Science

All students study Science until the end of Year 11, in line with the National Curriculum, and are encouraged to continue their science education post-16, where appropriate.

Activities

The department arranges various visits and activities throughout the year, these include visits to the Science Museum, Natural History Museum, London Zoo as well as special science days in school like the Year 9 Forensic Science Day and Earthquake Disaster Day. GCSE and A Level students are encouraged to attend a variety of lectures and conferences to support their studies and Biology fieldwork will be carried out by Year 13 as part of their A Level course.

Years 7 & 8

All students follow an integrated science course as part of the two year key stage 3. The course is based on the Heinemann Science Scheme with additional material as appropriate. Emphasis is placed on practical work and the students are familiarised with safe practice within a laboratory environment.

Our aim is to foster enthusiasm and curiosity in our students from day one to enable them to grow as young scientists of the future at Beaconsfield High and beyond. The foundations for our success at key stage 4 and 5 are firmly laid down during these first two years of science.

Years 9, 10 & 11

With the expansion of key stage 4 to three years the teaching of Core GCSE commences at the beginning of Year 9. All pupils follow the AQA GCSE Sciences suite. They have 3 lessons per week, one each of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and are taught by subject specialists.

The following outline applies to current Year 10 and Year 11 (2011-12) but please note that for the current Year 9 cohort, all written papers will now be taken terminally at the end of Year 11.  The Controlled Assessments (ISAs) will continue to be administered as below.

All pupils study Core Science B and will now take the Core exam in June of Year 10. The Core exams consist of three 60 minute papers (B1, C1 and P1) and an ISA (Controlled Assessment) taken later in Year 10 and Year 11. These results are banked to be cashed in at the end of Year 11, either as a stand alone Science GCSE or as part of the Separate GCSE award in each subject.

After the Core exams in June of Year 10, all students follow the Additional course to be examined in January of Year 11 in a similar format to the Core (B2, C2, P2 papers and ISA). Again these results are banked to be cashed in at the end of Year 11 either as another stand alone Additional Science GCSE or further contribution to the Separate science GCSEs.

The majority of students at BHS will then study the further material to be examined in June of Year 11 (B3, C3, P3 and ISA) which make the final contribution to the three Science GCSEs.

The three year course allows us to broadly teach according to the following schedule:

Y9:    Science B (Core) GCSE

Y10:  Additional GCSE

Y11:  Further material converting the above into three separate subject GCSEs

Years 12 & 13

See also Sixth Form subjects.  All three A Levels are taught by subject specialists for 5 lessons per week in Year 12 and Year 13.  The courses follow the OCR specification and have a modular format.