Science

At Knowl Hill, we aim to keep science as active and interactive as possible. By doing this, we allow students to develop an understanding of the core principles of sciences such as, energy, forces, cell biology, and particle physics. Students are then able to develop their knowledge as they move up in the school whilst still being hands on by partaking in experiments and activities.

Multi-sensory strategies used in science include:

Songs, actions, and games.
Physical props e.g., smells and reactions.
Physical models of the core principles.

Science is one of the three core subjects, meaning that it is a compulsory subject. There are two pathways in science which include:

Cambridge IGCSE Single Award (Combined Science) - 0653

This award is worth one GCSE and has equal amounts of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The material is delivered at both core and extended, which are carried out in class over the two-year course.

The specification for this course places a heavy weighting on practical techniques and theses skills are examined in a separate paper. In addition to this, there are two additional papers which both combine Biology, Chemistry and Physics. One paper is a short answer theory paper, and the other is a multiple-choice paper.

There is an expectation that students completing GCSE science are required to complete regular homework tasks.

AQA Entry Level Certificate Science - 5960

This qualification is also a combination of all three sciences (Biology, Physics and Chemistry) and will complete the double award that students embarked upon in year 9. It is particularly suitable for students who are finding the content of GCSEs daunting. Despite this qualification not being a GCSE, it is a valuable qualification that will allow students to succeed in science,

There are two Entry Level Certificate Science qualifications available:

Entry Level Certificate (Single Award) – 5961
Entry Level Certificate (Double Award) – 5962

The single award involves three externally set assessments that the school plans into its timetable as well as three pieces of course work, which are called teacher devised assessments, that take place during the year. Students can then continue onto the Double Award which involves a further 3 externally set assessment and a similar amount of coursework.

Please see the following links for more information on the subject: