Curriculum Overview

Science is taught across all key stages through a spiral curriculum, with topics revisited and extended in depth as students progress. Each group follows a rolling programme aligned to their pathway and accreditation level.

Year Group Aut 1 Aut 2 Spr 1 Spr 2 Sum 1 Sum 2
Elm / Rosewood
EQUALS KS3		 3-year rolling
programme		 Biology Green Plants Keep Healthy Living things and their environment Variation and classification
Chemistry Grouping and classifying materials and their properties Changing materials and their properties Separating materials and their properties
Physics The Earth and Beyond Light and Sound Forces and Motion Electricity and Magnetism
KS3 Rolling
Programme		 3-year rolling
programme		 Biology Cells, Organs and Systems
Plants		 Food and Digestion Respiration and Circulation Microbes and Keeping Healthy Variation and Evolution Rocks and Weathering
Chemistry Acids, Alkalis and Indicators Simple Chemical Reactions Reactions of Metals and Non-Metals Using Chemistry Environmental Chemistry and Living Things Particles and Solutions
Physics Energy
Earth and Beyond		 Sound
Light		 Forces and Motion Electricity Magnets Revision of previous first year topic
AQA Unit Award
Sycamore
EQUALS KS1/2		 2-year rolling
programme		 Animals Animals including Humans
Ourselves		 Animals including Humans
Health and Growth		 Animals including Humans
Variation and Comparison		 Animals including Humans
Moving and Growing with Plants		 Plants
Growing Plants		 Plants
Helping Plants to Grow Well
Materials Everyday Materials
Sorting and Using Materials		 Everyday Materials
Teeth and Eating		 Seasonal Changes
Keeping Warm		 Seasonal Changes
Light and Dark		 KS2 – Earth and Space
The Earth and Beyond		 KS2 – Forces
Pushes and Pulls
Y10 / Y11
(over 12 half terms)		 2-year rolling
programme		 Year A The Nature and Applications of Energy, Waves and Radiation
Energy and Our Universe		 The Study of Living Systems
Biology and Our Environment		 Concepts and Techniques for Chemistry
Chemistry and Our Earth
Year B Healthy Living Forensic Detection
Investigating a Crime Scene
ⓘ Qualifications in KS4 are matched to allow challenge for all. Tasks will be across the range of Level 1 to Level 2 Pass/Merit/Distinction.
External Visits & Employability

All students across KS3 and KS4 are offered opportunities to connect Science learning with real-world employment and industry through external visits and events.

Stage Details
KS3 All students to attend the Big Bang Fair to make links with STEAM topics to employment opportunities.
KS4 All students to attend the Big Bang Fair to make links with STEAM topics to employment opportunities.
Potential Visits

The following venues are identified as potential visit destinations, matched to topics covered within each key stage's rolling programme.

KS3
Catalyst Visitor Centre Garden Centres Keele / Jodrell Bank Telescopes
KS4
Garden Centres Zoos / Wildlife Centres Environmental Agency