Year 9
Throughout the lower school all students study a balance of the sciences. This is taught in the three subject areas of Biology Chemistry and Physics, but with a strong emphasis on the inter-relationships between these areas, and close collaboration of the departments involved.
In year 9 students will do KS3 and KS4 work in preparation for embarking upon the Edexcel IGCSE Science Dual Award (4437).
The main emphasis will be on stimulating an interest in and enjoyment of science and its everyday applications. The aim is to develop practical skills and concepts in science in order to provide a firm foundation for the later years of the courses.
Biology Content
The Nature and variety of living organisms, Cell structure, Biological molecules, Movement of substances into and out of cells, Nutrition, Respiration, Gas exchange and Transport
Chemistry Content
Separating mixtures, Elements and compounds, Chemical changes and States of matter.
Physics content
Basic electric circuits, Magnets and electromagnets, Waves, Sound, Light.
Years 10 and 11
SCIENCE
Throughout the lower school all students study a balance of the sciences. This is taught in the three subject areas of Biology Chemistry and Physics, but with a strong emphasis on the inter-relationships between these areas, and close collaboration of the departments involved.
All three departments are well equipped and employ the IT skills developed in the school.
In year 10 students will embark upon Edexcel IGCSE Science Dual Award (4437).
All students will be taught the Dual Award Higher Level syllabus during Year 10. In Year 11 as students progress through the course recommendations will be made as to the most suitable entry level to be taken. These will be either Foundation or Higher level Dual Award Science. The Dual Award course is viewed as suitable preparation for students to follow any of the sciences to A level.
The course is a suitable preparation for students to follow any of the sciences at A Level.
Year 10 Biology Content
Excretion, Coordination and response, The organism and its environment, Feeding relationships, Cycles within ecosystems, Human influences on the environment, Reproduction.
Year 10 Chemistry Content
Atomic structure, Structure and Bonding, the Periodic Table, Reactivity Series (Metals), Metal Extraction, Industrial Processes, Rates of Reaction.
Year 10 Physics Content
Radioactivity, the Electromagnetic Spectrum, Mains Electricity, Energy Transfer, Energy Resources and Electricity Generation, Electromagnetic Induction.
In year 11 students will continue Edexcel IGCSE Science Dual Award (4437).
The top set(s) will complete the Dual Award Higher Level syllabus and after the mocks will carry out additional work required for the IGCSE Separate Sciences (Biology 4325, Chemistry 4335, Physics 4420). Some students may at this stage revert to the Dual Award if progress in all three separate sciences has not been satisfactory. The middle set(s) will complete the Dual Award Higher Level syllabus. The bottom set(s) will complete the Dual Award Foundation Level syllabus
The course is a suitable preparation for students to follow any of the sciences at A-level.
Year 11 Biology Content
Inheritance, Food production, Selective Breeding, Genetic modification, Cloning
Year 11 Chemistry Content
Formulae and Equations, Organic Chemistry, Equilibria and Energetics, Acids and Bases, Analysis and Preparation.
Year 11 Physics Content
Position and Movement, Forces and Movement, Work, Energy and Power, Forces, Shape and Pressure, Ideal Gas Molecules, Particles, Light Revisited
Sixth Form
AS SCIENCE
One may be offered from Biology/Chemistry/Physics. These courses will cover the first three units of the standard A-level course. Please see A-level information for details.
Physics
PHYSICS [EDEXCEL]
Advanced Level Physics has undergone considerable reappraisal and redirection during this period of unprecedented curriculum reform. No longer is it solely the province of those aiming at a career in the physical sciences and engineering, with a few intending doctors and vets as reluctant fellow-travellers; increasingly it is being seen as a training in a particular mode of thinking with much wider vocational application. Answers to A-level questions are becoming more and more qualitative, with a need to express oneself succinctly becoming the vital skill. Those with good English skills will therefore find themselves at an advantage. More students are taking Physics with Arts A-levels, a combination finding a favourable response in university admissions tutors, particularly for Law, Psychology, etc. The mathematical demands of the syllabus have been reduced even more with the advent of the new syllabuses, making it possible to pursue it successfully without taking a post 16 Maths course. Additional classes in Mathematics are provided for those who require some help. Over 45% of students routinely achieve A or B at A2-level.
The syllabus content is divided into six modules which contain the national subject core for AS- and A2-level Physics. The AS syllabus consists of Modules 1, 2 and 3, and the A2-level syllabus comprises all six modules. A brief description of the modules is as follows:
- Module 1 Mechanics and radioactivity
- Module 2 Electricity and thermal physics
- Module 3 Topics and practical test
- Module 4 Waves and our universe
- Module 5 Fields and forces and practical test
- Module 6 Synthesis
There are four topic options in module 3, namely Medical Physics, Astrophysics, Particle Physics and Solid Materials. All of these have been offered in the past and the choice of option will depend upon teacher, students and option pools. In the past, individual students have studied options on their own, but it should be stressed that the student must be an able and committed candidate for this to be permitted. The A2-level examination consists of a module test on each of the six modules. Modules 5 and 6 are taken at the end of the course, but the others can be taken at any time during the course. At present there are three such opportunities to take modules: in June of Year 12 and in January and June of Year 13. It is the policy of the Physics Department to encourage students to prepare for and take module tests before the end of the course. There is no entry requirement as such, but students gaining less than BB at GCSE Science, B in GCSE Physics or a 1 at Standard Grade Physics will find the course difficult.
BIOLOGY [OCR]
The facilities and opportunities for Biology at Gordonstoun are excellent. Along with Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics it forms the ideal combination for careers in subjects such as medicine, veterinary sciences, biology, zoology, biochemistry, etc. It also forms a course of general Sixth Form interest with the essential information to make rational decisions concerning environmental issues and the ethics of modern biotechnology such as GM foods.
This OCR modular course involves the following modules:
In the first year: Biology Foundation, Human Health and Disease, Transport and Coursework/Practical Examination leading to an AS-level.
In the second year: Central Concepts, a choice from a range of different modules, a Synoptic paper and Coursework/Practical Examination leading to the A-level.
During the course there is ample opportunity to carry out practical work, project work and fieldwork using the local environment. This provides the opportunity to practise an important part of the students’ assessment in their coursework.
The laboratories are well-equipped with the usual laboratory equipment and an abundance of natural material on the doorstep. In addition each laboratory has a video-recorder, a video-microscope and is linked via the network to the IT Centre. Data loggers are also used in experimental work. A projector can also be linked to video or computer for presentations using CD ROMs and materials prepared by the department. All this allows interesting and original project work to be taken on.
CHEMISTRY [EDEXCEL]
The study of Chemistry at A-level allows a deeper insight into the behaviour of modern materials. The course followed is the Edexcel A-level course, which is modular.
There are six modules:
- Unit 1 Structure, bonding and main group chemistry
- Unit 2 Introductory organic chemistry; energetics; kinetics; equilibrium and applications
- Unit 3 Laboratory chemistry I
- Unit 4 Periodicity, quantitative equilibria and functional group chemistry
- Unit 5 Transition metals, quantitative kinetics and applied organic chemistry
- Unit 6 Laboratory chemistry II
There is opportunity to take some of the modules in the June of the first year and the remainder in the June of the final year. The laboratory chemistry will be assessed both as internal assessment and external examinations.
The department is well-equipped for practical work and has video and computing facilities that allow a variety of different approaches to learning to be taken.
The course provides a good grounding in both the theoretical and practical sides of chemistry and so provides a good foundation for a wide variety of university courses. It is a required course for medicine and very useful for scientific and engineering courses. A C grade or above in GCSE Chemistry or Dual Award Science, or equivalent Scottish Standard Grade, would normally be required to enter the course.