Harrogate High School
Outline of the Science Department
The Building
The department is housed in its own block and is spread over two floors. It was subject to a very major
refurbishment five years ago, bringing all our facilities up to date. There are nine laboratories, with six in
daily use. Each one has an Internet-enabled computer, data projector and large SmartBoard. Each one
also has its own stock of basic apparatus for easy access during practicals. There is a large prep room on
each floor, connected via a small service lift so that chemicals and equipment are easily transported. A
passenger lift is available in the department for use by disabled students. There is an ICT suite on the
first floor and a staff work room. Each teacher has their own laboratory. The department is very well
resourced with equipment, text books and other resources, most of which are new or nearly new.
Staffing structure
There are six science teachers (two of them part-time), and two technicians (one full-time and the other
part-time). The staff are cheerful, supportive, hard-working, and co-operate closely with each other. The
Head of Science is supported in leading the department by three teachers with Teaching and Learning
Responsibilities (TLRs):
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Second in Science with responsibility for co-ordinating KS3 science and KS4 intervention.
Third in Science with responsibility for co-ordinating the BTEC Level 2 science course.
Third in Science with responsibility for co-ordinating the BTEC Level 3 science course.
The Head of Science is responsible for co-ordinating the Edexcel IGCSE Certificate courses with the help
of the Second in Science. Immediate responsibility for co-ordinating A Levels in Biology, Chemistry or
Physics rests with the teams who teach those courses.
Courses offered
The department is in the final stages of wide-ranging improvements to its curriculum, allowing us to
offer our students the best opportunities for success. There are five periods in the school day, and each
period is one hour long. Our courses, and teacher preparation and planning, are supported by use of a
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The department makes good use of the VLE to enhance teaching
and learning, and to reduce unnecessary duplication of effort in our preparation and planning.
Key Stage 3
Harrogate High School runs an extended KS4 course, so the KS3 courses run in Years 7 and 8. Each set is
taught by teams of two teachers for three periods per week. The KS3 Science course is structured
around the basic requirements of the IGCSE Certificate course in conjunction with the KS3 statutory
curriculum. Each student has their own text book for use in lessons. Each teacher has an interactive
version of the book to use with the SmartBoard. The Department has licences to use TestBase and
BoardWorks.
Key Stage 4
The provision at Key Stage 4 changed in July 2012. Three groups in Year 11 are continuing their BTEC
Level 2 course in Applied Science (final certification for this course is Summer 2013) but everyone else is
studying Edexcel’s Certificate (IGCSE) courses. This gives them the opportunity to gain two GCSEs
through Double Science, or three GCSEs through Triple Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics). The
Department has offered Triple Science for over a decade and has contributed to revision materials coordinated by North Yorkshire and York.
Each set is taught by teams of two teachers for four periods per week, except for the Double and Triple
Sciences sets in Year 11, which are taught by three subject specialists. The Department has licences to
use ExamPro, BoardWorks, Absorb Chemistry, Absorb Physics and BBC Bitesize Interactive Revision
Tutor.
Key Stage 5
Students in the Sixth Form have the opportunity to choose from four science courses, each taught for
four periods per week:
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AQA AS/A2 Biology
AQA AS/A2 Chemistry
AQA AS/A2 Physics A
Edexcel BTEC National Award Level 3 in Applied Biomedical Science
A Level Biology and A Level Chemistry are supported by OUP’s text books and CDROMs, and A Level
Physics by Nelson Thornes’ text books. Each student has their own text books and associated CDROMs.
The Department has licences to use Oxbox software for Biology and Chemistry, and ExamPro.