SCIENCE

INTENT 

Developing and increasing pupils’ understanding and enjoyment of science is core to our curriculum. We will ensure that all pupils develop scientific knowledge, skills and understanding through the appropriate teaching of biology, chemistry and physics. Effective teaching and learning will help them develop an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science, whilst gaining an understanding of scientific processes and an understanding of the uses of science in the past, today, and in the future. They will experience different types of research and experimentation which will help them answer scientific questions about the world around them. All staff will ensure that high standards are achieved and that all pupils make good progress at every stage.

At Harwood Meadows Primary School, we aim

• to promote and develop children’s enjoyment and enthusiasm for science through exciting, practical, first-hand learning and opportunities to experiment, explore and investigate.
• to ensure that the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for science are taught well and that where appropriate their scientific knowledge skills and understanding are applied across all subjects of the curriculum
• to ensure that the school’s schemes of work and guidelines for science are taught, thoroughly, systematically and progressively to all pupils in all classes
• to enable pupils to become scientists by developing their problem solving and reasoning skills so that they can apply their scientific thinking across the curriculum
• To ensure that, from the EYFS onwards, pupils are confident in their understanding and application of their basic skills in science and that they build upon their prior learning at every stage.
• to encourage children to use their increasing knowledge, skills and understanding of science to investigate, ask questions and solve challenging problems
• to develop pupils’ confidence and skill in scientific methods as they explore the areas of science and address increasingly complex problems.
• to bring science to life and make it real so that children understand the importance of science in the world and in their everyday day lives
• to ensure that all children are well supported through teaching methods, resources and practical investigations in order for them to achieve
• to teach pupils to work with proper regard for their own safety and that of others, using safety equipment where necessary. 

IMPLEMENTATION

• An appropriate range of teaching and learning strategies will be used in all science lessons to capture pupils’ interest and to promote effective learning and progress
• Teachers will use the school science curriculum, supported by an appropriate range of teaching and learning resources, to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding of every child, ensuring that all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve high standards for their ability and make appropriate progress
• Children will be encouraged to ask questions, solve problems, discover new information, apply and consolidate their knowledge, skills and understanding, through first-hand experience, investigations and practical work
• Teachers will make use of the immediate and wider environment to help pupils apply their scientific knowledge skills and understanding to see the relevance of science to their own lives. They will set challenging work, tasks and problems to increase children’s’ knowledge, skills and understanding, to extend their thinking and build their self-confidence
• Knowledge organisers will be used in each unit o work to introduce knowledge, check knowledge and as a guide for reference. Each knowledge organizer contains key vocabulary, key concepts and sticky knowledge
• Teachers will assess children’s work in science through formative and summative judgements by asking questions, observing learners during lessons, observing pupils solving practical problems and listening to pupils’ discussions.
• Low stake quizzes, mind maps and knowledge organisers will also be used as a form of assessment
• Work will be marked regularly and frequently and pupils will be given appropriate, clear feedback
• Cross-curricular learning with English (writing and reading) and maths (data handling) is encouraged, where appropriate
• Pupils have the opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas and attitudes towards science through pupil voice.
• Children learn the possibilities for careers in science as a result of our community links and enrichment activities such as ‘Aspirations Week’
• The science leader will support the teaching and learning of science by providing strategic leadership and direction, monitoring progress and standards across the school, reviewing and revising the science policy, monitoring and supporting teachers in the teaching of science, keeping staff up to date on new developments in science, monitoring the effectiveness of the planning and development of science, auditing, monitoring the effective and appropriate use of resources, and obtaining new resources.

IMPACT

Our well-planned and high quality curriculum, will ensure that all pupils become inquisitive, confident scientists through providing an engaging science curriculum. Our children will gain the foundations for understanding the world ready for their next steps once leaving Harwood Meadows Primary School. Effective teaching will ensure that all children can ask relevant questions, make suggestions to improve their learning, make scientific predictions, carry out a range of different investigations, and solve problems by applying their knowledge, understanding and skills in science with increasing sophistication.

We focus on progression of knowledge and skills and discreet vocabulary which also form part of the units of work. We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Assessing children’s understanding of topic linked vocabulary before and after the unit is taught
• Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning
• Images and videos of the children’s practical learning
• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice)
• Subject leader monitoring of standards
• Teacher dialogue where pupil’s work is scrutinised and there is the opportunity for teachers to understand their class’s work and develop curriculum opportunities further.