Science is vital to everyday life and allows us to understand and shape the world in which we live and influence its future. Scientists play a key role in meeting society’s needs in areas such as medicine, energy, industry, material development, the environment and sustainability. As the importance and application of science continues to grow and develop, it is important that everyone has an informed view of science. 

An experimental and investigative approach is used to develop knowledge and understanding of science key areas.

The Course provides opportunities for learners to recognise the impact science makes on developing sustainability, and its effects on the environment, on society and on the lives of themselves and others.

The Science Course should encourage resilience, which leads to becoming a confident individual. Successful learners in science think creatively, and analyse and solve problems. Science can produce responsible citizens through studying areas such as health, environment and sustainability.

The Course allows learners to understand and investigate the world in an engaging and enjoyable way. It develops learners’ ability to think analytically, creatively and independently, and to make reasoned evaluations. The Course provides opportunities for learners to acquire and apply knowledge, to evaluate environmental and scientific issues, to consider risk, and to make informed decisions. This can lead to learners developing an informed and ethical view of topical issues. 

Learners will develop skills in communication, collaborative working and leadership, and apply critical thinking in new and unfamiliar contexts to solve problems.

To achieve the National 4 Science Course, learners must pass all of the required Units, including the Added Value Unit. 

Units are usually assessed by an end of unit assessment (test). This can be answers to written questions or approached via a portfolio method or even demonstrating knowledge and skills via presentation.

There is no exam.

Development of skills for learning, life and work

It is expected that learners will develop broad, generic skills through this course in:

• • Numeracy (Number processes, information handling and money, time and measurement) 

  • Thinking Skills (Applying, analysing, evaluating and understanding) 

The following resources are very useful for this course:

• • www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/energy_electricity_forces/

  • BBC Knowledge and Learning National 4 Physics: www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/znb39j6