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Science
Hurstmere’s Science Department is very proud that the school was awarded Specialist Science Status in April 2009 in addition to the Specialist Sports Status previously awarded.
The Science Department consists of 7 laboratories and an ICT suite. All labs are fitted with interactive white boards and projectors which are used regularly to enhance and support learning, and each lab is fully equipped for practical work.
Our aim is to engender students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to understand Science in the world around them as well as to be able to progress to further Science study should they wish to. We strive to achieve this by ensuring we engage students in their learning through a variety of teaching and assessment styles. We believe that each student is an individual and what suits one may not suit another. We have a strong emphasis on practical work and visual learning.
KS3
Pupils in Key Stage 3 are taught the National Curriculum for science, and the teaching of this is supported by the ‘Science Works’ published scheme. The students are taught a variety of topics in Year 7, 8 & 9 with each topic having either a Biology, Chemistry or Physics focus. Students’ knowledge and skills are assessed through a variety of methods including project based work, practical work and end of unit tests. This enables teachers to get a clear picture of students’ levels in the different skill areas.
Topics covered in Biology: The Human Body, Nutrition, Keeping Healthy and Microorganisms, The Environment and the Ecosystem and Animal and Plant Reproduction.
Topics covered in Chemistry: Periodic Table of Elements and Chemical Reactions, Particle models of Solids, Liquids and Gases, Investigating Acids and Alkalis and The Rock Cycle.
Topics covered in Physics: Light and Sound, Space and the Solar System, Energy Resources and Fuels of the Future, and Experimenting with Forces.
Hurstmere’s Science Department offers a variety of courses at KS4 to suit all abilities and learning styles.
Students with a keen interest in Science and those who have the ambition to study Science at A’level follow the Triple Science Award. The Double Award is made up of GCSE Science and GCSE Additional Science. All students study OCR’s 21st Century specification which, as well as covering the statutory content, aims to provide students with a good understanding of how science relates to the ‘real’ world. Knowledge and skills are assessed through modular exams and centre assessed coursework. Students undertake an investigation where they have full design over planning and collection of data. This data is then analysed and a conclusion drawn which can be justified by science knowledge. In addition to this students undertake a Case Study of a relevant science topic where there has been recent debate such ‘Creation or Evolution’, ‘Hydrogen – is this the fuel of the future?’ and ‘Designer Babies – fact or fiction’.
Some students not opting to study GCSE Science study for a BTEC First Certificate in Applied Science. This covers the statutory content as well as other key science ideas. The main difference with this course is that it is assessed through a variety of assignments which are specially designed to interest the students. Each assignment is related to a ‘real life’ context and includes a variety of tasks including: practical tasks, and presentations, designing information leaflets and other assessment activities. Students can attain either a Pass, Merit or Distinction on each assignment. Passing all the set assignments gives students a BTEC certificate that is the equivalent number of SCAAT points as 2 C grades at GCSE. Students attaining all merits get points worth 2 B grades and Distinction 2 A grades.
