“THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT IS A LEADING DEPARTMENT. WORKING TOGETHER TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO LEARNING FOR ALL, IN A WAY THAT IS FUN, INTERACTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE TO THE INDIVIDUIAL”.

Aims and Objectives

• To stimulate and maintain an interest in Science and to make the learning of Science as enjoyable as possible.
• To encourage students to take active responsibility for their own learning and to become lifelong learners.
• To be fully realise the potential of each student through the delivery of broad and balanced science course.
• To encourage students to understand the relevance of science in their everyday lives.

The science faculty building contains eight modern science laboratories with two of them designated with an extra ten computers. Each laboratory contains a state of the art interactive whiteboard which teachers and students can use to raise standards in teaching and learning. The national curriculum requires that students should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capacity through the use of ICT tools to support their learning. In science pupils are given a variety of opportunities to enhance their learning with the use of computers, data logging and using the interactive whiteboards.

Science stimulates and excites candidates’ curiosity about phenomena and events in the world around them. It also satisfies this curiosity with knowledge. Because science links direct practical experience with ideas, it can engage learners at many levels. Scientific method is about developing and evaluating explanations through experimental evidence and modelling. This is a spur to critical and creative thought. At Hamilton through science, pupils understand how major scientific ideas contribute to technological change – impacting on industry, business and medicine and improving quality of life. Pupils recognise the cultural significance of science and trace its world-wide development. They learn to question and discuss science-based issues that may affect their own lives, the direction of society and the future of the world.

Grouping
Students are banded by ability in Years 7 and 8 and 9 and broadly set in year halves by ability in Years 10 and 11. We find this allows us to use our resources effectively and target work to stretch students' abilities. It also enables us to target support where it is needed most.

Lessons
We believe lessons should be student centred, with the emphasis on learning by doing, and with extension and enrichment of the curriculum. As a Technology College we are making increasing use of ICT, and in most lessons use of computers, the interactive whiteboard and the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is becoming routine. Currently students at KS3 are using Exploring Science text to support their learning and at KS4 AQA Core Science and Additional Science are being used. Pupils will obtain one or two GCSEs in science depending on which curriculum pathway they follow.

Homework and Assessment
Homework is set regularly. At KS3 students should get approximately three-quarters of an hour per week, with extra homework in the run up to their KS3 SAT exams. At KS4 students should get one to one-and-a-half hours per week, again with extra homework before exams. Students' progress is assessed every 4-6 weeks, so an accurate level can be applied to their work at any time.

At KS3 internal SATs based topic tests assessments take place to prepare students for their terminal SAT exam in May.

At KS4; Module tests (75%): each Year 10 module has a multiple choice test.

Investigative skills Assessment (ISAs) (25%): these consist of Science Investigations, associated with scientific enquiry.  It is internally assessed by the Science teacher.

Additional Science to be covered in Yr11, where pupils carryout 3 terminal written exams in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and an ISA.

Extra - Curricular Activities
We run revision and booster classes at KS3 and KS4. Informal study areas are provided at break and lunch times for students who wish to do extra work. CREST Awards are currently being undertaken. There is ‘Brightsparks’ science club for our feeder primary schools and there is lunchtime practical experiment club. There is additional education programme for our year 8 pupils held at the National Space Centre. We run a number of trips each year to venues like the Space Centre and Science Museum.

Head of Faculty is Mr M Fairclough. Second in Department is Mr D Petrie. Humanities is the study of people, their environment and their past.

Humanities looks at people over different times and places. It encompasses the subjects of Geography, History, RE and Citizenship.

Teaching staff take every opportunity to keep up to date and increase their understanding and resources for teaching. This includes teacher visits to Iceland and Sarawak in Malaysia, and also Auschwitz in Poland.

More about Humanities

The study of people, ideas and events of the past is called History. The study of physical and human environments in different parts of the world is called Geography. The study of other people's religions is called RE.

Humanities helps pupils to gain knowledge and understanding of the world they live in. It also helps them to make sense of important events happening around the world today.

What happens in Humanities in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9?

Students have 2 x 1 hour periods of Humanities each week in Year 7 and 8. They have 3 in Year 9. The lessons combine History, Geography and RE, and are taught through different topics in each year.

Within Year 7 students are taught:

History - The Roman Empire: Medieval Realms: Britain 1066 - 1485

Geography – My Passport to Geography and the Risky World

RE - Creation Stories: Islam: Family, Rights and Responsibilities

In Year 8 students study:

History - Making of the UK 1500 - 1750: Black Peoples of the Americas and the Industrial

Revolution.

Geography- Travelling the World and Feeding the World

RE - Christianity, Holy Books, Founders and Leaders.

Year 9 students study:

History - World War One: World War Two and the Holocaust.

Geography – Our Changing Population, Our Changing Climate.

RE - Festivals, Journey through Life, Life in the Community.

The lessons all take part in the Humanities Base. All the classrooms have an interactive whiteboard and have frequent access to the school's 9 ICT suites. Students learn by:

Talking.

Writing.

Listening.

Thinking.

Reading.

Watching.

Acting.

Drawing.

ICT.

Inductive Learning

Learning Styles to suit individuals - Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic

What about GCSE?

In Key Stage 4 there are a number of courses on offer to students for GCSE qualifications. All students can chose one Humanities option - from History, Geography or Citizenship.

Options are taught over 3 lessons per week in Year 10 and three in Year 11. This offers students the best possible access to the course and maximises their achievements. In future, we hope to offer further Humanities based GCSE courses.

How do we help your child?

Textbooks, ICT and resources - Pupils will use a wide range of new textbooks.

Learning and support - Extra help is given to pupils who are experiencing difficulties with their learning. More challenging work can be set for more able pupils. Able and Talented and SEN tasks are identified within all Schemes of Work.

Recording Achievement - The progress and achievement of your child is carefully monitored and assessed. The "instant success" board in the Humanities corridor is used for outstanding pieces of work

How can you help your child?

Homework - Take an interest in the work your child brings home and encourage them to complete it on-time.

Fieldwork - Give your support to any fieldwork or out of school learning activities.

Encourage your child to find out about the past and the world they live in at home – documentaries, films, and the Internet can enrich and broaden your child’s knowledge and help them gain the background knowledge to improve at Humanities.