Science will probably be taught in ability sets at this stage. For KS3 the syllabus covers chemistry, physics and biology and will include the following topics:

Energy, electricity and forces

• Light
• Sound
• Renewable energy
• Emerging technologies
• Electrical circuits
• How to measure current and voltage
• Force and its effect on objects
• Magnetic fields
• Electromagnets
• Gravity
• Friction

Chemical and material behaviour

• Properties and behaviour of matter
• Elements in the Periodic Table
• Atoms and compounds
• Chemical properties and patterns
• pH scale for acids, alkalis and bases
• Solids, liquids and gases

Organisms, behaviour and health

• Tissues, organs and body systems
• Plant and animal cells
• Life processes
• Human reproduction, including fertilisation and foetal development
• Adolescence
• Importance of healthy eating and exercise
• Digestion
• Respiration and breathing
• Effects of viruses and bacteria
• Variation in living things
• Human and animal behaviour
• Living things and their habitats
• Food chains
• Dissection

The environment, Earth and universe

• Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock formation
• Weathering of rocks
• Motions of the sun, moon, stars and planets
• Causes of changes in the environment