The University of Southampton

Appendix 2: The National Curriculum and Example Curriculum Links

The National Curriculum overview (England, Northern Ireland and Wales):

www.gov.uk/national-curriculum/overview

The National Curriculum details

England: www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum

Northern Ireland: www.ccea.org.uk/curriculum

Wales:

https://gov.wales/current-curriculum

Teaching guidelines for Scotland, the ‘Curriculum for Excellence’:

www.education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/cfestatement.pdf

(More information on the Curriculum for Excellence here.)

 

Useful breakdown of the different systems for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland & Wales at primary level:

www.theschoolrun.com/primary-education-England-Scotland-Wales-NI

 

Examples from the KS3 and KS4 Science Curriculum that either lend themselves to linking with REAL and CURRENT research or are difficult to teach in school due to their abstract nature, complexity, lack of resources or large number of keywords. Note that this is by no means an exhaustive list and for other suitable topics see the links above and, of course, discuss with teachers!

· How scientific methods and theories develop over time, the importance of peer review and communication of results to a range of audiences

· Prefixes and powers of ten for orders of magnitude (e.g. tera, giga, mega, kilo, centi, milli, micro and nano)

· The nitrogen cycle

· Evolution

· Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

· The process of discovery and development of new medicines

· Classification

· The heart

· DNA replication & protein synthesis

· Mitosis & meiosis

· Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding and intermolecular forces

· Bonding of carbon and resulting compounds: diamond, graphite, fullerenes, graphene

· Electrolysis of molten ionic liquids and aqueous ionic solutions

· The reactivity series: extraction and purification of metals

· Evidence for composition and evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere

· Electromagnetic waves: velocity in vacuum, energy transfer, wavelengths and frequencies from radio to gamma-rays, velocities differing between media, absorption, reflection, refraction effects and uses in the radio, microwave, infra-red, visible, ultra-violet, X-ray and gamma ray regions, hazardous effects on bodily tissues

· The Earth’s magnetic field

· Radioactive nuclei: emission of alpha or beta particles, neutrons, or gamma rays, related to changes in the nuclear mass and/or charge, half-life, irradiation, contamination and hazardous effects, waste disposal, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and the sun

 

 

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