Science
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The teaching of science is designed to reflect its importance in our everyday lives; help pupils to understand the world around them and be enjoyable. We aim to both provide a firm academic foundation on which our Senior School can subsequently build and to kindle and encourage in our pupils a real appreciation for science in all its diverse and fascinating forms.
Although the National Attainment targets have been amalgamated into the teaching syllabus of the Prep School, our curriculum is a broader and more widely based discipline than the statutory regulations.
Practical work is central to the way we teach science. It covers basic and observational skills, illustrative experiments, demonstrations and investigations. We use a wide range of reference materials. Presentational skills and the use of computers are encouraged, especially in Years 5 and 6.
The following topics are covered:
| Year | Physics & Chemistry | Biology |
| 3 | Materials and their properties Light and Shadows Changing Sounds | Trees Birds Helping Plants to grow well Teeth and Eating |
| 4 | Water Reversible and Irreversible change Keeping warm The Earth's place in the universe (Project) | Human biology 1 Rainforest as a habitat |
| 5 | Investigating substances and materials Forces | Plant biology Human biology 2 Ecology |
| 6 | Extension work based on topics covered in earlier years Electricity Acids and bases | Human Biology 3 Animal adaptations Human life cycle |
Homework includes: researching scientific topics and famous scientists; writing up experiments and carrying out simple experiments at home.
Schoolwork is essentially practical, but requires recording of experiments and theoretical ideas. It includes: 'tests' which are sometimes practical investigations and sometimes written tests.
Written examinations take place at the end of each year. In Year 6 we administer the Government's Standard Attainment Target (SAT) tests for pupils aged 11.