Science

In science at Brune Park we study a wide curriculum that incorporates all three scientific disciplines.  Emphasis is placed on understanding the world around us and time and care is taken to unpick and understand scientific ideas.

Knowledge is key in science and throughout your child’s time at Brune Park knowledge is obtained and built on topic by topic.

Science is ultimately a practical subject and emphasis is put on understanding through doing therefore  practical work is undertaken at every available opportunity.  Our long term aim is to encourage students to develop their skills and use their observations to draw conclusions. These are skills that are needed for studying both A-level science but also more vocational based courses post 16.

Year 7-8

Year 7 & 8 study the key questions of science. Topics are studied through instruction and practical work so that students are motivated and constantly questioning the world around them.  Topics covered are broad and allow time for students to master the concepts needed for deeper learning at GCSE level.

Topics are constantly evolving, however the following titles are studied in each year:

Year 7

• Introduction to science
• Particles & Matter
• Cells
• Variation & Reproduction
• Reactions of Metals & acids
• Forces
• Earth Structure & the Universe

Year 8

• Systems
• Fundamental Chemistry
• Light & Sound
• Electricity
• Magnetism
• More forces
• Acids & Alkalis
• Earth resources

Year 9-11

The content studied is vast and there will be emphasis on recall in the exams. All students will undertake required practical work which will also be assessed in the examinations.  The GCSEs are 100% exam based and there is no coursework in science.

The ‘triple science’ course covers all the topics listed below:

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

Physics:

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

There are six papers: two biology, two chemistry and two physics. Each of the papers will assess knowledge and understanding from distinct topic areas.  The exam papers will be 1h 45m.

We believe that by all students studying triple science there will be greater opportunities for the students post 16 and it will allow them specialist teachers in each of their sciences. There are a variety of support options available for GCSE science, these change every year in the form of APPs and revision materials and will be communicated home to parents/carers during year 9.