Curriculum Leader: Mr C Goddard - goddardc@alkerdenacademy.co.uk

"Science at Alkerden: curiosity, enquiry and understanding our world."

At Alkerden Academy, our science curriculum is designed to be inclusive, ambitious, and transformative. It empowers every learner to develop a profound understanding of how the natural world operates while nurturing the curiosity, resilience, and creativity required to shape the future. Through a curriculum that is coherently sequenced and intellectually challenging, we aspire to produce learners who are confident, inquisitive, and scientifically literate. 

Anchored in the Alkerden Heart, our curriculum fosters the characteristics needed for learners to flourish. As Thinkers, learners are encouraged to interrogate ideas, challenge assumptions, and remain curious about the world. As Collaborators, they build resilience through practical investigations, working together to solve problems and analyse evidence. As Communicators, they are taught to use scientific language with precision and confidence, articulating their understanding clearly. We promote kindness, integrity, and global awareness, equipping learners not only with knowledge but with a sense of responsibility to apply science ethically for the betterment of society and the planet. 

Our science curriculum provides breadth across biology, chemistry, and physics while cultivating the skills of enquiry, analysis, and evaluation that underpin lifelong learning. Ultimately, it inspires learners to question, to innovate, and to view themselves as active contributors to an ever-changing scientific world. 

Through our science curriculum we aim to: 

• Ensure all learners, including those with SEND, can access and enjoy science through an inclusive and supportive curriculum.
• Deliver a broad, balanced, and carefully sequenced programme across biology, chemistry, and physics, building secure knowledge and scientific literacy. 
• Develop critical thinkers and problem-solvers who can engage confidently with scientific enquiry, using accurate terminology and investigative skills. 
• Cultivate curiosity, global awareness, and social responsibility by showing how science can inform ethical choices and drive positive change. 

Science is delivered through seven one-hour lessons per fortnight, ensuring regular, meaningful engagement with core scientific knowledge and skills. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to build knowledge cumulatively, revisiting and deepening key ideas while progressively developing the skills of enquiry, analysis, and evaluation. 

Teachers employ adaptive strategies to ensure all learners can access and enjoy the curriculum. Practical investigations, problem-solving tasks, and frequent opportunities for discussion allow learners to develop as Collaborators and Communicators, while the consistent reinforcement of scientific vocabulary supports accuracy and precision. Enrichment opportunities and the explicit development of cultural capital further inspire curiosity and embed science within a wider social, ethical, and global context. 

By the end of Key Stage 3, learners at Alkerden Academy will be confident, curious, and capable young scientists who are fully prepared for the demands of GCSE and beyond. They will have experienced the breadth and wonder of science and developed the skills and attitudes to continue their learning journey with ambition and resilience. 

By the end of Key Stage 3, our learners will: 

• Think and act like scientists: asking meaningful questions, planning investigations, interpreting evidence, and drawing reasoned conclusions with accuracy.
• Communicate confidently: using precise scientific terminology in both written and spoken contexts, explaining ideas clearly and engaging in collaborative discussions. 
• Show resilience and independence: approaching challenging concepts with determination, reflecting on mistakes, and adapting strategies to improve their learning. 
• Make connections across science and beyond: applying knowledge from biology, chemistry, and physics to new problems, recognising links between science and real-world issues. 
• Be ready for the future: secure in their foundation knowledge, motivated to succeed at GCSE, and inspired to pursue post-16 science pathways with confidence and curiosity. 

• BBC Bitesize: Combined Science
• BBC Bitesize: Biology
• BBC Bitesize: Chemistry
• BBC Bitesize: Physics