Science
Intent
At Roche School we want our science curriculum to provide a coherent base of scientific knowledge that will enable children to understand their world. This knowledge will inspire and engage them in science as a subject.
Alongside the acquisition of knowledge children will learn and develop the skills required to investigate scientific enquiry questions and record and communicate their learning.
We want our curriculum to prepare children to study science in greater depth within the three discreet disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics when they move on to secondary school. To that end our curriculum reflects consultation with secondary colleagues about the content and skills taught.
Implementation
Our curriculum for science is based on the progression of aims and subject content from the National Curriculum as well as the new (Sept2021) EYFS Framework.
The rational for curriculum content has been further informed by a number of key drivers;
At Roche School we want our science curriculum to provide a coherent base of scientific knowledge that will enable children to understand their world. This knowledge will inspire and engage them in science as a subject.
Alongside the acquisition of knowledge children will learn and develop the skills required to investigate scientific enquiry questions and record and communicate their learning.
We want our curriculum to prepare children to study science in greater depth within the three discreet disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics when they move on to secondary school. To that end our curriculum reflects consultation with secondary colleagues about the content and skills taught.
Implementation
Our curriculum for science is based on the progression of aims and subject content from the National Curriculum as well as the new (Sept2021) EYFS Framework.
The rational for curriculum content has been further informed by a number of key drivers;
- Where appropriate, opportunities to place science at the heart of or linked to a topic of learning that covers other curriculum areas
- A focus in key stage 2 on the knowledge and skills that will best prepare children to be successful in science in key stage 3
- Opportunities to learn science through involvement with providers such as The Eden Project and Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum.
All science learning begins with an enquiry question. The majority of questions are answered by investigations that involve the skills of ‘working scientifically.’ These skills are revisited and developed throughout the curriculum.
Working scientifically is specifically planned for within each year group’s curriculum.
The development of children’s vocabulary of scientific language is a feature of the curriculum.
Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and are given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research skills to discover answers and come to their own conclusions.
We ensure that we are building on the learning and skill development of the previous year in order that there is appropriate progression through the Key Stages.
We raise the profile of science by having science Super Learning days. On these days children are involved in science learning throughout and knowledge and skills can be developed in greater depth. Pupil voice indicates that children remember and reflect positively about their learning from these days.
Wherever possible, the school grounds and local area are used for fieldwork to enable children to understand their learning based on first-hand experiences and real contexts.
Impact
Working scientifically is specifically planned for within each year group’s curriculum.
The development of children’s vocabulary of scientific language is a feature of the curriculum.
Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and are given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research skills to discover answers and come to their own conclusions.
We ensure that we are building on the learning and skill development of the previous year in order that there is appropriate progression through the Key Stages.
We raise the profile of science by having science Super Learning days. On these days children are involved in science learning throughout and knowledge and skills can be developed in greater depth. Pupil voice indicates that children remember and reflect positively about their learning from these days.
Wherever possible, the school grounds and local area are used for fieldwork to enable children to understand their learning based on first-hand experiences and real contexts.
Impact
- Teachers will assess the impact of learning from children’s knowledge organisers against the learning objectives for science knowledge and working scientifically.
- Where appropriate teachers will assess learning based on outcomes collected in shared Floor Books. These may be used with younger children or with lower ability groups to capture learning. The teacher may have scribed answers and responses for children who struggle with written communication. Assessment may also be drawn from photographs of children at work.
- Judgements about impact will be triangulated by subject leaders scrutinising outcomes and triangulating this with pupil voice and lesson observations.
- Children will regard Science as a subject that they enjoy and want to engage with
- Children will have a breadth of core knowledge in science that will enable them to hypothesise and raise their own questions
- Children will have a core range of scientific enquiry skills that will enable them to raise questions, plan scientific enquiries and record and communicate their learning effectively.
- By the end of key Stage 2 children will have confidence in their knowledge and skills in science and will be able to continue to make progress in Key stage 3.
School received a favourable independent audit of its science provision (link below) by the Devon and Cornwall primary Science Learning Partnership in 2021.