Science at The Dean Academy is delivered by a team of specialists under the direction of our Director of Faculty Mrs Hannah Rowlands, seeking to inspire students with a true enthusiasm for the way the world works. Drawing on inspiration and personal experience from the many different fields of science and industry, the team not only offer an excellent depth of academic subject knowledge, but also the relevance that students need to place science within their own lives. The Science curriculum is purposefully spiralling with each core concept returned to at least once every two years to build upon prior knowledge with constant opportunity for retrieval practice.

At Key Stage 3, we follow a general science course centred around creating a solid foundation of basics in Chemistry, Biology and Physics with plenty of opportunity for practical learning and preparation for Key Stage 4. The aim of our KS3 science curriculum is to encourage student engagement and curiosity as well as promote teaching for understanding rather than covering fragmented content. Using a logical order of objectives our programme of study aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and understanding for accessing and succeeding at GCSE as well as promoting Science as a subject that is meaningful and relevant to their lives. There is a large emphasis on investigation and practical enquiry skills. The key stage 3 curriculum is based upon mastery learning and language with an emphasis on supporting learners to make progress before moving on to new content and skills. We have introduced some project based learning to engage learners and to provide local context relevant to their lives. There is also a heavy focus upon literacy, including Drop Everything And Read Science (D.E.A.R.S) time where students read popular science fiction once per fortnight. In Year 9 students embark on their GCSE (AQA) after February half term.

Those students who are dedicated and wish to pursue Science in more depth have the option of following the AQA Triple Science pathway which would lead them to achieving 3 GCSEs in Science; all other students follow the AQA Trilogy Combined Science pathway and would finish Year 11 with 2 GCSEs in Science. Both Science pathways are 100% exam and all students will sit 6 exams during the Year 11 exam period. More information regarding the course can be found on the “GCSE course summary” documents. For some students the AQA Entry Level Certificate may prove to be a more appropriate course for them to follow and this is decided upon at the beginning of Year 10 and is based upon the needs of the students.

Throughout the course, careers relevant to the topics will be highlighted and in Year 9 students undertake a specific lesson on careers relevant to Science and there is also a careers fayre at the end of the academic year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/
BBC bitesize revision site especially for Key Stage 3 science

http://www.educationquizzes.com/ks3/science/
Variety of quizzes to help your science revision and develop your understanding of work covered in class

http://www.scibermonkey.org/level.asp?page=KS3
A series of presentations to develop you knowledge and test your understanding

http://www.docbrown.info/ks3science.htm
Revision quizzes on all sorts of science topics

http://www.khanacademy.org/
Videos aimed at those students working at Level 6 and above on a variety of science topics

Skoool
This is a KS3 revision websites for Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics

NeoK12
This a brilliant website which has science videos, activities and games

Science Revision for KS3 Students
This website contains revision information and websites

Animated videos — Study Jams!
This website from Scholastic contains lots of animated videos to revise KS3 Science and Maths. All topics are covered.

Science Revision for KS3 Students (2)
This website contains revision information and websites

Science Revision (EAL, SEN)
Want to know about how our world and all the things in it work? This site looks at materials, energy, light and sound; and, even observe humans, plants and animals in this section.

Science Revision for Year 7 and Year 8 (EAL, SEN)
This website contains the following topics: Light, Sound, Forces and Motion, Earth and Beyond and Electricity.
Games: Science Revision for KS3 students (EAL, SEN)
This webpage is full of interactive Science games that will help you revise in a fun way!

Science Mind Maps
Mind Maps are a very useful tool that you can use to revise all topics in KS3 Science

SCIber Monkey
This is a fun KS3 Science revision website

DIY Science
Try your hand at exciting activities at home or at school using everyday equipment. Mix some slime, build a rocket or make sultanas dance!