At KS4 students study the AQA Combined Trilogy specification, in preparation for GCSE examinations in year 11. Throughout the two years new topics are taught in conjunction with regular recaps of units taught in KS3 and previous GCSE years. This ensures the key foundations of Science are regularly revisited throughout their Science journey. 

Year 10

Biology Topics

Bioenergetics - Photosynthesis and respiration.

Homeostasis - Nerves and reflexes, hormones and glands, diabetes, the menstrual cycle, contraception and fertility treatments.

Chemistry Topics

Rate of Reactions - Factors that affect the rate of a chemical reaction, how to investigate the rate of a reaction, calculating rate, catalysts, equilibrium and Le Chatelier’s principle.

Chemical Changes - How metals react with acids, pH scale and neutralisation, forming salts and electrolysis.

Energy Change - Exothermic and endothermic reactions, energy profile diagrams and bond energies.

Quantitative Chemistry - Relative Atomic Mass, Relative Formula Mass, Mole, volume and concentration calculations. 

Physics Topics

Forces - Calculating weight and gravity, scalar and vector quantities, speed and distance-time graphs, velocity and velocity-time graphs, distance and displacement, Newton’s Laws of motion, stopping distance and breaking distance, momentum.

Electricity - Voltage, current and resistance, calculating power and the national grid.

Year 11

Biology Topics

Ecology - Maintaining biodiversity, sampling animals and plants, the carbon and water cycle, global warming and pollution.

Inheritance - Genetic inheritance, inherited disorders, evolution, genetic modification and classification.

Homeostasis - Nerves and reflexes, hormones and glands, diabetes, the menstrual cycle, contraception and fertility treatments.

Chemistry Topics

Chemical Changes - How metals react with acids, pH scale and neutralisation, forming salts and electrolysis.

Energy Change - Exothermic and endothermic reactions, energy profile diagrams and bond energies.

Quantitative Chemistry - Relative Atomic Mass, Relative Formula Mass, Mole, volume and concentration calculations. 

Physics Topics

Waves - Longitudinal and transverse waves, sound waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, reflection and refraction.

Magnetism - Poles on magnets and magnetic field lines, electromagnets, Flemmings Left Hand Rule and electric motors.

Forces - Calculating weight and gravity, scalar and vector quantities, speed and distance-time graphs, velocity and velocity-time graphs, distance and displacement, Newton’s Laws of motion, stopping distance and breaking distance, momentum.

Electricity - Voltage, current and resistance, calculating power and the national grid.