Science
Through a love of Science, our students gain the skills, knowledge and curiosity to battle the challenges of today and solve the problems of tomorrow.
A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes. The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
- Develop an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
- Are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
Adapted from National Curriculum, DfE, 2014.
Science at Cottingham High School is about far more than learning facts — it’s about understanding the world and gaining the skills to shape the future. Our science curriculum encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving through engaging lessons, practical experiments, and real-world applications. Students are supported by passionate teachers who help them build confidence, resilience, and a strong foundation for further study and careers in science, technology, medicine, engineering, and beyond. By studying science at Cottingham High School, students learn to ask questions, think independently, and develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in an ever-changing world.
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| 7 |
Introduction to Science Cells and Organisation Particles, Substances and Mixtures Fundamentals of Physics |
Organ Systems Chemical Changes |
Sound and Light Materials Life Cycles |
| 8 (25/26 only) |
Forces 2 Organisms 2 Matter 2 Electromagnets 2 Physics ISA-Style Unit |
Ecosystems 2 Reactions 2 Energy 2 Biology ISA-Style Unit |
Earth 2 Genes 2 Waves 2 Chemistry ISA-Style Unit |
| 8 (26/27 onwards) |
Heating and Cooling Earth and the Atmosphere Forces and Motion Plants and their Processes |
Electricity 1 Interactions and Interdependence Forces and Work |
Acids and Alkalis Nutrition and Digestion Space 1 |
| 9 |
Transporting Substances Separating Mixtures Energy Resources CHS Science Communication Challenge |
B1 – Cells C1 – Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table P1 – Energy |
C2a – Structure and Bonding B2 – Organisation |
Key Stage 4 Curriculum
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| 10 |
B3 – Infection and Response C2b – Bonding and Properties C3 – Quantitative Chemistry P2 – Electricity |
B4 – Bioenergetics C4 – Chemical Changes C5 – Energy Changes P3 – Particles P4 – Atomic Structure and Radiation |
B5 – Homeostasis and Response C6 – Rates of Reaction P5a – Forces |
| 11 |
B6 – Inheritance, Variation and Evolution C7 – Organic Chemistry C8 – Chemical Analysis C9 – Earth's Atmosphere P5b – Motion |
B7 – Ecology C10 – Using Resources P6 – Waves P7 – Magnetism P8 – Space (Triple Only) |
Revision and Examinations |
*Topics may run simultaneously due to teacher splits
**Additional triple science content delivered as part of GCSE units.