Head of Department: Mrs Miller
Telephone: 01344 423041 ext 327
Email: amiller@brakenhale.bracknell-forest.sch.uk

Aims

Science is an essential subject which helps students to understand how the world around them works. The students today will be the scientists of tomorrow who will be responsible for solving problems such as Global Warming, Aids and the quest for alternative energy sources.

Our Aims:

• To foster an enjoyment of learning and to develop a strong curiosity towards scientific concepts and ideas.
• To encourage students to work collaboratively in groups
• To enable students to work safety I the laboratory
• To promote independent learning through a variety of different strategies
• To produce scientifically literate students who can form their own opinions based on facts
• To have the ability to plan a valid investigation and to be able to critically analyse and evaluate experimental data.

Key Stage 3

In science students are set in ability groups from the start of year 7. At Key Stage 3 students have three lessons a week and are taught by the same teacher over the academic year. Students are taught twelve topics during the year in line with the National Curriculum (i.e. four chemistry, four physics and four biology topics). The department uses the Explaining Science teaching resources, and every student in year 9 is supplied with a revision guide issued by the LRC.

Assessment at Key Stage 3
Students are assessed at the end of each topic and are given a National Curriculum level. All assessment levels are recorded on a tracking sheet which is kept in the student’s exercise book. We use a traffic light system to track students’ progress in relation to their end of year target grades.

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Key Stage 4

At Brakenhale we teach AQA Specification A Core Science in Year 10 and AQA Additional Science in Year 11. Students opting to do science as a single option study core science over two years.

At Key Stage 4 students are set in ability groups and have four lessons a week. Each module studied is taught by a subject specialist.

Year 10
The GCSE core science consists of two chemistry, two physics and two biology modules, each of which are assessed by a half hour multiple choice test. These exams account for 75% of the total GCSE, with the remainder being accounted for by a piece of coursework which will be done during lesson time. The exams are held in November, March and June. Students will have the opportunity to re-sit any module again in year 11 in order for them to achieve the best grade possible.

Year 11
The GCSE Additional Science again consists of two chemistry, two physics and two biology topics, which will be assessed in three 45 minute written examination papers that can either be taken in January or June. The coursework again accounts for 25% of the total grade and each piece is undertaken in two lessons.

Key Stage 4 aims

• To help students to gain an in depth understanding of ‘how science works’
• To recognise and identify different types of variable in a scientific investigation
• To make valid judgements on a scientific issue based on a variety of different sources
• To produce independent learners who are scientifically literate

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Post 16

The science department offers AS/A2 levels in Chemistry (AQA), Biology (AQA specification B) and Physics (OCR Advancing Physics).

Students are taught in small classes to ensure that they receive the individual help and encouragement needed to achieve their potential.

Assessment at AS/A2
Students study three modules in each course. The first module to sit in January and the third module comprises a practical coursework component.

Students undertake regular assessments each term and progress is tracked against individual target grades.

Post 16 Aims

• To encourage students to critically analyse and evaluate experimental data
• To enable students to become effective independent learners in preparation for Higher Education
• To become confident in undertaking practical experiments

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Teaching and Learning

The science department piloted the student data tracker system in the last academic year which is now being implemented across the whole school. It allows us to track an individual student’s progress against their target grades, which is helping us to continue to raise standards in teaching and learning.

We are strong advocates of independent learning. This is promoted through organising students into cooperative groupings using thinking skills strategies in lessons and effectively using SAM learning with specialist support from the Learning Support Centre (LRC) staff.

Student are given the opportunity to attend revision breakfasts on the morning of Key Stage 3,4 and 5 public examinations, in addition to any after school sessions that we arrange. This was a very successful approach last year and we received a large amount of positive feedback from students and parents.

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Resources

The science department has five specialised teaching laboratories and one computer room, each equipped with its own overhear projector. There is also a central prep room staffed by three dedicated technicians.

We also have a range of modern text books which are curriculum specific and matched to different ability.

Special Events

The science department has established links with locally based scientific companies/establishments, which has helped to generate enthusiasm for studying science and has also provided the opportunity for our students to see how classroom science is applied in industry.

Also each year we enter teams in various Young Scientist competitions.

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