In the spotlight
By Ms Tracey Craze, Head of Science
It has been a vibrant and productive year in the science department as we continue to grow and adapt to meet the evolving needs of our students. Our commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-informed science education remains strong and 2025 will be one of our most exciting years yet.
Students in Years 7 to 10 are now in their second year of learning through the Australian Curriculum Version 9 (AC V9). Following a thorough review at the end of 2024, we have made key improvements to better support student engagement and understanding across these year levels. Literacy and numeracy remain central to our teaching approach, with staff embedding these skills in every lesson to support student success across all learning areas.
In our senior courses, we’ve seen remarkable growth. The newly rebranded health science course (formerly human biology) has attracted a surge in enrolments - a testament to its relevance and appeal to students considering careers in health and medicine. Physics, psychology and chemistry have also experienced increased enrolments, reflecting a renewed interest in STEM pathways.
Excursions continue to be a vital part of our educational program, providing meaningful, real-world connections to classroom learning. So far this year, students have visited Sydney's Museum of Human Disease, explored group behaviour at Taronga Zoo and conducted ecological fieldwork on Mount Keira.
These experiences deepen understanding, spark curiosity and build scientific identity. Looking ahead, our senior health science students will attend a workshop and Q&A session at ANU medical school in Semester 2, offering valuable insights into university-level study and careers in health.
Our experienced science teaching team are the reason we continue to deliver high-quality learning experiences for our students, and we were excited to welcome Mrs Jennifer Aitchison to our team this year. She brings enthusiasm and expertise to her classes, teaching both senior biology and junior science, with a strong focus on hands-on learning and academic rigour.
At the heart of our department is a shared passion for science. Our educators are dedicated, enthusiastic and deeply invested in supporting every student to succeed.
Education in our department is grounded in explicit teaching, active learning and high expectations. We prioritise not only content knowledge but also student self-regulation, critical thinking and the development of strong literacy and numeracy foundations.
We are currently inviting expressions of interest from members of our community willing to support our programs by participating in speaking engagements, either remotely or in person. At Radford, we are fortunate to have a community enriched with parents and caregivers who possess considerable science experience and expertise. We hope to provide opportunities to share this knowledge through seminars and/or in-class Q&A sessions in the future.
If you are interested and available to contribute in this way, please complete this form.
We are proud of what we’ve achieved so far in 2025 and excited about the path ahead. With passionate staff, a rich curriculum and growing student interest, science at Radford is thriving.