Science
Many of the scientific insights of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have shown that the answers stem from basic principles, creatively applied to solving problems. Can we give our pupils a scientific education that shows them how to build their ideas, question evidence and seek to improve their understanding?
At Kingswood, the Science department uses a well resourced Year 7 and Year 8 course to capture the pupils interest and involve them in practical investigations that generate questions and are embedded in ‘How Science Works’. Pupils can extend themselves further by taking part in weekly Science Club activities and by registering and working towards Crest awards. Pupils undertake their own investigations which have included finding the most effective biofuel, designing wind turbines and assembling a model ‘lunar rover’ to move over multi-terrains. There are also aquarium toads, (Xenopus laevis) and invertebrate colonies to look after.
Field trips include visits to Bristol Zoo and a stream for our Water Resource day as well as a study day at a sewage works. These all help pupils to see how they fit in the natural world and the impact they have on the planet. Year 8 pupils help to explain to visitors on our Open Morning how science works in everyday life; for instance, how to assemble the molecular structure of chocolate!
The Science department also joins in cross-curricular projects with other departments, especially with Art, and Year 9 pupils have recently created a ‘science’ mural. There are also good links with feeder schools and the pond is a useful resource to introduce younger pupils to the school.
Pupils can continue to develop and extend their science education by attending the Sixth Form Science Society lectures arranged on a termly basis. Recent topics have included ‘Space Flight’, ‘Darwin’ and ‘Shark Conservation’.
Pupils start their GCSE courses in Year 9 and they all follow the AQA separate science specification in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Details of these courses and activities can be found in the relevant sections of the web site.
The science results, and the number of students progressing on to A level science and beyond, clearly show that we provide our pupils with the necessary scientific skills for them to relate to, understand, explain and question the world in which they live.
‘The double helix was a revelatory experience; for me everything fell into place and my future scientific life was decided there and then.’
Sydney Brenner – on visiting Crick and Watson’s laboratory in 1953 to see the DNA model.
‘Things should be made as simple possible, but not any simpler.’
Albert Einstein.
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Many of the scientific insights of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have shown that the answers stem from basic principles, creatively applied to solving problems. Can we give our pupils a scientific education that shows them how to build their ideas, question evidence and seek to improve their understanding?
At Kingswood, the Science department uses a well resourced Year 7 and Year 8 course to capture the pupils interest and involve them in practical investigations that generate questions and are embedded in ‘How Science Works’. Pupils can extend themselves further by taking part in weekly Science Club activities and by registering and working towards Crest awards. Pupils undertake their own investigations which have included finding the most effective biofuel, designing wind turbines and assembling a model ‘lunar rover’ to move over multi-terrains. There are also aquarium toads, (Xenopus laevis) and invertebrate colonies to look after.
Field trips include visits to Bristol Zoo and a stream for our Water Resource day as well as a study day at a sewage works. These all help pupils to see how they fit in the natural world and the impact they have on the planet. Year 8 pupils help to explain to visitors on our Open Morning how science works in everyday life; for instance, how to assemble the molecular structure of chocolate!
The Science department also joins in cross-curricular projects with other departments, especially with Art, and Year 9 pupils have recently created a ‘science’ mural. There are also good links with feeder schools and the pond is a useful resource to introduce younger pupils to the school.
Pupils can continue to develop and extend their science education by attending the Sixth Form Science Society lectures arranged on a termly basis. Recent topics have included ‘Space Flight’, ‘Darwin’ and ‘Shark Conservation’.
Pupils start their GCSE courses in Year 9 and they all follow the AQA separate science specification in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Details of these courses and activities can be found in the relevant sections of the web site.
The science results, and the number of students progressing on to A level science and beyond, clearly show that we provide our pupils with the necessary scientific skills for them to relate to, understand, explain and question the world in which they live.