Our Aims:
We want our to inspire our pupils to go to the best universities and explore the vast selection of fascinating Science degrees on offer like Mechatronics and Robotic Systems at the University of Liverpool, Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge or Tropical Biology at the University of Nottingham.
To achieve this we want pupils to become actively involved in their own learning and understand that scientific knowledge is fundamental to making ground-breaking discoveries and improving our lives.
Scientific knowledge helps us to understand how our universe works. Not just how molecules interact, but how molecules are made. We want our pupils to know how protons and neutrons are made and if our theories of gravity are right. This helps us understand how waves of light (or radiation) interact with our bodies. It takes decades, if not centuries to put that fundamental knowledge into action.
Once we have the knowledge we can create real-life scientific applications. Imagine a world where we did not know about the existence of x-rays, and could not look at broken bones on a doctors screen to help heal the injured. Who knows what applications will come of the discovery of the Higgs boson, or of the confirmation that heavy objects warp space, just as pebbles ripple water.
Our goal is to shape the minds of our pupils so that one day they can create life-changing applications from fundamental scientific knowledge.
Our focus in Key Stage 3 (KS3):
In KS3, pupils will focus on learning the fundamental knowledge required for Biology, Physics and Chemistry.
In Biology, pupils will learn about the structure of plant and animals cells, how cells become specialised and why cellular processes like respiration and photosynthesis are fundamental to life.
In Chemistry, pupils will learn all about elements, compounds and how to navigate the periodic table. They will find out how discoveries about atomic structure led to the development of the periodic table. Pupils will also learn how impure substances are separated using practical methods such as fractional distillation and chromatography.
In Physics, pupils will build upon their knowledge of atomic structure and discover how electrons and electricity are related; they will become confident at calculating resistance, current and voltage. Pupils will discover why forces are so important, how objects interact with each other and learn about Newton’s laws of motion.
Our focus in Key Stage 4 (KS4):
In KS4, pupils will be selected to undertake one of two GCSE options; Combined Science GCSE, where pupils will be awarded two GCSEs or Triple Science GCSE, where pupils will be awarded three GCSEs.
Pupils will follow the Edexcel Science GCSE specification. High quality, well-targeted GCSE resources provided by Edexcel’s online learning platform, Active Learn, will be used by teachers to support pupil learning.
Advice for parents:
Please encourage your child to complete effective flashcard revision for homework for their science knowledge quiz at the start of every lesson. Research demonstrates that this is one of the best ways to transfer fundamental science knowledge into long-term memory.
For homework, all pupils at Bedford Free School will be expected to complete 10 minutes of SAM Learning a day. Sam Learning is an award winning online learning platform and has been proven to help pupils make progress in Science.
We strongly advise that pupils purchase the Edexcel Combined Science textbook, which is available to buy on ParentPay. This is an invaluable resource, it will support pupil learning into KS4 and contains the key knowledge required for success in Science.
Contact details:
Mrs Entwistle, Head of Science: [email protected]
