Studying Science will help to:
The study of science fires students' curiosity about phenomena in the world around them and offers opportunities to find explanations. It engages learners at many levels, linking direct practical experience with scientific ideas. Experimentation and modelling are used to develop and evaluate explanations, encouraging critical and creative thought.

Students learn how knowledge and understanding in science are rooted in evidence. They discover how scientific ideas contribute to technological change - affecting industry, business and medicine and improving quality of life.

They trace the development of science worldwide, use the development processes of past scientists to understand current theory and recognise its cultural significance. They learn to question and discuss issues that may affect their own lives, the directions of societies and the future of the world.

Key Concepts In Science

1. Scientific Thinking

Using scientific ideas and models to explain phenomena and developing them creatively to generate and test theories.
Critically analysing and evaluating evidence from observations and experiments.
Science is not yet able to explain all phenomena but the process of developing scientific understanding constantly generates new and sometimes conflicting evidence. This is in turn gives rise to new explanations and ideas.

2. Applications and Implications if Science

Exploring how the creative application of scientific ideas can bring about technological developments and consequent changes in the way people think and behave.
Examining the ethical and moral implications of using and applying science.
Scientific theories are consistent, comprehensive,  coherent and extensively evidenced explanations of aspects of the natural world. They can, at least in principle, be tested by observations and/or experiments.

3. Cultural Understanding

Recognising that modern science has its roots in many different societies and cultures, and draws on a variety of valid approaches to scientific practice.
Scientists, individuals and society need to think about the balance between the advantages and disadvantages of new developments before making decisions (e.g. examining issues relating to selective breeding and genetic engineering of plants and animals, to the production of potentially hazardous chemicals, and to the use of nuclear energy). The way scientific developments are achieved can also raise ethical and moral issues, for example experiments on animals to produce drugs that may prolong human life.

4. Collaboration

Sharing developments and common understanding across disciplines and boundaries.
Scientists of all disciplines and nationalities communicate scientific ideas and understanding using mathematics and internationally recognised conventions and terminology. Scientific investigation is predominantly undertaken by groups of scientists with different specialisms working in collaboration with each other.

Aim
Learning and undertaking activities in science contribute to the achievement of the curriculum aims for all young people to become:

To provide students with the opportunity to become confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.

To provide an effective programme of study that prepares students for the 21^st century and allows them to participate in tomorrow's rapidly changing world and to make a positive contribution to society.

To teach students to think independently allowing them to solve problems as individuals and as team members.

To allow students to become more informed and to be able to relate information gained to everyday situations and decisions.

Structure

KS3

In Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) Students follow the HTS Science Department curriculum map. This takes the foundation of the National Curriculum Model, but tailors the subject to meet the needs of our learners.

Download the Hydesville Tower School Science Department Work Scheme

KS4
In Key Stage Four, we offer GCSE Science to meet every need. For exceptional students, there is the opportunity to follow a programme of study for all three sciences. Biology, Chemistry and Physics are offered separately and most students will take two of these in their Option choices. A new addition to the Science Department is the option of the Double Award Science. This allows students to access all three of the science specialisms and to attain two grades at GCSE Science.