Curriculum, Teaching & Learning

Science

The Science Faculty is committed to developing students in a lifelong education in all STEM subjects by teaching a broad science curriculum which engages and enthralls students throughout the key stages. Across biology, chemistry and physics we have many common goals and outcomes; we wish to produce students that are scientifically literate and can accurately read and write about scientific ideas, can make informed decisions about the world around them and issues of the future, have well developed problem solving skills in many different areas and can pull together their knowledge from all sciences. We all view science as a process, driven by a vibrant community who reach consensus – it is not a list of facts. Ultimately we develop students that are enthused and captured by the awe created in the world around us by providing lessons that are interesting, fun and inspiring.

In the Science Faculty, students start with a year of Science skills which is different to a lot of schools but prepares our very academic students with the necessary skills to target the KS3-5 curricula that are introduced from Year 8. This first year allows students to focus on how to process information and develop key scientific skills without being involved with the theory. Pupils are encouraged to make links between science and other subjects: in the Spring term, pupils cover maths in science; in the summer term, pupils look at science and religion; and over the year, pupils undertake several projects that look at science over history, e.g. The History of DNA and The Space Race. These projects also introduce them to key research and referencing skills from an early age and the year gives a brilliant basis for the rest of the time in Science at Tiffin.