Welcome to the Science department!

    

All Shimna students study Science in Key Stage 3 and GCSE science with the option of CCEA Double Award Science, or OCN Extended Certificate in Applied Science. Both qualifications are worth 2 GCSE grades in Science. The subject is also a popular choice at A Level where students have the choice of studying A level Biology, A level Chemistry and A level Physics. In the future, the department are intending to offer CCEA Life and Health Science as a Vocational A-Level choice.

 

Students explore a range of science topics through a combination of experiments, theory, and investigations, and relate their learning to their everyday experiences. The Science department in Shimna offer students the opportunity to explore science in an interesting, exciting, and enjoyable way.

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Academic offer

• Y8 Science – pupils study Investigating Science, Matter, Forces, Variety of life, Electricity and Magnetism, and Growing up.

• Y9 Science- pupils study Earth and Space, Sight and Sound, Chemical Reactions, Elements, compounds and Mixtures, Energy, Food and Digestion and Staying Alive.

• Y10 Science – pupils are grouped by ability here in preparation for GCSE Science; they study Atomic Structure, Variation, Health and Active Bodies, Types of Reactions, Using forces and further Electricity and Magnetism.

• KS4 Science – CCEA Double Award Science or OCN Extended Certificate in Applied Science

• KS5 – A-level Biology AND/OR A-level Chemistry AND/OR A-level Physics (many students take 2 or 3 of the Sciences together).

 

Extra-curricular offer (Offered during 2023/24 school year)

• “Roots and Shoots” Eco Club on Mondays (Mr Leckey)

• Reel-Life video competition for Y8 pupils (Mr McCormick)

• Science revision sessions on Tuesdays at different points in the year (Mr McCormick and various)

• British Biology Olympiad (Mrs Poland)

• Irish Chemistry Olympiad (Mr McCormick and Mrs Wilson)

• BT Young Scientist Competition

• Faraday Challenge (Through Sentinus – Mr McCormick)

• The Big Bridge project (Mr McCormick)

• I’m a scientist, get me out of here (Online webchats with real Scientists – Mrs Poland)

• British Science Week Poster competition (Mrs Poland)

• Top of the Bench Chemistry Competition (Y10,11,12) at Queen’s University, Belfast (Mr McCormick)