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We have designed our curriculum using the KS3 National Curriculum and it is delivered under the framework of the IB Middle Years programme. We have also referenced the KS2 Programmes of Study in our initial planning. Students should have access to KS5 Science if they have a keen interest and passion for Science at Mascalls. To facilitate this, foundation knowledge in KS3 allows students to enter the GCSE curriculum with the ability to master the skills required for Post-16 study. Even those who don’t proceed to Post -16 should still find a supportive, rich and diverse curriculum that focuses on the relevant world around them.

Interleaving occurs throughout the curriculum. Our KS3 Syllabus uses the MY PIB to interleave skills across the subject curriculum. By KS4 students in Science are focused with deliberate independent work and repetition and application based assessment that interleaves new knowledge with previously learned skills. The focus on repetition is to ensure that independent work is appropriately recognised of its value – we want to ensure a large and successful cohort continues into Post-16 Sciences.

KS3 science

  • Cells
  • Digestion
  • Reproduction
  • Magnets
  • Forces
  • States of matter
  • Atoms, elements and compounds
  • Earth’s atmosphere
  • Electricity
  • Energy
  • Energy stores
  • Energy transfers
  • Photosynthesis
  • Plant diseases
  • Separating mixtures
  • Ecology
  • Fossils & extinction
  • Infectious disease
  • Evolution
  • The eye
  • Conduction, convection, radiation
  • Domestic energy
  • Electromagnetism
  • Cells and microscopy
  • Atoms, elements and compounds
  • Energy
  • Cells transport
  • Atoms into ions
  • Energy transfers
  • Heart, blood and blood vessels
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Respiratory system
  • Exothermic and endothermic reactions
  • Rates of reaction 
  • Organic chemistry
  • Structure and bonding 
  • Properties of metals
  • Electrical conductivity
  • Finite resources
  • Treatment of water
  • Pollutants

KS4 Science

  • Electricity 
  • Energy
  • Plants organs and tissues
  • Quantitative chemistry
  • Infectious disease
  • States of matter
  • Density
  • Extracting metals
  • Chemical reactions
  • Drug development
  • Non communicable diseases
  • Radioactivity
  • Bioenergetics
  • Energy changes
  • Rates of reaction
  • Reversible reactions

Homeostasis and response

  • Electrolysis
  • Genetics
  • Evolution

B9 Explain ecosystems including pollution of the environment, energy transfers, abiotic and biotic factors (Core Practical  – Quadrates and Transect). Explain and give examples of relationships in ecosystems.  Explain biodiversity and how to preserve it including food security.  Nutrient cycles (water, carbon and nitrogen).  Explain decomposition and factors affecting decomposition.

P8 Energy – Forces doing work P9 Forces and their effects

P8 Calculate power and describe how the energy of a system can be changed. P9 How forces interact and can be shown as a free body diagram. Explain rotational forces.

C17 Groups in the Periodic Table 

C17 Explain elements in group 1 structure, properties, function and reactivity. Explain elements in group 1 structure, properties, function and reactivity.

All content for Edexcel B1, C1 and P1 Papers

P10 Electricity and Circuits

P10 Structure of the atom, draw and explain series and parallel circuits.  Explain current and potential differences in circuits.  Calculations for charge, and energy with reference to circuits.  Explain resistance in different circuits and how components affect resistance (Core Practical – Investigate Resistance).  Explain the heating effect of current through a wire and how to reduce unwanted energy transfer. Calculate power.  Explain how energy is transferred by electricity and how we can transfer it safely.

P11 Static Electricity

P11 Charging insulators and the dangers.  Explain electric fields

B7 Explain what hormones are and their role, how it controls metabolic rate, menstrual cycles, blood glucose (glycogen).  Explain Type 2 diabetes, thermoregulation (role of blood vessels), osmoregulation and the structure and function of the kidneys (role of ADH).

P12 Magnetism and the Motor Effect P13 Electromagnetic Induction

P12 Explain magnetic fields and forces, electromagnetism and electromagnetic induction.  Explain how the National Grid works, describe transformers and show how to calculate voltage produced by transformers.  

C18 Rates of Reaction C19 Heat Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions    

C18 Explain the factors that affect the rate of chemical reactions. Explain how catalysts affect reactions.  C19 Explain the difference between endothermic and exothermic reactions and the energy changes in reactions, bond energy calculations.

B8 Explain how and what substances are transported around the body with focus on the circulatory system.  Explain respiration (Core Practical – Respiration rates). 

P14 Particle model P15 Forces and Matter

P14 Explain particle model and density (Core Practical – investigating density) and how energy changes state of matter with energy calculations (Core Practical  – Investigating water).  Explain temperature and pressure changes in gases.  P15 Explain elastic and inelastic linking spring constant (Core Practical – Investigate springs).  Explain pressure in liquids.

C20 Fuels C21 Earth and Atmospheric Science

C20 Explain hydrocarbons and how to separate them from crude oil.  Explain the homologous series and cracking.  Explain complete and incomplete combustion and the effects of combustion on pollution.  C21 Explain the earth’s early atmosphere and the changes it has undergone including climate change. 

KS5 Biology

2.1.2 Understanding the structure and function of the cell is a fundamental concept  with careful observation using microscopes.  Explain the ultrastructure and the roles of cells along with their organelles.  2.1.2 The cells of all living organisms are composed of biological molecules. Proteins, carbohydrates and lipids are three of the key groups of biological macromolecules that are essential for life.

2.1.3 Nucleic acids are essential to heredity in living organisms. Understanding the structure of nucleotides and nucleic acids allows an understanding of their roles in the storage and use of genetic information and cell metabolism. 2.1.4 Metabolism in living organisms relies upon enzyme-controlled reactions. Knowledge of how enzymes function and the factors that affect enzyme action has improved our understanding of biological processes and increased our use of enzymes in industry. 2.1.5 The structure of the plasma membrane, understanding how different substances enter cells.

2.1.6 During the cell cycle, genetic information is copied and passed to daughter cells, this can be seen through a microscope. 

In multicellular organisms, stem cells are modified and their potential.  To understand how a whole organism functions. 3.1.1 Ventilation and gas exchange systems become essential to supply oxygen to, and remove carbon dioxide. Examples of mammals, bony fish and insects. 4.1.1 Pathogens and organisms defences including immune system. Medical intervention can be used to support these natural defences.

3.1.2 Transport systems are essential to supply nutrients to, and remove waste. Controlling the supply of nutrients and removal of waste requires the coordinated activity of the heart and circulatory system. 4.2.1 Explain biodiversity, how it is an important indicator in the study of habitats and how/why we maintain biodiversity.

3.1.3 As plants become larger and more complex, transport systems become essential to supply nutrients to, and remove waste from, individual cells. The supply of nutrients from the soil relies upon the flow of water through a vascular system, as does the movement of the products of photosynthesis. 4.2.1 Explain biodiversity, how it is an important indicator in the study of habitats and how/why we maintain biodiversity. 4.2.2 Explain evolution, all organisms share a common ancestry allows them to be classified. Classification systems have changed and will continue to change.

3.1.3 As plants become larger and more complex, transport systems become essential to supply nutrients to, and remove waste from, individual cells. The supply of nutrients from the soil relies upon the flow of water through a vascular system, as does the movement of the products of photosynthesis. 4.2.1 Explain biodiversity, how it is an important indicator in the study of habitats and how/why we maintain biodiversity. 4.2.2 Explain evolution, all organisms share a common ancestry allows them to be classified. Classification systems have changed and will continue to change. 6.1.1 The way in which cells control metabolic reactions determines how organisms grow, develop and function. Homeostasis.  Photosynthesis.

5.1.1 Organisms use both chemical and electrical systems to monitor and respond to any deviation from the body’s steady state. 5.1.2 The kidneys, liver and lungs are all involved in  homeostasis. The kidneys play a major role in the control of the water potential of the blood. The liver also metabolises some toxins that are ingested. 5.1.3 The stimulation of sensory receptors leads to the generation of an action potential in a neurone. Transmission between neurones takes place at synapses.  6.1.2 Isolating mechanisms can lead to the accumulation of different genetic information in populations, potentially leading to new species. Over a prolonged period of time, organisms have changed and some have become extinct. The theory of evolution explains these changes. Humans use artificial selection to produce similar changes in plants and animals.

5.1.4 Explain how hormones bring about their effects. Type 1 diabetes is used as an example to demonstrate how medical technology is used to regulate hormonal control systems. 5.1.5 Plant responses to environmental changes are coordinated by hormones.  Explain how responding to changes in the environment is a complex and continuous process, involving nervous, hormonal and muscular coordination. 6.1.2 Isolating mechanisms can lead to the accumulation of different genetic information in populations, potentially leading to new species. Over a prolonged period of time, organisms have changed and some have become extinct. The theory of evolution explains these changes. Humans use artificial selection to produce similar changes in plants and animals.  6.1.3 Genome sequencing gives information about the location of genes and provides evidence for the evolutionary links between organisms. Genetic engineering involves the manipulation of naturally occurring processes and enzymes. The capacity to manipulate genes has many potential benefits, but the implications of genetic techniques are subject to much public debate.

5.1.4 Explain how hormones bring about their effects. Type 1 diabetes is used as an example to demonstrate how medical technology is used to regulate the hormonal control systems. 5.1.5 Plant responses to environmental changes are coordinated by hormones.  Explain how responding to changes in the environment is a complex and continuous process, involving nervous, hormonal and muscular coordination. 6.1.3 Genome sequencing gives information about the location of genes and provides evidence for the evolutionary links between organisms. Genetic engineering involves the manipulation of naturally occurring processes and enzymes. The capacity to manipulate genes has many potential benefits, but the implications of genetic techniques are subject to much public debate. 6.2.1 ‘Natural’ vegetative propagation in the production of uniform crops. Artificial clones of plants and animals can now be produced through biotechnology. 6.3.1 Organisms do not live in isolation but engage in complex interactions. The efficiency of biomass transfer limits the number of organisms that can exist in a particular ecosystem. Ecosystems are dynamic and tend towards some form of climax community. 

5.2.1 Photosynthesis is the process whereby light from the Sun is harvested and used to drive the production of chemicals, including ATP, and used to synthesise large organic molecules from inorganic molecules. 5.2.2 Respiration is the process whereby energy stored in complex organic molecules is transferred to ATP. ATP provides the immediate source of energy for biological processes.  6.3.2 There are many factors that determine the size of a population. For economic, social and ethical reasons ecosystems may need to be carefully managed. To support an increasing human population, we need to use biological resources in a sustainable way.

KS5 chemistry

  • Practical skills assessed in a written examination
  • Practical skills assessed in the practical endorsement
  • Atoms, compounds, molecules and equations
  • Amount of substance
  • Acid–base and redox reactions
  • Electrons, bonding and structure
  • The periodic table and periodicity
  • Group 2 and the halogens
  • Qualitative analysis
  • Enthalpy changes
  • Reaction rates and equilibrium (qualitative)
  • Basic concepts
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Alcohols and haloalkanes
  • Organic synthesis
  • Analytical techniques (IR and MS)
  • Reaction rates and equilibrium (quantitative)
  • pH and buffers
  • Enthalpy, entropy and free energy
  • Redox and electrode potentials
  • Transition elements
  • Aromatic compounds
  • Carbonyl compounds
  • Carboxylic acids and esters
  • Nitrogen compounds
  • Polymers
  • Organic synthesis
  • Chromatography and spectroscopy (NMR)

5.1 Rates, equilibrium and pH,   6.1 Aromatic compounds, carbonyls and acids.

KS5 physics

4.1 Charge and current, 4.2 Energy, power and resistance.

6.4 Nuclear and particle physics

5.2 Circular motion 5.3 Oscillations 6.2 Electric fields

5.4 Gravitational fields 5.5 Astrophysics and cosmology 6.3 Electromagnetism

KS5 applied science

A1.1 Ultrastructure and function of organelles in the following cells: A2 Structure and function of specialised cells in multicellular organisms:  A3 Structure and function of biological tissues:  B: Structure and function of biological molecules:  B2 Structure and function of carbohydrates:  B3 Structure and function of proteins:  B4 Structure and function of nucleic acids:  A: Understanding waves and optical fibres,A1 Working with waves A2 Principles of optical fibres.

A: Atomic and electronic structure B: Bonding and structure: B5 Structure and function of lipids:  C  A3 Uses of electromagnetic waves in communication  B: Forces in transportation and Newton’s Laws of Motion. B1 Measurement and representation of motion.

B2 Laws of motion  C: Electrical circuits and the transfer of energy C1 Use of electrical components.

C: Periodicity:   the Period 3 elements:  C2 Equations  C3 Electrical energy usage C4 Energy transfer.

C1 Cell transport mechanisms: C2 Enzymes as biological catalysts: C3 Homeostasis

D: Physical chemistry D1.1 Concept of the mole and use in calculations:  D1.2 Chemical kinetics:  D1.3 Chemical energetics:  D1.4 Chemical equilibrium:  C4 Energy transfer.