Remove and 5th Form CurriculumSeparate Sciences are available to those pupils who would benefit from studying extra, more advanced topics in Science. Pupils opting for Separate Science will take all three Sciences.
This option will be beneficial to those who already know that they wish to specialise in Science subjects at A Level. It is especially relevant to those already considering courses in Medicine, Engineering, Pure Science and allied subjects, either at Oxbridge or at other universities.
Separate Science may be considered as an option by students who have a real interest in the Sciences and are competent in them. It is not necessary to take Separate Sciences in order to take Science subjects at A Level. A high grade in Science and Additional Science is a perfectly acceptable qualification.
Separate Science Biology covers the same work as the Science and Additional Science during the Remove and Fifth Form, but with extra periods during the week allows us to cover the work in more detail in the Separate Science course. The topics covered in the Remove and Fifth Form are Environment, Genes, Electrical and Chemical Signals, Use, Misuse and Abuse, Living Cells, Energy Flow and Interdependence. There is also internal assessment for Separate Science which is the same as for Science and Additional Science.
In Separate Science Biology pupils must complete two extra topics, Biotechnology and Behaviour in Human and Other Animals, which are examined in a separate paper. These extra components give the students the opportunity to study the contribution of Biotechnology in the production of food and drink, but also the development of new medicines as well looking at the behaviour of humans and animals. It also explores a number of ethical issues that surrounds both these topics and is highly relevant to modern society.
Separate Science Chemistry covers the same work as the Science and Additional Science during the Remove and Fifth Form, but with extra periods during the week allows us to cover the work in more detail in the Separate Science course. The topics covered in the Remove and Fifth Form are Patterns in Properties, Making Changes, There’s One Earth, Designer Products, Synthesis, Elements, Chemical Structures and Rates of Reaction. There is also internal assessment for Separate Science which is the same as for Science and Additional Science.
In Separate Science Chemistry pupils must also complete two extra topics, Chemical Detection and Chemistry Working for Us, which are examined in a separate paper. These extra components give the students the opportunity to investigate applications of qualitative and quantitative analysis in fields such as Forensic Science, Quality Control and Research as well as appreciating the importance of how chemical substances play a part in our everyday lives to enhance our standard of living and quality of life.
Separate Science Physics covers the same work as the Science and Additional Science during the Remove and Fifth Form, but with extra periods during the week allows us to cover the work in more detail in the Separate Science course. The topics covered in the Remove and Fifth Form are Electricity, Charges, Waves, Space and its Mysteries, Motion, Roller Coasters, Radiation and the Power of the Atom. There is also internal assessment for Separate Science which is the same as for Science and Additional Science.
In Separate Science Physics pupils must also complete two extra topics, Particles in Action and Medical Physics, which are examined in a separate paper. These extra components give the students the opportunity to look at particle models and show that they change over time and there are still some unanswered questions such as ‘is a quark made from smaller particles?’ as well as looking at the development of technologies in Medicine such as Positron Emission Topography and the use of Electrocardiograms (ECG).
The Core Science and Additional Science courses are perfectly adequate preparation for A Level Science courses, but because of the extra lessons each week the Separate Science course will provide an even better foundation.
All three Sciences are versatile and valuable qualifications with a wide range of possible higher education and career links. Any pupils interested in discussing the range of possible scientific careers should consult their own teacher or the Heads of the individual departments.
