OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
KEYSTAGE INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT
3
BIOLOGY
The aim of the KS3 curriculum is for students to Typical curriculum allocation: 3hrs per week. Prescriptive, week by week, schemes of
master the key skills and apply their knowledge to learning, ensure for consistency for all
challenging and unfamiliar contexts. In KS3, the curriculum is broken down into topics students. Our shared lesson resources,
from each of the three specialisms; Biology, which have been designed and produced
We have planned and implemented a rigorous Chemistry and Physics. by the subject specialists in the
curriculum, which builds on the prior learning and department, link to the Biology, Chemistry
skills acquired at KS2. All three specialisms are taught across KS3, a topic at and Physics GCSE specifications.
a time. Students focus on one specific topic from
The content studied and skills acquired during Year one of the specialisms before moving on to the next. Joint planning, marking and moderation
7, are revisited and extended on in Year 8. This enables students to link the learning from one supports the newer, less experienced
We have the same high ambitions for all or our specialism to another and build up a solid members of the department, to ensure
learners, including those with SEND or EAL. understanding of how the three interweave. good quality teaching and learning for all
Students are taught predominantly in their tutor classes, no matter the teacher’s level of
groups (mixed ability) in Year 7, and are not ability We use the Activate schemes of learning and lesson experience.
set until Year 8. plans in KS3, which have been designed to link to the
AQA GCSE 1-9 specifications, and provides a solid Practical activities help to instil in our
The KS3 Curriculum provides a solid foundation for foundation for the KS4 curriculum. students a passion for Science that is built
the rigour of the content at GCSE. Due to all on in KS4.
students studying the three separate Sciences at The detailed lesson plans and supporting resources
GCSE, the KS3 curriculum is delivered across two provide support for non-specialists, RQTs, NQTs and Students have a good understanding of the
years and GCSE courses commence in Year 9. This ITTs. foundations of Biology, Chemistry and
maximises the opportunity to revisit the foundation Physics, to be revisited, built and extended
topics of each specialism, and for students to make Our sequence of topics and lessons is followed by all on at GCSE.
greater connections between content across the to ensure all students are delivered same coherent
topics. curriculum, with content delivered in the same Students cover the full content of the
order, as selected and planned by the subject leads. National Curriculum for Science at KS3.
The OPA KS3 Science curriculum focuses around They also begin to develop their
practical learning opportunities. It is broad and After each topic, students complete an assessment, mathematical and working scientifically
provides our students access to the full National which assesses the students’ understanding of 50:50 skills.
Curriculum for Science. We also incorporate many of previous learning: current topic.
opportunities for cross-curricular learning, links to Students have a good understanding of
CEIAG and supports the Core British Values. how Science applies to their everyday lives.
OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
KEYSTAGE3 INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT
Biology
AIM OF KS3 The Year 7 Biology Curriculum is designed to
CURRICULUM review and extend the students’ knowledge
from primary school (KS2).
Term 3
In Year 7, students’ understanding of working • Levels of organisation
• Skeleton
scientifically and lab safety, are likely to vary due • Movement of joints
to variation in Science provision between • Movement of Muscles
primary schools and therefore initial lessons are
• Observing Cells
spent reinforcing expectations for safety in the • Plant and Animal Cells
laboratory and planning investigations. • Movement of substances
• Unicellular Organisms
The curriculum has been designed to engage • Food chains and Webs
learners through practicals and demonstrations, • Disruption to food chains and webs
YEAR 7 and help them develop their skills for Working • Ecosystems
• Competition
Scientifically, while acquiring new knowledge
across four distinct topics. • Flowers and Pollination
• Fertilisation and germination
• Seed Dispersal
Lessons are designed to support all learners, • Variation
providing support and challenge. • Continuous and Discontinuous
• Adapting to change
The structure of the lessons provides • Adolescence
opportunity to assess prior learning and current • Reproductive systems
level of understanding (from KS2) and then build • Fertilisation and implantation
• Development of a foetus
on this. The practical element of the topics,
• Menstrual Cycle.
enables students to gain the skills for working
scientifically, as well as question what they know
or think they know about the world around
them.
OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
The Year 8 Curriculum builds on the knowledge
and skills gained in Year 7. It covers the
remainder of the KS3 Science National Term 2
Curriculum. • Gas exchange
• Breathing
• Drugs
Students continue to develop their skills and • Alcohol
acquire new knowledge, in addition to revisiting • Smoking
and building on the content covered in Year 7. • Nutrients
• Food Tests
Topics still focus around practical teaching and • Unhealthy diet
• Digestive system
learning, with further emphasis on Working • Bacteria and enzymes in digestion
YEAR 8 Scientifically. • Aerobic Respiration
• Anaerobic respiration
Content taught in Year 7, is now pursued in a • Biotechnology
greater detail, introducing more scientific • Photosynthesis
terminology. • Leaves
Lessons are designed to support all learners,
providing support and challenge. Term 3
• Investigating photosynthesis
The structure of the lessons provides • Plant minerals
opportunity to assess prior learning and current • Natural Selection
• Charles Darwin
level of understanding (from KS2 and Year 7) and • Extinction
then build on this. The practical element of the • DNA
topics, enables students to gain the skills for • Genetics
working scientifically, as well as question what • Genetic modification
they know or think they know about the world
around them.
OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
KEYSTAGE 4 INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT
BIOLOGY
The aim of the curriculum delivered during KS4 is to Throughout the GCSE course, schemes of learning 3 YEAR IMPACT:
build up on the understanding, and refine the skills, and full lesson plans are available to provide support Students are fully prepared for the formal GCSE
that were developed in KS3. to all staff within the department. They can be easily assessments.
utilised for cover lessons when required.
All students follow the Separate Science Pathway at Regular exam assessments are also completed to
GCSE. This exposes students to the full breath of KS4 All schemes of learning and lesson plans are encourage students to frequently review the
National Curriculum for Biology. planned, developed and reviewed by the subject content taught. At the end of each topic, an end of
leads to ensure all students are delivered the topic assessment takes place which comprises of
Our curriculum interweaves the subject specific content in the same coherent sequence across the 50% prior learning: 50% most recent content
content with the Working Scientifically aspects of three years of delivery. taught. This allows teachers to assess students’
the National Curriculum. understanding of key concepts in a range of
Shared lesson resources, which have been designed questions and applying to a variety of contexts. This
Each topic is taught so that the key skills are and produced by the subject specialists in the emphasises the need to continually revisit prior
mastered. The Working Scientifically skills department, link to the AQA Biology, Chemistry and learning, enhancing long term memory stores.
developed during KS3 are now utilised in planning, Physics GCSE specifications. This continues to
completing and evaluating the Required Practicals. provide consistency, and ensure quality is delivered Students become familiar with the different types
across all classes and year groups. of questions featuring in the GCSE exams for AQA.
Lessons are designed so that they address the They also gain an understanding of how exams are
objectives as outlined by the AQA specification. We have a joint lesson planning, marking and marked and the emphasis to use scientific
moderation system to support less experienced terminology.
The curriculum draws on real world contexts, members of the department with differentiation and
modelling and analogies where possible, so that assessment, and tailoring the lesson plans to their LONG TERM IMPACT:
students find concepts more relevant and individual classes. Students leave the academy equipped with the
interesting. scientific knowledge base and skills to keep them
Pupils begin to read more widely and independently, well informed within an increasingly science-based
Our WISE events have provided opportunities for so as to widen their scientific vocabulary and are society. Students have acquired and developed the
our female students to meet positive female STEM gradually introduced to the range of exercises similar knowledge to appreciate the relevance of science in
role models. Hosting these events has also allowed to those that they will face in the eventual their everyday lives. They have developed a range
us to develop positive relationships with parents examinations. Students extend their knowledge of of planning, problem solving and evaluating skills
and carers, as well as raising the aspirations of our working scientifically to planning, analysing data, that can be applied to different everyday contexts.
female students. and evaluating Required Practicals.
Students are well prepared for studying science
further at KS5, and those choosing to study A levels
have solid foundations to build on.
OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
The aim of Year 9 Curriculum is to build on the
key constructs of the KS3 Curriculum.
Term 1
The content taught early on is revisited again Students complete Year 9 having a good
• The world of the microscope
throughout KS4, creating opportunities for • Animal and plant cells understanding of the foundation topics for
students to make connections within and • Eukaryotic and prokaryotic Biology, Chemistry and Physics, to continue to
across their learning. • Specialisation in animal cells build on in Years 10 and 11.
• Specialisation in plant cells
There is also an increased focus on the skills • Diffusion They have learned how to apply their working
• Osmosis
required to be successful at GCSE (for example scientifically skills to planning, analysing and
• Osmosis in plants
planning valid investigations, collecting, • Active transplant evaluation of required practicals.
analysing and evaluating data). • Exchanging materials
• Cell division
In Year 9, students commence the GCSE • Growth and differentiation
separate science courses. As the students still • Stem cells
• Stem cell dilemmas
receive three lessons for science a week,
Year 9 topics for the three specialisms are taught one
at a time, rather than alongside each other. Term 3
• Tissues and organs
Careful consideration has been made around • The human digestive system
• The chemistry of food
which foundation topics are the most suitable • Catalysts and enzymes
for the students to study in their first year • Factors affecting enzyme action
taking into account; the skills required, prior • How the digestive system works?
knowledge from KS3 and the length of each of • Making digestion efficient
the topics. For this reason, there is a greater
emphasis on Physics and Biology in Year 9,
with only two of the Chemistry topics taught.
OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
In Years 10 and 11, students receive six Term 1
lessons per week for science. This is delivered • The blood &t & the blood vessels
• The heart
as two lessons per week for each specialism,
• Helping the heart
enabling topics for Biology, Chemistry and • Breathing and gas exchange
Physics to be taught distinctly alongside each • Tissues and organs in plants Students have been taught all of the paper 1
other. • Transport systems in plants content by the end of Year 10.
• Evaporation and transpiration
This allows each specialism to be taught by a • Health and disease They have been taught by three specialist
• Pathogens and diseases
specialist teacher for that subject, who is able • Growing bacteria in the lab
teachers and have been able to draw on their
to talk more around the subject and provide • Preventing bacterial growth knowledge and understanding from learning in
more enthusiasm and engagement. • Preventing infections KS3 and Year 9.
• Viral disease s & & Bacterial diseases
The structure of topics and lessons facilitates • Diseases caused by Fungi and Protists
revisiting previous content, building on and • Human defence responses Students can use their working scientifically
• More about plant diseases
Year 10 extending the learning from KS3 and the GCSE • Plant defence responses
skills to confidently plan valid required
topics taught in Year 9. Term 2 practicals in different contexts, collect, analyse
• Vaccination and evaluate the data.
Time is allowed for students to develop as • Antibiotics and painkillers
independent learners, to refine and improve • Discovering drugs & Developing drugs Students have been reassessed on prior
• Making monoclonal antibodies
their learning. Longer tasks are incorporated learning from Years 9 & 10, and have increased
• Uses monoclonal antibodies
into lessons to help build resilience to work • Non communicable diseases their long-term memory stores.
for longer periods, building towards the 1hr 45 • Cancer
exams. • Smoking and the risk of disease
• Alcohol and other carcinogens Students have greater resilience for completing
Learning tasks utilise modelling, analogies, • Photosynthesis longer tasks and attempting 6 mark exam
• The rate of photosynthesis
practical work and theory for all abilities, and questions.
• How plants use glucose
students continue to apply their working • Making the most of photosynthesis
scientifically skills. • Aerobic respiration
Tests continue to assess the understanding of Term 3
• Anaerobic respiration
50% prior knowledge and 50% newly acquired
• Metabolism and the liver
learning. There is greater focus on exam • Principles of homeostasis
technique, and more time is spent going • The structure and function of the nervous
through assessments with students. system
• Reflex actions
• Brain
• The Eye & Common problems with the eye
OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
The Curriculum for Biology in Year 11 has been
designed to allow the students to have Term 1
• Principle of hormonal control
sufficient time to revise. • The control of blood glucose levels
• Treating diabetes Students have been taught all of the paper 1
Students still receive six lessons each week for • The role negative feedback and paper 2 content before the end of Term 2.
science, and therefore are taught two lessons • Human reproduction
per week in each specialism. Topics for the • Hormones and the menstrual cycle They have been taught by three specialist
• The artificial control of fertility
three specialisms are taught alongside each teachers and have been able to draw on their
• Infertility treatment
other. Students have a subject specialist • Plant hormones and responses
knowledge and understanding from learning in
teacher for Biology, Chemistry and Physics. • Using plant hormones KS3, Year 9 and Year 10.
• Controlling body temperature
Tests continue to assess the understanding of • Removing waste products
50% prior knowledge and 50% newly acquired • The human kidney and Dialysis Students can use their working scientifically
• Kidney Transplants
learning and more time is spent going through skills to confidently plan valid required
• Types of reproduction
assessments with students. • Cell division
practicals in different contexts, collect, analyse
and evaluate the data. Students are able to
Year 11 Students are more confident in their pace and critique methods and data analysis by others,
exam technique. Term 2 and can recommend improvements.
• Inherited disorders
Teachers use this time to personalise lessons • Screening for genetic disorders Students have been reassessed on their prior
ensuring students have mastered all skills • Variation learning across KS4, and have increased their
required for the GCSE examinations. • Evolution by natural selection long-term memory stores.
• Selective breeding
• Genetic engineering Students have greater resilience for completing
• Cloning
longer tasks and attempting 6 mark exam
• Adult cell cloning
• History of genetics questions.
• Theories of evolution
• Evolution and speciation Students are well prepared for continuing with
• Fossils and extinction Biology at KS5, should they choose to.
• Antibiotic resistant bacteria
• Classification
Students leave school equipped with the
• Importance of community
• Organisms in their environment scientific knowledge base and skills to support
• Distribution and abundance them in an increasingly science-based society.
• Competition in animals and plants
• Adapt and survive
• Adaptation in animals and plants
• Feeding relationships
OPA Biology 11-16 Curriculum Plan
• Materials cycling
• Carbon cycle
• Rates of decomposition
• The human population explosion
• Land, water and air pollution
• Deforestation and peat destruction
• Global warming
• Maintaining biodiversity
• Trophic levels and biomass
Term 3
• Revision of Paper 1 topics
• Revision of Paper 2 topics
