Intent

Why do we teach this? Why do we teach it the way we do?

Science is an exciting subject that offers endless opportunities for developing appreciation, exploration and a sense of wonder for the world in which we live. We want all pupils at North Leigh to foster a love of enquiry and inquisitiveness, building on their natural sense of awe and wonder. Children are encouraged to be creative problem solvers and to question the world around them. Lessons are designed to incorporate scientific knowledge, alongside opportunities for working scientifically where children can hypothesise, predict, plan, test, collect and present results, draw conclusions, suggest improvements and raise further questions.

Throughout the programmes of study, the children acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group. This is informed by the national curriculum and builds towards identified phase ‘end points’ in accordance with NC expectations. A systematic progression of skills mapped across the school can be seen in our Progression of Skills document. The curriculum is designed to ensure that children are able to acquire key scientific knowledge through practical experiences; using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently. Cross curricular opportunities are also identified, mapped and planned to ensure contextual relevance. Children are encouraged to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings and a love of science is nurtured through a whole school ethos and a varied science curriculum.

Children are encouraged to learn and use the correct scientific vocabulary for what they are learning about. The language of investigations is also explicitly taught and modelled so pupils use the correct terminology. Science suitcases in each class offer visual retrieval opportunities to help children make important links between previous and current learning, using developing subject specific vocabulary to support their explanation and reasoning.

Implementation

What do we teach? What does it look like?
 

• Each new unit of work begins with a recap of the previous related knowledge from previous years. This helps children to retrieve what they have learnt in the earlier sequence of the programme of study, and ensures that new knowledge is taught in the context of previous learning to promote a shift in long term memory. Key vocabulary for each scientific unit topic is introduced progressively throughout the series of lessons. This approach means that children are able to understand the new vocabulary when it is used in teaching and learning activities and apply it themselves when they approach their work.
• Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all pupils are capable of achieving high standards in science.
• Children are encouraged to think carefully about what they would like to learn about in Science so that they can take responsibility for their own learning in order to make it meaningful to them. They develop their knowledge through practical work and the skills of observation, prediction, investigation, communication, questioning and hypothesising. Children at North Leigh are encouraged to develop their skills of co-operation through working with others. Where possible, children are encouraged to explore Science in ways which are relevant and meaningful to them.
• Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure that skills are systematically developed throughout the children’s school journey and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. This is developed through the years, in keeping with each unit of work.
• 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 educational visits and visitors where possible.

Impact

By the time children leave our school they will:

• have developed scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
• have an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
• be equipped with scientific skills required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
• have developed a love for this exciting subject that goes beyond the classroom.

"I like science because I like to discover new things about the world around us.

I love science because it's interesting and mind-blowing."