Science

“Scientists have become the bearers of the torch of discovery in our quest for knowledge.”

Stephen Hawking 

At Stanton Road Primary, we want our children to think like scientists by developing enquiring minds and analytical thinking skills.  Pupils often see Science as a subject that is too challenging for them to access or a subject that is very much based on history. Science continues to evolve and new findings about the world in which we live are constantly being discovered.  We want our children to be able to engage with our ever-changing world by providing a curriculum that covers the three scientific principles of biology, physics and chemistry.

Through the high quality teaching at Stanton Road Primary, pupils will understand that Science is a subject about awe, wonder, curiosity and experimentation. Through this teaching, we aim to excite and inspire pupils’ natural curiosity to develop their scientific understanding of the world around them. Pupils will be inspired to consider problems or unknowns and then investigate resolutions and answers. Through building up a progression of knowledge and skills across the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics, pupils will develop an appreciation of how scientific processes and methods are vital in understanding natural phenomena and what is occurring around us. Additionally, pupils today are growing up in a world where there is a STEM skills shortfall. We have a duty to prepare the next generation for jobs that are required to ensure our country and economy thrive through these subjects.

 Scientific concepts and skills, such as making predictions and using their personal experiences to inform their observations, are introduced to children in the Early Years through the EYFS Statutory Framework areas of learning, ‘Physical Development’ and ‘Understanding the World’. This early learning feeds directly into the knowledge curriculum for years 1-6. Using the National Curriculum Science Programmes of Study as the starting point, our year-by-year curriculum has been carefully designed to build on prior learning through a spiral approach, linking units of work across year groups but also across Key Stages. A carefully planned science curriculum builds knowledge and skills across biology, chemistry and physics through weekly lessons year upon year. Lessons will be delivered through direct instruction or enquiry learning as appropriate to the learning.

Throughout the curriculum, the children are encouraged to ask, predict and answer questions using close observations, reasoning and explanation, as well as present their findings in increasingly sophisticated ways developing a rich schema of scientific knowledge and ability to act scientifically.

Throughout all of their learning children are encouraged to think of how they are working scientifically. The 5 ways of working scientifically are planned for in each year group with key questions to answer being mapped out across school. In addition, at the start of each lesson teachers share “How we are working as scientists” again highlighting the 5 ways of working scientifically:

·        Observation over time –e.g. season, chocolate melting, animals growing

·        Pattern seeking –e.g. do plants grow well? Does the size of Planet affect its orbit?

·        Identifying, classifying and grouping –e.g. grouping materials, animals

·        Comparative and fair testing

·        Research using secondary sources

Scientific skills are developed across school. A skills progression document shows clearly what is expected in each year group and how these skills build across school.

Assessment

The use of retrieval practices strategies built into the learning help teachers identify how much knowledge has been learnt in a unit. At the start of every lesson children complete a retrieval practice comprising questions based on their previous learning, which are multiple choice, true or false, and explanations. This helps teachers to assess the children's learning across the unit and address any gaps in knowledge and misconceptions. Teachers assess children’s learning throughout each lesson to ensure understanding of skills and knowledge before building onto future learning. Teachers use a range of questioning and retrieval practise to assess children against the aims of the lesson. In addition, children will also complete end point assessments at the end of each unit to assess their substantive and disciplinary knowledge.  At the start of a unit, pupils complete a knowledge organiser pre-unit check which they complete again at the end of the unit.

Curriculum Champions

The Science curriculum champion will conduct regular evaluations of our Science Curriculum, which include lesson drop ins, pupil panels and book looks to measure the impact of our teaching, by assessing whether our children know more and can remember more.