KS3 Overview 2015-2016

For the purposes of teaching KS3 Science at GWIS we use the Exploring
Science: How Science Works (ESHSW) commercial scheme as a basis for
lessons. This allows staff to write effective lesson plans bearing in mind the
students in their classes. These lessons should encourage the exploration of
Science and how the knowledge applies to the world around them. This document
gives you a broad outline of the course and explains assessment requirements.

Exploring Science: How Science Works:

Follows the National Curriculum for Key Stage 3 Science closely

Covers the Programme of Study statements completely
Is designed to enhance a students understanding of the reasons to study the
various aspects of Science.

The scheme ensures that students at GWIS:

develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the

specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics

develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science

through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific
questions about the world around them

are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and
implications of science, today and for the future.

In addition the scheme:

is well differentiated
is flexible to facilitate personalisation
has testing and assessment opportunities
has literacy, numeracy and ICT skills opportunities
has personal learning and thinking skills opportunities
has cross-curricular links

Resources
Students in Year 7-9 will be issued with a username and password to access the
ActiveLearn website, this will allow them to read the Year 7, 8 and 9 textbook
information online and complete interactive activities to check their
understanding. https://www.pearsonactivelearn.com/ This online resource will
also form a basis for revision in addition to the revision packs that students are
given prior to an assessment. The students will also be issued with an exercise
book to record information and practical work in during their lessons. It is not
expected to be a book which the students revise content from although from
time to time teachers will feel it necessary to extend some knowledge areas
beyond that found in the textbook. The exercise book is a record of a students
learning journey and should reflect increases in their abilities to think
creatively about Science.
In year 9, scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding of the specific
disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics are taught through project based
schemes of work in the three separate subjects. The aim is that students
become aware of the big ideas underpinning scientific knowledge and
understanding and continue to develop their How Science Works key skills
towards key stage 4 level.
It is always our intention to continually develop and improve our scheme of
learning by sharing resources, expertise and ideas amongst the department and
within the GEMs community, as our greatest resources are teachers themselves.
Homework
The school takes a project based approach to home learning at Key Stage 3 and
the department follows the school policy. In addition to this, Science will set
30-40 minutes of home learning each week, which maybe a continuation of the
previous weeks home learning, when the Science KS3 project is not being
completed. These home learning tasks will directly link to the ESHSW scheme
of work and outcomes, and will be assessed using the criteria provided.
Over the course of the year each student will complete six home learning
projects. Each project will be timetabled into the year and run by a different
curriculum area. Each project will last for four weeks and culminate in some
form of event or celebration.
The project dates for science are:
Year 7: 6th September 30th September 2015
Year 8: 1st February 29th February 2016

Year9: 3rd January 28th January 2016

Assessment at KS3
The ESHSW scheme provides a balance of assessment between content and
scientific processes (called How Science Works, HSW). HSW covers areas of
investigative skills development: planning, obtaining and presenting, concluding
and evaluating. HSW skills are taught and developed through the key concepts
and key processes in each topic of our scheme of learning. One HSW skill is
assessed per topic in years 7 and 8, in year 9 students complete a full
investigation write up per project, which enables each skill to be teacher
assessed. Students are encouraged to peer and self-assess their investigative
work at regular intervals to further enhance their understanding and
appreciation of the level ladders. The skills assessments are carried out within
lessons and assessed using the Science Skills sheets that can also be found on
the Wellington Weebly Science KS3 Area. This forms the basis of our
assessment of pupils in Science at key stage 3; in addition students are
assessed on their content knowledge at the end of every 3 topics in year 7 and
8 and once during each project in year 9 (See table below for assessment dates
and topics for all year groups).
A Note about Formative Assessment:
All assessment at Key Stage 3 is formative until the final Year 9 assessment.
Formative teacher assessment occurs in every lesson and students frequently
peer and self-assess their work using progress ladders. Frequent lesson
observations look at how teachers assess students and what they do with the
assessment information they obtain in order to create an inclusive classroom for
every student.
The HSW and content based formal assessments are self, peer and teacher
assessed and students are given guidance about current progress and steps
needed to improve. It is important that we have this mind-set from the start of
the course and take it upon ourselves as teachers and parents to inform
students about how and why they are being assessed.
Setting
In line with school policy, students are set according to their attainment in
Science. Students will be frequently monitored in terms of their attainment in
investigative skills assessments, home learning tasks and the formative
assessment that takes place during lessons. Students may be moved to a more
appropriate set in order to ensure that their learning needs are met and that
they continue to make the expected progress. Any necessary movement will
occur after the topic tests. The dates of these tests are outlined below.

Year 7 Assessment dates

Date
th

Week beginning 8 November 2015

Week beginning 31st January 2016
Week beginning 24th April 2016
Week beginning 5th June 2016

Topics
7A, 7F, 7I
7C, 7H, 7J
7D, 7G, 7K
7E, 7B

Year 8 Assessment dates

Date
Week beginning 1st November 2015
Week beginning 31st January 2016
Week beginning 17th April 2016
Week beginning 5th June 2016

Topics
8A, 8E, 8I
8C, 8F, 8K
8B, 8G, 8L
8D, 8H, 8I

Year 9 Assessment dates

Date
th

Week beginning 11 October

Week beginning 22nd November
Week beginning 24th January
Week beginning 7th February

Topics
Biology/chemistry/physics mini content
assessment
Biology/chemistry/physics mini content
assessment
Biology/chemistry/physics mini content
assessment
End of Key Stage 3 assessment

The Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics in year 9 will be taught at different
times for different classes. The topic rotations can be found on the Weebly
http://wissciences.weebly.com/ The mini topic tests will depend on which
subject the student has studied in the 6 weeks prior.
Year 9 End of Key Stage assessment
The final assessment for KS3 will be in the form of two written papers, one will
be content based on the Biology, Chemistry and Physics content covered during
Year 9 and the second paper will be based on HSW. Revision guidance and
booklets will be handed to students closer to the time.

Data Capture
At six data capture points in the year (roughly once every half term) teachers
will make an overall judgement about the progress made by each student based
on their performance in the each type of assessment (as well as using
professional judgement) and will assign a level and sub-level for that student to
be recorded in the school database and reported home. Please note this means
that students will often have achieved various different levels in the formal and
formative assessments and the highest level will not necessarily be the one
reported in the data captures.
We would expect students to make at least two sub-levels of progress in each
academic year, although this is the minimum rate of progress.

Revision materials

All key stage 3 students will receive log in details for the text books
online, these contain relevant information for each topic studied. Year 9
students will receive photocopies of the GCSE material covered in their
topics.

Students will be given extra revision booklets/materials at least one

week prior to their assessment.

Students are advised to use the following website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/

Revision resources can also be accessed on the Weebly and are found in
the Secondary KS3 Science section.

Suggested revision guide:

CGP Key Stage Three: The Revision Guide.

This can be purchased from bookstores or online.
Year 7 Reproduction Topic
Students will be studying a topic on reproduction during the course of Year 7.
This topic will be approached sensitively and from a purely biological viewpoint
focusing on physiology and anatomy rather than discussing the emotional side of
the topic. Anyone with particular concerns involving this topic should contact
their class teacher who can go through the taught content with you.