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Science

Intent, Implementation and Impact

Proverbs 25:2 

It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

 

NTENT:

At St Michael’s CE Primary school, our children are scientists. Our intention is to give every child a broad and balanced Science curriculum, which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We as staff recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life and want the children to see this too. We want our children to have a love and passion for Science, to have the confidence to ask questions, but most importantly, we want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be astronauts, forensic scientists, toxicologists or microbiologists.

 

We strongly believe that high quality Science education and teaching offers the foundations needed to understand the world around us. Science is ever changing and is fundamental for a prosperous future. Because of this, we give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires.

 

We achieve this by ensuring that students are exposed to quality first teaching. We aim to deliver lessons that allow children to remember and cherish these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities they are presented with on a daily basis. This involves planning lessons that are exciting, practical and encourage curiosity and questioning. At the heart of our progressive Science curriculum is scientific investigation. Wherever possible we intend to deliver lessons where children learn through varied investigations and experiences. These stimulating and challenging experiences will help every child flourish and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a thirst for learning. A key element to our teaching is the building of fundamental scientific knowledge and concepts that can be added to and developed each year to allow our children to advance their rational thinking skills in addition to developing a sense of curiosity and excitement about Science. We also provide the children the opportunities to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, as well as analyse the causes they observe or record. Children at St Michaels are constantly immersed in key scientific vocabulary, increasing student’s knowledge and understanding of not only the specific area they are learning, but of the world they live in.

At St Michael’s we have researched and identified a coherent, well-planned Science curriculum (Developing Experts) which has been carefully designed and based around the National Curriculum. It has been developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do.  We want our children to be equipped with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the Science National Curriculum but to prepare for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

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IMPLEMENTATION:

At St Michael’s CE Primary School, Science topics are taught within each year group in accordance with the National Curriculum and the Developing Experts Scheme. Science is taught consistently in standalone lessons, once a week for up to 1 hour and 45 minutes but is taught in many different contexts throughout all areas of the curriculum. For example, through our whole class reading lessons.

In ensuring high standards and learning in Science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout our school.

We implement this by doing the following:

  • A clear and comprehensive scheme of work that shows progression across all key stages within the strange of Science.

  • Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups and link ideas together, therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills.

  • Teachers promote enjoyment and foster interest of the scientific disciplines: Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

  • Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observation as well as conclude findings. Children present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations and diagrams.

  • Children are supported to review the learning taking place in a variety of ways allowing opportunities to revisit learning from previous topics as well as previous lessons.

  • Children have access to knowledge organisers at the start of each topic, which details information, dates and vocabulary. This is used to support children with their acquisition of knowledge and as a reference document.

  • Cross-curricular links are planned for, with other subjects such as Maths, English and Computing.

  • Skills of a scientist are embedded and woven through lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career.

  • Through enrichment days such as ‘Science Week and after school clubs’, we promote the profile of Science.

  • Provide children with opportunities to experience Science during outdoor learning.

 

At St Michael’s we understand and appreciate that, all children are different and will learn differently. With this in mind, we ensure we provide suitable learning opportunities for all children to flourish and achieve.

 

IMPACT:

The successful approach to the teaching of Science at St Michael’s will demonstrate a fun, engaging, high quality Science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them throughout life.

 

The impact of this curriculum design will lead to outstanding progress over time, across key stages, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave St Michael’s as enthusiastic Science learners and understand that Science has changed our lives and that is it vital to the world’s future prosperity. We want to empower our children so they understand they have the capability to change the world. We also aim to create a culture of high scientific aspirations, which will allow our children a platform to develop their scientific learning and careers.

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