Science
Head of Department: Mrs S Jenkin
The Science Curriculum at Thorpe House aims to cultivate an interest in Science to enable students to make informed choices regarding current and future scientific issues. There is an emphasis on practical skills to underpin the basic scientific concepts and help to stimulate an interest in science from the early years.
The Junior School
The National Curriculum is broadly followed but in particular it is extended at Years 5 and 6. In all junior classes Science is taught on a topic-based basis and students are tested at the conclusion of each topic in addition to the end-of- year tests.
In Years 3 and 4 Science is taught within the form group. In Years 5 and 6 Science is taught in the Junior Laboratory by a science specialist. Year 5 has three forty-minute periods per week and Year 6 has four forty-minute periods per year.
The Senior School
In Years 7 and 8 students have four forty-minute lessons per week in the Junior Laboratory with a specialist Science teacher. Homework is set as two thirty-minute tasks per week. The KS3 curriculum is followed as is the preparation for Common Entrance during Year 8.In Year 9 students are taught by a specialist Science teacher in the specifically designed Senior Laboratory. They begin their core GCSE in Science which will be completed in Year 10. The Edexcel 360 Science course is followed and this comprises of six module tests, six internal assessment tasks and a practical element. All three sciences are covered at core science level. Year 9 have five forty-minute lessons per week.
In Years 10 and 11 students complete their core science GCSE and embark on their Additional Science GCSE. This GCSE comprises three module tests, three structured paper tests, six internal assessment tasks and a practical element. It is expected that all students will complete two GCSEs in Science. Years 10 and 11 have six forty-minute lessons per week.
It is now possible for students to opt to complete individual sciences rather than just core and additional at year 10. This enables students to gain a core science qualification in year 10 and then complete GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and therefore attain four GCSEs in Science by the end of year 11. This option requires an aptitude for science as well as a willingness to work hard in all areas of the science curriculum. Students following the individual science option block have an additional four 40 minute lessons per week.
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