Oxford Smart Activate is a complete Key Stage 3 science curriculum service that channels the excitement of practical science to develop students’ knowledge, skills, and confidence. Here are five reasons why you should take a look at how Oxford Smart Activate can transform your KS3 science classroom and give your students a firm foundation on which to build their secondary science journeys.
1. Inspire awe and wonder, and help students see themselves in STEM
Imagine being a Year 7 student entering the science lab for the first time. The excitement of the novel learning environment may be enough to spark initial curiosity, but does your current curriculum do enough to nurture that by showing your students how science is relevant to them?
With Oxford Smart Activate you are fully supported to deliver a KS3 science curriculum that connects to your students’ lived experiences, making the content relatable and inspiring them to think and work like scientists.
With curiosity and investigation at the heart of the curriculum, Oxford Smart Activate gradually builds this scientist mindset and the skills needed for academic success.
2. Develop your students’ core knowledge and skills
In addition to the time-saving teaching resources, Oxford Smart Activate also includes a range of student-facing resources.
Metacognitive strategies are embedded throughout the student books, including opportunities to review and reflect on learning and next steps. And online personalised immediate next steps ensure core concepts are reinforced and skills are stretched by follow-up questions and video clips.
“I’m now spending more time doing, less time planning, and the students are finding the lessons much more engaging. They love coming into lessons. There’s always a bit of a buzz around the classroom.”
Brendan Gibb, science teacher at St Richard Reynolds Catholic College
3. Lay strong foundations for success at GCSE
When looking at the sequencing of KS3 topics, Dr Andrew Chandler-Grevatt considered the whole KS2 to GCSE journey, ensuring that the Oxford Smart Activate curriculum fits seamlessly into your students’ wider science journey.
The various resources help your students build a strong base of knowledge and skills to prepare for the next level of challenges at GCSE. And the extensive pool of over 3000 online questions help students get used to studying and assessment in a low stakes environment (which can be further developed in a familiar format at KS4 by using Oxford Smart AQA GCSE Sciences).
4. The curriculum is easily implemented and evidence-informed
Development of Oxford Smart Activate has been supported by a group of curriculum and assessment experts and the Oxford Science team following current research, including EEF recommendations. It was also influenced by feedback from 29 Pioneer Schools to ensure that it works in real classrooms and gives you everything you need to free up time to focus on your classes.
5. Support non-specialist teachers at your school
You can be confident that every member of your team, whether they are specialists or non-specialists, are fully supported as they plan, teach and track student progress.
This includes front-of-class PowerPoint presentations, activity sheets for every lesson (with scaffolding), support for identifying common misconceptions and developing scientific vocabulary, and a library of research and on-demand CPD.
Want to learn more? Click here to get your free taster of Oxford Smart Activate.
Need to know
Includes time-saving teaching resources and complementary assessments
Personalised ‘Next Steps’ lead each student along their own learning journey
In-depth data and insights support targeted intervention and reporting
Integrated CPD supports teachers of all experience levels
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