Please watch the video below to view some of the more frequently asked questions about these subjects, then scroll down to the forum below to submit any of your own questions.
Thank you for watching. If your question was not covered in the video, then please use the "add comment" button below to ask one of our teachers for help. Staff will be live on the forum from 9am to 12pm on Saturday 17th October and will then be checking for questions throughout the weekend (although response times will not be as quick). The forum will close at 4pm on Monday 19th October, after which you can email any questions to admissions@kesbath.com
For General Enquiries: The forum below is intended for subject-specific questions. If your query is more general, then please post it on the Admissions and General Enquiries forum and one of our admissions team or senior teachers will get back to you.
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Good morning, I am Mrs Richardson, the Head of Physics at KES. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Posted by Mrs S Richardson, 17/10/2020 at 08:47
Hello, I'm Mr Oehler, the Head of Chemistry and I look forward to answering any questions you may have this morning.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 08:57
Good Morning, welcome to Science. I am Miss Kirby and I am Head of Biology. If you have any questions, please do ask.
Posted by Miss P Kirby, 17/10/2020 at 08:58
Good Morning, How did the sciences cope with home schooling? How was the work taught? As it seems you emphasise on practicals
Posted by Guest329, 17/10/2020 at 09:11
In Biology we focused on topics which required less practical work, some smaller investigations were completed by pupils at home with equipment they could find in their garden or kitchen. Videos were utilised to demonstrate key techniques to pupils and on their return to school this September practical work has started again with full force to ensure all pupils have the required skills as they move up the school.
Posted by Miss P Kirby, 17/10/2020 at 09:16
It was quite a challenge! There are a number of virtual resources that we can use and the option of watching videos of other people completing the experiments is available too, but nothing beats the pupils carrying out the practical work themselves... We were very glad to get them back in the classrooms and laboratories.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 09:16
We did manage to complete some home experiments too... making honeycomb was a particular favourite... I think the parents enjoyed this more than the pupils!
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 09:19
As physicists tend to be relatively tech savvy so we were able to create a bespoke online programme of study which combined specialist remote teacher-led learning with online Physics simulations (labs in your own home), at home projects and the functionality of the VLE. Given we did not want our student's to miss out on the benefits of practical experience, we also adjusted our long-term scheme of work to teach topics better tailored to remote learning to maintain engagement and interest. For example, we studied space, energy resources (from the Y8 course) and the Physics of Roller coasters with students building either home-made or virtual roller-coasters! The student's seemed to really engage with the approach, from Year 7 to Y12.
Posted by Mrs S Richardson, 17/10/2020 at 09:22
At what point do you stream the children for science?
Posted by GuestK596, 17/10/2020 at 10:24
Hello - we begin streaming in the sciences in Year 10.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 10:33
The majority of pupils will study the separate science courses and some will do combined science.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 10:36
Do Y7 clubs include biology, chemistry or physics in them, like renewable tech, ecology, climate change? Can I still do these clubs if we are stuck at home during Covid next year?
Posted by Guest253, 17/10/2020 at 10:26
We have a Lower School Lego Robotics Club run by Mr Evans. Taking part in the National First Lego League competition, this gives a team of students a chance to build and program robots that are able to take on particular challenges set by the competition organisers. It is a great opportunity to develop new skills, both STEM skills and team building skills. Luckily, the team tends to run from Sept through to April so they were not affected too much by the lockdown. They are currently meet three times a week in a bubble.
We also run a the Principia physics extension club for Years 11-13. Although this did not run at the start of lockdown, it quickly restarted as there was so much demand from our students to find out more about the topics we were covering in lockdown (particle physics and radioactivity) that we could not squeeze all of our discussion, and keenness to answer their questions in full, into our allotted lesson time. It is now running again, in bubbles, at lunchtime.
Posted by Mrs S Richardson, 17/10/2020 at 10:41
KES also runs an Environment Action Group (EAG) where pupils of all ages work together, during lockdown this moved online and involved a biodiversity challenge.
Posted by Miss P Kirby, 17/10/2020 at 10:44
We do run a number of science based clubs - for example the EAG (Environmental Action Group) has been very popular with Year 7 pupils. You will also find that 3 hours of science lessons a week in Years 7 and 8 allows you to thoroughly investigate a number of the topics you mentioned inside the classroom too... and if you're keen to start a club of your own, your teachers will support you in any way we can.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 10:48
How has teaching developed since we were at school, where the majority of GCSE and A Level science was learning and regurgitating. How are pupils encouraged to develop critical thinking skills for use beyond passing exams?
Posted by GuestK504, 17/10/2020 at 10:35
My colleagues will add to this answer, but I think the shift in focus in Chemistry is more towards improving our pupils' problem solving skills. There is still a good deal of factual content that needs to be learnt, but it is in the application of these 'facts', rather than their recall, that makes studying the sciences (and teaching them) more exciting.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 10:40
I would echo Mr Oehler's points - it is all about the problem solving. Although this is more prevalent at A level when cross-topic problem solving is part of the exam, we have tasks built into the course which, alongside practical work, enable the students to develop their ability to think like a Physicist. There is also some factual learning, mainly at GCSE, but the emphasis is definitely on the application of understanding.
Posted by Mrs S Richardson, 17/10/2020 at 10:47
In Biology there is a focus on core or required practicals and application of knowledge to these practicals. In an exam for example pupils may have to analyse a new experiment and apply their knowledge or evaluate a set of data and draw conclusions, identify errors or uncertainties. Problem solving skills are strongly encourages in practical work and in processing data in order to form conclusions and obtain accurate results.
Posted by Miss P Kirby, 17/10/2020 at 10:42
What are the most fun things that a Y7 would learn about in Y7 lessons?
Posted by Ms L Young, 17/10/2020 at 11:25
In chemistry is all about the pyrotechnics... testing for explosive gases like hydrogen, learning to light and use a Bunsen Burner and investigating other combustion reactions
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 11:35
Later on in Year 8, you'll learn about why certain fireworks produce characteristic coloured flames and learn how to test and identify unknown compounds... your very own KESBath CSI!
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 11:38
Practicals! The pupils all love the practical aspect of the subject. Starting with microscopes and looking at their own cheek cells or onion cells the pupils are always amazed by what they see. Discovering the microscopic world around us and learning about the building blocks of animals and plants.
Posted by Miss P Kirby, 17/10/2020 at 11:37
Now that's a question - ranking what is fun is challenging! I always feel the students most enjoy it when they either discover something they have never seen before, like the beauty of magnetic fields or the magic of static electricity through the Van de Graph generator, or they are suddenly able to explain an everyday phenomenon, like why they can glide so far on ice and why we have different season's in the UK compared to other countries around the world. They also like learning about space - how we can jump higher on the moon and if we jump too high, we will just travel off into space, on and on if no forces act on us...
Posted by Mrs S Richardson, 17/10/2020 at 11:40
Scientists are leading the fight against climate change. How does the school react, or acknowledge the activism that even Y7 pupils may wish to take?
Posted by Guest253, 17/10/2020 at 11:57
Hello... you're right, Scientists are at the very forefront of this important fight. The pupils at KES are very active in this field - our pupils have hosted Bath's Youth Climate Conference on a number of occasions, the EAG (Environmental Action Group) has been one of our best attended clubs and societies and we try to educate and support you through our PSHE and Assembly programme too.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 12:10
Many of of students are passionate about the environment and are not only proactive in leading the fight locally through their involvement in setting up and running the Bath Youth Climate Conference, as Mr Oehler has said, but I also know of a good number who are applying for science-related university courses that will give them the skills and broad understanding to help tackle climate change beyond their years at KES. It is really inspiring to speak to them about their aspirations and read about the work they have done, supported by KES, in their personal statements.
Furthermore, with my Model United Nations hat on rather than as Head of Physics, I know we have a lot of KES students who are not just well-informed about the issues facing our planet but speak proactively and persuasively about the topic in international MUN conferences. They are an inspiration and we try to inform them and support them in their endeavours where appropriate.
Posted by Mrs S Richardson, 17/10/2020 at 12:21
Miss Kirby, Mrs Richardson and I would like to thank you for engaging with us this morning and for all your excellent questions. If there is anything else you would like to ask, please feel free to do so on this forum and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we possibly can before 4pm on Monday.
Posted by Mr M Oehler, 17/10/2020 at 12:13