Science

Course Overview

Click on the subject for the relevant year group in the table below to find out more information about each course.

Through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, science provides the foundations for understanding the world around us. It affects us on an individual level and in an increasingly technological world, it both enhances our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity. 

Ambition for our pupils

All pupils at Sawston Village College will receive a comprehensive introduction to the scientific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. They will learn to think critically, collaborate, make evidence-based decisions and solve problems. They will be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. For many, it will provide a platform for more advanced studies, establishing the basis for a wide range of careers, where demand for skilled technicians, engineers and scientists is accelerating.

The structure of our curriculum

The Science curriculum is built on the principles of analysis, interpretation and evaluation and is studied over five years, divided into a two-year key stage 3 course and a three-year key stage 4 course. 

The key stage 3 curriculum enables pupils to develop an understanding of the big ideas in Forces, Electrical Circuits, Energy, Waves, Matter, Reactions, Earth, Organisms, Ecosystems and Genes. 

In key stage 4, knowledge and skills from previous years are reinforced, explored and extended in a spiral model. Practical skills will be introduced and developed throughout the course by completing experiments and observing teacher-led demonstrations. The application of mathematical skills will be taught alongside conceptual knowledge and experimental skills.