Department Leader: Sarah Crewe sarah.crewe@nuneatonacademy.org.uk
The Science department at Nuneaton Academy provide students with knowledge of all aspects of science. The staff within the department has a range of specialisms to enable the best teaching for students of all abilities.
The science curriculum is knowledge based curriculum which spirals in content to use each unit, and each year to build foundations upon the next and includes science specific disciplinary knowledge taught alongside transferable skills in communication, numeracy and literacy. At KS3, our students follow the Science curriculum provided by United Learning, a fully resourced scheme which is adapted to suit the needs of Nuneaton Academy learners. The United learning links closely with the National Curriculum and covers content equally from Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The curriculum is designed to develop students’ analytical, working scientifically and problem-solving skills, providing an excellent foundation for GCSE and allow students to increase their understanding of the world around them through a scientific lens by making strong links to scientific examples.
The AQA specification studied at KS4 is both broad and deep, allowing students to make sense of the scientific world around them and trigger interests in topics that can then be pursued further.
The curriculum is designed to provide all students with a broad knowledge in the three scientific disciplines (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) that has different pathways but each pathway can be used to underpin all curriculum areas and provide the skills and support the study of science into A-level. The two pathways studied in the science department are both AQA GCSE Science specifications. Our students study either Combined Science: Trilogy and obtain two GCSEs (this still covers topics from Biology, Chemistry and Physics) or they study the three separate science GCSEs.
Within the GCSE Science programme students will continue to learn a wide range of transferable skills from their education in the Nuneaton Academy science department. These include risk assessment, planning, evaluation and consolidation of many of the key mathematical skills including displaying data and working with equations.
Students who complete their GCSE’s with Nuneaton Academy move into a whole range of careers and further study. Qualifications in science are highly desirable to both universities and employers. GCSEs and A-levels in science will offer opportunities to pursue degrees in subjects such as engineering, genetics, midwifery, medicine, pharmacy, pharmacology, sports science, nutrition science and forensic science. Students may choose to apply their practical skills and take part in an apprenticeship in, for example, engineering.
