Our aim is to ensure that our pupils are naturally curious about the world they live in. Science is able to link practical experience with engaging ideas, suitable for all learners. Scientific method is about developing and evaluating explanations through experimental evidence and modelling. Through this area of practice, pupils understand how scientific ideas contribute to technological change, improving the quality of life impacting on industry, business and medicine.
Pupils should also recognise the cultural significance of Science in today’s world and trace its world-wide development. Learning to question and discuss science-based issues is essential, improving spoken vocabulary and their understanding of how Science affects their own lives, the direction of society and the future of the world.
Pupils at Adderley Primary School will experience all aspects of Science developed in the Curriculum through Cornerstones projects and Love to Investigate (LTI) investigations.
You can view our Science Curriculum Map.
Intent
At Adderley Primary School, we encourage pupils to be inquisitive throughout their time at the school and beyond. The Science curriculum promotes curiosity about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes. The curriculum is coherently sequence to ensure that pupils have a varied and balanced curriculum that provides the opportunity for progression across key stage 1 and key stage 2.
Throughout the programmes of study, pupils will acquire and develop key knowledge that has been identified within each topic and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. They have the opportunity and are encouraged to learn through varied systematic investigations, leading them to be equipped to ask and answer questions about the world they live in, explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes. Pupils are exposed to learning new experiences, which allow pupils to explore their outdoor environment and locality, thus developing their scientific enquiry and investigative skills. They are immersed to scientific vocabulary, which aids pupils’ knowledge and understanding not only of the topic they are studying, but of the world around them. We ensure that the working scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout pupils’ time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings.
Implementation
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is coherently sequenced, which is progressive throughout the whole school. Planning for science is a process in which all teachers are involved to ensure that the school gives full coverage of, ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science and, ‘Understanding of the World’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Science teaching at Adderley Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. Where possible, Science is linked to topics. Science is taught consistently, once a week for up to two hours in KS2 and one hour in KS1. Science coverage is taught through topics. Learning walks, observations, monitoring and pupil voice are carried out to ensure that pupils are achieving the best to their ability.
We ensure that all pupils are provided with rich learning experiences that aim to:
- Prepare our pupils for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.
- Help our pupils acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.
- Help develop and extend our pupils’ scientific concept of their world.
- Build on our pupils’ natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
- Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the skills of investigations – including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
- Develop the use of scientific language, recording and techniques.
- Develop the use of computing in investigating and recording.
- Make links between science and other subjects.
- Pupils are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers.
- Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the pupils’ school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching.
- Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various working scientifically skills to embed scientific understanding
- Pupils are offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits, trips and visitors to complement and broaden the curriculum.
- Regular events, such as Science Week allow all pupils to come off-timetable, to provide broader provision and the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills.
- At Adderley we aspire to promote pupils’ independence and for all pupils to take responsibility in their own learning.
- We ensure progression by building on the learning and skill development from previous years. As pupils’ knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating, and interpreting results.
- Reinforce vocabulary, knowledge facts and the process of exploring scientifically through the use of learning walls.
- Outcomes of work are regularly monitored to ensure that they reflect a sound understanding of the key identified knowledge.
- We develop subject knowledge and key skills when differentiating work for all abilities.
- The use of mind maps ensures bespoke assessment for learning.
- Displays across school – Science week celebrates pupils work enabling pupils to make links.