As of September 2008 there was a new Key Stage 3 Science Curriculum. The new framework started with year 7 in 2008 and then move into year 8 ready for September 2009, finally moving into year 9 by September 2010.
Year 7
Programme of study for key stage 3
Topics covered
- Tissues and Transplants
- Sex and Science
- Ecology Matters
- Classified
- Acids and Alkali
- Bubbles, Bangs and Burning
- What a Waste
- Materials from the Earth
- Energy and Sustainable Living
- Electrical Circuits
- Forces and Their Effects
- The Solar System and Beyond
With in the Year 7 Curriculum students also take part in the BA Crest Award. For more information please follow the link below:
http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/ccaf/CREST/index.htm
Year 8
Topics covered
In this unit pupils learn:
- about different foods and how they can be combined to produce a balanced diet
- how food is broken down by digestion so it can be used by the body, for energy, growth and repair
In this unit pupils learn:
- how cells are supplied with the materials they need for respiration
- how cells in animals and plants release energy
- that the process of respiration is similar in all cells
In this unit pupils:
- learn that micro-organisms share the characteristics of other living things
- find out about growing micro-organisms to make products, and about the role of micro-organisms in infectious diseases
- learn about the body's defence systems and how immunisation can protect against microbial infections
In this unit pupils:
- study a habitat in detail and learn how:
- organisms can be identified and sizes of populations compared
- feeding relationships can be modelled quantitatively
- living things within a community influence each other and are affected by the environment
In this unit pupils:
- learn that the huge range of materials is made from a relatively small number of elements
- learn that each element is composed of one sort of atom only
- explore the characteristics of some elements
- use the particle model to describe what happens when elements combine
In this unit pupils:
- distinguish between elements and compounds and how they are represented by symbols and formulae
- recognise chemical change as a process in which atoms join together in new ways
- distinguish between compounds and mixtures
- distinguish between chemical reactions in which new compounds are formed and the formation of mixtures
In this unit pupils:
- learn about rock texture as one of the key characteristics of different rock types
- model rock texture
- learn about the processes of weathering, erosion, transportation and sedimentation
- relate processes, eg evaporation and dissolving, involved in rock formation to processes observed in other contexts
- consider processes operating on different timescales
In this unit pupils:
- learn about the major rock-forming processes
- learn how rock-forming processes are linked by the rock cycle
- use the concept of rock texture as one of the key characteristics of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
- relate processes observed in other contexts, eg crystallisation, to processes involved in the rock cycle
- consider processes operating on different timescales
In this unit pupils:
- recognise the need for a temperature scale
- learn to distinguish between heat (as energy) and temperature
- learn about mechanisms of heat transfer: conduction, convection and radiation, and apply this to familiar contexts
- learn about expansion and change of state in solids, liquids and gases
- use the particle model to explain conduction, convection and change of state
- Magnets and Electrocmagnets
In this unit pupils:
- identify magnetic materials, make a magnet and test the strength of a magnet
- use the concepts of a magnetic field, a permanent magnet and an electromagnet
- investigate factors affecting the strength of an electromagnet
- explain the working of a number of devices that use magnets and electromagnets
In this unit pupils:
- build on their knowledge of light and its effects
- learn how we see objects
- represent light as a ray and use this concept to explain reflection and refraction
- find out about the origin of coloured light and the appearance of coloured objects
In this unit pupils:
- build on their knowledge of sound and hearing
- explain how sound travels through media
- give an explanation of how the ear works, find out about the harmful effects of loud noise and how loud noise can be reduced
Year 9
Topics covered
- Inheritance and Selection
In this unit pupils learn:
- that characteristics are inherited and how this is used in selective breeding
- why selective breeding is important
- about variations arising from environmental differences
In this unit pupils learn:
- how the human respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems interact to maintain activity
- about the functions of the skeleton
- about ways in which diet, exercise, smoking and drugs affect health
- Plants and Photosynthesis
In this unit pupils learn:
- about photosynthesis as the key process producing new plant biomass
- that the carbon dioxide for photosynthesis comes from the air and that the water is absorbed through the roots
- that chlorophyll enables a plant to utilise light in photosynthesis
- about the role of the leaf in photosynthesis
- about the importance of photosynthesis to humans and other animals
In this unit pupils:
- learn about humans as part of a complex food web
- learn about factors affecting plant growth
- learn how management of food production has many implications for other animal and plant populations in the environment
- consider some of the issues involved in sustainable development of the countryside
- Reactions of Metals and Metal Compounds
In this unit pupils:
- explore the properties of metals and non-metals
- learn that different acids react in similar ways with metals, with metal carbonates and with metal oxides
- represent elements by symbols and compounds by formulae
- use word and symbol equations to describe these reactions
In this unit pupils:
- learn that although metals react in a similar way with oxygen, water and acids, some react more readily than others
- establish and use a reactivity series for metals
- represent chemical reactions by word and/or symbol equations
In this unit pupils:
- learn that rocks, soils and building materials have a variety of chemical characteristics
- learn that chemical weathering alters rocks and building materials over time
- consider how the atmosphere and water resources are affected by natural processes and the activity of humans
- consider how environmental conditions are monitored and controlled
- distinguish between different environmental issues
In this unit pupils:
- find out more about how chemical reactions can be used as an energy source
- consider how chemical reactions are used to make new materials
- model chemical reactions as the rearrangement of atoms, and use the model to explain that matter is not lost
- represent chemical reactions by word and/or symbol equations
In this unit pupils:
- explore a range of useful energy transfers and transformations
- discuss the use of electricity as a convenient way to transfer energy to do useful things
- associate the concept of voltage with the transfer of energy in a circuit
- investigate the voltage of cells
- study how electricity is generated, with reference to environmental impacts
- use the principle of conservation of energy to identify ways in which energy is dissipated during transfers
In this unit pupils:
- learn about the gravitational pull between bodies; how it depends on the masses of bodies and the distance between them
- relate the movement of planets around the Sun, and that of satellites around the Earth, to gravitation
- study how artificial satellites are used to observe the Earth and provide information about the solar system and the universe
- find out about space exploration
In this unit pupils:
- use the concept of speed
- consider the relationship between forces (including balanced forces) on an object, and its movement
- study the effects of water and air resistance on speed, and how streamlining reduces these effects
- use ideas of balanced and unbalanced forces to explain the movement of falling objects
In this unit pupils:
- study pressure on solids and describe applications of this in everyday appliances
- study hydrostatic pressure in fluids and describe an application, eg hydraulic jack
- describe the operation of levers, including examples from the human body, which depend on the turning effect of a force
- learn about the principle of moments
In Addition to the standard year 9 curriculum being followed in year 9 some students will be invited for the opportunity to start their Triple Award Science GCSE. The aim of this is:
- to allow more time to complete the Triple Award rather than the standard two years
- to raise the achievement of students taking their SATS examinations so that a higher proportion gain at least a level 6 by the end of Key Stage Three
- to stretch the learning of students in their final year of Key Stage Three
Past Papers
Order Line
http://www.emaths.co.uk/KS3SAT.htm#Science