Key Stage 3

Year 7 Units of Study:

Bridging topic

Working Scientifically and Health and Safety. Students will look at key rules and safety measures when working in the Science Lab as well as key equipment and techniques in Science

Biology

• Life – variation, adaptations and the environment
• What are we made of – plant and animal cell structure, tissues and organs
• You Are What You Eat – Digestive system, food tests and enzymes
• Why Do We Breathe – The respiratory system, circulatory system and transplants

Chemistry

• Particles – particle model, states of matter, diffusion pressure.
• Elements, Atoms, and Compounds- periodic table basics
• Mixtures and Separation- vaporation, filtration and distillation

Physics

• Energy – energy stores, energy conservation, efficiency, fossil fuels
• Forces- different forces, friction, pressure and balancing forces
• Motion – speed and distance time graphs

Year 8 Units of Study:

Biology

• Respiration and Gas Exchange – aerobic and anaerobic respiration, lung structure and transport of gases
• Movement and Health – muscular and skeletal system, health, effects of smoking and alcohol on the body
• Reproduction- reproductive organs, pregnancy, birth and puberty
• All About Plants – plant reproduction, plant organs and photosynthesis

Chemistry

• Chemical Reactions I – atoms and elements, physical and chemical changes
• Acids and Alkalis- PH scale, indicators, uses, metal and acid reactions and hazards
• The Periodic Table – physical and chemical trends

Physics

• Density and Matter – states of matter, density, changing states of matter
• Waves – Sound and light, reflection, refraction, cameras and colour
• Pressure – gas and liquid pressure and calculating pressure

Year 9 Units of Study:

Biology

• Ecology – food webs, adaptations, competition, and environmental sampling techniques
• Our World – impacts of humans on the environment and global warming

Students will then undertake the Cell Biology topic and  explore more about cells and how they replicate, they then look at the medical possibilities of stem cells.

Chemistry

• Chemical Reactions II – reactivity series, extraction of metals, exothermic and endothermic reactions
• Earth and The Atmosphere – Structure of the Atmosphere, Greenhouse Gases, Impact of pollutants on the environment and rocks

Students will then undertake Atomic Structure where they revisit the atomic model and add in an understanding of sub-atomic particles as well as build upon these concepts to look at how ideas about the atom have changed over time.

Physics

• Electricity- series and parallel circuits, circuit components, current
• Space – the solar system, seasons, magnetism and gravity

Students will the undertake Energy Crisis where energy resources are explored in the context of unsustainable bad habits and the need to revolutionise our provision for energy globally and also take action as individuals. They will review energy stores and transfers

Key Stage 4

At RSA we follow the AQA Trilogy combined science course and the AQA Separate science. All students start the first GCSE module at the end of year 9 and then continue with the course outlined below in years 10 and 11.

Year 10 Units of Study:

Biology

• Cells
• Organisation
• Infection and response
• Plants
• Humans and the environment

Chemistry

• Atoms and the periodic table
• Bonding
• Quantitative chemistry 1
• Chemical change
• Energy changes
• Rates of reaction

Physics

• Energy crisis
• Matter and density
• Radioactivity
• Energy
• Electricity
• Forces

Year 11 Units of Study:

Biology

• Homeostasis
• Genetics and inheritance
• Evolution

Chemistry

• Organic chemistry
• Chemical analysis
• Atmosphere
• Using resources

Physics

• Motion
• Waves
• Electromagnetism
• Space (separate science only)

KS5 Curriculum Details for RSA Website (updated end of summer term 2026)

Key Stage 5

At A-level we study the OCR Biology Syllabus A

Year 12 Modules:

Module1: Development of practical skills in biology

Module 2: Foundations in biology

• Cell structure
• Biological molecules
• Nucleotides and nucleic acid
• Enzymes
• Biological membranes
• Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation

Module 3: Exchange and transport

• Exchange surfaces
• Transport in animals
• Transport in plants

Module 4: Biodiversity, evolution and disease

• Communicable diseases, disease prevention and the immune system
• Biodiversity
• Classification and evolution

Year 13 Units of Study:

Module 5: Communication, homeostasis and energy

• Communication and homeostasis
• Excretion as an example of homeostatic control
• Neuronal communication
• Hormonal communication
• Plant and animal responses
• Photosynthesis
• Respiration

Module 6: Genetics, evolution and ecosystems

• Cellular control
• Patterns of inheritance
• Manipulating genomes
• Cloning and biotechnology
• Ecosystems
• Populations and sustainability.