At Oakwood we ensure that science is made relevant
to our pupils.
Pupils with SEN have difficulty transferring knowledge from
one subject to another therefore lessons are planned to ensure
that
literacy, numeracy, ICT, Citizenship, Technology, Art and Humanities
are linked appropriately to science learning.
As a Technology and Arts College Oakwood staff encourage pupils
are to see the cross curricular links in lessons.
We also use drama and music so that pupils begin to turn concrete
concepts into ideas that become more abstract as they progress
through their learning.
As the science curriculum continues to evolve we continue to
adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of our pupils.
We have made AFL a key focus in all lessons.
Using Lesson Objectives and Success Criteria make it clear
what learning will take place at the start of each lesson.
Pupils
review learning at the end of each lesson and decide whether
they have been successful in achieving the criteria.
They use Talking Partners to share ideas and our Learn 2 Learn
approach encourages pupils to work in pairs or small groups
with greater independence.
Teaching Staff
Miss Dawson - Head of Department
Mr Appleyard – Key Stage 4 teacher
Miss Stobart - Year 7 and Science Teacher
Mrs Southwood – Head of Year 7 Foundation unit
Teaching Assistants
Mrs Elson
Mr Ellis
Miss Osbourne
Mr G Sykes
Our Aims
-
Make connections between different subjects and areas of
science.
- Build on scientific knowledge from Key Stage
2.
- Use role –play and scientific models to explain
phenomena and events.
- Make science relevant to the lives
of our pupils.
- Understand a range of familiar applications
of science.
- Look at the advantages and disadvantages of
Technological developments for the environment and consider
the reasons
for different
opinions.
- Use a range of reference sources and become
familiar useful with scientific websites
- Carry out investigations
of different types independently and in small groups and
learn to evaluate their
work.
- Use data handling and ICT to help them communicate
what they did and its significance.
- Learn the
important role that scientist play in our lives.
- Know that
experimental evidence is needed to support scientific ideas.
Key Stage 3
The Science Programme
of Study is taught through units that cover :
-
Scientific Enquiry (Sc1)
- Life Processes and Living Things (Sc2)
- Materials and their
properties (Sc3)
- Physical processes (SC4)
- Key Stage 3 Curriculum
The pupils in Year 7,8 and 9 follow
the Science National Curriculum. at Key Stage 3.
Oakwood Science department have adapted the QCA Scheme of
Work Units to serve the wide range of needs of our pupils.
Throughout the Key Stage pupils revisit earlier topics
taught
at Key Stage 2 to ensure a solid foundation is established
for each scientific key idea,
- Cells
- Interdependence
- Particles
- Energy
- Forces
- Scientific Enquiry
The Pupils are assessed each half term
and records are kept in Pupil Recording Sheet (PRS).
At the end of Key Stage 3 most pupils sit the SAT exam. Pupils
working below this level complete QCA Assessment tasks that
range from Levels 1- 2.
The Key Stage 3 Scheme of work is being revised and will roll
out in September 2008.
Staff will be updating Oakwood’s Scheme of work to accommodate
the new specification.
Key Stage 4
In September 2007 Oakwood started to deliver a new Key Stage
4 specification.
Previous to this pupils followed the Edexcell Single Science
A Award and The Welsh Board at Entry Level. This year has
seen the completion of the old specification for year 11and
the
start of the new specification for year 10. OCR GCSE –Twenty
First Century
Pupils follow this modular course over 2
years.
The government have radically changed the way we teach
science and so all exam boards have produced new Schemes
of work to
serve the new specifications.
We chose Twenty First Century as it teaches the new specification
in a way that is accessible to our pupils. We have adapteed
the resources but using them in conjunction with the Entry
Level has been successful.
Although the old style of course work has been removed from
the new specification pupils still have opportunities to develop
their data handling skills through investigative work in the “How
Science works” Programme of Study.
Pupils also learn about the use of contempory scientific and
technological developments and their benefits, drawbacks and
risks by carrying out a Case Study.
By integrating the Knowledge, skills and understanding of How
science works into the teaching of the topics or Breath of
study pupils begin to make sense of the science around them.
- How Science works is made up of the components:
- Data, evidence, theories and explanations
- Practical
and enquiry skills
- Communication skills
- Applications and implications of
science
GCSE Elements of Assessment
16.7% - Exam - Unit 1
16.7% - Exam - Unit 2
16.7% - Exam - Unit 3
16.7% - Exam - Pre –release
Ideas in context
33.3% - Portfolio - Skills Assessment
Practical Data analysis
Case Study
Pupils study a Biology, Physics and Chemistry topic in
each unit and then they sit an exam.
The modular assessment suits the needs of our pupils who
find it difficult to retain knowledge over a 2 Year course.
They know that when they enter year 11 2/5 of the course
has been completed.
Pupils have completed the first unit test and gained excellent
results.
Entry Level OCR- Twenty First Century
Pupils taking GCSE are also entered for this qualification
and in order for it to be taught consistently we have
produced a matrix to show where each topic is linked
to the GCSE course. Entry Level will be taught to all
year Key Stage 4 pupils but only select pupils will
complete the GCSE course.
The Entry Level items will be taught as additional
lessons to GCSE pupils and have been planned to support
the GCSE
specification. Some of the concepts in the Entry Level
items have been taught at Key Stage 3 and therefore will
be briefly re-visited in order to complete the requirement
of the specification.
Each pupil will sit an End- of –item test, which
is marked internally.
The Entry Level Elements of Assessment
60% - End –of -Item Tests
12% - “Can- do” Tasks
12% - Data Analysis
16% - Study of a Science Topic Case Study
Facilities
The modern Science laboratories
were designed with Oakwood pupils in mind. They provide
the necessary access for pupils
in wheel chairs and rise and fall tables and sinks are
provided for pupils to work in the lab or classroom areas.
In order for pupils to access the full curriculum staff
work hard to tailor worksheets, games, activities, lab
tasks and provide suitable ICT support in the form of whiteboard
resources from a variety of sources.
Our philosophy is
“
what ever it takes we will deliver the curriculum to our
children”
Staff adapt experiments so that pupils with motor skills
difficulties experience the excitement of practical hands
on activities.
All resources are labelled with drawings and words so
that pupils can independently select equipment.
Pupils all sign a Health and Safety agreement at the
start of each year in the form of a Lab Rules Contract
to ensure
they understand the need for safety at all times.
This is kept in a file in each lab.
Our new lab enables pupils to experience Science in a
main - stream school.
We have access to 3 banks of laptops and we take full
advantage of this facility. Pupils use laptops at least
once a week
to enhance their science learning.
Science at Oakwood is about bringing together
a range of skills to show pupils that skills learnt across
the
curriculum transfer to science and visa –versa.
This is made very explicit to the pupils with the Learn
2 learn method of teaching.
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