"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler." Albert Einstein

Science strives to explain how all aspects of the Universe function, through this understanding we are then able to predict future events, e.g. an understanding of Gravity will allow us to predict that an apple will fall to the Earth when it drops from a tree............. it will also allow us to predict when and if the Universe will end.

"The most important fundamental laws and facts of physical science have all been discovered, and these are now so firmly established that the possibility of their ever being supplemented in consequence of new discoveries is exceedingly remote." Albert Michelson at the turn of the last century. Since then we have split the atom, unlocked the secrets of DNA and realised that the Universe is finite and curved.

Sometimes scientists get it wrong, or alternatively they make approximations, we hope to give you a thorough knowledge base of all three sciences and the natural links between them. On a more fundamental basis we hope to develop that spark of curiosity which we all have regarding why things happen and how they work.

"There are grounds for cautious optimism that we may now be near the end of the search for the ultimate laws of nature" Stephen Hawking

But he may need you to help him.

The syllabus is based on the National Curriculum. From Lower 3 (Year 5) to Lower 4 (Year 8) the girls are taught in mixed ability groups with their teacher teaching all three sciences. The topics taught are summarised below.
Lower 3 (Years 5 and 6); Habitats, food chains, Earth and beyond, light and sound, solids, liquids and gases, simple circuits, separating mixtures, nutrition, circulation and movement, micro-organisms, forces, changing materials.

Upper 3 (Year 7); Cells, reproduction, variation and classification, environment and feeding relationships, particle model of matter, solutions, acids and alkalis, energy and electrical circuits, forces, the Earth and beyond

Lower 4 (Year 8); Microbes and disease, fitness and health, ecological relationships, atoms and elements, compounds and mixtures, the rock cycle, heat transfer, speed, pressure and moments, magnetism.

In Upper 4 (Year 9) we begin studying aspects of the GCSE curriculum. At this stage the girls are taught the individual subects seperately by specialist teachers. They are split into a set which will be aiming to sit the three separate sciences at GCSE and two mixed ability sets which will be aiming to sit the Double Award Science at GCSE. However in Upper 4 the girls are taught the same topics allowing maximum possibility for set movement.
The topics taught in Upper 4 are:
Biology ;Cells, digestion, respiration, ecology, photosynthesis.
Chemistry; Metals, chemical reactions, Earth cycles.
Physics; Waves and oscillations, electrostatics, circuits, heat transfer and elecromagnetism.

Lower 5 (Year 10): at GCSE, from September 2006, we follow the OCR Gateway suite leading to awards in:
GCSE Science (J640)
GCSE Additional Science (J641)
GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics (J643 - 645)

Upper 5 (Year 11)

We study the OCR Double Award Science Course 1983 and the Separate Science courses; Biology 1980, Chemistry 1981 and Physics 1982.

Part of the assessment of all these courses is the common core, these are the fundamental topics required to enable a student to take one or more of the Sciences onto a higher level. The Separate Science course has a number of extension topics in addition to the common core. Both courses have a practical coursework aspect to the assessment where the girls plan, work through, report and evaluate an experiment.

At Advanced Level we follow the OCR Specifications:

Biology AS 3881, A2 7881, Chemistry AS 3887, A2 7887 and Physics AS 3883, A2 7883

The A Level Chemistry course has changed for the Lower 6th, from September 2006, from Salters to straight Chemistry, from 7887 to 3882.

Here are a number of questions and answers relating to the study of Science at A Level:

-What basic qualifications do I need before taking this course?
The minimum qualification for this subject is a grade B in either Double Award Science, or Separate Science at GCSE.

-What will I learn on this A level course?
Science at A level aims to:

a) Sustain and develop your enjoyment of, and interest in, Science by providing a well-designed theoretical and practical course. This should be a worthwhile educational experience irrespective of your going on to study Science at a higher level . It should enable you to acquire sufficient knowledge and understanding to:
i)become a confident citizen in an increasingly technological world, able to take or develop an informed interest in matters of scientific import.
ii)recognise the usefulness, and limitation, of scientific method and to appreciate its applicability in other disciplines and everyday life;
iii)be suitably prepared for employment and/or further studies beyond Advanced Subsidiary GCE or Advanced GCE.
b) Develop essential knowledge and understanding in Science and the skills needed for the use of this knowledge and understanding in new and changing situations where appropriate
c) Develop a link between the theoretical and experimental aspects of the subject.
d) Appreciate how Science has developed and is used in present day society
e) Show how the Sciences links with social, philosophical, economic, industrial and environmetal issues.
f) Recognise the quantitative nature of Science and understand how mathematical expressions relate to physical, chemical and biological principles.
g) Bring together knowledge of ways in which different areas of Science relate to each other and study how scientific models develop.
h) Begin to appreciate how fundamental laws of Science can be applied to extreme cases throughout the Universe.

-What kind of student is this qualification suitable for?
Science at A level is suitable for students who have an interest in, and enjoy Science; want to find out how things work; enjoy applying their minds to solving problems; enjoy carrying out investigations by the application of imaginative, logical thinking and want to use one or more of the Sciences to support other qualifications or progress on to further studies or employment.
AS Level Science is also suitable for students who want to go on to the full A level; have a grounding in a relevant worthwhile qualification of recognised value; broaden their educational experience before making a decision about which A levels to take; are taking other Science subjects and want to take another subject that will support their studies; demonstrate a breadth of interest through the whole curriculum.

-What possible careers/courses do student who have studied Science follow?
Science teaching!! Medicine, Veterinary science, Pharmacy, Law, Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Structural, Nautical, Aeronautical, etc.) Astrophysicist, Astronaut (Do you want to be the first person on Mars?), Geneticist, Meteorologist, Accountant, Actuary, Publishing etc
In general, Science at A level and beyond is looked upon very favourably by employers and universities, it is perceived to be a very demanding subject. In fact, the reaction you would receive from your friends if you were to suggest to them that you were intending to study one or more of the Sciences would give you some idea how impressive it looks to the general public.

-Which skills does Science help develop that Universities/Employers look for?
Problem solving, analytical, numerical, research, ordering thought processes and arguments, working individually and as part of a group, discussing and presenting ideas, planning investigations, carrying through and testing your ideas and presenting them in a suitable way including critically evaluating both the evidence and the technique, drawing, manipulating and interpreting graphs

-How mathematical are the subjects?
Physics is the most mathematical, it is a subject with Mathematics at its core. However, it is only a tool to help use and explain concepts and ideas in Physics. In general you must be able to rearrange an equation, be familiar with trigonometry, draw a straight line graph and calculate the gradient of this.Some of these skills are applicable to Chemistry. In Biology you will learn a number of statistical tests which will allow you to analyse data collected through observations and experiments.

-Do you need to study mathematics at AS level?
No.

Is there a coursework element?
Yes, for both the AS and the full A level there is a coursework element worth 10%, although in Physics and Biology there is the alternative of a practical examination. The marking criteria is very similar to the GCSE scheme. However, the way in which the coursework is completed is very different from at GCSE level. Firstly, the coursework takes approximately two weeks of lesson time, as opposed to a single day at GCSE. More importantly you have a completely free choice as to what you wish to investigate. You can be as traditional or creative as you wish.

Do we use ICT?
The use of ICT is not a requirement for A level Science, although its use is encouraged, as students will be expected to have a level of ability when they go on to Higher Education. We use data logging, simulation programs as well as word processing and powerpoint.

Is it a big leap from GCSE?
Yes and no. You will be quite familiar with a number of topics we cover in the course.

If you choose one or more of the Sciences you will be presented with a series of intellectual challenges which will constitute a stimulating and interesting course, without losing sight of the fun and enjoyment of the subject

You may already know the answer to some of the questions below, others we will teach, several of them we will give you the skills to formulate your own answer to and some at present have no answer at all.

What time is it ? Are you sure ?

How cold can it get ?

What is Dark matter ?

How old is the Universe ?

How did the Universe begin ? What was it like those first few microseconds after the Big Bang ?

How will the Universe end ?

Who was Schrodinger and what did he do to his cat ?

What is Gravity ?

What about Einstein, is he the greatest scientist of all time ?

Why are golf balls dimpled ?

Why do you get thinner but heavier when you run fast ?

Is time travel possible ?

Why is there no hydrogen in our atmosphere ?

How fast would you have to throw a ball for it to get into space ?

What is nuclear fusion ?

How do electron microscopes work ?

What is a photon ?

How can we measure the speed of light ?

How are objects carbon dated ?

What causes a sonic boom ?

How do MRIs work ?

What is a laser, and how are they used in Medicine ?

Every week there is a Science Club which is open to Upper and Lower 4, with sixth form students assisting the teachers. They try fun experiments some of which last a few minutes others being longer term projects.

The science department also runs a weekly Science Forum on a Tuesday lunchtime, this is a regular opportunity for girls to see a Science teacher to discuss aspects of the work, seek assistance with their understanding or try an experiment which they missed.

We are fortunate at St Mary's to have a large pond which has been recently constucted, this resource is providing many opportunities for girls to see first hand a number of habitats within their lessons.

Every year we take the Lower 5 to @Bristol which is a fantastic interactive Science experience. We also give students the opportunuty to attend lectures as well as hosting a number of Science Plays, we constantly strive to challenge the stereotype for Science and we believe that Science can be fun!

[Updated: 16th November 2005]