Physics
Curriculum Overview
Intent: why do we teach what we teach?
All students at TES study physics from Year 7 to Year 11; around a 5% of students choose to continue their physics studies to Year 13.
In Year 7, 8 and 9 physics is taught as part of a combined science course. In year 10 students are grouped to either study AQA GCSE combined science (two GCSE qualifications) or AQA GCSE biology, chemistry & physics (three GCSE qualifications). At A-level students study for the AQA Physics qualification, with the vast majority studying the Turning Points option.
Each year is broken down into three or four overarching topics. Within these, the essential disciplinary knowledge that enables students to collect, process, understand and evaluate scientific evidence as well as to understand how our understanding of the universe was established is developed alongside their substantive knowledge about forces, energy, waves and more. At GCSE and A-level, the content is closely based upon the AQA specification, but the content has been restructured to enable a logical progression through the curriculum whilst also re-visiting and reinforcing the underlying concepts regularly.
The Physics curriculum is ambitious and appropriate for all learners. All teaching staff in the physics department are degree-qualified and possess the necessary skills to adapt lesson content to the needs of all students. Staff are able to integrate the applications of physics within the lesson: within the department staff have used physics professionally within the engineering and design applications. A considerable amount of time each year is devoted to the continual development of the programmes of study. Staff are actively involved in developing the teaching of physics within the region through being an institute of physics coach, delivering teacher subject specialism training and through our involvement in the Wessex Schools PGCE programme.
Implementation: how do we teach what we teach?
The seven years of study are based around a spiral curriculum: a student will meet each fundamental concept multiple times throughout their school career, with each encounter increasing in complexity and reinforcing their previous learning. Students are summatively assessed at the end of each topic with formative assessment happening continuously through the programme of study.
Students at TES study the following topics in their physics lessons (2021-2022): Items that are not studied by students undertaking combined science are marked.
YEAR 7
FORCES
SPACE
LIGHT
SOUND
YEAR 8
ENERGY
MOTION AND PRESSURE
ELECTRICITY
YEAR 9
ENERGY AND RESOURCES
ELECTRIC CIRCUITS
YEAR 10
ALTERNATING CURRENT AND POWER
FORCES AND VECTORS
MOTION
YEAR 11
ATOMIC STRUCTURE
WAVES
MAGNETISM & ELECTROMAGNETISM
SPACE
Impact: how do we know what pupils have learnt and how well they have learnt it?
By the end of Key Stage 3, All students will have a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts that they have covered; be able to plan, safely carry out, document and analyze a physics experiment and explain what the experiment has found. They will be able to use an equation triangle to carry out physics calculations using three variables.
By the end of Key Stage 4, will have secure understanding of the material in the relevant GCSE specification and will be able to appropriately carry out relatively complex physics experiments, paying due regard to risks and errors. Many students will be well prepared to start an A-level physics course.
By the end of Key Stage 5, will have secure understanding of the material in the A-level specification and will be able to appropriately carry out complex and potentially hazardous physics experiments, paying due regard to risks and errors. Students will be well prepared, both in terms of their theoretical knowledge and their practical skills, to start an undergraduate physics or engineering course.
