Science
The Science Department
The Science Department at St. James' is made up of 6 teaching staff and 2 science technicians.
Key Stage 3
Pupils in Years 7 and 8 follow a modular course and study science for 3 lessons per week. Science lessons involve practical investigations and group work. Pupils have a wide range of resources available to them, including two labs equipped with computers linked to the school’s network. In addition all laboratories have an interactive whiteboard.
Year 7 modules.
1 | Energy and Circuits |
2 | Acids, Alkalis and Chemical Reactions |
3 | Cells and Reproduction |
4 | Forces and the Solar System |
5 | Particles, Models and Solutions |
6 | Variation, Classification and Environment |
Year 8 modules.
1 | Plants, Photosynthesis and Food |
2 | Rocks and Weathering |
3 | Sound and Light |
4 | Food Digestion and Respiration |
5 | Elements Compounds and Mixtures |
6 | Moments, Pressure and Speed |
7 | Microbes and Disease |
8 | Heating Cooling and Magnetism |
The progress that pupils make in each module is assessed by an end of unit test.
GCSE
Year 9
There are two routes for pupils through year 9.
Route one applies to pupils in X1 and Y1 only.
This route allows pupils to study the three separate sciences at Key Stage 4.
These pupils will start their GCSE sciences courses at the start of year 9.
They will complete 6 modules of GCSE science and sit 3 written answer GCSE exams.
Route two applies to pupils in X2, X3, Y2 and Y3.
This route allows pupils to take two years to study core science GCSE, in order to raise the level of their GCSE science attainment.
These pupils will start their GCSE science courses at the start of year 9
They will complete 3 modules of GCSE science and will sit 3 multiple choice exams.
In year 10 these pupils will complete 3 more modules and sit 3 more multiple choice exams to complete core science GCSE.
Students who have completed all six modules of Core Science in Year 9 go onto study the three separate sciences in Years 10 and 11.