INTENT
Our main aim in science is to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of Science today. At Shakespeare Primary, scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic the children study and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school.
Topics, such as Plants, are taught in Key Stage One and studied again in further detail throughout Key Stage Two. This model allows children to build upon their prior knowledge and increases their enthusiasm for the topics whilst embedding this procedural knowledge into the long-term memory. All children are encouraged to develop and use a range of skills including observations, planning and investigations, as well as being encouraged to question the world around them and become independent learners in exploring possible answers for their scientific based questions. Specialist vocabulary for topics is taught and built up, and effective questioning to communicate ideas is encouraged. Concepts taught should be reinforced by focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions.
IMPLEMENTATION
Coordinators are given extra time to focus the planning, resources and implementation of science. As part of this planning process, teachers need to plan a cycle of lessons for each science topic, which carefully plans for progression and depth. Regular, fast-paced, enthusiastic lessons give children the opportunity to experiment where possible and further develop their scientific enquiry skills. A successful science day is implemented every year which allows children to predict, explore, test and evaluate scientific experiments. This also gives them ownership and allows them to become a scientist for the day. There is a close link with the local high school as a select group of children in years 5 and 6 are given the opportunity to visit science labs and conduct experiments. Children’s books are checked termly to ensure the science standards are being met throughout the school.
IMPACT
Our Science Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
§ A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes;
§ A celebration of learning at the end of science day;
§ Pupil discussions about their learning;
Our science curriculum covers a broad range of topics which allow children to create links from the classroom to their own lives. For example, in KS1 and KS2 children learn about humans which encourages them to make good health and hygiene choices. Our curriculum also encourages the children to think about the world around them and how to care for it by learning about topics such as plastic pollution and the eco systems. The KS2 curriculum allows children to think about our place as part of the solar system and food chains. In year 6 we challenge children’s opinions on evolution and the concept of religion. As a school we encourage our children to enjoy science and we believe this feeds through to an interest in KS3 and beyond.