Where possible our students will enjoy a practical approach to learning developing their skills of planning and conducting investigations, gathering information, team work and evaluation.
Curriculum
Key Stage 3
Our Key Stage 3 course is designed to develop young scientists and prepare students with the science knowledge needed to excel at key stage 4.
We use extended written tasks or project work to assess students on each topic as well as students sitting a test at the end of each term that assesses them on the science ideas covered up to that point.
Homework is set on a regular basis. This could be in the form of completing classwork, written assessment tasks or extension work.
Year 7
In Spring Term all Year 7 will complete a Right to Write (R2W) project based on Investigating Enzymes. This will be carried out in the style of a written assessment task.
Year 8
All of Year 8 will complete a Right to Write (R2W) project based on the Waste Debate. This will be carried out in the style of a written assessment task.
Year 9
Students focus on applying core scientific skills in the following topics:
- Using Microscopes
- Forces and Motion
- Atomic structure and the periodic table
- Enzymes and transport in organisms
- Energy conservation
- Ions, Acids and Alkalis
- Waves and Electromagnetic radiation
Key Stage 4
GCSEs
We offer a variety of courses at Key Stage 4.
Students study the Pearson Edexcel GCSE science courses for GCSE
Key Stage 5
A Levels
JRCS is part of the Southern Consortium. This means that, between the four schools, students have the option of studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics at AS and A level.
Enrichment
Science Club
Students delve into the fascinating world of practical science in science club after school each week.
Spectroscopy in a suitcase
Imperial College’s team will also be visiting this year to deliver a spectroscopy in a suitcase session to year 13 students to enrich their studies of spectroscopy at A2 level.
Trip to Cern
Our current year 12 students will be travelling to Geneva to visit the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in July 2019.
Visits to physics lectures
Trips to visit Cambridge and UCL for physics and science lectures will take place this year for A-level physics students.
Physics Olympics
Students in year 9 compete in teams against other local schools in the Physics Olympics. Teams take part in a number of practical physics challenges throughout the day including drone missions and engineering and construction activities. Teams accumulate points throughout the day in a race to win the Physics Olympics.
Physics at work
Students in year 10 and 11 visit the Physics at Work Exhibition at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge. Students engage in presentations from current researchers where they are able to ask questions and try practical activities. Students are also able to meet with representatives from many different industries, which show case the ways that physics is used in the wider world.
Marking Policy
At the core of our approach to marking at JRCS is task marking.
In non-practical subjects one substantial piece of work will be task marked at least once every eight hours of teaching. Students will respond to the tasks and they will be checked by staff. In between that time students’ work may be peer or self-assessed or briefly checked by staff.
It is likely the same piece of work will be assessed for literacy. Staff will mark work using the literacy marking code:
| Sp | spelling mistake |
| P | punctuation mark missing or incorrectly used |
| Voc | incorrect use of vocabulary |
| ^ | word missed out of sentence |
| ~ | unclear meaning or grammar within a sentence |
| // | new paragraph required |
| CL | capital letter error |
Levelling and Assessment
KS3
To develop a growth mindset and reflect ‘life after levels’ work in KS3 books will not usually be levelled; assessment will be formative and highlight how students can improve. Students will record areas of strength and development on their ‘reflection sheets’ which will be at the front or back of the book. At the end of each term a level is reported for students in each subject, which reflects all their work over that term. These are found on students’ pale yellow progress cards, which are stuck into their planners. These cards show students whether they are in line to meet their end of key stage target. With the move away from National Curriculum levels, the school is trialling a new ‘skills thermometer’ and 1 to 9 levelling in English. Other KS3 subjects will be using NC levels for the remainder of this year.
KS4
KS4 practice exam questions and mock exams are likely to be graded. This work might not be in student books. Students will record grades and areas of strength and development in their ‘reflection sheets’ which will be at the front or back of the book. All students receive an attainment and predicted grade at the end of each term. These are found on their pale yellow progress cards, which are stuck into their planners. These cards show students whether they are in line to meet their end of key stage target.
KS5
At KS5 students take a series of VIMAs (Sixth Form Milestone Assessments) during their course. Students receive developmental comments to help them improve their work. Each VIMA result includes four parts: the grade for that assessment, a comparison of the grade with their expected progress grade (EPG), a Learning Capability mark and a prediction of their end of year grade (PEG). The outcomes of these assessments and other graded work will be in student folders. They are also sent home to parents. A summary of VIMA marks and the students’ expected progress grade is also recorded in their planner.
Further Information
KS3
Pupils are assessed using a combination of extended written tasks and formal written tests. Levels achieved in these assessments are averaged to inform the levels reported each half term to parents.
The extended written tasks are completed for each topic and give pupils the opportunity to see clearly what is expected of them in their assessment piece of work. The work is marked against a clear and pupil-friendly set of criteria so pupils can see the areas that require improvement and further extension.
Formal written tests are sat at the end of each half term on the topic covered during that half term.
KS4
Pupils sit an hour long written test at the end of each topic. The grades achieved in these tests are averaged to inform the grades reported each half term to parents.