Science

INTENT 

At All Saints Catholic Primary School, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. As one of the core subjects taught in Primary Schools, we give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires. Science provides the foundation for understanding the world around us. It can not only teach pupils about the world they live in, but also how to study it and make sense of various phenomena. As such, it is a fundamental aspect of all children’s learning. Our scheme of work will not only ensure statutory compliance with the national curriculum, but also that all pupils have a solid grounding in science and a positive attitude towards scientific knowledge and experimental processes.

At All Saints, in conjunction with the aims of the National Curriculum, our Science teaching offers opportunities for children to:

•       Developing pupils’ interest in, and enjoyment of, Science. By building on children’s curiosity, the Science curriculum will help to instil a positive attitude towards Science in pupils.

•       Delivering all the requirements of the National Curriculum in relation to Science and covering major scientific concepts.

•       Ensuring Science lessons are purposeful, accurate and imaginative.

•       Ensuring pupils have sufficient scientific knowledge to understand both the uses and implications of Science, today and in the future. This will also give pupils an appreciation of the changing nature of scientific knowledge.

•       The development of pupils’ ability to pose questions, investigate these using correct techniques, accurately record their findings using appropriate scientific language and analyse their results.

•       Helping pupils develop the skills of prediction, hypothesising, experimentation, investigation, observation, measurement, interpretation and communication.

•       Making pupils aware of and alert to links between Science and other school subjects, as well as their lives more generally.

•       Use a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner, including I.C.T., diagrams, graphs and charts.

•       Develop a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own, and other children’s safety.

We endeavour to ensure that the Science curriculum we provide will give children the confidence and motivation to continue to further develop their skills into the next stage of their education and life experiences.

IMPLEMENTATION 

Teachers create a positive attitude to Science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science. Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of Science involves the following:

•       Science will be taught in planned and arranged topic blocks by the class teacher. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge.

•       Through our planning, we involve problem solving opportunities that allow children to find out for themselves. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. This curiosity is celebrated within the classroom. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons, often involving high-quality resources to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.

•       We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.

•       Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. This is developed through the years, in-keeping with the topics.

•       Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and workshops with experts.

IMPACT 

The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives. All children will have:

•       A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills.

•       A richer vocabulary which will enable to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.

•       High aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life.