Science - June 25

The science zoo project:

Our Year 9 students will be heading to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in July for an exciting educational trip. Before their visit, they will be completing a thought-provoking project designed to help students explore the complex relationship between humans and wildlife. In the weeks leading up to the trip, students will be working in teams to research, discuss, and produce a presentation on the importance of conservation. Their challenge is to critically evaluate the role of zoos in protecting endangered species and preserving biodiversity.

Through this project, students will strengthen their teamwork and communication skills while developing a deeper understanding of conservation science. They'll ask big questions like: Are zoos effective tools for conservation? What ethical considerations come into play? How can conservation efforts be improved or expanded?

The trip to Yorkshire Wildlife Park will offer an opportunity to see conservation in action. Students will observe a wide range of species—many of which are part of global breeding and protection programmes—and reflect on how these initiatives align with what they've learned.

Sparx Science:

The science faculty have recently embarked on an exciting pilot of Sparx Science. It is an AI driven platform which designs personalised homeworks for students. The programme has shown a significant improvement in engagement with homework, and already showing promising signs that it is improving scientific knowledge recall. Since the pilot began, our students have completed over 2,400 hours of learning, with over 183,000 questions answered correctly. Aligned with our curriculum, it covers key topics in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Working Scientifically. The platform adapts in real-time to each student's performance, ensuring they receive questions that match their ability level.

To motivate and recognise student achievement, we have recently introduced a certificate system. As students progress through levels on Sparx Science, they earn certificates celebrating their accomplishments. So far, we have awarded 40 certificates for students who have reached Level 5.