At AESG pupils go straight into the individual sciences right from Year 7 so that they are taught by specialist teachers from the start of their secondary education. In Year 7 and 8 we build on their learning from the Prep School and introduce new ideas such as what makes up a cell, how do we vaccinate against a virus and how exactly is food digested in the gut? Our students enjoy a range of practical lessons and demonstrations to ensure they are prepared to start their GCSEs in Year 11.
Overview of the GCSE Curriculum
We start our GCSE course in Year 9 so that each topic is given the time that it deserves. The topics range from subcellular structures in Eukaryotic cells, how traits such as eye colour are inherited from our parents, all the way up to interactions within an ecosystem and how human population growth is affecting our world. We use cognitive science theories such as retrieval practice to give our students the capacity to retrieve all of this information when it comes to their exams to ensure they achieve their full potential.
Enrichment Opportunities & Trips
The Biology Department offers a rich programme of extracurricular opportunities designed to extend students’ scientific curiosity and practical skills. These include hands-on dissection sessions, where students can explore the anatomy of hearts, squid, and rats.
Fieldwork is an important part of our enrichment offer. Our Year 12 Biologists take part in an annual residential trip to Yorkshire, where they develop key ecological and practical fieldwork skills. This year, students will also have the exciting opportunity to travel to Greece, working alongside marine biologists to support dolphin research. During the visit, they will experience traditional Greek cuisine and contribute to conservation efforts by spending time at a local bird sanctuary.
We have a large number of students participating in the Biology Challenge and the British Biology Olympiad each year. We also support students in entering for the nationally recognised CREST Awards, the British Science Association’s scheme for STEM project work, which inspires young people to think and behave like scientists and engineers.
We have a large number of students participating in the Biology Challenge and the British Biology Olympiad each year. We also enter students for the nationally recognised CREST awards which is the British Science Association's scheme for STEM project work that inspires young people to think and behave like scientists and engineers.
