Physics

What your daughter may do in lessons:

At GCSE and A-Level, practical activities are used where ever possible show Physics in action. Pupils are expected to work together to solve problems and make sense of the observations they make. There is a greater emphasis on the use of Maths to model and determine physical relationships.

Year 7

The pupils will receive one lesson of Physics each week. During the year they will study two topics. They are (i) Forces and Space and (ii) Electricity and Magnetism.

End of unit tests provide an opportunity for teachers to give feedback and for pupils to reflect on their learning.

Year 8

The pupils will receive one lesson of Physics each week. During the year they will study two topics. They are (i) Light and Sound and (ii) Energy. They will also do a short project at the end of Year 8.

End of unit tests provide an opportunity for teachers to give feedback and for pupils to reflect on their learning.

Year 9,

Pupils in year 9 will revisit key ideas in Energy and Particles, which they learned in year 7 and 8 respectively, and build complexity into their existing knowledge. They are also given more complex practical opportunities to develop their practical and How Science Works skills and vocabulary.  

In Year 9 pupils have 4 lessons of Physics per fortnight.

Years 10 and 11

All girls take Physics at GCSE following the AQA 8463 specification.  They are is assessed via two written papers both taken at the end of Year 11. Each paper is of 1 hour 45 minutes duration.

Practical skills are taught throughout the course and the pupils undertake ten required practical investigations. These are assessed in the written papers at the end of Year 11.

In Years 10 and 11 pupils have 5 lessons of Physics per fortnight.

End of topic tests and homelearning tasks provide teachers with an opportunity to provide feedback to the pupils and for pupils to reflect on their learning.

Pupils are given constant retrieval opportunities to ensure knowledge from long term memory is recalled often. Pupils are given exam practice in lessons, as well as in the form of Common Assessed Homelearning, which will be set in the middle of the topic they are studying. Teacher will provide the pupils will specific feedback that matches the examiner’s expectation of a “good” answer to any exam question. 

Pupils also revisit key learning from year 9, using retrieval practice that are planned throughout year 10 and 11, with specific focus on exam questions in the topics of Energy and Particle Model. 

Post 16 (A Level)

We follow the AQA A Level Physics specification 7408 which consists of 3 written papers at the end of Year 13. Students complete 12 required practical investigations, for which they have to meet 5 competencies and the skills gained are assessed in their written papers.

Each group in Year 12 and 13 is taught by two teachers. Throughout the course the girls are assessed by both of their teachers. Tests are regularly set, marked and feedback provided. Practical skills are observed and outcomes monitored.