In Year 8 the Physics curriculum is delivered as a series of topics. There is an emphasis on the development of practical skills via investigation and experimentation and that Physics can be lots of fun.
Topics covered include:
Magnets and electromagnets – the difference between magnets and magnetic materials, magnetic field lines, the Earth’s magnetic field and compasses, building and testing electromagnets.
Electrical circuits – electric currents, resistance, short circuits, building and testing series and parallel circuits, ring mains and understanding fuses and circuit breakers.
Gravity and space – understanding the difference between mass and weight, how gravity is a force of attraction which changes, how rockets take off, heliocentric and geocentric models of the Solar System and satellites.
Pressure and moments– investigating and calculating pressure in different situations, hydraulics and pneumatics, levers and turning effects of forces.
Edexcel IGCSE / Code: 4PH1
All students follow the IGCSE course from the beginning of Year 9. This gives time for consolidation and extension work where appropriate. The Edexcel International GCSE in Physics enables students to:
The course specifications are based around several topics that are crucial to our social and economic well-being: Forces and motion, Electricity, Waves, Energy resources and Energy transfer, Solids, liquids and gases, Magnetism and electromagnetism, Radioactivity and Particles. The course gives students the opportunity to experience Physics within the context of their general education. There is a strong emphasis on laying the foundations for progression to further study in GCE Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level in Physics. Through the course there is a clear focus on improving and expanding the knowledge, skills and understanding inherent in Science investigation.
AQA A level / Code: 7408
The specification content reflects a range of contemporary issues and encourages an awareness of the on-going development of new ideas in Physics as well as the application of in-depth knowledge of well-established topics such as electricity. The development of practical skills is an integral part of the course. Concepts already covered at GCSE level will be studied in more depth and new topics such as the properties of materials, gravitational, electric and magnetic fields, quantum phenomena and the very popular particle physics will be introduced. The course runs over 2 years and consists of 8 compulsory units:
1 Measurements and their errors
2 Particles and radiation
3 Waves
4 Mechanics and materials
5 Electricity
6 Further mechanics and thermal physics
7 Fields and their consequences
8 Nuclear physics
And one option unit from the list below:
9 Astrophysics
10 Medical physics
11 Engineering physics
12 Turning points in physics
13 Electronics
The course develops a number of key skills including analysis, numeracy, problem solving, communication, computing, logical and creative thinking, practical skills, teamwork and flexibility (essential for laboratory work).