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Message Subject: Science Year 7 Curriculum Overview 2025-2026 “Let the questions be the curriculum” Socrates Knowledge & Understanding Literacy Skills Literacy Skills and KEY vocab Assessment What is being assessed? Homework/ Independent Learning Composites Components includes understanding of KEY concepts Formal Retrieval if any HT1 Cells, tissues and organ systems • Life Processes • Cells • Tissues • Organs • Microscopes • WS Microscope skills • Organ systems • Transplants KS2: Organs and MRS GREN Names of organelles MRS GREN Parts of the microscope Standards CP Mixtures and separation • WS Identifying and drawing equipment in science • Working safely • WS writing a method • Filtration practical Using scientific diagrams and labels Setting up fair tests Using a range of scientific equipment Writing a method Key vocab: names of equipment Key Questions: “ What are living organisms made of and how do we know?” “How is laboratory work carried out safely?” HT2 Mixtures and separation • Solutions • Evaporation and safety when heating • Chromatography • Distillation • Safe drinking water States of matter Writing a risk assessment Forces • Different Forces • Mass and Weight • Springs • Making notes (literacy) • Friction • Pressure • Si Units • Balanced and Unbalanced • Designing sports equipment Opposing forces Gravity Making notes Key vocab: Friction, pressure, extension, mass, weight HT2 Classroom-based Summative Assessment Revision booklet including exam technique advice and revision strategies. Key Questions: “What practical techniques can be used to separate substances into their parts?” “How do objects interact with each other?”
CIAG Microscopy and practical scientific skills applicable to careers in research. Applications of Chromatography in forensics. Distillation and provision of safe drinking water. Engineering, astrophysics, manufacturing. HT3 Sexual reproduction in animals • Reproductive organs • Gametes • Becoming pregnant • Gestation and birth • IVF • Puberty and menstrual cycle • WS The scientific method • Conservation project Life cycles of mammals and reproduction Research and extended writing- conservation project Key vocab: names of reproductive organs, ovulation, The particle model • Describing materials • The Particle Model - SLG • Changes of state Changes of state Key vocab: solid, liquid gas, evaporation, condensation, freezing, melting, sublimation, deposition Key Questions: “How are humans adapted for sexual reproduction?” HT4 The particle model • Brownian motion • Diffusion • Air pressure • Rubbish! (Waste disposal) Changes of state Key vocab: concentration gradient, pressure, collisions Devising Hypotheses Energy • Energy from food • Energy transfers and stores • WS Fair comparisons and ratios • Fuels • Other energy resources • Using resources Forms of Energy Summarising
Muscles and bones • Fitness (introduction and links to Health) • Muscles and blood (The heart) Organ systems Forming sentences Key Questions: “What evidence do we have for the particle model?” “How is energy stored and transferred?” “How can we make our energy use sustainable”? CIAG Medicine/Veterinary careers, Renewable Energy industry, Physiotherapy, Sports Scientist, Prosthetist HT5 Muscles and bones • WS Scientific questions • The skeleton • Muscles and moving • Drugs • Drugs in sport Organ systems Forming sentences Revision booklet including exam technique advice and revision strategies. Atoms, elements, and molecules • The air we breathe (introduction to elements, compounds and mixtures) • The earth’s elements • Metals and non-metals • Chemical reactions (metals and acids – squeaky pop test) • Problems with elements Rocks Properties and changes of materials Navigating the periodic table, names of elements HT5 Classroom-based Summative Assessment Key Questions: “Explain how your body moves”. “What happens in chemical reactions?” HT6 Electricity • Switches and currents • Models in science • Models for circuits • Series and parallel circuits • Changing the current WS • Using electricity Electricity Facts and opinion Ecosystems • Variation • WS Charts and Graphs • Adaptations • Organisms and their habitats • Transfers in food chains Adaptations of plants and animals Paragraphs Key Questions: “How are models used in science to explain electricity?”
“How do ecosystems influence organisms?” CIAG Engineers, Analytical Chemistry, Geology, Ecologist, Zoologist
Subject: Science Year 8 Curriculum Overview 2025-2026 “Let the questions be the curriculum” Socrates Knowledge & Understanding Literacy Skills Literacy Skills and KEY vocab Assessment What is being assessed? Homework/ Independent Learning Composites Components includes understanding of KEY concepts Formal Retrieval if any HT1 Acids and Alkalis • Hazards • Indicators • Acidity and Alkalinity • Neutralisation • Useful neutralisation • Chemistry in the home. • Equipment • Hazards Scientific apparatus -key vocabulary. Standards Check Point Food and Nutrition • Nutrients • WS Testing Foods • Uses of nutrients • WS Science in the news – weighting and Bias • Balanced Diets • Digestion • WS Surface area • Absorption and diffusion • Packaging and the law • Fitness • Muscles • Breathing Weighting and bias – Scientific reports Key Questions: “How can we tell if a substance is acidic or alkaline?” “How can we reduce risks when carrying out experiments?” “What is produced in a neutralisation reaction?” “What is a balanced diet and why is it important?” “Why do we need the different nutrients?” “What do the parts of the digestive system do?” “How does digested food get into the blood?” HT2 Fluids • The particle Model • WS Calculations AND Density • Changing State • Pressure in Fluids • Presenting information • Floating and Sinking • Drag • Exploring extremes • Solids liquids and gases Presenting information ‘The Bends’ Combustion • Burning fuels (combustion) • Oxidation • Fire safety • WS Combustion experiment to identify variables. • Atoms • Elements • Molecules Using adjectives ‘Describing materials’ HT2 Classroom-based Summative Assessment Revision booklet including exam technique advice and revision strategies.
• The early atmosphere to present day • Air pollution • Global warming (fossil fuels) • Reducing Pollution, • The climate change debate – what are the alternatives? Key Questions: “How do we explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases?” “How can we calculate the density of an object?” “How do fluids exert pressure?” “What forms when a fuel reacts with oxygen?” “How do metals react with oxygen?” “Is pollution causing climate change?” CIAG Links to careers in health and nutrition, material science, aerospace engineering, climate science. HT3 Plants and their reproduction • Classification and Biodiversity • WS Accuracy and Estimates • Types of reproduction • Pollination • Germination and growth • Reactions in plants – photosynthesis WS INVESTIGATING PHOTOSYNTHESIS • Plant adaptations • Human reproductive organs Structuring paragraphs Key Questions: “How is classification useful?” “What are sexual and asexual reproduction?” “Explain the processes of pollination, fertilisation and germination.” HT4 Metals and their uses • Metal properties • Corrosion • Metals and water • Metals and acids • Pure metals and alloys • Atoms • Elements • Molecules Using adjective ‘Describing materials Light • Light on the move • WS Drawing Ray Diagrams • Reflection • Refraction • Cameras and eyes • Colour • Seeing things and Invisibility • Reflection • Colours Preparing and presenting. Year 8 Exam Revision booklet including exam technique advice and revision strategies.
Key Questions: “What makes metals useful?” “What happens when metals react with water or acid?” “What is an alloy and why are they useful?” “How does light travel?” “How do we use ray diagrams to investigate light?” “How do lenses, cameras and eyes work?” “How do we get coloured light?” CIAG Links to careers in botany/gardening, metalwork, design and technology, optometry and photography. HT5 Breathing and Respiration • Aerobic Respiration • Gas Exchange system • WS Means and ranges • Getting Oxygen • Comparing Gaseous Exchange • Anaerobic respiration • WS YEAST RESPIRATION • Fitness training / Watersports • Digestion • Diffusion How to show cause and effect in sentences. The Periodic Table • Elements and symbols (intro) • Chemical properties and formula • INVESTIGATING CHEMICAL REACTIONS • Mendeleev’s table • WS Anomalous results • Trends in Physical Properties • Trends in Chemical properties • Fireworks • Atoms and elements Using sentences to explain ideas. Key Questions: “What are the similarities and differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?” “How are gases exchanged in the lungs?” “How does oxygen get from our lungs to the rest of our bodies?” “What are atoms like?” “How are elements arranged in the periodic table?” “What kinds of trend occur in chemical and physical properties?” HT6 Energy transfers • Temperature Changes • Transferring Energy • WS INVESTIGATING INSULATION • Controlling Transfers • WS Accuracy and Precision • Power and Efficiency • Paying for Energy • Keeping warm and extreme weather • Energy stores Breathing & Respiration WS Accuracy and Precision Unicellular organisms • Unicellular or multicellular • Microscopic fungi • Bacteria • WS Pie Charts • Protoctists • Decomposers and carbon cycle • The Black Death hypotheses • Cells The Periodic Table Using modal verbs to show degrees of certainty. Key Questions: “What is the difference between internal energy and temperature?” “How is energy transferred by heating?” “How can we control energy transfers?” “How do we pay for energy?” “How do different species of unicellular organism vary?” “What are the features of microscopic fungi, bacteria and protoctists?” ”How are microorganisms important in the carbon cycle?”
CIAG Links to careers in microbiology and scientific research, sports science, chemical engineering.
Subject: Science Year 9 Curriculum Overview 2025-2026 “Let the questions be the curriculum” Socrates Knowledge & Understanding Literacy Skills Literacy Skills and KEY vocab Assessment What is being assessed? Homework/ Independent Learning Composites Components includes understanding of KEY concepts Formal Retrieval if any HT1 Genetics and Evolution • Environmental variation • Genetic Variation • INVESTIGATING VARIATION • Probability skills • DNA Discovery & Structure • Genes and Extinction • Natural Selection • Evidence of evolution Review Cell structure. Reproduction in humans Reproduction in plants Scientific Research – DNA discovery. Gametes, fertilisation Genetics and Variation Keywords Standards Check Point Reactivity • Metal Reactivity • Energy and Reactions • WS INVESTIGATING EXOTHERMIC & ENDOTHERMIC REACTIONS • Percentage change in mass • Displacement • Extracting metals • Famous Chemists Review Properties of different states of matter Chemical symbols and formulae Physical changes and Chemical reactions Science Reports – Active and Passive Voices Reactivity Keywords Reciprocal and Scientific reading Key Questions: “why and how do key characteristics differ between organisms” “how do species evolve” “how can the reactivity of metals be established” “what can observations reveal about reactions” “how does the reactivity of metals dictate its extraction method” HT2 Forces and Motion • Forces and movement review • Speed • INVESTIGATING SPEED • Acceleration • Equations and graphs • Turning Forces Forces Cohesion in Writing
Plant Growth • Plant products • WS TESTING FOR STARCH • Growing Crops • Organic vs Intensive Farming Plant growth & reproduction Reactions in plants Plant adaptations Biodiversity Convincing arguments Keywords – lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, germination, nitrates, starch, polymer, hazard, risk Sound • Making sounds • Moving sounds • WS Line and scatter graphs • Detecting sounds • Using sounds • Comparing waves Practical Skills Report writing and key word lists Revision booklet including exam technique advice and revision strategies. Key Questions: Key Questions: “How do forces affect objects?” “what information can be obtained from distance-time graphs” how do we represent motion “how are simple machines used to manipulate forces” “ How are plants adapted to get what they need” “Describe how sound is produced and detected” CIAG Gentics and Evolution Conducting research in genetic traits and diseases. Providing genetic counselling to individuals and families considering genetic testing. Conducting research on whole genome sequencing and genetic variation. Reactivity Developing methods which extract metals from their ores as a chemical engineer. To work as the role of a materials scientist and research new materials with specific properties Forces and motion Apply principles of forces and motion to optimise machine performance as a mechanical engineer. To develop knowledge of aerodynamics as an aerospace engineer Plant growth Research and experimentation in crop genetics and breeding as a crop scientist.
Assessing soil health as a soil scientist to to assess soil fertility and optimise crop production. Sound An acoustic consultant, researches the design and implementation of acoustic treatents for buildings, concert halls and studios. Working as a sound designer, creating and editing sound effects for film, television, animation and video games. HT3 Special Materials • Polymers • Peer review • Ceramics • Composite materials • Problems with materials • Biased language • Recycling The atom & metal properties Chemical symbols and formula Production of carbon dioxide Key word lists. Peer review analysis Use of biased language in literature. Year 9 Exam HT4 Forcefields and Space • Force fields • Static electricity • Current electricity • Resistance • Electromagnets • WS INVESTIGATING • ELECTROMAGNETS • Seasons • Magnetic earth • Gravity in Space • Beyond the Solar system • Studying space and changing ideas Energy, electricity Evalauting practicals. Using timelines to study space and changing ideas.
Key Questions: “Describe and explain the properties of different materials.” “Describe the problems with recycling and disposing of materials.” “Explain the similarities and differences between different force fields” “Explain how electromagnets work and their usefulness.” “Describe the developing theories on the evolution of the universe.” CIAG Special Materials Designing and manufacturing ceramic components for various inductries such as aerospace, electronics and biomedical. Developing new polymer materials with enhanced properties. Designing and testing biomaterials for medical applications. Force fields Designing and testing aircraft structures. Contributing to the development of propulsion systems and space exploration technologies. Monitoring spacecarft health and performance during launch orbit and re-entry. HT5 States of Matter (KS3 Chemistry Review & Transition to KS4) • The Particle Model • State Changes & Heating Curves • WS HEATING CURVES KS3 Review (Year 7) Particle Theory Evaluating processes Methods of Separation • (Time allowing) • Mixtures • Filtration and Crystallisation • WS PRACTICAL SEPARATION TECHNIQUES • Paper Chromatography • Distillation • WS INVESTIGATING INKS (2 lessons) • Drinking Water • Year 7 Separating mixtures • Particle model • Pure substances and mixtures Devise an experiment Compare and contrast Revision booklet including exam technique advice and revision strategies. Key Questions: ““How does the particle model explain properties of matter?” “What are the methods for separating and purifying substances” HT6 Ecosystems and Material Cycles • Ecosystems • Abiotic factors and communities • Quadrats and transects • Plant growth Report writing Key word lists HT6 CSA
(KS3 Biology Review & Transition to KS4) • Biotic factors and communities • Parasitism and mutualism • Biodiversity and humans • Preserving Biodiversity • The Water Cycle • The Carbon Cycle • The Nitrogen Cycle Forces and matter • Bending and stretching • Investigating Springs • Extension and energy transfers Forces Key word lists. Devise an experiment Key Questions: “ How is an ecosystem organised? How do living and non-living things affect the number and distribution of organisms? How can species abundance and distribution be studied? “Explain the relationship between force and extension, and how to calculate the extension and spring constant.” CIAG Ecosystems and material cycles Developing conservation and management strategies. States of matter and methods of separation Developing and testing new chemical produccts and processes Applying separation techniques to isoloate and purify substances in the chemical industry. Forces and matter Designing and testing mechanical components such as springs or shock absorbers. Designing and testing suspension systems.