Biology

Events

A2 Biology Field Trip - September 2007

If given the choice, it is unlikely that many people would choose to spend their 18th Birthday counting freshwater shrimp or yarrow plants, but this year two Year 13s weren’t given the choice, and their transition into adulthood was marked by hard work, lots of cake and a wonderful sleepover for 30 in a beautiful Georgian mansion in Somerset!  Four happy days were spent by the A2 biologists and 2 members of staff combining the rigours of coursework: field work, analysis and evaluation with relaxing: playing Pictionary, watching Bend it like Beckham, singing hymns (!) and enjoying the warm September sunshine.

    

Personnel

Head of Department: Other teaching staff: Technician:

Dr Paul Weeks Miss Sue Berry, Mrs Olwen Curry, Mrs Judith Stone, Mrs Maria Whittington Miss Kay Bell

Facilities and Resources

Biology is predominantly taught in two dedicated laboratories, although some sixth form lessons are taught in the new sixth form laboratory which was opened in September 06. Each lab is equipped with a computer linked to a projector. The Science area also contains a small computer centre with seven computers and the department has a tablet pc for interactive use.

Year 8 Ecology

We aim, not only to teach the relevant specifications, but also to generate an interest in the subject and a curiosity in the world around us. To this end we seek to teach the subject using a range of approaches so lessons may include practical investigations, class experiments, model making, discussion of recent scientific discoveries, book work and research using videos, simulations, magazine articles and the Internet.

Year 11 coursework investigation

Curriculum

Biology is taught as part of an integrated Science course in Years 7 and 8 and as a separate subject from Year 9. Girls in the current Year 11 take the GCSE double award in Science (AQA); those in lower years will take AQA Biology (ie separate sciences). Those taking the subject in the sixth form study the OCR AS/A level course. The A2 option studied is Mammalian Physiology and Behaviour. The subject is very popular, we currently have over 60 AS/A level students and many go on to study Biology or a related discipline at University.

Year 13 field trip to Nettlecombe Court in Somerset

Trips

A highlight of the sixth form course is undoubtedly the A2 field trip. Last September the Year 13 biologists spent 3 days in Somerset doing coursework and enjoying the Indian summer!

Members of the sixth form also attend workshops at the University Museum and/or the Harcourt Arboretum. Year 7 visit the University Botanic Garden to look at plant adaptations; in recent years this has been a cross-curricular event with the English and Art Departments.

Year 7s sketch plants adapted to a dry habitat at the Botanic Garden

Extra Curricular

There is a weekly Conservation Club in which girls get involved in a number of projects from making bird feeders to raising money for conservation charities. Using funding from FoxHS, the Conservation Club has recently been involved in establishing the new pond.

The school pond

We encourage girls to attend lectures in topics of interest and have joined forces with Magdalen College School to organise regular joint lectures for sixth formers. Recent lectures included Medical Ethics, Medicinal Plants, Anaesthesia: In Somno Securitas and Cell Signalling (Click on the links for reports of these lectures). We are very fortunate to have many parents at both schools with much wisdom and experience in medical and biological disciplines who are willing to speak to groups of over 100 sixth formers after school.

In recent years we have also hosted a sixth form revision morning for local schools, both state and independent, with Richard Fosbery, the OCR A level Chief Examiner for Biology helping the sixth formers to revise for the OCR papers.

 
Revision Day with Chief Examiner

 
Workshop session during Revision Day with Chief Examiner 2005

Many girls have received Nuffield bursaries to pursue biological research in University laboratories over the summer.

And finally….

We are always very successful in the annual British Biology Olympiad organised by the Institute of Biology and a few years ago won the prize for best school in the country in this competition.   In the 2007 competition, Katy Horder, Corinna Smith, Rebecca Dyar and Jenny Bulstrode all received medals.