Science
Our Vision
At Torpoint Community College we encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at the school and beyond. The Science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in students about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes.
Throughout the programmes of study, the students will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. We ensure that scientific skills are built-on and developed throughout students’ time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings.
Positivity
Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their laboratories and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science.
Planned
Science will be taught in planned and arranged rotations to ensure that a balance of all three areas is taught across both a year and key stage.
This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge. Planning involves high-quality resources to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning to test conceptual knowledge and skills.
Progression
We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years. As the students’ knowledge and understanding increases, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.
Subject Components
Key Concepts
Our Provision
Scientific skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the students’ school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching.
Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various skills in order to embed scientific understanding.
Teachers find opportunities to develop students’ understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and workshops with experts.
Students are offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits, trips and visitors to complement and broaden the curriculum. These are purposeful and link with the knowledge being taught in class.
Regular events, such as Science Week or projects allow all pupils to come off-timetable, to provide broader provision and the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills. These events often involve families and the wider community.
Curriculum Breakdown
Year 7
- Cells
- Reproduction
- Particles
- Elements, Mixtures and Compounds
- Forces
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Acids and Alkalis
Year 8
- Structures and Body Systems
- Health and lifestyle
- Reactions
- Light
- Sound
- Space
- The Periodic Table
- Separating Techniques
- Metals and Acids
Year 9
- Ecosystems
- The Earth
- Pressure, moments an motion
- Energy Stores and Transfers
- Atomic Structure
- Cells and Microscopes
Year 10
- Cell Biology
- Organisation
- Infection and Response
- Bioenergetics
- Atomic Structure and The Periodic Table
- Bonding, Structures and Properties of Matter
- Quantitative Chemistry
- Chemical Changes
- Energy Changes
- Energy
- Electricity
- Particle model of Matter
- Atomic Structure
Year 11
- Homeostasis and Response
- Inheritance, Variation and Evolution
- Ecology
- Rate and extent of chemical change
- Organic Chemistry
- Chemical Analysis
- Chemistry of the Atmosphere
- Using resources
- Forces
- Waves
- Magnetism and Electromagnetism