Science | Three Ways School

At Three Ways we wish to embrace and promote the curiosity of our young people, with science providing an interesting, exciting and engaging way of developing understanding of our surroundings.

Through sensory exploration, observation and the experimental testing of ideas we provide our young people with opportunities to explore the world around them in an accessible way.

Science is taught primarily by class teachers who deliver the subject both directly as specific science lessons and alsodiscretely incorporated within other subjects and relevant topics. As many of our young people reach our secondary department and begin working towards formal science accreditations, the teaching is often taken on by our specialist science teacher. Our subject specialist supports all teachers in planning to ensure the teaching of science is valuable and accessible.

At Three Ways we are fortunate to have a dedicated science laboratory which is equipped with a variety of specialised equipment. This enables the young people to practically explore the subject in greater depth and further indulge their scientific curiosity. By being able to offer a greater range of both practical investigations and demonstrations the young people can learn independently through experimentation and discovery. In addition to developing our scientific understanding within the classroom we utilise our sensory garden and conservation pond wherever possible to support learning.

Through Key stages 1 to 3 our science curriculum is based on the National Curriculum with each element carefully matched to topics and adapted for our semi-formal learners. This provides teachers with both the guidance and flexibility they require to deliver a robust science curriculum, while ensuring it is adequately differentiated and appropriate for the young people in their classes.

In Key Stage 4 students work towards formal accreditation in the subject. The curriculum itself is based around the WJEC Entry Level Award (ELC) which is delivered as six separate components over two years. Students completing the ELC will then either achieve an Entry Level Award or Certificate. Others will complete AQA Unit Award Scheme units. These are selected to match each of the six ELC components and can be offered at various levels providing teachers ability to differentiate and students with opportunities to achieve their potential in the subject.