Science

What?

What are we learning?

Describe forces as pushes or pulls and as associated with deforming objects; stretching and squashing – springs; with rubbing and friction between surfaces, with pushing things out of the way; resistance to motion of air and water.  
Use force arrows in diagrams, adding forces in one dimension, balanced and unbalanced forces.  
Describe Hooke’s Law  
Calculate pressure as force over area.  
Describe forces as being needed to cause objects to stop or start moving, or to change their speed or direction of motion.  
Explain that a change in force depends on direction of force and its size.  
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) 
PE – sports – doing distance/time graphs for sprinting. 
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 
Students are challenged to rearrange the equation for pressure to calculate force and area. 
Students are challenged to convert to standard units, e.g. mm² to m² 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Describing different types of forces and classifying them as contact or non-contact, identifying the effect of drag forces and describing why moving objects that are not driven slow down.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Use standard units of measurement (including the SI system, its basic units and prefixes).
Rearrange the formula for pressure.
Compare the gravitational forces on different planets of the solar system.
Practical:
In practical lessons, students should be able to calculate the speed of a rocket and the pressure of a foot on the ground.
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning

Compare energy values of different foods (from labels) in kJ.

Compare amounts of energy transferred (J, kJ, kW hour).

Describe fuels and energy resources

Describe other processes that involve energy transfer: changing motion, dropping an object, completing an electrical circuit, stretching a spring, metabolism of food and burning fuels.

Recall the law of conservation of energy.

What’s interleaved? 

All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive). 

What’s challenging?

Students are challenged to plan their own investigations.

Why?

What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 
This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Describing what temperature is and how to measure this, describing materials as conductors or insulators of thermal energy and understanding that burning is irreversible and recall what organisms need to stay alive.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 
Students should be able to describe what makes a good fuel. 
Students should be able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different types of energy. 
Practical:  
Students should be able to measure the energy in food by practical technique and apply the knowledge to a balanced diet. 
How do they know they have done this well? 
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 
Learning checkpoints and assessment: 
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge. 

What?

What are we learning?

Compare energy values of different foods (from labels) in kJ.

Compare amounts of energy transferred (J, kJ, kW hour).

Describe fuels and energy resources

Describe other processes that involve energy transfer: changing motion, dropping an object, completing an electrical circuit, stretching a spring, metabolism of food and burning fuels.

Recall the law of conservation of energy.

What’s interleaved? 

All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive). 

What’s challenging?

Students are challenged to plan their own investigations.

Students are challenged to apply the ‘particle theory’ to explain scientific phenomena.

Why?

What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science:
Describing materials as solids, liquids or gases, recalling how a solution is made.

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented?
Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical:
Investigating ‘separation’ techniques such as evaporation, distillation, filtering and chromatography.
Applying practical skills to forensic science, e.g. chromatography.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? Compare the properties of a solid, liquid and gas.
Choose an appropriate separation technique to separate mixtures.

How do they know they have done this well? 
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 
Learning checkpoints and assessment: 
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge. 

What?

What are we learning?

Learning about acids and alkalis in terms of neutralisation reactions. 
Learning to use the pH scale to measure acidity and alkalinity. 
Using indicators to determine acidity and alkalinity. 
Describe different types of reactions and the properties of elements.  
Combustion, thermal decomposition, oxidation and displacement reactions 
Compare chemical and physical changes.  
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) 
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 

Why?

What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Describing materials as solids, liquids or gases, measuring the temperature where materials change state, recalling examples of reversible changes, describe properties of materials and describe some processes as resulting in the formation of new materials.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented?Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Practical:
Students should be able to identify chemicals as acid, alkaline or neutral and use a pH chart to identify the strength.
Students should be able to identify a change as physical or chemical.
Students should be able to identify evidence for a chemical reaction.

How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Describe how reproduction occurs in humans.
An understanding of the structures and functions of the human reproductive systems.
An understanding of the menstrual cycle.
An understanding of the organs involved and the process of reproduction in plants.
Explain the importance of insect pollination on food security.
Describe how variation occurs and describe this as continuous or discontinuous.

What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) Music – Castrati singers  
Art – drawing plants, plants as decoration, plants for textiles and dyes  
English – plant poetry  
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 
Why? Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 
This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Describing the functions of parts of flowering plants.  
Describing the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals.  
Describing reproduction in some plants and animals. 
Year 7 - cells: Describing changes as humans develop and the concept of a cell. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 
This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Describing the functions of parts of flowering plants.  
Describing the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals.  
Describing reproduction in some plants and animals. 
Year 7 - cells: Describing changes as humans develop and the concept of a cell. 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.
Practical:
Investigating how size of spinner affects the time taken to drop
Investigating how temperature affects the reproduction of daphnia
Conducting flower dissections to learn plant structure and reproduction

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Develop a line of enquiry, e.g. planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Describe cells as the fundamental unit of living organisms.
Describe the functions of organelles inside a cell.
Compare plant and animal cells.
Describe the hierarchical organisation of multicellular organisms.
Describe the locomotor system in humans.
Explain the interaction between skeleton and muscles and an understanding of antagonistic muscles.
Describe the effects of recreational drugs on behaviour, health, and life processes.
What’s interleaved?
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive)
Physical education – fitness, exercises appropriate for different sports, breathing rates, sport and the skeleton, sports injuries, sport medicines and drugs
Design and technology – designing structures that are strong but light
Art – the importance of human anatomy, especially muscles and bones, in art through the ages
Citizenship – drugs
What’s challenging?
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations.
Students are challenged to learn GCSE concepts, e.g. mitochondria and ribosomes.

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science:
Describing the functions of parts of flowering plants, describing the functions of parts of the digestive system, describing the life cycles common to a variety of animals, identifying parts of the human and an understanding of the circulatory system.
Identifying that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles and an understanding of the circulatory system.

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Cell structure is modelled using a variety of activities (e.g. making jelly cells).
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Practical:
• Set up a microscope to clearly focus on a slide
• Prepare a slide of a cheek cell and onion cell
Use appropriate techniques and apparatus, e.g. the microscope.
Pay attention to health and safety, e.g. wear goggles when using iodine.
Understand how scientific ideas develop, e.g. the history of the microscope
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Developing skills in experimenting with light, and the methods for recording the path light takes through various objects.  
Describe waves on water as undulations which travel through water with transverse motion; which can be reflected, and add or cancel.  
Describe frequencies of sound waves, measured in Hertz (Hz)  
Describe how echoes are made and the reflection and absorption of sound.  
Explain that sound needs a medium to travel through.  
Compare how sound is detected by the human ear and what happens in a microphone.  
Compare the auditory range of humans and animals.  
Describe uses of sound waves, to include ultrasound scans and sonar.  
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) 
Music – how different sounds are made on a variety of instruments  
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 
Students are challenged to calculate the speed of sound. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Naming sources of sound, explaining that sounds are made by vibrations and describing the link between size and pitch of sounds made and the volume with the size of vibrations made.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Practical:  
Students should be able to describe the suitability of different materials for sound proofing. 
Students should be able to complete reflection and refraction ray diagrams. 
How do they know they have done this well? 
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 
Learning checkpoints and assessment: 
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge. 

What?

What are we learning?

Students investigate what happens to current, potential difference and resistance in series circuits and parallel circuits. Students also study static electricity, magnetism and electromagnetism.  
Describe non-contact forces.  
Explain gravity forces acting at a distance on Earth and in space.  
Describe forces between magnets, magnetic  
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) Geography - use of map and compass for navigation.  
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Electricity taught in Year 4 and 6 
Magnetism taught in Year 3 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.
The flow of electricity around a circuit can be modelled through a role play.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Practical:  Practical:
Students should be able to set up a simple circuit to make a component work.
Students should be able to investigate how the resistance of a wire changes with length.
Students should be able to explain how to make an electromagnet stronger.

How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Describe a simple atomic model.  
Describe differences between atoms, elements, and compounds.  
Use chemical symbols, formulae, and word equations.  
Describe physical and chemical properties of different elements.  
Describe the layout of the Mendeleevian and modern periodic tables and how predictions can be made using this information.  
Describe properties of metals and non-metals.  
Describe the properties of metal oxides.  
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) 
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 
Students are challenged to explain how and why the model of the atom has changed in history. 
Why? Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 
This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Comparing and grouping materials and explaining reversible and irreversible changes.  
Year 7 Acids and Alkalis: Describing the differences between chemical and physical changes and identifying signs of a chemical reaction. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science:
Comparing and grouping materials and explaining reversible and irreversible changes.
Year 7 Acids and Alkalis: Describing the differences between chemical and physical changes and identifying signs of a chemical reaction.

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Students should be able to explain the properties of a material based on its position in the periodic table.
Students should be able to explain how the periodic table is organised.
Students should be able to identify a change as physical or chemical.
Students should be able to identify evidence for a chemical reaction.
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Describe different types of reactions and the properties of elements.  
Combustion, thermal decomposition, oxidation and displacement reactions.  
Compare chemical and physical changes.  
Describe the properties of metal oxides.  
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) Geography – composition of the atmosphere and the Earth, mining and the consumption of resources, the importance of limestone  
History – changes in the atmosphere natural and man-made / the use of metals during the Bronze and Iron Ages  
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 
Students are challenged to apply the ‘particle theory’ to explain scientific phenomena. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science: 
Describing materials as solids, liquids or gases, measuring the temperature where materials change state, recalling examples of reversible changes, describe properties of materials and describe some processes as resulting in the formation of new materials.  
Year 7 Particles: Describing how mixtures can be separated.  
Year 7 particles: Describe the differences between solids, liquids and gases. 
Year 7 Acids and Alkalis: Comparison of physical and chemical changes.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Practical:
Measure the change of temperature in a chemical reaction
Students should be able to identify a change as physical or chemical.
Students should be able to identify evidence for a chemical reaction.
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Describe the contents of a healthy diet and calculate energy requirements from this.  
An understanding of the parts and functions of the digestive system and digestive enzymes. 
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) 
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 
Students are challenged to apply their knowledge of nutrition to evaluate types of food based on a food label. 
 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of KS2 science:
Understanding factors that affect the function of the body.

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.
The digestive system can be modelled by using a board game (the digestion game) that shows the organs food passes through as it is digested.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Practical:
Students should be able to identify which foods are high in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.
Students should be able to decide how healthy a food is based on the food label.
Students should be able to decide if a carbohydrate is sugar or starch.
Students should be able to describe how food is digested and absorbed into the blood stream.
Develop a line of enquiry, e.g. planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Describe the gas exchange system in humans and the impact of exercise on this.  
Explain how breathing occurs.  
Describe the role of diffusion in the movement of materials.  
Describe the structures and functions of the human gas exchange system and the impact of smoking on this. 
Explaining how breathing occurs, using pressure models.  
Explain the role of the stomata in gas exchange in plants.  
Compare aerobic and anaerobic respiration (including fermentation) and by using word equations.  
What’s interleaved?   
All lessons are interleaved, with quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) PE – effects of exercise on pulse and breathing rates  
What’s challenging? 
Students are challenged to plan their own investigations. 
Students are challenged to apply their knowledge of respiration to explain the effect of exercise on living things. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of cells studied in Year 7: 
Recalling levels of organisation in organisms, describing adaptations of cells, describing the difference between breathing and respiration, an understanding of the circulatory system, explaining surface area.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Working scientifically: planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
Practical activities are organised in groups to support team work.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Practical:
Students should be able to identify the habitat of a plant based on the number of stomata.
Students should be able to analyse fitness based on pulse measurements before and after exercise.
Students should be able to develop a line of enquiry, e.g. planning, observing, analysing and evaluating practical investigations.
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
Progress check test style questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

1. The conservation of energy (identifying and describing changes to energy stores/transfers), analogous to conservation of mass within chemistry. Challenge – considering systems as isolated objects (in certain circumstances) and explaining why this is different to what happens in the ‘real-world’ due to resistive forces acting.
2. Calculating GPE, KE, EPE, efficiency, work done, power and thermal energy changes, using problem solving and maths skills to apply and rearrange equations. Challenge – rearranging KE and EPE equations to find v and e, respectively. Using more than one equation to solve 5/6 mark questions.
3. Required practical for specific heat capacity, links to HSW skills, identifying variables and data presentation/analysis, drawing conclusions. Challenge – explaining why results are higher than expected values and obtaining SHC via graphical method.
4. Describe how the rate of cooling of a building is affected by the thickness and thermal conductivity of its walls and explaining ways of reducing unwanted energy transfers. Challenge – interpreting data from tables/graphs correctly to identify materials of higher thermal conductivity with greater rates of energy transfer.
5. National and global energy resources including uses (fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), nuclear fuel, bio-fuel, wind, hydroelectricity, geothermal, the tides, the Sun and water waves). Distinguishing between renewable and non-renewable resources, describing their reliability and environmental impact. Challenge – explaining patterns and trends in the use of energy resources. Showing that science has the ability to identify environmental issues arising from the use of energy resources but not always the power to deal with the issues because of political, social, ethical or economic considerations. Categorise nuclear power correctly.

Why?

• Dissipation of energy, when work is done by resistive forces prepares students for studying year 10 content within the forces topic.
• Students must understand how the change of thermal energy stored within an object depends upon its mass, specific heat capacity and the change in temperature before they study specific heat and latent heat within the Particle Model of Matter in year 10.
• National and global energy resources links with Chemistry of the Earth’s Atmosphere studied in year 11 and with Geography, whereby students study global warming and acid rain.
• Practise rearranging equations step by step will help re-enforce key skills learned in maths and prepare students for continued application of this within all subsequent physics units (apart from Atomic Structure and Space Physics).

The concept of energy emerged in the 19th century. The idea was used to explain the work output of steam engines and then generalised to understand other heat engines. It also became a key tool for understanding chemical reactions and biological systems. Limits to the use of fossil fuels and global warming are critical problems for this century. Physicists and engineers are working hard to identify ways to reduce our energy usage.

How?  

Core knowledge:  

• Identify energy stores and transfers within systems

• Give examples of how energy is dissipated in all system changes

• Perform various energy-based calculations; rearranging and applying equations

• Identify renewable and non-renewable energy resources; considering the reliability and environmental impacts.

Lessons to be differentiated in terms of level of challenge in order to support/stretch pupils including those with SEND. Use of structured worksheets for calculations when delivering equation-based lessons and extension questions provided. Pupil pairing for completion of practical work, making use of seating plan and checklists to support learners with additional needs.

How well?

What should they be able to do? 

Plan and carry out experimental procedures in order to obtain valid results. Identify and convert prefixes. Manipulate equations. Tabulate and graph data.

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Mid-topic test and end of unit assessment. 1-10 quizzes used regularly to improve recall.

Diagnostic multiple-choice quiz given prior to end of unit test to support planning of a targeted revision lesson. Seneca assignment set for revision.

What?

Module: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.1)

Students learn about the structure of the atom and how atoms make up the substances (elements and compounds) around us. Students also learn to represent chemical changes with balanced chemical equations. They learn about the structure of the periodic table of the elements and how to use it to study chemistry. Alongside this, pupils learn about some of the properties of the elements (Groups 1, 7 and 0).

All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive).

Students are challenged to describe chemical reactions by writing and balancing chemical symbol equations.

Students are challenged to understand the scientific process using the development of atomic theory and the development of the periodic table through history.

Why?

This unit builds on students’ prior knowledge of atomic structure and the periodic table at KS3/Yr7 and 8. It is the first module they will be assessed on in future examinations.

This unit is fundamental to understanding the world of chemistry. All future units that are assessed at GCSE rely on a knowledge of this unit.

How?  

Core knowledge:  

• The use and identification of the terms atom, molecule, element, compound and mixture.
• Using information from the periodic table such as chemical symbols, mass number and atomic number.
• Writing and balancing chemical symbol equations using chemical formulae.
• Mixtures and techniques to separate them.
• The scientific process that led to our understanding of the atom.
• The structure of the atom and the properties of the sub atomic particles.
• Using relative atomic mass and the drawing of electron structure of an atom.
• The structure of the periodic table and how it was developed.
• Properties and trends in the groups of the periodic table, specifically groups 1, 7 and 0.

How well?

What should they be able to do? 

• use appropriate information taken from the periodic table ( eg write symbol equations, state atomic masses, state the numbers of sub atomic particles in an individual atom of a given element etc)
• write and balance chemical equations to describe chemical reactions.
• describe different separation techniques.
• use evidence to evaluate the different models of atomic structure.
• draw the electron structure of a given atom.
• explain the position of an element in the periodic table is related to its electron structure.
• describe and relate the electron structure to the properties of the elements and predict others.
• describe the development of the periodic table.

How do they know they have done this well?

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

Where next?

5.2 Use the knowledge and understanding from unit 1 to explain chemical bonding and structure and how theses affect the properties of substances.

What?

Module: Structure, Bonding and the Properties of Matter (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.2)

Students learn about the different types of bonding between atoms in terms of the transfer and sharing of outer shell electrons. They then learn about the structure of substances and use this to explain how substances behave.

All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive).

Students are challenged to explain how substances behave using their knowledge of structure and bonding.

Students are challenged to compare the properties of substances explain why they differ.

Why?

This unit builds on students’ prior knowledge of atomic structure and the periodic table learnt in unit 5.1 in term 1. It is the second module they will be assessed on in future examinations.

This unit is fundamental to understanding the world of chemistry. All future units that are assessed at GCSE rely on a knowledge of this unit.

How?  

Core knowledge:  

• The three types of bonding are ionic, covalent and metallic

• Ionic bonding is between metals and non metals and involves the transfer of electrons

• Covalent bonding is between non metals and involves the sharing of electrons

• Metallic bonding involves a giant lattice of metal ions between which are delocalised electrons

• Ionic compounds have high melting points due to strong electrostatic forces between the oppositely charged ions

• Ionic compounds can’t conduct electricity when solid but can when molten or dissolved in water due to movement, or lack of, ions

• Covalent compounds have two structures, simple covalent or giant lattice

• Simple molecular compounds have low melting points due weak intermolecular forces

• Giant lattice covalent compounds have high melting points due strong covalent bonds

• Covalent compounds, generally, don’t conduct electricity due having no charges. The exception being graphite due to containing delocalised electrons

• Metallic structures are giant lattice with high melting points due to strong electrostatic forces

• Metallic structures conduct electricity due to delocalised electrons.

How well?

What should they be able to do? 

• Describe the different types of chemical bonding

• Identify and draw diagrams for each type of bond

• Describe the different types of structures encountered in chemical substances

• Use their knowledge of bonding and structure to describe the physical properties of substances

• Compare the properties of diamond and graphite.

How do they know they have done this well?

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

Where next?

5.2 Use the knowledge and understanding from units 1 and 2 to explain chemical bonding and structure and how theses affect the properties of substances.

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Cell Biology (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 4.1) 

Students learn about cells (incl. with reference to specialised cells, microscopy, types of cells, chromosomes, cell cycle and how molecules are transport across cell membranes) 

All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) 

Students are challenged to design an investigation to measure the actual diameter of an onion skin cell, as part of a required practical. 

Students are challenged to interpret percentage change of mass of plant tissue, and write extended response about it 

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?  

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of cells and tissues at KS3/Yr7 and is the first module they will be assessed on in future examinations. 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, cell structure is modelled using a variety of activities (eg use of pencil case / play dough), practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work 

Core knowledge:  

Animal and plant cells including structure and function of the sub - cellular structures. Eukaryotes and prokaryotes.   

Use a light microscope to draw and label a selection of animal and plant cells. Understanding of different microscopes and the use of the magnification equation.   

How cell differentiation leads to cell specialisation, mitosis. Stem cells. Diffusion, osmosis and active transport – the differences between and where they occur. 

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Data (students should be able to…_ 

• Calculate variables using magnification = image size / actual size  

• Convert between units (mm, µm, nm)  

Practical:  

• Do scientific drawings of animal and plant cell  

• Correctly setup and operation of light microscope (RPA1) 

How do they know they have done this well? 

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge. 

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

4.2 - ORGANISATION: 4.2.3.1 Plant tissues.  

4.2.3.2 Plant organs.  Retrieve knowledge of the structure and function of the parts of the leaf. Stomata, Xylem & Phloem, Factors effecting the rate of transpiration; Potometer. Students should be able to develop an understanding of size and scale in relation to cells, tissues, organs and systems. Recap the work done in KS3 by asking students to label a diagram of the human digestive system including the main organs and whether they complete mechanical or chemical digestion. Describe the lining structure of the stomach and what role acid plays in protecting the body from infection. Students write a method for fairly investigating the effect of temperature on the rate of decomposition. Students will write up their experiments and describe how the factors influence the rate of digestion. Students should be able to understand simple word equations, but no chemical symbol equations are required. 

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?  

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of animals at KS3/Yr7 as well building upon their knowledge of cell structure from KS3 (this includes asking the students to recap KS3 by labelling a diagram of the breathing system and describing the organs and tissues within it). 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, cell structure is modelled using a variety of activities (eg use of pencil case / play dough), practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work 

Core knowledge:  

4.2 - ORGANISATION: 4.2.3.1 Plant tissues.  

4.2.3.2 Plant organs.   

Retrieve knowledge of the structure and function of the parts of the leaf. Stomata, Xylem & Phloem,  

Factors effecting the rate of transpiration. 

What a potometer is and how it works (with an A-level link to how one can be constructed) 

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Data: 

• Calculate actual diameter of stomata. 

Practical: 

• Preparing a transverse section of a leaf 

• Produce a labelled scientific drawing of stomata and guard cells.  

How do they know they have done this well? 

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge. 

What?

1. Defining the terms current, charge, potential difference and resistance and understanding how this can be used to explain energy transfers within circuits. Challenge – analysis and evaluation of models/analogies to understand key terminology.
2. Explain the design and use of a circuit to measure the resistance of a component by measuring the current through, and potential difference across it; drawing appropriate circuit diagrams using correct circuit symbols. Challenge – use graphs to explore whether circuit elements are linear or non-linear and relate the curves produced to their function and properties.
3. Required practical for investigating how resistance varies with length of a wire and combinations of resistors in series and parallel.
4. Required practical for I-V graphs of filament lamp/diode/fixed resistor, links to HSW skills, identifying variables and data presentation/analysis, drawing conclusions. Challenge – identifying and explaining the difference between ohmic and non-ohmic conductors.
5. Use circuit diagrams to construct and check series and parallel circuits that include a variety of common circuit components. Challenge - explain qualitatively why adding resistors in series increases the total resistance whilst adding resistors in parallel decreases the total resistance.
6. Calculate the currents, potential differences and resistances in dc series circuits solve problems for circuits which include resistors in series using the concept of equivalent resistance. Challenge – interpreting graphical data or circuit diagrams in conjunction with equation application to problem solve 5/6 mark calculation based questions. Application of Kirchhoff’s laws to predict and explain how environmental changes affect meter readings within circuits establishing basis for potential divider argument at KS5.
7. Explain how the power of a circuit device is related to; the potential difference across it and the current through it and the energy transferred over a given time; links back to concepts covered within the energy topic, recalling power definition. Challenge – describe, with examples, the relationship between the power ratings for domestic electrical appliances and the changes in stored energy when they are in use. Derivation of power equations.
8. State the potential difference and frequency of mains electricity and identify/describe the function of parts of a standard UK plug/ links with waves in year 11. Challenge – explain the dangers of providing connections between the live wire and earth, including the role of the fuse and earth wire.
9. Students should be able to explain the difference between direct and alternating potential difference. This provides the foundation for studying applications of motor effect (loudspeakers/headphones) and the generator effect (ac and dc dynamos, transformers) in year 11 within the triple physics electromagnetism unit. Challenge – graphical interpretation of a.c. and d.c. data.
10. Explain why the National Grid system is an efficient way to transfer energy links to electromagnetism studied in year 11 in triple science. Challenge – rearrange and apply the equation for power in transformers when 100% efficient.

Why?

• National grid and mains electricity prepares students for studying year 11 content within the magnetism and electromagnetism topic in triple science.

• Students must understand how electrical energy is transferred for consumer use and the basic structure and function of plugs within the home. This can also be used to introduce circuit breakers which are revisited in magnetism in year 11 as an application of electromagnets.

• National and global energy resources links with previous physics topic, Energy, and also Chemistry of the Earth’s Atmosphere studied in year 11 and with Geography, whereby students study power stations and sustainable electricity generation.

• AC nature of mains electricity links with concepts covered within the waves topic in year 11.

• Practise rearranging equations step by step will help re-enforce key skills learned in maths and prepare students for continued application of this within all subsequent physics units (apart from Atomic Structure and Space Physics).

Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter everywhere. Understanding the difference in the microstructure of conductors, semiconductors and insulators makes it possible to design components and build electric circuits. Many circuits are powered with mains electricity, but portable electrical devices must use batteries of some kind. Electrical power fills the modern world with artificial light and sound, information and entertainment, remote sensing and control. The fundamentals of electromagnetism were worked out by scientists of the 19th century. However, power stations, like all machines, have a limited lifetime. If we all continue to demand more electricity this means building new power stations in every generation – but what mix of power stations can promise a sustainable future?

How?  

Core knowledge:  

• Identify components from symbols and draw circuit diagrams.
• Interpret circuit diagrams and determine ammeter and voltmeter readings based on rules for current and potential difference in series and parallel circuits.
• Perform various calculations; rearranging and applying equations.
• Interpret and describe I-V graphs for the filament lamp, fixed resistor and diode.
• Identify key features of a standard UK plug and explain their role.
• Describe the function of (and explain the use of transformers within) the National Grid.

Lessons to be differentiated in terms of level of challenge in order to support/stretch pupils including those with SEND. Use of structured worksheets for calculations when delivering equation-based lessons and extension questions provided. Pupil pairing for completion of practical work, making use of seating plan and checklists to support learners with additional needs.

How well?

Because they can…. use circuit diagrams to construct and check series and parallel circuits that include a variety of common circuit components.

What should they be able to know?

Successful application of circuit rules and application when answering 5/6 mark calculation or explanation style questions.

What should they be able to do?

• Plan and carry out experimental procedures in order to obtain valid results.
• Identify and convert prefixes. Manipulate equations.
• Tabulate and graph data.

Learning checkpoints and assessment:

Mid-topic test and end of unit assessment. 1-10 quizzes used regularly to improve recall. Diagnostic multiple-choice quiz given prior to end of unit test to support planning of a targeted revision lesson. Seneca assignment set for revision.

What?

Module: Quantitative Chemistry (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.3)

Students learn about the law of conservation of mass and how this enables to write balanced chemical equations. Students also learn to represent chemical changes with balanced chemical equations. Pupils also learn about relative formula mass and the concept of the mole. This allows pupils to calculate amounts of reactants and products in a reaction when used in conjunction with chemical equations.

All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive).

Students are challenged to describe chemical reactions by writing and balancing chemical symbol equations.

Students are challenged to use the mole to calculate amount of substance in chemical reactions.

Why?

This unit builds on students’ prior skills of writing balanced chemical equations. It develops this skill to be able to calculate the amount of substances in chemical reactions.

This unit is fundamental to understanding how chemists can calculate the correct amount of reactants to use in a chemical reaction and how much product can be made.. All future units that are assessed at GCSE rely on a knowledge of this unit.

How?  

Core knowledge:  

• The use and identification of the terms balanced symbol equation, relative formula mass, mole, concentration and Avogadro’s constant.
• State the law of conservation of mass and use it to write balanced symbol equations..
• Writing and balancing chemical symbol equations using chemical formulae.
• Calculating and using relative formula mass..
• Understanding uncertainty in experimental measurements.
• The mass of one mole of a substance in grams is numerically equal to its relative formula mass.
• The number of atoms, molecules or ions in a mole of a given substance is the Avogadro constant.
• The value of the Avogadro constant is 6.02 x 1023 per mole.
• The masses of reactants and products can be calculated from balanced symbol equations.

How well?

What should they be able to do? 

• write balanced symbol equations.
• calculate relative formula mass.
• use formula mass to calculate the number of moles of a substance.
• use the number of moles to calculate masses of reactants and products.

How do they know they have done this well?

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

Where next?

5.4 Use the knowledge and understanding from units 1 and 3 to describe chemical reactions and calculate the amounts of reactants and products used in chemical reactions.

What?

 What are we learning? What’s interleaved? What’s challenging?

Module: Energy Changes (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.5) 
Students learn about the energy changes that accompany chemical reactions and some of the uses to society of these energy changes. They learn to represent energy changes using energy profile diagrams. Pupils will also learn to explain and calculate these energy changes using bond energies. 
All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive). 
Students are challenged to complete bond energy calculations. 
Students are challenged to explain activation energy. 

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?

This unit builds on the previous module called chemical changes where they learnt about various chemical reactions. They now learn how energy changes accompany these chemical changes. It is the fifth module they will be assessed on in future examinations. 
This unit is important in helping to understand why chemical changes can take place. It will also provide understanding required in the next topic of rate of reaction. 

How?  

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, ideas are modelled using a variety of activities, practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work
Core knowledge:
Temperature changes accompany any chemical changes.
Exothermic reactions release energy to the surroundings, increasing the temperature.
Endothermic reactions absorb energy from the surroundings, lowering the temperature.
These energy changes often have uses eg photosynthesis, crucial for life, is an endothermic reaction; combustion of fuels, crucial for life, is an exothermic reaction.
Pupils must be able to draw energy profile diagrams to illustrate energy changes accompanying chemical reactions. This includes the activation energy, minimum energy required to start a chemical reaction.
During a chemical change energy must be supplied to break bonds but energy is released in making new bonds. The balance of breaking and making bonds determines if a reaction is exothermic or endothermic.
Higher tier students should be able to calculate the energy change of a reaction when given bond energy values.

How well?

What should they be able to do? 

Students should be able to:
…identify exothermic and endothermic reactions from changes in temperature.
…describe some uses for energy change in reactions.
…draw energy profile diagrams labelled with activation energy and overall energy change of reaction.
…calculate energy changes of reaction from bond energy data.
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
1. Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

Where next?

5.6 Rate and extent of reaction – energy changes of reaction can be used to help explain some of the phenomena in rates of reaction.

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Rate and Extent of Chemical Change (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.6)
Students learn about the factors that affect the speed with which a chemical reaction takes place. This can have important economical consequences when making products to be used in society. Students will also learn the factors that can effect how much (the extent) product is formed and how physical conditions can be used to control yields of chemical substances.
All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive).
Students are challenged to measure rates of reaction from plotting graphs and drawing tangents.
Students are challenged to explain, using collision theory, how different factors can affect rate of reaction.
Students are challenged to predict the changes in equilibrium position when conditions are altered in a chemical reaction.

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This unit builds on the previous module called energy changes where they learnt about energy changes in chemical reactions. It is the sixth module they will be assessed on in future examinations.
This unit is important in helping to understand how controlling the physical conditions of a chemical reaction can affect the rate of reaction and the extent of reaction.

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, ideas are modelled using a variety of activities, practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work
Core knowledge:
Calculating rate of reaction and using the appropriate units of measurement.
Describe how changing the physical factors of temperature, concentration, pressure and surface area can affect the rate of reaction.
Explain the effect of these factors on rate of reaction using collision theory.
Describe and explain the effect of using a catalyst on rate of reaction.
Describe and explain reversible reactions and the position of equilibrium.
Describe and explain the physical factors of temperature, concentration and pressure on the position of equilibrium.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Students should be able to:
…calculate the rate of reaction when given the relevant information.
…draw graphs from experimental data and use the graph to measure the rate of a reaction.
…recall how changing physical factors affects the rate of reaction.
…use collision theory to explain these effects.
…explain catalytic action in terms of activation energy.
…explain and predict the change in position of equilibrium when when given appropriate information.

How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
1. Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Infection & Response (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 4.3) 

Students will learn to understand different types of diseases and how the human body defends against them, including with the discovery and development of antibiotics, painkillers and vaccines. Students should be able to explain the production and uses of monoclonal antibodies, plant diseases and how plants defend against disease. 

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?  

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of diseases in Yr9 specifically with reference to cell structure, organ systems, and microscopes. 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, cell structure is modelled using a variety of activities (eg use of pencil case / play dough), practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work 

Core knowledge:  

Communicable infectious diseases, including Viral, bacteria, fungal and protists.  

Non-specific and specific human defence systems against disease. 

How vaccinations work.  

Antibiotics and painkillers and antibiotic resistance.  

Clinical trials and the development of drugs 

Making and using monoclonal antibodies, their benefits and disadvantages. 

Plant diseases and their defences. 

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Data: 

• Interpret results of drug testing and trials 

• Interpret graphs showing primary/secondary immune responses 

• Interpreting epidemiological COVID-19 data in context 

• Calculation of cross-sectional area of agar plate 

How do they know they have done this well? 

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quix of previous lesson knowledge. 

Practical: 

Prepare an uncontaminated culture of bacteria 

Plan and carry out investigation into the effect of antiseptics or antibiotics on bacterial growth (RPA5) 

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Bioenergetics (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 4.4) 

Students learn to explain photosynthesis as endothermic, describe uses of glucose, explain the effects of limiting factors and measure, calculate, extract and plot appropriate graphs showing the rate of photosynthesis. Students should plan and carry out an investigation into a limiting factor’s effect, and interpret graphs showing the effect of limiting factors on photosynthesis. (HT) – students should understand and use inverse proportion / inverse square law, and relate limiting factors to the cost efficiency of greenhouse management. Students should also be able to explain aerobic and anaerobic respiration, and explain how the body responds to exercise, including with reference to oxygen debt. Finally, students should be able to explain the importance of metabolism. 

All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive) 

Students are challenged to design an investigation to measure the actual diameter of an onion skin cell, as part of a required practical. 

Students are challenged to interpret percentage change of mass of plant tissue, and write extended response about it 

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?  

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of cells and tissues at KS3/Yr8 where they learned about botany. The students will specific add to their knowledge base of botany by learning about limiting factors in relation to photosynthesis. This is also built upon further in KS5 where students learn about plant cloning technology, eg. Micropropagation (part of the Yr12/13 transport systems in plants topic). 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, cell structure is modelled using a variety of activities (eg use of pencil case / play dough), practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work 

Core knowledge:  

Photosynthesis equation and uses of glucose from photosynthesis.  

Limiting factors and inverse square laws  

Measuring the rate of photosynthesis  

How plants use Glucose 

Comparing Anaerobic and aerobic respiration.  

How the body reacts to exercise.  

Importance of metabolism 

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Data: 

• Interpret graphs to identify limiting factors 

• Draw graph showing effect of factor on rate of photosynthesis 

• Calculate stroke volume and cardiac output 

• Interpret data showing breathing rate and cardiac output 

How do they know they have done this well? 

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quix of previous lesson knowledge. 

Practical: 

Carry out a spirometry test to measure lung function 

Plan and carry out investigation of effect of limiting factor on rate of photosynthesis 

Plan and carry out investigation of effect of exercise on heart rate 

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Homeostasis & Response (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 4.5) 

Students learn about different forms by which the internal environment of the human body is controlled with specific reference to thermoregulation, glucoregulation, diabetes’ risk factors, the structure of the nervous system and how hormones control growth in both animals and plants.  

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?  

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of sexual and asexual reproduction which are taught in Yr7 as well as building upon their knowledge of the functions of cells, tissues, and organ systems.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, cell structure is modelled using a variety of activities (eg use of pencil case / play dough), practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work 

Core knowledge:  

• Control systems  

• Reflex arc  

• Investigation into the effect of a factor on human reaction time.  

• Identifying parts of the brain  

• Benefits and risks of procedures on the brain 

• Structure and function of the eye. 

• Common defects of the eye and treatments 

• Mechanisms of temperature control 

• Endocrine glands and the control of blood glucose concentration 

• Removing waste products Water and Nitrogen 

• Menstrual cycle.  

• Contraception and using hormones to treat infertility 

• Process and usefulness of in-vitro fertilisation 

• Negative feedback and the roles of Adrenaline and thyroxine   

• Plant responses and use of hormones set up:  

• Investigate the effect of light or gravity on the growth of newly germinated seedlings.  

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Data: 

• Interpret simple diagrams of negative feedback control. 

• Extract and interpret data from graphs showing hormone levels during a menstrual cycle. 

• Measure length of shoots during (RPA8) 

• Draw labelled scientific drawing of length of shoots (RPA8) 

• (RPA8) Plan and carry out investigation into effect of light on the growth of newly germinated seedlings. 

• (RPA8) Plan and carry out investigation into effect of light on the growth of newly germinated seedlings.

How do they know they have done this well? 

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quix of previous lesson knowledge. 

What?

1. Define and describes difference between transverse and longitudinal waves links to energy stores/transfers from year 9. Challenge – describe wave motion in terms of amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period; including diagram/graphical interpretation.
2. Calculating the period, frequency, wavelength, and speed of a wave using problem solving and maths skills to apply and rearrange equations. Challenge – rearranging and combining use of equations to solve 5/6 mark questions. Deriving the wave speed equation by linking definitions to speed, distance and time calculations from the Forces topic studied previously. 
3. Required practical for wave speed; make observations to identify the suitability of apparatus to measure the frequency, wavelength and speed of waves in a ripple tank and waves in a solid and take appropriate measurements Challenge – use of specific terminology to answer 6-mark method questions.
4. Required practical for infrared radiation; investigating how the amount absorbed or radiated by a surface depends on the nature of that surface, previously visited within the Energy topic whereby radiation is stated as a transfer of energy that can take place in a vacuum. Challenge – linking surface area to explanations on increased rates of absorption/emission with matt surfaces.
5. Give examples that illustrate the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves, with brief explanations why each type of electromagnetic wave is suitable for the practical application. Links back to hazards of radiation exposure and production of gamma rays from Atomic Structure unit studied in year 10. Challenge – describing how radio waves are produced and absorbed. Draw conclusions from given data about the risks and consequences of exposure to radiation.
6. Construct ray diagrams to illustrate the refraction of a wave at the boundary between two different media, links to previous units (Particle Model and Forces) with regards to understanding of terms density and speed/velocity. Challenge – use wave front diagrams to explain refraction in terms of the change of speed that happens when a wave travels from one medium to a different medium.

Why?

• Understanding the key features of waves prepares students for studying triple physics content within the Space Physics topic in year 11, as students must appreciate how changes in wavelength and frequency of a light emitted from galaxies can be used as evidence for the Big Bang Theory, via the phenomena of red shift.
• Students must be aware of how and why refraction occurs at a boundary between different media before they study optics in year 12 and the use of lenses within telescopes as part of the Astrophysics unit in year 13.
• Whilst waves could be taught earlier in the course, to stretch the most able it’s useful to teach after Forces so students can make connections between their previous work on speed, distance and time when relating to new terminology such as wave speed, wavelength and frequency.
• Practise rearranging equations step by step will help re-enforce key skills learned in maths and prepare students for continued application of this within all subsequent physics units (apart from Space Physics).

Wave behaviour is common in both natural and man-made systems. Waves carry energy from one place to another and can also carry information. Designing comfortable and safe structures such as bridges, houses and music performance halls requires an understanding of mechanical waves. Modern technologies such as imaging and communication systems show how we can make the most of electromagnetic waves.

How?  

Core knowledge:  

• Define and state examples of transverse and longitudinal waves.
• Explain refraction in terms of changes in wave speed at a boundary.
• Explain why dark matt surfaces are better absorbers/radiators of infrared radiation. 
• Perform various calculations; rearranging and applying equations for wave speed and time period.
• Identify in order of increasing/decreasing frequency or wavelength the 7 parts of the electromagnetic spectrum stating examples of their applications and the hazards associated with ionising radiation i.e. UV, X-rays and gamma radiation.

Lessons to be differentiated in terms of level of challenge in order to support/stretch pupils including those with SEND. Use of structured worksheets for calculations when delivering equation-based lessons and extension questions provided. Pupil pairing for completion of practical work, making use of seating plan and checklists to support learners with additional needs.

How well?

Because they can… identify and categorise different types of wave including those belonging to the electromagnetic spectrum. Understand definitions so that they can determine the amplitude, period, frequency, wavelength and speed of a wave from diagrams/graphs.

What should they be able to know?

How waves behave at boundaries between different media and how to illustrate this with (and interpret) ray diagrams.

What should they be able to do?

• Plan and carry out experimental procedures in order to obtain valid results.

• Identify and convert prefixes. Manipulate equations.

• Tabulate and graph data.

Learning checkpoints and assessment:

Mid-topic test and end of unit assessment. 1-10 quizzes used regularly to improve recall. Diagnostic multiple-choice quiz given prior to end of unit test to support planning of a targeted revision lesson. Seneca assignment set for revision.

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Inheritance, Variation & Evolution (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 4.6) 

Students learn about different types of reproduction, DNA structure, how proteins are produced on the molecular/genetic level, the effects of DNA mutations (triple science only), theories of evolution (with specific reference to Darwin and Wallace), the different types of variation and genetic engineering, embryo screening, fossils and extinction are also explored.  

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?  

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of animals at KS3/Yr7 as well building upon their knowledge of reproduction.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

Differences between the two types of reproduction and meiosis.  

Meiosis, DNA structure, basic Monohybrid crosses  

Monohybrid crosses of inherited disorders and sex determination. Ethical issues of genetic screening 

Variation cause by genes and the environment.  

The theory of Evolution by natural selection  

Students should be able to explain the impact of selective breeding of food plants and domesticated animal 

Students should be able to describe genetic engineering as a process which involves modifying the genome of an organism by introducing a gene from another organism to give a desired characteristic.  

Students should be able to explain the potential benefits and risks of genetic engineering in agriculture and in medicine and that some people have objections. 

Students should be able to describe the evidence for evolution including fossils and antibiotic resistance in bacteria Students should be able to describe factors which may contribute to the extinction of a species  

Linnaean and Carl Woese systems of classification  

Ecosystems and factors that affect them.  

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Data: 

• Use direct proportion and simple ratios to express genetic cross outcomes 

• Interpret Punnett square diagrams 

• (HT) Construct Punnett square diagrams 

• Extract and interpret fossil data from charts, graphs and tables 

• Do scientific drawings of animal and plant cell  

• Correctly setup and operation of light microscope (RPA1) 

How do they know they have done this well? 

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quix of previous lesson knowledge. 

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Ecology (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 4.7) 

Students learn ecosystems, populations, and environmental interactions. Topics include the organisation of ecosystems, biodiversity, adaptation, and factors affecting population size. Students explore ecological relationships, such as competition and predation, and delve into human impact on the environment, covering issues like pollution and conservation. 

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?  

This builds on students’ prior knowledge of animals at KS3/Yr7 as well building upon their knowledge of cell diversity.  

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

• How animals and plants are adapted to the environment in which they live. 

• Measure the population size of a common species in a habitat. Use sampling techniques to investigate the effect of a factor on the distribution of this species.  

• The carbon cycle.  

• The water cycle.  

• Students should be able to explain how temperature, water and availability of oxygen affect the rate of decay of biological material.  

• Students should be able to evaluate the impact of environmental changes on the distribution of species in an ecosystem given appropriate information. 

• Biodiversity is the variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within an ecosystem.  

• Rapid growth in the human population and an increase in the standard of living mean that increasingly more resources are used and more waste is produced, causing pollution 

• Humans reduce the amount of land available for other animals and plants by building, quarrying, farming, and dumping waste. 

• Large-scale deforestation in tropical areas has occurred to: provide land for cattle and rice fields and to grow crops for biofuel  

• Students should be able to describe some of the biological consequences of global warming  

• Students should be able to describe both positive and negative human interactions in an ecosystem and explain their impact on biodiversity. 

• Differences between trophic levels 

• Describe pyramids of biomass and how biomass is lost between trophic levels 

• Biological factors affecting food security 

• Modern farming techniques, and their advantages and disadvantages 

• Different fishing techniques to promote recovery of fish stocks 

• Biotechnical and agricultural solutions to the demands of a growing human population 

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Data: 

• Record observations of organisms 

• Extract and interpret data from charts, graphs and tables regarding abiotic/biotic factors and communities. 

• Plot and draw appropriate graphs selecting appropriate scales for the axes, regarding abundance of organisms 

• Interpret graphs used to model predator-prey cycles 

• (A-Level) Calculate Simpson’s Index of Diversity  

• Calculate rate changes in the decay of biological material 

• Construct accurate pyramids of biomass from data 

• Calculate efficiency of biomass transfer between tropic levels (by percentages or fractions of masses) 

How do they know they have done this well? 

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback. 

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quix of previous lesson knowledge. 

Practical: 

Plan and carry out investigation of effect of a factor on the distribution of a common species in a habitat (RPA9) 

Plan and carry out investigation of effect of temperature on the rate of decay of fresh milk (RPA10) 

What?

Module: Organic Chemistry (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.7) #

Students learn about the processing of crude oil into valuable products in modern society. Students also learn the nature of these products and the properties that make them useful.

All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive).

Students are challenged to describe chemical reactions by writing and balancing chemical symbol equations.

Students are challenged to use their understanding of molecular structure to explain the properties of a substance.

Why?

This unit builds on students’ prior knowledge of structure, bonding and properties taught in year 9. It is the first module they will be assessed on in future examinations.

This unit is fundamental to understanding the how chemistry can be used for the benefit of society and problems that can come from the use of technology.

It is taught in year 10 because students have gained enough knowledge and understanding from year 9 to study this topic. After learning some of the fundamentals of chemistry it is time to look at how chemistry can be applied to the real world.

How?  

Core knowledge:  

• The formation of crude oil.
• Know and understand the terms hydrocarbon, homologous series, alkane.
• Chemical formulae in different forms ( molecular, displayed) and write these for organic compounds.
• Know the process of fractional distillation and the uses of its products.
• Relate the properties of hydrocarbons to the number of carbons in the molecule; specifically boiling point, volatility, flammability and viscosity.
• The process of cracking and the idea that it is used to create more useful products from crude oil.
• Alkenes are a by-product of cracking and can be used to make polymers.

How well?

What should they be able to do? 

• describe the formation of crude oil.
• state that crude oil contains hydrocarbons, specifically the homologous series, alkanes.
• draw displayed formulae of alkanes.
• explain how fractional distillation can be used to separate crude oil into useful fractions of hydrocarbons.
• relate the properties of hydrocarbons (boiling point, flammability, volatility, viscosity) to the number of carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon molecule.
• describe and explain the process of cracking in the production of more useful hydrocarbons.
• state that polymers can be made from the alkenes formed in cracking.

How do they know they have done this well?

Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.

Learning checkpoints and assessment: 

Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

Where next?

5.9/5.10 Use the knowledge and understanding from unit 7 to understand the effects of burning hydrocarbons on our environment.

What?

What are we learning?

Module: Chemical Analysis (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.8)
Students learn about how analysts have developed a range of qualitative tests to detect specific chemicals. The tests are based on reactions that produce a gas with distinctive properties, or a colour change or an insoluble solid that appears as a precipitate. Instrumental methods provide fast, sensitive and accurate means of analysing chemicals, and are particularly useful when the amount of chemical being analysed is small. Forensic scientists and drug control scientists rely on such instrumental methods in their work.
All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive).
Students are challenged to explain how chromatography can be used to separate a mixture of soluble substances. 

Why?

Why do we need to deliver this (vision statement)? Why now?
This unit builds on the previously learned idea of mixtures, elements and compounds from unit 1 – atomic structure. The knowledge from 5.8 will help pupils to understand and access the following topics on the atmosphere and using Earth’s resources.

How?  

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, ideas are modelled using a variety of activities, practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work
Core knowledge:
Definition of a pure substance.
Identify and know the importance of formulations in everyday life.
Describe how to carry out chromatography.
Explain how chromatography can separate soluble mixtures.
Describe tests that can identify the common gases hydrogen, chlorine, oxygen and carbon dioxide.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Students should be able to:
…use melting point and boiling point data to distinguish between a pure and impure substance.
…identify formulations when given appropriate data.
…explain how chromatography can separate a soluble mixture.
…. suggest how chromatography can distinguish between pure and impure substances.
…calculate the Rf value of a substance.
…describe tests to identify gases.

How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
1. Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning?

Module: Chemistry of the Atmosphere (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.9) 
Students learn how the Earth’s atmosphere is dynamic and forever changing. The causes of these changes are sometimes man-made and sometimes part of many natural cycles. Scientists use very complex software to predict weather and climate change as there are many variables that can influence this. The problems caused by increased levels of air pollutants require scientists and engineers to develop solutions that help to reduce the impact of human activity. 
All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive). 
Students are challenged to explain how and why the Earth’s atmosphere has developed. 
Students are challenged to link human activity to climate change. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This unit builds on the previously learned idea of combustion of hydrocarbons in unit5.7 – organic chemistry. It will then help the understanding of the final unit – using Earth’s resources. 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, ideas are modelled using a variety of activities, practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work
Core knowledge:
Know the contents of the Earth’s early atmosphere and explain where the different gases came to be there.
Explain how and why the amounts of gases oxygen and carbon dioxide changed over time. This should be linked to the evolution of life.
Describe the greenhouse effect and state the gases that contribute to this effect.
Evaluation of contributing human activities to climate change.
Description of carbon footprint.
Describe atmospheric pollutants and their effect on the atmosphere.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

Students should be able to:
…given appropriate information, interpret evidence and evaluate different theories about the Earth’s early atmosphere.
…describe the main changes in the atmosphere over time and some of the likely causes of these changes.
…describe and explain the formation of deposits of limestone, coal, crude oil and natural gas.
…evaluate the quality of evidence in a report about global climate change given appropriate information.
…recognise the importance of peer review of results and of communicating results to a wide range of audiences.
…describe briefly four potential effects of global climate change.
…discuss the scale, risk and environmental implications of global climate change.
…describe actions to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and methane.
…describe how carbon monoxide, soot (carbon particles), sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are produced by burning fuels.
… describe and explain the problems caused by increased amounts of these pollutants in the air.
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
1. Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.

What?

What are we learning? What's interleaved? What's challenging?

Module: Using Earth’s Resources (AQA 8461/64, spec ref. 5.10) 
Students learn how Industries use the Earth’s natural resources to manufacture useful products. In order to operate sustainably, chemists seek to minimise the use of limited resources, use of energy, waste and environmental impact in the manufacture of these products. Chemists also aim to develop ways of disposing of products at the end of their useful life in ways that ensure that materials and stored energy are utilised. Pollution, disposal of waste products and changing land use has a significant effect on the environment, and environmental chemists study how human activity has affected the Earth’s natural cycles, and how damaging effects can be minimised 
All lessons are interleaved, with starter quizzes at the start of each lesson testing students’ retrieval of prior lesson knowledge (both disciplinary and substantive). 
Students are challenged to extract and interpret information about resources from charts, graphs and tables. 
Students are challenged to carry out simple comparative LCAs for shopping bags made from plastic and paper. 

Why?

Why now?  What skills or knowledge does this learning build on? 

This unit builds on the previously learned ideas from the Earth’s atmosphere unit and chemical analysis unit to help pupils understand the issues with human activity and the using of resources in a sustainable manner. 

How?  

How will the curriculum pedagogy and practice be implemented? 

New concepts are broken down where appropriate into smaller steps, ideas are modelled using a variety of activities, practical activities are organised using a group leader structure to support team work
Core knowledge:
The importance of chemistry in using the Earth’s resources in a sustainable way.
Methods for obtaining potable water.
The treatment of waste water.
Phytomining and bioleaching as alternative methods of extractin metals.
Life cycle assessments and recycling.
Ways of reducing the use of resources.

How well? 

What should students be able to do? 

What should they be able to do?
Students should be able to:
…state examples of natural products that are supplemented or replaced by agricultural and synthetic products.
…distinguish between finite and renewable resources given appropriate information.
…distinguish between potable water and pure water.
…describe the differences in treatment of ground water and salty water.
…give reasons for the steps used to produce potable water.
…comment on the relative ease of obtaining potable water from waste, ground and salt water.
…evaluate alternative biological methods of metal extraction, given appropriate information.
…carry out simple comparative LCAs for shopping bags made from plastic and paper.
…evaluate ways of reducing the use of limited resources, given appropriate information.
How do they know they have done this well?
Through self / peer assessment / peer discussion tasks / diagnostic quizzes / knowledge retrieval quizzes / teacher feedback.
Learning checkpoints and assessment:
1. Progress check exam questions in the lessons / plenary tasks / recap quiz of previous lesson knowledge.