Non sibi sed omnibus - Not for oneself but for all

THE SCHOOL

Subject Departments: Sciences

Quick links: Biology Dept | Chemistry Dept | Physics Dept | Mathematics Dept | ICT Dept | Psychology Dept

Biology Department

Aims

The aims of the department support the general aims of the school and strive to:

The Department

The Biology department is a very successful team made up of highly motivated and hard working staff

Mr. V. Kenny – Head of Department
Mrs. E. Wilkinson – biologist and KS5 enrichment co-ordinator
Ms. L. Henderson – biologist and KS5 Year Head
Mr. G. Kilhams – biologist
Mr. A. Clayton – biologist and primary school link co-ordinator
Ms. L. Hodson – biologist
Mr. J. P. Worrell – biology technician

Teaching & Learning

We employ a variety of teaching and learning methods ranging from pupil centred learning and research activities, through to individual practical tests and whole class investigations. All the science laboratories are fitted with interactive whiteboards and all staff are experienced in the use of this technology. Each laboratory has a separate preparation room and we have a first class technical support team for the practical work we undertake.

Curriculum
Key Stage 3 and 4

The department follows the AQA suite of examinations at Key Stage 4 and 5. In Year 7 and 8 a “ fast track” course has been developed to prepare students for completing their SAT examinations a year early at the end of Y8. In Year 9 pupils begin their GCSE science courses.

In 2006 a new specification for teaching biology as a separate science was launched. There is a significant reduction in the assessment of facts and knowledge. The emphasis is placed on assessing students’ ability to use their understanding of how science works in the world as well as in the laboratory.

Course content

There are five distinct units in the new specification:

Structure for GCSE Biology

The centre based practical assessment is not tiered. However the three examination papers are tiered. Pupils can enter for the Foundation tier (grades C-G) or Higher tier ( grades A*-D) paper.

Unit % of total marks exam duration
Biology 1 (written paper) 25% 45 minutes
Biology 2 ( written paper) 25% 45 minutes
Biology 3 ( written paper) 25% 45 minutes
Practical assessment 25% 45 minutes

The practical assessment comprises of an externally set test (45 minutes long) and a smaller holistic practical skills assessment. The mark allocation is outlined below:

practical skills assessment (PSA) = 6 marks
investigative skills assessment (ISA) = 34 marks [ externally set]

“How science works”

This new section of the specification has been developed to make science more interesting and relevant to students. Many of the elements required to develop scientific enquiry skills are covered in this unit. In addition, the societal aspects and limitations of scientific evidence are also explored.

The other three units (biology 1,2 and 3) use the skills developed in “how science works” to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. These units contain traditional science content but they are set in contexts, which foster a greater awareness of how scientists work and how science impacts on our daily lives.

More information on the content of the new specification can be found on the aqa website: www.aqa.org.uk .

Key Stage 5
Preconditions for taking the course

A grade B or higher in Biology or at least an AA grade in Dual Award Science is required. A real interest in the Biology coupled with the desire to read around the subject is important too.

AS level (1411)

This is made up of three units. Two of the units will be tested by written examinations. Both examination papers will have short and longer questions. The unit 1 paper will also contain a short essay whilst unit 2 will contain data analysis questions. The third is a centre-assessed unit of practical skills. This will be similar to the practical ISA’s taken during your GCSE course.

It is likely that the first unit will be taken in the January of your AS course so it is essential that you focus on your work as soon as the course begins. If you significantly under perform in this unit you will be placed on the departmental monitoring programme.

Unit 1: Biology and Disease (BIOL 1)

In this unit you will study the digestive, gas exchange and blood systems of mammals. To understand the physiology behind these systems you will also cover the basic principles of enzyme action and the mechanisms used to transport substances across membranes i.e. diffusion, osmosis and active transport.

The systems described in this unit may be affected by disease. Therefore, you will also learn how the body defends itself against invaders. Some of the common diseases, which affect these systems, will be discussed. In particular, cholera, asthma, heart disease and tuberculosis.

During this unit you will be given opportunities to carry out practical work. You will be assessed on your understanding of How Science Works (HSW) in all three AS units. Therefore, it is important that you review your GCSE notes on HSW over the summer vacation.

Unit 2: The variety of living organisms (BIOL 2)

Although a species may be defined in terms of similarity, there is frequently considerable variation and this is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. In this unit you will study the structure of DNA and how the sequence of bases results in genetic diversity. You will learn how factors such as size and metabolic rate affect organisms and how this gives rise to adaptations such as specialised gas exchange surfaces and mass transport systems. The unit will finish with an overview of classification and how biodiversity can be measured.

Unit 3: The centre assessed unit (BIOL 3)

The centre-assessed unit comprises of an investigative skills assignment (ISA) and a practical skills assessment (PSA). Your teachers following guidelines provided by the examination board mark the ISA. The PSA is assessed over the course by your teacher(s). The CAU accounts for 20% of the total AS mark.

The PSA is based around an assessment of your ability throughout the course to demonstrate practical and investigative techniques. In the ISA you will carry out practical work, collect and process data and use it to answer questions in a written test (ISA test).

The main skills involve being able to:

There is time in the summer term (after the AS examinations) to start the A2 course. As before, one A2 module is a centre-assessed unit. Units 4 & 6 require practical techniques, which can only be developed during fieldwork. Consequently, there will be day trips out during the summer term to practise sampling techniques and carry out investigative work.

The A2 course is more demanding and most students work as hard as they can to ensure that they have “banked” the highest marks possible by the end of the AS course. This gives them the best chance of maintaining a good grade at the end of the tougher A2 course.

A2 level (2411)

This is made up of three units. Two units will culminate in written examination papers. Unit 4 is just over an hour long but unit 5 contains a synoptic element and is 2 ¼ hours in length.

The question format is also similar to AS level, with short and long ones as well as essays and data handling questions. Make sure you look over the “specification at a glance” sheet so you know how each unit contributes to the total A level mark. The final unit (unit 6) is a centre assessed unit which is similar to unit 3 of the AS course.

Unit 4: Populations and the environment (BIOL 4)

This unit explains how populations can be affected and how energy is made and transferred between organisms. The biochemistry of photosynthesis and respiration are studied in detail to show how ATP is generated. This module extends the work on inheritance which was started during the AS course.

The practical work during this unit will focus on factors affecting photosynthesis and respiration. The main fieldwork techniques will also be addressed eg. sampling, measurement of abiotic factors, and the study of a habitat with the application of statistics. These fieldwork skills will be the focus of the 3 day residential course during the summer term of the AS course.

Unit 5: Control in cells and in organisms (BIOL 5)

Multicellular organisms have the ability to control the activities, which occur within them. They do this by detecting stimuli and stimulating appropriate responses. Unit 5 will tease apart the mechanisms which control many of these responses. Animals increase their chances of survival by avoiding harmful environments. Therefore, an in depth study of the nervous system and muscle contraction will also take place.

By the end of this unit you should have developed an understanding of the ways in which organisms and cells control their activities. This should lead to an appreciation of common ailments resulting from the breakdown of these control mechanisms and the use of DNA technology in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.

Unit 6: A2 centre assessed unit (BIOL 6)

This will follow a similar format to the CAU of the AS course. However, the skills tested will address the work covered in Units 4 and 5. The focus will be on fieldwork techniques, statistics ( eg. Spearman rank correlation and C2  test) and the investigative skills associated with respiration and photosynthesis. The CAU will account for 10% of the total A level mark.

Teaching & Learning Methods

A mixture of note taking, practical work and problem solving will be used. Powerpoint presentations and videos are also included when relevant. Topic tests are a regular feature of the course as well as homework assignments geared to enhance understanding.

Independent research  activities involving the internet are included at both AS and A2.  A new development is the introduction of the “learning platform” by Nelson Thorne. Students can now access teaching and learning materials via the internet and study at home as well as in school.

Biology is a thriving and successful department, staffed by teachers with a mixture of youth and experience. Numbers of students who study at A- level biology are large, with many coming from other schools.

Chemistry Department

The Chemistry Department is dedicated to engendering in its students a sense of excitement in the face of the complex wonder of the created, physical universe. The Department seeks to make the way of deeper understanding through scientific enquiry as exciting and absorbing as those who work in the Department sincerely believe it to be. Equally, the Department is determined that each student should achieve his or her full academic potential, not least in terms of examination success at all levels, and personal encouragement and support is unstintingly given to all students, junior and senior alike.

Teaching methods are largely traditional (as often best suits students of an academic cast of mind), and driven by the subject knowledge and commitment of Colleagues. There is ample opportunity for students to conduct their own experiments, and group work is a learning technique which is regularly employed.

At Key Stage 3, the Department delivers the AT3 section, "Materials and their Properties," of the National Curriculum, within the whole framework of Key Stage 3 Science. Pupils at this level acquire many of the basic principles of chemistry, and the practical skills necessary for the employment of experimental techniques.

At Key Stage 4, the AQA GCSE Chemistry Syllabus, with the 20% coursework practical component, is taught. Virtually all students sit the Higher Tier paper. During this Stage, the systematic acquisition of chemistry goes on apace, including its historical background, mathematical framework, and experimental methodology.

In the sixth form, AQA AS and A2 modular courses are offered, running in parallel: (i) Physical/ Theoretical Chemistry; (ii) Organic/ Inorganic Chemistry. Practical Examinations taken at the end of the lower and upper sixth years make up 12.5% of the total marks. These courses of study promote the acquisition of deep and detailed scientific knowledge and insight. Further, students learn an advanced degree of refinement in the practice of analytical techniques, both instrumental and experimental.

Students are given enthusiastic encouragement to pursue the subject beyond A2 level: (nearly 20 students sat the Advanced Extension Paper in June 2002, and 16 in 2003). The School is a regular (and formidable) participant in The Chemistry Olympiad, and in 2003, with its bag of one silver and four bronze medals, the School chemistry team was proclaimed one of the strongest schools in the whole country. Our Year 12 team has won the "Analyst of the Year" Competition twice in the last ten years, and our Year 9-11 team won the Merseyside "Top of the Bench" Event, also within the last two years.

Physics Department

The philosophy of the Physics Department is to develop appreciation and understanding of the physical principles that both underpin and power the physical universe, from the most minute particles to the largest things which exist. A range of teaching methods is employed, from the traditional to the innovative, all designed to introduce the key concepts of physics, and develop a critical and rigorously analytical approach to the study of the physical world.

At Key Stage 3, pupils study, at a basic level, all of the major branches of classical physics. They develop their understanding and knowledge of heat, light, electricity and magnetism, the effect of forces, and the position of the Earth in the universe. Pupils are thus enabled to acquire a primary knowledge of a wide range of physical phenomena, and develop the techniques and skills necessary to investigate them systematically.

At Key Stage 4 (GCSE), students study the topics introduced in Key Stage 3 in greater depth, and are introduced to radioactivity, and atomic and nuclear structure and stability. At this Stage, students begin to perceive the links between seemingly disparate phenomena. In practical work, they develop their ability to investigate, scientifically, a quantitative relationship between variables.

In the sixth form, in following the AQA Physics Syllabus, students study the full range of physical processes and effects addressed by physicists and the sometimes complex theoretical constructs used to understand them. They use mathematical methods to gain a full understanding of the topics already familiar from Key Stages 3 and 4, and in addition are introduced to fundamental particle physics, relativity, and quantum mechanics. In the process of such advances in knowledge, students gain an appreciation of the way in which physicists apply mathematical analysis to physical phenomena, the better to understand both significant detail and underlying patterns. High-level analytical and experimental skills are born of this intellectually challenging and deeply satisfying methodology.

The Physics Department has a proven record of stretching and developing the most able students, and has prepared a large number of students, of both genders, for study of physics, engineering and related disciplines at prestigious universities.

Maths Department

As a Science and Mathematics Specialist School, the Mathematics Department seeks to inspire students to gain an appreciation of the importance and relevance of Mathematics, as well as to excel academically.

Students are regularly entered in the Mathematics Challenges run by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust and follow-up rounds are available for students who perform at a particularly high level in these competitions. Teams have also been entered in both the Junior and Senior levels of the UKMT Team Challenges. Additionally, the Department supports student involvement in other enrichment activities such as The National Cipher Challenge and The Maths Inspiration Lectures.

All students are encouraged to achieve their full potential at all levels by both the teaching that takes place in lessons and the extra support provided at lunchtime and after school. Maths Club takes place every lunchtime and operates as a drop-in centre for students in all years to get additional support if needed. Exam revision sessions are run after school for both Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form students as required.

All Mathematics rooms are equipped with an Interactive Whiteboard and the Department uses a combination of traditional teaching methods as well as interactive teaching methods. Students are also given the opportunity to work on computers when a topic lends itself to this.

At Key Stage 3, students are taught in Forms in Year 7 before being set by ability as they start Year 8. Students are entered for the KS3 tests at the end of Year 8 with over half of the students entered for the 6-8 Tier and the rest of the students entered for the 5-7 Tier. Approximately 50% of pupils achieve level 8, with the vast majority of all others achieving Level 7.

At Key Stage 4, full setting continues and students follow the AQA GCSE Specification. There is no coursework involved in the Mathematics GCSE and students are entered for the Higher Tier examination. This consists of two papers, each of length two hours. Approximately 70% of students gain A* or A Grades, and very few students, year on year, fail to achieve a Grade C.

Mathematics is a very popular option in the Sixth Form and OCR AS and A-Level modules are offered leading to qualifications in both Mathematics and Further Mathematics.

Students studying A-Level Mathematics will take C1, C2 and M1 in Year 12 and C3, C4 and S1 in Year 13. Further Mathematics students will complete all of the above modules in Year 12 and then take FP1-3, S2, M2 and M3 or S3 in Year 13. Approximately 45% of students gain a Grade A and about 65% gain either an A or a B Grade in A-Level Mathematics.

ICT Department

The ICT Department currently comprises four full-time specialist ICT teachers. Technical support is provided by the Network Manager and an ICT Technician.

The school currently has three full size ICT teaching rooms each with 32 workstations and a smaller 6th form ICT room with 20 state of the art machines. All rooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, monochrome and colour laser printers. Laptops can be used around the school via a wireless network. Internet access is provided via a 16Mb link provided by the LEA as part of the National Grid for Learning.

ICT is taught in the Blue Coat as a discrete subject from Year 7 to Year 11. All students in Year 11 take a G.C.S.E in ICT.

In the sixth form A-Level Computing and A-level ICT are offered. ICT is also used in other subjects across the curriculum.

As project work forms an important part of students work within the subject students are encouraged to work as independently as possible. However particularly GCSE students work is monitored closely against individual targets to ensure that students reach their full potential. Students are offered extra support after school particularly with project work if they are underachieving.

Psychology Department

Psychology has been taught at the school for five years and is offered at both AS and A” levels. It is taught by a Colleague with a B.Sc. Honours degree in the subject. Whilst taught independently in its own right (challenging and absorbing), many sixth-formers who aspire to pursue medical career find that it compliments their studies perfectly.

The courses taught effectively deliver an introduction into the study of the human mind and some human behaviour. At AS topics covered include attachment, human memory, abnormality, social processes and the physiology of the stress response. Thorough grounding will be given into the theory and practice of psychological procedures; they open the way to crucial areas of research and academic speculation.

The essay-based A2 course covers a wider range of behaviours. These include, relationships, anti-social behaviour, eating behaviours, sleep and dreaming and psychopathology. Students will be taught appropriate experimental techniques, and the use of statistical analysis and
replication. Students will learn to interpret and evaluate experimental evidence and psychological theories. They will further learn how to become independent learners, to some extent designing their own courses of study, using statistical texts and carefully marshalled arguments to present their own interpretations.

Teaching methods are varied. The focus is on practical work wherever possible but other methods are used. Psychological is a fascinating and diverse subject and well worthy of serious consideration as an A level option.

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