Science at Walton Hall Academy
Key Stage 3
In Key Stage 3 the students follow a 3 year rolling programme. This incorporates 18 units and provides a broad coverage of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Scientific enquiry. Students are assessed at the beginning and at the end of each unit to clearly show the progress that is being made. Practical skills are also assessed through the use of our tracking system – SOLAR. We use the outside space, the horticulture centre and the school farm whenever possible to make the learning as relevant as we can for the students. Outside speakers and educational visits also form part of our science curriculum.
KS3 overview of rolling programme for science:
Year 1
| HALF TERM 1 | HALF TERM 2 | |
| AUTUMN | Cells, organs and reflexes | Atoms, elements and compounds |
| SPRING | Forces and space | Reproduction |
| SUMMER | Amazing Chemistry | Extinction |
Year 2
| HALF TERM 1 | HALF TERM 2 | |
| AUTUMN | Keeping healthy | Electricity |
| SPRING | Microbes and disease | Acids and Alkalis |
| SUMMER | Energy types and transfers | Our bodies |
Year 3
| HALF TERM 1 | HALF TERM 2 | |
| AUTUMN | Inheritance and variation | Magnets, sound and light |
| SPRING | Energy sources | Forensics |
| SUMMER | Heating, cooling and the rock cycle | Plants, food chains and webs |
Key Stage 4
In Key Stage 4 we offer the Applied Science Level 1 BTEC Award/Certificate and Entry Level Science Award. The Applied Science course is 100% coursework based and is most suited to the more able students within our navigators pathway. The Entry Level Science Award is a more structured course that incorporates both practical and written assessment tasks. This course is most suited to the lower ability students within our navigators pathway and also to some students within the explorers pathway. For students in our seekers pathway science is incorporated into core skills lessons. We make excellent use of the outside space that the school has, with some units being based around the farm and the horticultural area. Educational visits are an integral part of our Science curriculum. Each year some of our students attend the Big Bang Fair at the NEC, with others attending a science assembly and practical sessions delivered by a local high school. Students who follow the Applied Science route also have the opportunity to attend a session at the forensics house at Staffordshire University.