Curriculum Overview

 

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Sixth Form

Term 4: 3.5 Newton’s laws of motion

This section provides knowledge and understanding of

Newton’s laws – fundamental laws that can be used to

predict the motion of all colliding or interacting objects

in applications such as sport (HSW1, 2). Newton’s law

can also be used to understand some of the safety

features in cars, such as air bags, and to evaluate the

benefits and risks of such features (HSW9). Learners

should be aware that the introduction of mandatory

safety features in cars is a consequence of the scientific

community analysing the forces involved in collisions

and investigating potential solutions to reduce the

likelihood of personal injury (HSW10, 11, 12).

There are many opportunities for learners to carry

out experimental work and analyse data using ICT

techniques (HSW3).

40 minute assessment and quizzes

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 4: 4.4.2 Electromagnetic waves 4.4.4 stationary waves

This section provides knowledge and understanding of

wave properties, electromagnetic waves, superposition

and stationary waves. The wavelength of visible light

is too small to be measured directly using a ruler.

However, superposition experiments can be done in

the laboratory to determine wavelength of visible light

using a laser and a double slit.

There are opportunities to discuss how the double-slit

experiment demonstrated the wave-like behaviour of

light (HSW7).

The breadth of the topic covering sound waves and the

electromagnetic spectrum provides scope for learners

to appreciate the wide ranging applications of waves

and their properties. (HSW1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 12)

40 minutes assessment and quizzes

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 5: 4.5 Quantum physics Revision for mocks

Students will carry out a range of revision tasks in preparation for the mock exam. Once the exam has been sat and students have consolidated any areas of weakness they will move on to term 6 topics.

mock exam papers

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 5: 4.3 recap of electricity Revision for mocks

Students will carry out a range of revision tasks in preparation for the mock exam. Once the exam has been sat and students have consolidated any areas of weakness they will move on to term 6 topics.

mock exam papers

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 6: 5.5 Astrophysics and cosmology

This section provides knowledge and understanding of

stars, Wien’s displacement law, Stefan’s law, Hubble’s

law and the Big Bang.

Learners have the opportunity to appreciate how

scientific ideas of the Big Bang developed over

time and how its validity is supported by research

and experimental work carried out by the scientific

community (HSW2, 7, 8, 11)

40 minute assessment and quizzes

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 6: 6.4.1 and 6.4.3 intro to nuclear and particle physics

This section provides knowledge and understanding of

the atom, nucleus, fundamental particles, radioactivity,

fission and fusion.

Nuclear power stations provide a significant fraction

of the energy needs of many countries. They are

expensive; governments have to make difficult

decisions when building new ones. The building

of nuclear power stations can be used to evaluate

the benefits and risks to society (HSW9). Ethical,

environmental and decision making issues may also

be discussed (HSW10 and HSW12). The development

of the atomic model also addresses issues of scientific

development and validation (HSW7, 11).

40 minute and quizzes

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 1 : Foundations in Physics and 3.1 Forces and motion

The aim of this module is to introduce important conventions and ideas that permeate the fabric of physics. Understanding of physical quantities, S.I. units, scalars and vectors helps physicists to effectively communicate their ideas within the scientific community (HSW8, 11).

This section provides knowledge and understanding of key ideas used to describe and analyse the motion of objects in both one-dimension and in two-dimensions. It also provides learners with opportunities to develop their analytical and experimental skills. The motion of a variety of objects can be analysed using ICT or data-logging techniques (HSW3). Learners also have the opportunity to analyse and interpret experimental data by recognising relationships between physical quantities (HSW5). The analysis of motion gives many opportunities to link to How Science Works. Examples relate to detecting the speed of moving vehicles, stopping distances and freefall

40 minute intro test

40 minute vector quiz

40 minute motion test

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 1 : Intro – measurements 4.1 charge and current 4.2 energy power and resistance

Physics is the science of nature; it is the study of matter from the smallest to the largest and energy, and how they relate to one another. It involves the study of universal laws that explain how the universe works and the behaviours and relationships among a wide range of natural (physical) phenomena. The beauty of physics lies in the simplicity of its fundamental theories. The theories are usually expressed in mathematical form.

40 minute assessment and small quizzes though-out topic

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 2: 3.2 Forces in action

This section provides knowledge and understanding of the motion of an object when it experiences several forces and also the equilibrium of an object. Learners will also learn how pressure differences give rise to an upthrust on an object in a fluid.

40 minute assessment and quizzes though-out topic

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 2: 4.3 electrical circuits

This section provides knowledge and understanding of electrical circuits, internal resistance and potential dividers. LDRs and thermistors are used to show how changes in light intensity and temperature respectively can be monitored using potential dividers. Setting up electrical circuits, including potential divider circuits, provides an ideal way of enhancing experimental skills, understanding electrical concepts and managing risks when using power supplies.

40 minute assessment and other quizzes though-out

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 3: 3.3 work, energy, power 3.4 Materials

Words like energy, power and work have very precise

meaning in physics. In this section the important link

between work done and energy is explored. Learners

have the opportunity to apply the important principle

of conservation of energy to a range of situations. The

analysis of energy transfers provides the opportunity

for calculations of efficiency and the subsequent

evaluation of issues relating to the individual and

society

This section examines the physical properties of

springs and materials.

Learners can carry out a range of experimental work

to enhance their knowledge and skills, including the

management of risks and analysis of data to provide

evidence for relationships between physical quantities.

There are opportunities to consider the selection of

appropriate materials for practical applications

40 minute assessment and quizzes

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 3: 4.4.1 Wave motion 4.4.3 Superposition

This section provides knowledge and understanding of

wave properties, electromagnetic waves, superposition

and stationary waves. The wavelength of visible light

is too small to be measured directly using a ruler.

However, superposition experiments can be done in

the laboratory to determine wavelength of visible light

using a laser and a double slit.

There are opportunities to discuss how the double-slit

experiment demonstrated the wave-like behaviour of

light (HSW7).

The breadth of the topic covering sound waves and the

electromagnetic spectrum provides scope for learners

to appreciate the wide ranging applications of waves

and their properties. (HSW1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 12)

40 minute assessment and quizzes

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community: