concepts.

Our Curriculum Pathways

In the Science department, we take the National Curriculum and adapt it to the needs of our students. We recognise that each pupil in a class may be at a very different learning stage to their peers. Therefore, we have designed our curriculum with flexibility at the forefront; ensuring there is time for reviewing content that our pupils have found challenging.

The “Stretch and Challenge” Pathway

Pupils on this pathway will focus on the more challenging and in-depth concepts of science such as electrolysis and stem cell technology. Pathway A will culminate in pupils taking 6 GCSE Science exams at the end of year 11 in order to obtain 2 GCSE grades.

The “Step Up to Independence” Pathway

This pathway has been designed for pupils who may benefit from a more research-based education. The overall intent for pupils on this pathway will be for them to achieve Entry Level, or a GCSE in Single Biology at the end of KS4.

The “Learning for Life” Pathway

The learning for life pathway is designed to focus on life skills and  culminates in enrolling in the WJEC Science Pathways Entry Level during year 10 and 11. Our learning for life curriculum intent is to supply our pupils with important life-skills such as measuring, understanding health and safety as well as fostering a basic understanding of how the world works.

Curriculum at KS3

Our adjusted curriculum is based on the KS3 Science syllabus that can be found at the links provided

Year 7 Pathway Stretch and Challenge 

• Lab safety
• Movement
• Human reproduction
• Variation
• Particle model
• Metals/non-metals
• Acids/alkalis
• Earth’s structure and climate
• Speed
• Simple circuits
• Energy costs
• Sound and light
• Interdependence
• Plant reproduction

Year 7 Pathway Step up to Independence

• Lab safety
• Movement
• Human reproduction
• Particle model
• Metals/non-metals
• Acids/alkalis
• Earth’s structure and climate
• Speed
• Simple circuits
• Energy costs
• Sound
• Food chains
• Plant reproduction

Year 7 Learning for Life

• Lab safety
• Science skills
• Humans and other animals
• Scientists and inventors
• Everyday materials
• Plants
• Ecology

Year 8 Stretch and Challenge

• Cells and evolution
• Inheritance
• Separating mixtures
• Elements and Earth’s resources
• Chemical energy
• Gravity, forces and pressure
• The Universe
• Voltage and resistance
• Electromagnetism and
• Magnetism
• Energy costs and transfer
• Respiration and Photosynthesis

Year 8 Pathway Step up to Independence

• Cells and evolution
• Inheritance
• Separating mixtures
• Elements
• Chemical energy
• Gravity, forces and pressure
• The Universe
• Voltage and resistance
• Light
• Electromagnetism and Magnetism
• Energy costs
• Respiration

Year 8 Learning for Life

• Living things and their habitat
• Forces and magnets
• States of matter
• Animals including humans
• Rocks
• Sound
• Plants
• Electricity
• Life cycle
• Light
• Ecology
• Spring and Summer

Year 9 Stretch and challenge

• Energy, forces and matter
• Electricity, magnetism and waves
• Elements, mixtures and compounds
• Chemical reactions and Earth’s resources
• Cells and organs
• Environment, evolution and inheritance

Year 9 Pathway Step up to Independence

• Breathing and digestion
• Elements and reactions
• Climate and Earth’s resources
• Pressure
• Current and magnetism
• Waves
• Work (energy)
• Heating and cooling
• Photosynthesis

Year 9  Learning for Life

• Lab safety
• Movement
• Human reproduction
• Particle model
• Metals/non-metals
• Acids/alkalis
• Earth structure and climate
• Speed
• Simple circuits
• Sound
• Food chains
• Plant reproduction

Students in years 7, 8 and 9 study science for three lessons per week.

Curriculum at KS4

There are a variety of science qualifications offered at Maplewell Hall School. Links to the websites for these can be found below.

Students in years 10 and 11 study science for 4 lessons per week with additional after school session for our year 11 GCSE group. Pupils are also offered extra tuition during school hours.

Entry Level Science

The ELC science is designed for pupils who may not achieve a grade 1 at GCSE and who may require more support in developing their science knowledge. The ELC is assessed through 6 exams that are internally assessed alongside 6 key practicals.

Students will study the following ELC topics in year 10 & 11

• The Human Body
• Environment, evolution and inheritance
• Elements, mixtures, compounds
• Chemistry in our world
• Energy, forces and structure of the atom
• Electricity, magnetism and waves

WJEC Science Pathways Entry 2 and 3

The WJEC is a flexible, 100% coursework based science qualification that focuses on skills such as health and safety, and using scientific equipment. This course also allows our pupils to spend time outdoors conducting scientific investigations. Pupils can achieve an Entry Level 2 or 3.

GCSE Science 9-1

The  GCSEs in science are challenging but are suitable for pupils with a particular interest in science. Experimentation is now a key component of the specification, with pupils performing practical activities that can be assessed as part of their examinations. Pupils are taught all three sciences during year 10 and 11, with the view to entering pupils for either a single science GCSE or the Trilogy qualification.

Physics:

1. Forces
2. Energy
3. Waves
4. Electricity
5. Magnetism and electromagnetism
6. Particle model of matter
7. Atomic structure
8. Space physics

Biology:

1. Cell biology
2. Organisation
3. Infection and response
4. Bioenergetics
5. Homeostasis and response
6. Inheritance, variation and evolution
7. Ecology

Chemistry:

1. Atomic structure and the periodic table
2. Bonding, structure and the properties of matter
3. Quantitative chemistry
4. Chemical changes
5. Energy changes
6. The rate and extent of chemical change
7. Organic chemistry
8. Chemical analysis
9. Chemistry of the atmosphere
10. Using resources

There are a variety of science qualifications offered at Maplewell Hall School.