Year 7

To celebrate British Science week the Science department take nearly 100 year 7 pupils to visit the Think tank Science museum in Birmingham.  Here pupils get to explore the museum alongside taking part in educational workshops like the planetarium where pupils get to travel deep into the solar system and learn about the planets and constellations, or a forensics workshop where they become forensic investigators using a variety of forensic techniques to solve a crime.

Year 8

Year 8 get to take part in a hands on road show with the animal man meeting many unique species (from the fluffy to the creepy crawlies)!  During the session pupils learn about the environment the animals come from, how they protect themselves and how adaptation, natural selection and evolution have shaped the way they look and feel. As well as this Year 8 also learn how humans can have both a positive and negative impact on the environment these unique creatures live and why maintaining a rich biodiversity is of the utmost importance.

Year 9

In the summer term year 9 are offered a visit to Chester zoo.  With over 35000 animals, set in 128 acres of zoological gardens its the perfect opportunity for our pupils to explore biodiversity, natural selection and evolution first-hand. This trip has direct curricular links to both Combined Science and the Separate Science Biology curriculum, furthering our students understanding of our planets rich biodiversity and why maintaining this can have many positive impacts on human development.

At HLC we recognise the importance in studying the Sciences not only to further our knowledge of the world which we inhabit but the intrinsic skills that the Science curriculum develops that can not only be applied to Scientific investigations but throughout our students’ daily lives.

The GCSE and A-Level curriculum affords the opportunity to introduce our students to the vast field of the Sciences through the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Beginning your child’s journey to develop transferable skills and knowledge that are highly prized by employers.

Continuing to degree level and beyond allows your child to focus on and follow their scientific interest to explore the world we inhabit.

Employers seek employees that have strong employability skills, so why Science?

Communication skills- The ability to communicate effectively and clearly to a range of audiences, both verbally and through written work to break down technical concepts into language that non scientists can understand. Being able to clearly explain and adapt what is said to audiences (teams) of different abilities and knowledge is an important skill in business as individuals and companies tackle increasing complex issues including sustainability managers, researchers, policy researcher, chief chemist and many more.

Ability to work with others- Science aims to solve big, complex problems and needs diverse groups of people who can quickly build productive work relationships and work together well, negotiate responsibilities or duties, persuade or influence others to see their point of view. You will also have needed to manage your own and the team’s time and resources to deliver against a deadline which is project management. Working in a team shows lots of different skills and abilities to an employer.

Logical Thought Process and problem solving- Analytical and problem-solving skills through examining and interpreting results to make evaluations and conclusions based on information or data. Problem solving is an essential skill required at some level in almost all jobs including analytical chemist, discovering new medicines and in management consultancy.

Project and time management- Through planning and conducting experiments you will have developed time management skills. Through conducting your own investigations and although you might not think it, you will have shown creativity and innovation in your work, as that is what chemistry is all about. Chemists have done things from founding their own skincare company to working with flavours and becoming a research innovation manager. There are so many options with the skills you gain through chemistry.  

Numeracy- This is essential throughout the Sciences. This skill is valued by employers for many careers including accountancy, sales and marketing, retail and IT, to name just a few.

For some careers in Science and salaries click on the link below! But remember Science is an ever growing and evolving field so new career paths are constantly emerging.

The 20 Highest-Paying Science Careers in the World (2018) (careeraddict.com)