Taunton Deane Partnership College

Science Overview 2023/2024

Key Stage 3-4

Intent

Science is fundamental in education and in helping pupils to understand how the world around them works. Our aim is to ensure that all pupils are equipped for the demands of further education, adulthood and the world of work. Our ethos, therefore, is for all pupils to be able to successfully interact with the world they live in by working safely in a practical environment, being able to identify and mitigate risks, and understand basic terminology. All pupils should complete Key Stage 3 having developed the knowledge and skills that will allow them to successfully transition to KS4, whether that be at Holway or at a mainstream provision. At KS4, our aim is for pupils to be able to sit the Edexcel combined science GCSE which can then support access to College, apprenticeships and/or the world of work.

Implementation

Pupils are taught by subject specialists. Pupils are taught the necessary skills to work safely in a practical environment and prepare them for transition to mainstream or GCSE science. Health and Safety within this environment enables pupils to develop and understand the need for safety which is manifest in all aspects of life. We acknowledge that our cohort of pupils at TDPC have had disrupted learning and sometimes struggle to access learning. We are ambitious for all our pupils to access learning so lessons are planned to include those who will need more scaffolding and others who require a greater challenge. To achieve our ambitions, we use differentiated questioning and resources as well as creating individual learning programmes (AQA unit awards) for those who will benefit from additional support and enables students to have a record of their achievements.

Impact

To foster an enjoyment and curiosity of the subject using a variety of practical work across biology, chemistry and physics to engage and interest our pupils. To make all lessons accessible by having weekly themes with ‘stand-alone’ lessons that are linked, but which pupils feel they can be successful in even if they have missed previous lessons or arrived at the centre mid-term.

Key stage 3

The impact on our pupils is engagement in lessons, being able to work safely in a practical environment and building up a base of scientific knowledge across biology, chemistry and physics so that they can confidently transition to mainstream education or to KS4 at Holway.

Key Stage 4

The impact on our pupils is engagement in lessons and being able to work safely in a practical environment. Pupils are also prepared to sit GCSE exams in combined science by following the Edexcel GCSE combined science specification. Students can also have an AQA Award to accredit their learning, which runs alongside the GCSE curriculum. They have regular practice at exam questions in lessons and two mock exams a year to build the confidence and resilience that they need to sit their GCSE exams. Pupils’ work is consistently monitored, and mock exams are used to show pupil progress. Gaining a science GCSE allows pupils to access further education or work.