“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning” – Albert Einstein
When you study Physics and you realise that you are asking more questions than you can answer you know that you are making progress. Do not be disillusioned or concerned because the facts that you know will be more than enough to ensure your success at your present stage of education.
KEY STAGE THREE CURRICULUM
Students cover a range of topics that provide an excellent foundation for their future studies. The content does cover many aspects of the GCSE specification and in Year 9 students do officially start their GCSE course.
In Year 7 students study forces, energy types and transfers, static, circuits and magnetism.
In Year 8 space, pressure, stability, turning forces and sound are studied.
In Year 9 students start following the IGCSE specification – these topics would normally be covered in Year 9, but all assessments are based on GCSE style questions. The sections covered are listed below.
- Energy Resources and Energy Transfer
- Solids, Liquids and Gases
- Waves
The more difficult sections of these topics will be taught in Year 11.
KEY STAGE FOUR CURRICULUM
Currently the students study AQA Physics 4403 or Science A 4405 with Additional Science 4408.
The Physics specification covers all of the content below, but the Science option does not include Unit 3.
Unit 1: Energy, Waves and the Universe.
Unit 2: Forces and Motion, Electricity, Radiation, Atoms and the Stars.
Unit 3: Medical Applications of Physics and Making Things Work.
Unit 4: Investigative Skills Assessment.
From September 2015 the students will be studying Edexcel iGCSE Physics 4PHO or Double Award Science 4SCO. Both specifications cover the topics given below, but the Physics students study them in more detail.
Paper 1 and 2: Forces and Motion, Electricity, Waves, Energy Resources and Energy Transfer, Solids, Liquids and Gases, Magnetism and Electromagnetism, Radioactivity and Particles.
A LEVEL CURRICULUM
Currently the students study AQA Physics 2450
Unit 1: Particles, Quantum Phenomena and Electricity.
Unit 2: Mechanics, Materials and Waves.
Unit 3: Investigative and Practical Skills in AS Physics.
Unit 4: Fields and Further Mechanics.
Unit 5: Nuclear and Thermal Physics with the Medical Physics Option.
Unit 6: Investigative and Practical Skills in A2 Physics.
From September 2015 the students will be studying the new AQA specification 7408 – the main difference is that investigative and practical skills will all be externally examined in an end of course examination.
DIGITAL LEARNING
The main use at KS3 is for research and to give students the opportunity to present their new knowledge in a variety of ways to encourage peer teaching. The videoing of practical experiments with explanations also aids learning. Demonstrations using data loggers give the students an insight into how technology can be used for the recording of results and graph plotting.
At KS4 the research continues and areas of particular interest are radioactivity and the origins of the Universe. Students gain the opportunity to use the data loggers for measuring temperature, potential difference and current.
At A level students extend the use of digital learning by recording revision lessons for peer teaching. They work individually with the data loggers and they use the videoing facility to slow down recordings, for example, to show the independence of horizontal and vertical motion for projectiles.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
A science club is presently offered to Year 7 to 9 students. We also encourage older students to lead these activities. In Year 9 twenty students are given the opportunity to spend a day at Cummins – a local engineering company. They are given a tour of the plant and an insight as to how engines are designed and manufactured on an assembly line. As a member of the Institute of Physics the department receives scientific journals and details of coming events.
WHERE DOES PHYSICS LEAD YOU?
Physics is highly regarded by Universities and so some students choose the subject at A level to ensure that they access the top Universities for courses such as Medicine, Veterinary Science or Accountancy. The majority of students opt for Physics because it is essential for their future University choices, for example, Physics, Physics with Philosophy, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering and Robotics. These qualifications lead onto a wide range of careers.
STAFF
Mrs Gloria Wilson – Head of Physics
Mrs Kirsty Mackenzie – Assistant Head
Mrs Ward – Teacher of Physics and Maths