Science
Together, as one, we support each other to flourish and succeed
Intent
Together, children and staff at South Crosland, share a love of Science. We want our children to be naturally curious, raise questions and foster a sense of wonder about the world around them. We are committed to providing an engaging and challenging learning environment for all, through the use of high-quality resources and interactive, stimulating displays that include scientific vocabulary and key questions.
Our aim is to equip all children at South Crosland with the knowledge and skills required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and in the future. Our Science curriculum has been designed and planned to cover the National Curriculum objectives, go beyond these requirements and meet the needs of our context. Each lesson builds on prior knowledge, provides children time to learn and develops key scientific vocabulary and allows children to develop an understanding of the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. It gives children the knowledge and tools needed to be open-minded and creative and to think like scientists. All children study and use a range of enquiry skills such as observation, pattern seeking, identifying and classifying, comparative testing and research. These skills allow our children to be independent learners, exploring possible answers to their own questions. Our innovative and engaging Science curriculum, which incorporates links with other subjects such as P.S.H.E. Education and R.S.H.E, Computing, Design & Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, encourages our children to want to be part of the scientific process responsible for tackling the challenges our world faces.
Implementation
At South Crosland, Science is taught as a discrete subject every week for two hours. All year groups are taught in classes as this enables them to focus on securing their understanding and strengthening their independent capability to carry out scientific investigations.
To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in Science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout school. All Science planning is written and updated regularly by the Science Lead and distributed to a dedicated team of staff who adapt and extend the planning further to match children’s interests and individual needs. We include the use of technology, wherever appropriate, to aid teaching and learning. Through teacher modelling and planned questioning, we encourage our children to wonder about, and be amazed and surprised by, the world around them. Opportunities to learn outside the classroom are also planned throughout our Science curriculum, where appropriate. Educational visits also have a vital place as part of our Science curriculum, to enhance children’s learning experiences and opportunities further. In all year groups, children use books at the end of each topic to help consolidate their learning; these have proved to be a valuable resource.
The skills of Working Scientifically are embedded throughout the Science Curriculum. We build upon the learning and skill development of previous years. As our children’s knowledge and understanding increases, they become more proficient in selecting, and using scientific equipment and collecting and interpreting results. This allows them to become increasingly confident in their ability to form conclusions, based on their own questions and investigations.
Impact
The Science Curriculum at South Crosland C.E.(A) Junior School is high quality, well thought-out and planned to show progress, the impact of which is that children have the understanding that Science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future. Thanks to our links with engineers at Syngenta, and with other professionals in our local community, our children have positive role models within S.T.E.M. fields. As a result of this, our children are exposed to the best examples of scientists and scientific discovery and feel they are scientists and are capable of achieving. Our children gain an understanding that Science has changed their lives and it is vital to the world’s future.
Assessment and Reporting
Formative assessment of knowledge and skills is constant in Science and takes many forms: observation, questioning, discussions, projects and quizzes, peer and self-assessment, as well as teacher feedback (both verbal and written).
At the end of each topic, there is a summative assessment of children’s understanding. In Years 5 and 6, children complete end of topic tests which help to inform Teacher Assessments. Children in Years 4, 5 and 6 complete an end of year assessment to give an overview of their scientific understanding.
During the academic year, both Teacher Assessment and Attitude to Learning are reported to parents and carers three times, as part of our School Reporting Calendar (December, March and July).
Assessment information is collated by the Science Lead, which is used to track children’s progress across each year and across topics as they are revisited, as part of the spiral curriculum. This data is also used to adapt and update future planning.
Evidence of children’s work (working towards the expected standard, at the expected standard and at a greater depth) will be kept by the Science Lead alongside photographs of investigations, displays and Learning Outside the Classroom opportunities (i.e. trips and outdoor learning).