Science

During Year 7 students will begin by studying a module called “Introduction to practical work”. This will include: safety instructions as well as collecting, recording and analysing data. This module will be completed by all students in their first few weeks at Penglais. It will teach them Laboratory safety and skills.

The following topics will be covered during the year:

• Energy and Energy Stores and Transfers: Objects which store energy and how energy is transferred between stores. 

• Energy and Matter: Substances, melting and boiling points, diffusion and properties of matter.

• Convection and Conduction: Energy (thermal) transfer in gases, liquids and solids.

• Chemical and Physical Changes: Chemical reactions and reversable changes.

• Elements and Compounds: Identifying substances, chemical formulas and word equations.

• Food Chains and Food Webs: Feeding relationships of organisms.

• Cells: The basic building blocks of all living things. Using microscopes.

• Photosynthesis: The conversion of light to chemical energy.

• Respiration: How cells obtain energy.

Assessment of student’s progress:

There will be a review of the student’s learning after each topic and a progress assessment towards the end of each term.

During year 8 you will study the following:

Interdependence of living organisms: Microbes, disease, food chains and photosynthesis.

Respiration and Digestion: Respiration, digestion and the effect of drugs on the human body.

Elements Compounds and Mixtures: Identifying substances, chemical formulas and word equations.

Sustainable Materials: How properties of materials relate to their use and the sustainability of its use.

Energy and Energy Transformations: Types of energy and their uses.

Sound and Light: Application of light and sound waves.

There will be a formal assessment at the end of each module.

Students will be examined on all topics and skills in the summer. Year 9 sets will be based on the student’s performance in end of module assessments and the end of Year 8 exam.

If your child in Year 9 is following the KS3 curriculum, they will follow the course outlined below:

During Year 9 you will study the following:

Reproduction: Human reproduction

The human body: The structure and function of organs and organ systems.

Acids and Bases: Acids with metals, metal carbonates and alkalis and air pollution.

Reactivity series: Comparing the reactivity of metals.

Electricity and magnetism: Uses of circuits and electromagnets.

Advanced forces: Newton’s 1^st law and the use of forces in devices.

There will be a formal assessment at the end of each module. Students will be examined on all topics and skills in June. The settings for Year 10 GCSEs will be based on the student’s performance in end of module assessments and the Year 9 exam.

Triple Award Course

If your child in Year 9 is following the WJEC Triple Award Course, over the year they will study sections from the following 3 Units.

Unit 1 Biology:

1.1 Cells and movement across membranes

1.2 Respiration and the respiratory system in humans

1.3 Digestion and the digestive system in humans

1.4 Circulatory system in humans

1.5 Plants and photosynthesis

1.6 Ecosystems, nutrient cycles and human impact on the environment

Unit 1 Chemistry:

1.1 The nature of substances and chemical reactions

1.2 Atomic structure and the Periodic Table

1.3 Water

1.4 The ever-changing Earth

1.5 Rate of chemical change

1.6 Limestone

Unit 1 Physics:

1.1 Electric circuits

1.2 Generating electricity

1.3 Making use of energy

1.4 Domestic electricity

1.5 Features of waves

1.6 The total internal reflection of waves

1.7 Seismic waves

1.8 Kinetic theory

1.9 Electromagnetism

If your child in Year 10 is following the WJEC Science Double Award Course, during the year they will study the   following three Units:

Unit 1 Biology

1.1 Cells and movement across membranes

1.2 Respiration and the respiratory system in humans

1.3 Digestion and the digestive system in humans

1.4 Circulatory system in humans

1.5 Plants and photosynthesis

1.6 Ecosystems and human impact on the environment

Unit 2 Chemistry

2.1  The nature of substances and chemical reactions

2.2  Atomic structure and the Periodic Table

2.3  Water

2.4  The ever-changing Earth

2.5  Rate of chemical change

Unit 3 Physics

3.1  Electric circuits

3.2 Generating electricity

3.3  Making use of energy

3.4 Domestic electricity

3.5 Features of waves

Double Award

Assessment of students’ progress will be made through end of module tests.

There will be a 1 hour 15 minute external written examination for each Unit in the summer. Each exam counts for 15% of their GCSE qualification (total 45%).

The recommended text books are:

WJEC GCSE Biology – ISBN-13: 978-1471868719

WJEC GCSE Chemistry – ISBN-13: 978-1471868740

WJEC GCSE Physics – ISBN-13: 978-1471868771

Recommended revision guide:

My Revision Notes: WJEC GCSE Science Double Award – ISBN-13: 978-1471883590.  There is a limited supply currently available to purchase from the Science department using ParentPay.

If your child in Year 10 has chosen to follow the WJEC Science Triple Award Course, during the year they will study the double Award course outlined above and complete the additional content in their triple science lessons.

Unit 1 Biology:

1.1 Cells and movement across membranes

1.2 Respiration and the respiratory system in humans

1.3 Digestion and the digestive system in humans

1.4 Circulatory system in humans

1.5 Plants and photosynthesis

1.6 Ecosystems, nutrient cycles and human impact on the environment

Unit 1 Chemistry:

1.1 The nature of substances and chemical reactions

1.2 Atomic structure and the Periodic Table

1.3 Water

1.4 The ever-changing Earth

1.5 Rate of chemical change

1.6 Limestone

Unit 1 Physics:

1.1 Electric circuits

1.2 Generating electricity

1.3 Making use of energy

1.4 Domestic electricity

1.5 Features of waves

1.6 The total internal reflection of waves

1.7 Seismic waves

1.8 Kinetic theory

1.9 Electromagnetism

Triple Award

Assessment of Student’s progress will be made through end of module tests.

There will be a 1 hour 45 minute external written examination for each Unit in the summer. Each exam counts for 45% of their GCSE qualification in each subject.

The recommended text books are:

WJEC GCSE Biology – ISBN-13: 978-1471868719

WJEC GCSE Chemistry – ISBN-13: 978-1471868740

WJEC GCSE Physics – ISBN-13: 978-1471868771

Recommended revision guides:

My Revision Notes: WJEC GCSE Biology – ISBN-13: 978-1471883507

My Revision Notes: WJEC GCSE Chemistry – ISBN-13: 978-1471883538

My Revision Notes: WJEC GCSE Physics – ISBN-13: 978-1471883569

There is a limited supply currently available to purchase from the Science department using ParentPay.

If your child in Year 11 is following the WJEC Science Double Award Course, during the year they will study the following four Units:

Unit 4 Biology:

• 1 Classification and biodiversity
• 2 Cell division and stem cells
• 3 DNA and inheritance
• 4 Variation and evolution
• 5 Response and regulation
• 6 Disease, defence and treatment

Unit 5 Chemistry:

• 1 Bonding, structure and properties
• 2 Acids, bases and salts
• 3 Metals and their extraction
• 4 Chemical reactions and energy
• 5 Crude oil, fuels and carbon compounds

Unit 6 Physics:

• 1 Distance, speed and acceleration
• 2 Newton’s laws
• 3 Work and energy
• 4 Stars and planets
• 5 Types of radiation
• 6 Half-life

Unit 7 Practical Assessment

During January and February, students will complete their WJEC external practical exam. There are two sections: Section A is the experimental aspect; section B is the formal written exam. The practical assessment contributes to 10% of the qualification.

There is a limited supply currently available to purchase from the Science department using ParentPay.

If your child in Year 11 is following the WJEC Science Triple Award Course, during the year they will study the following three Units:

Unit 2 Biology

2.1 Classification and biodiversity

2.2 Cell division and stem cells

2.3 DNA and inheritance

2.4 Variation and evolution

2.5 Response and regulation

2.6 Kidneys and homeostasis

2.7 Micro-organisms and their applications

2.8 Disease, defence and treatment

Unit 2 Chemistry

2.1 Bonding, structure and properties

2.2 Acids, bases and salts

2.3 Metals and their extraction

2.4 Chemical reactions and energy

2.5 Crude oil, fuels and organic chemistry

2.6 Reversible reactions, industrial processes and important chemicals

Unit 2 Physics

2.1 Distance, speed and acceleration

2.2 Newton’s laws

2.3 Work and energy

2.4 Further motion concepts

2.5 Stars and planets

2.6 The Universe

2.7 Types of radiation

2.8 Half-life

2.9 Nuclear decay and nuclear energy

Unit 3 Practical Assessments

During January and February, students will complete their WJEC external practical exams. There will be a practical exam for Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Each assessment will have two sections: Section A is the experimental aspect; section B is the formal written exam. The practical assessment contributes 10% to each qualification.

Triple Award

Assessment of students’ progress will be made through end of module tests.

There will be a 1 hour 45-minute external written examination for each Unit in the summer. Each exam counts for 45% of their GCSE qualification in each subject.

There is a limited supply currently available to purchase from the Science department using ParentPay.