Intent

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At Taddington and Priestcliffe Primary school, we want our children to have an interest in science and how it impacts our daily lives. We want them to constantly be asking questions, both ‘big’ and ‘small’, as they seek to better understand the world they live in and the fundamental scientific laws that govern it, from gravity to evolution to the way light travels. Moreover, we want to ensure that they understand the role that science (and scientists) has played in our past and how it will continue to play a vital role in our future, especially in the areas of healthcare and the environment. By the time that they leave education, we want all children to have become informed, curious, scientifically literate citizens, and our science curriculum is designed to build the broad foundations of that goal. We recognise that science plays a vital role within our school community, with many parents and carers having careers as farmers, engineers and work within the manufacturing industry.

 

We will deliver a Science Curriculum that:   

 

• Builds upon prior knowledge and a progression of skills to ensure all children have a secure understanding and knowledge of key science concepts   

• Develops creativity and challenges all of our learners through outstanding and inclusive teaching practice  

• Inspires and excites our children through engaging practical sessions which are enriched with visits and visitors   

• Will develop aspirational learners with an awareness of the key role that science plays within our community and the world and the opportunities that this creates for future careers   

• Encourages our children to be self-motivated, independent, curious and resilient learners by developing inquiry based skills and sessions  

• Encompasses outdoor learning to create meaningful experiences within their natural environment  

 

Implementation 

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The curriculum is led and overseen by the science curriculum leader, who will regularly monitor, evaluate and review science teaching and learning, celebrating and sharing good practice. As with all subjects, the leader facilitates an in-depth subject enquiry with pupils, parents and staff. The outcome report can be found at the top of this page.  Formative assessments will be integrated into every day science teaching to ensure teachers have an in depth knowledge of the children’s learning and inform their next steps. Low stakes testing of science will also inform termly assessments and allow for long term memory development and secure understanding of skills. Retrieval practice on a weekly basis also enables scientific concepts and vocabulary to be frequently revisited . 

 

The National Curriculum 2014 and the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework 2017 provide the basis for our science curriculum, which is then tailored to meet the learning and developmental needs of the children in our school.  

 

Teachers will plan science using the newly developed progression of knowledge and skills document which will allow children to build upon prior knowledge and understanding. This document will also outline the Working Scientifically skills, which teachers will use to plan enquiry-based lessons which will support children’s journeys to become independent and resilient learners.

  

The teaching, learning and sequencing of science will follow a blocked curriculum and thematic approach. The blocked approach has been implemented to ensure coverage and progression in all subject areas. Thematic planning has been implemented to ensure children experience science in a meaningful way as part of their broader leanring journey.    Science will be also be taught discretely through science weeks, culminating in a 5-week STEM project for all year groups in the summer term. 

 

Knowledge organisers will be developed and introduced for teachers and pupils to use for each topic for reference and assessment purposes. This will map out the knowledge, vocabulary and skills needed to master the concepts as well as including suggestions for links to outdoor learning and enquiry-based sessions and the schools EPIC curriculum drivers.

 

 CPD and teaching resources are offered to the science leaders yearly, based upon one area of science. This CPD will be disseminated to staff through a workshop and staff meetings to establish up-to-date staff subject-knowledge. The resources, including the topic-specific enquiry book will be shared to further develop inclusive, challenging and outstanding teaching. 

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Impact

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• During science lessons, we will ensure that children are given the opportunity to ask ambitious questions and then plan and conduct investigations with the aim of answering these questions. In Years 1 and 2 their natural curiosity should be encouraged and they will be given the opportunity to talk about what they have found out.

• In Years 3 and 4, children will explore, talk about, test and develop ideas and begin to make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry would be most effective.

• In Years 5 and 6, they will encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. Children will draw conclusions, use evidence to justify their ideas and use their understanding to explain their findings  

• Children will have an awareness of the full range of scientific careers and pathways available to them and will be keen to pursue STEM subjects at secondary school. 

• Children will leave for secondary school equipped with the science knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their further education.