ScienceDepartment Staff
Miss. S.Hirst - Head of Department (Responsibility for KS5 & Chemistry) Mrs. C. Hodgson - Head of Department (Responsibility for KS4 & Combined Sciences) Mr.Z.Christo – (Responsibility for A Level Physics) Mr.P.Curati - (Responsibility for GCSE Physics) Mrs. V. Dansey - (Responsibility for KS3) Dr. S. McDonald – (Responsibility for A Level Biology) Mr J. Oles – (Responsibility for GCSE Biology) Mrs. H. Byrne Dr. L. Ivings Mr. G. Percival Mrs. M. Turner Mr. A. Waring Technical Staff Mrs E.Thorpe - Head Lab Technician Miss S.Costello – Lab Technician Mrs L.Parkes - Lab Technician Mission StatementThe mission of The King David High School is academic excellence and encouraging each child to reach the highest levels of achievement, creativity, and personal development. Within the Science department we embed these principles by having a curriculum which caters to all abilities, by delivering content using a range of teaching techniques and by ensuring that there is an emphasis on why Science is not only relevant to, but central to young people in the 21st century.
The School aims to foster young people who are curious, enthusiastic and have a genuine love of learning. In Science lessons there is an emphasis on practical work which leads to engaging and exciting lessons which allow students to think creatively and work independently. Discussions about the environment, recycling and the generation of electricity provide students with links from the classroom to the real world. Completing the whole National Curriculum prescribed content for Science by the first term of Year 9 means that there is breadth and balance to the Science curriculum and that our students are well prepared for study post KS3. The Science curriculum is designed so that the cognitive difficultly of content delivered builds as the students’ progress and develop throughout KS3. Practical skills are embedded right from the start of KS3 so that students are given the maximum amount of time to be able progress in this area. Much of the content at KS3 is met again at KS4 (and KS5), and this spiral model is something which allows abstract ideas to be taught at the correct level for the ability of the student. The Science department is committed to promoting an inclusive comprehensive education for all and aims to meet the unique needs of every student, supporting them in fulfilling their ambitions and being the best that they can be, regardless of background, special needs, or disability. All students are supported in taking part in all aspects of theory and practical work and we endeavour to put in place necessary arrangements to ensure this is the case. There is a strong emphasis on health and wellbeing in our curriculum, with topics targeting healthy eating, reproduction, breathing, drugs and health. All teachers in the department promote a constructive learning environment which nurtures respect, confidence, mutual support, kindness, consideration and self-esteem, while challenging students to develop resilience and self-discipline. Students are prepared for playing an active role in modern British society and the world as responsible citizens and leaders and for their next steps after leaving the school. Topics such as the Earth’s environment, interdependence, energy costs and space allow students to realise their place and impact on the world around them and empowers them through giving them the knowledge that they all have a valuable contribution to make to the future of our society and planet. Curriculum
Experiments delivered in our well-resourced laboratories are central to all of our Science teaching, but especially so in the lower school; as a department of teachers who are passionate about the practical, hands-on aspects of the sciences, we can think of no better way of getting students excited and engaged and believe this is an excellent way of introducing students to the skills, knowledge and language they will need to develop as enthusiastic scientists!
Students are assessed formatively throughout KS3, in addition to the more formal Winter and Summer School Examinations. KS4 Starting in January of Year 9 students begin studying for one of the following routes at GCSE:
Specifications for these courses are available on the AQA Science webpage. The aim of our teaching these GCSE Science courses is to allow students to develop essential knowledge and understanding of key concepts in science and prepare them for further study in post-16. GCSE Science is delivered with a great deal of hands-on practical experience which stimulates student’s curiosity about the world around them and enables students to develop and evaluate explanations through experimental evidence and modelling.
ActivitiesKey stage 3 science clubs take place weekly.
Biochemistry Society is ran by Dr McDonald and Mr Waring. MedSoc is ran by Mr Christo Year 12 Science Writing Project is ran by Miss Hirst (click here to see our winner entries from 2021) Salters’ Festival of Chemistry each year we enter a team of Year 7 or Year 8 students. Chemquiz each year we enter a team of Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10 students. Weizmann Institute Safecracking Competition every year a group of Year 12 students take part. Visits to Chester Zoo, MoSI, Manchester University and Ecology Field Trips to various locations take place each year. See the Extra Curricular List for times and updates. GCSE COURSEWORK ENHANCEMENT SESSIONS
A club run once a week for pupils in year 10 and 11 to get extra guidance on their science coursework. |
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