Christ Church Pellon C of e VC Primary School

Science

Intent

At Christ Church (Pellon) School, we believe that science is an exciting and integral part of our creative curriculum which enables children to observe, explore and discover the world around them.

Science teaching at Christ Church actively encourages children to work both independently and with others in practical ways, developing secure subject knowledge, investigative skills and scientific vocabulary.

Our aims for science are to ensure that all pupils:

develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
● develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
● are equipped with the scientific skills required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. We understand that it is important for lessons to have a skills-based focus, and that the knowledge can be taught through this.

Implementation

All lessons are underpinned by the National Curriculum objectives. In line with other foundation subjects, we teach science in blocks as we believe this enables pupils to become immersed in their learning; helps embed concepts in their long-term memory and enables them to apply new knowledge, skills and understanding.

The topics taken from the curriculum are sequenced through long term planning to ensure they are taught in a specific order. Due to the logical planning and sequencing of units taught, cross-curricular links are provided between science and other subjects to ensure children and getting a broad and balanced curriculum. Working scientifically skills for each year group are also mapped and are progressive throughout the school. Medium term planning, provided by the science lead, ensures that all statutory knowledge is included within the teaching sequence. Moreover all units of work have an enquiry based learning approach. Key question are provided within the planning to guide and encourage children to create their own questions and conclusions throughout the teaching sequence.

Through our science teaching, we endeavour to create links between all subject areas (biology, chemistry and physics) and units taught in previous year groups. Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning in science involves the following;

Science is organised throughout the year to ensure one unit is taught per half term. The structure of units is decided by the science lead. This ensures that the content taught is progressive and builds upon the skills of previous units taught (in line with the National Curriculum guidelines for each year group).
Throughout the half termly units we build upon the knowledge and skill development of the previous year groups. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.
Medium term planning, provided by the science lead, involves teachers delivering engaging lessons often involving practical scientific resources to aid pupils’ understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test knowledge and skills, and assess pupils regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all pupils make progress. Tasks are selected and designed to provide appropriate challenge to all learners, in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion.
Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure that skills are systematically developed throughout the children’s school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. This is developed through the years, in-keeping with the topics.
Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and workshops with experts.
At Christ Church, we recognise the need to embed learning by revisiting and recalling previously learned knowledge at the start of each new topic. To achieve this, we use Knowledge Organisers that go home with each child prior to the new topic; detailing the links to previous learning, the key vocabulary and the sticky knowledge that we wish them to gain during that topic. The Knowledge Organisers are referred to throughout the topic teaching. An example of science knowledge organisers are found on each of the class pages within the web-site.
At the end of each topic, key knowledge is reviewed by the children and rigorously checked by the teacher and consolidated as necessary.