Science
Intent
At St Mary’s our intent in science is to spark children’s curiosity in the world around them, motivating them to ask questions and explore a subject more deeply through the 5 types of enquiry. In line with EEF Improving Science report (2023) science teaching at St Marys is “about ensuring that opportunities in science remain accessible to pupils from all backgrounds—should they wish to take them—now, and as they get older. We are all—in the broadest sense— scientists, but high-quality teaching at an early age does much to support pupil attainment that can facilitate a pathway towards further study in science, and foster aspirations to be scientists.” At St Marys we aim to inspire and excite our children through our practical and exciting curriculum, creating opportunities for out door learning wherever possible. We aim to deliver a curriculum based on the National Curriculum, which includes the teaching of:
- “scientific knowledge and concepts across biology, chemistry, and physics;
- the nature, processes, methods, and skills of science to answer scientific questions;
- and the application and implications of science in the wider world, presently and in the future.” (Department for Education 2015)
At St Mary’s we:
- Develop pupils’ scientific vocabulary
- Encourage pupils to explain their thinking
- Guide pupils to work scientifically
- Relate new learning to relevant, real world contexts
- Use assessment to support learning and respond to our pupils needs
- Ensure that all children develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding.
- provide a high-quality science education which provides the foundations for understanding the world.
- develop children's natural curiosity and encourage their inquisitive nature through our science lessons.
- ensure that all children are exposed to high quality teaching and learning experiences, which allow children to explore their outdoor environment and locality, thus developing their scientific enquiry and investigative skills.
- encourage children to focus on the work of great scientists.
- ensure that all children develop an understanding of how their body works and how to stay healthy.
Implementation
At St Mary’s we create a positive attitude to science learning within the school 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 is taught through our Cornerstones Curriculum (See Science overview for more details), this ensures that the National Curriculum statutory requirements are taught and that they progress throughout school building on previous learning.
- It is taught weekly and arranged so that cross -curricular links can be made across the curriculum. This enables pupils to develop scientific vocabular and a greater depth of knowledge.
- Children are given regular opportunities to explore the outdoors, through outdoor learning, creating a love of nature and allowing pupils to ask their own questions and create investigations, depending their understanding of the world around them and developing their scientific enquiry skills.
- Teachers use precise and open ended 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.
- Teachers will use a wide range of formative and summative assessment tools to ensure that learning meets the needs of all pupils
- The 5 types of enquiry and Working Scientifically skills are embedded throughout the science curriculum to ensure new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching.
- Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding.
- Children are offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits, trips and visitors to complement and broaden the curriculum. These are purposeful and link with the knowledge being taught in class.
- Regular events, such as Science Week and Investigation Afternoons, such as ‘Healthy Week’, allow all pupils to come off-timetable, to provide broader provision and the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills. These events often involve families and the wider community.
Impact
The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age-related knowledge and vocabulary linked to the science curriculum, but also critical thinking skills to explore and question the world around them.
All children will have:
- A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry and investigative skills.
- A richer vocabulary which will enable to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
- Be inspired to independently research and question the world around them and apply their scientific knowledge to answer questions and solve problems.
- Be inspired by the outdoor environment and understand the importance of it in our world and use scientific knowledge and skills in their every life.
- High aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life.