Fernhill School

Curriculum & Assessment

   Click KS3 for Curriculum Maps

Our KS3 Science curriculum aims to captivate students' love of the subject whilst also giving them the opportunity to experience new experiments in our labs.

At Fernhill KS3 Science encompasses years 7 and 8 and students are taught all three disciplines throughout.

Within the Biology topics students explore tiny cells under a microscope, the parts of a flower through dissection and plan investigations to see how unique we all are.

Chemistry involves understanding the link between tiny atoms and the Earth’s itself.  Practicals take centre stage with students looking at separating techniques, group 1 elements, the colourful acids and alkalis and combustion.

For Physics students study big challenging concepts including energy and electricity with the hope to therefore understand the world around them.  They also have the opportunity to study the interesting topics of sounds and light and electromagnet.

At the end of KS3 students will be ready to take the next step in their Science careers at Fernhill and will be fully prepared to start their GCSE journey.

    Click KS4 for Curriculum Maps

The GCSE Trilogy Combined Science course at Fernhill includes Biology, Chemistry and Physics and involves two exams for each discipline at the end of Year 11. Students will be awarded two GCSEs grades which will enable them to study any of the Sciences at A level with a grade 6-6 or above.

Biology
1.Cell biology
2.Organisation
3.Infection and response
4.Bioenergetics
5.Homeostasis and response
6.Inheritance, variation and evolution
7.Ecology

Chemistry
1.Atomic structure and the periodic table
2.Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter
3.Quantitative chemistry
4.Chemical changes
5.Energy changes
6.The rate and extent of chemical change
7.Organic chemistry
8.Chemical analysis
9.Chemistry of the atmosphere
10.Using resources

Physics
1.Energy
2.Electricity
3.Particle model of matter
4.Atomic structure
5.Forces
6.Waves
7.Magnetism and electromagnetism

Further details about what each topic involves can be found on the curriculum maps.

Within these topics students are required to conduct 21 required practicals which are assessed within the exam. In addition, lessons will also involve other practicals to support learning throughout.