Science Curriculum Intent

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‘The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it’

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Science is powerful; it is an ever-changing subject and affects us all. To understand and explore the world around us provides us with the power to improve our lives; from biodiversity, to space exploration, to the internet, to sustainability, to developments in medicine, we should all have the opportunity to understand and appreciate our amazing world and universe in which we live.

Through their study of science, our students are provided with opportunities to experience a personal sense of awe and wonder when describing and explaining the world around us. We aim to generate and cultivate a passion for science in all students and develop tenacious and curious learners. Our curriculum is current, relevant and exciting to students whether pursuing a career in STEM or simply just wanting to appreciate the subject. Students will not only develop the knowledge to understand observations around them, but will also be encouraged to question, investigate and communicate ideas effectively.

We have purposely stepped away from traditional curriculum models in KS3 and instead, have interleaved science disciplines around scientific domains. This approach allows numerous opportunities to draw upon prior learning from Primary to the end of Year 11, thus further embedding and reinforcing ambitious knowledge.

We provide students with opportunities to assess their understanding of scientific concepts through modelling, investigative skills and questioning. Students experience high quality teaching from subject specialists who challenge and support them throughout their study of science at KS3 and beyond. We encourage students to take risks and accept that success comes as a result of tenacious and reflective behaviours to re-shape their learning.

The Suthers Science Curriculum is therefore designed to:

· Engage students with current scientific research and how it impacts upon them

· Equip students with a deep understanding of the world around them so that they can apply their knowledge to unfamiliar scenarios

· Guide pupils to challenge the ethical issues that can surround scientific developments

· Celebrate the key moments in scientific history that have led to our understanding of the world today

· Promote high levels of scientific oracy and practical skills by encouraging students to think, investigate and SHAPE their responses like a scientist.

· Embed and apply knowledge and understanding of important scientific concepts, such as ‘cause and effect’, ‘change’, ‘structure and function’ and ‘explain why’

· Develop scientific working, an understanding of the nature of Science, and how Science relates to learners and their identities is at the heart of our curriculum

· Promote the epistemic competencies that underpin science, such as; the ways of thinking, observation, interpretation, analysis and evaluation

To access the curriculum plans for each year group, please use the links at the side of this page.

If a year group link is not available you can contact our Science Team at contact@suthersschool.co.uk where they will get back to you with further information.