Science

Second Level sciences cover the ground S1 teachers assume pupils already have. Biology work includes cells, body systems, food chains, biodiversity and inheritance; chemistry covers the particle model, changes of state, mixtures, separation techniques and irreversible reactions.

Physics topics include forces and their effects, energy and its transfer, electricity and simple circuits, sound, light and the solar system. Pupils are expected to plan and carry out investigations with a clear variable being tested, record results in tables, and draw conclusions from them.

One-to-one work at this level tends to focus on writing a proper conclusion — stating what the results show, and why — which is the step most pupils find hardest.