Curriculum Statement: Science
‘Excellence, Truth and Grace’
Science Intent
At Middleton Parish Church School, we want children to believe they are scientists! Our aim is to become a school of inquisitive scientists where children are able to understand, investigate, and make sense of the natural world around them. Our goal will enable the majority of pupils to flourish against the National Curriculum objectives whilst utilising their scientific enquiry skills to step into the mantle of scientific investigators. We intend to develop our children’s curiosity, their scientific thinking and their scientific practices, by allowing them to investigate and study the environment and world in which they live. At the heart of our progressive science curriculum is scientific investigation. Children live out our motto of ‘excellence, truth and grace’ in their approaches to scientific knowledge acquisition and investigation.
We teach science in all year groups using the PLAN primary science resources from the ASE as a starting point for learning, covering all National Curriculum objectives. Opportunities for the development of both substantive and disciplinary knowledge are carefully integrated and planned throughout units of work. At Middleton Parish, children are encouraged to revisit previously learned skills and knowledge, and to draw upon their existing experiences of the world around them, using this to make connections with new learning in science. We adopt an enquiry-based approach where children work scientifically to discover, question, observe, classify, research, test and pattern seek. Opportunities to learn, understand and use high-quality scientific vocabulary are incorporated into all experiences. Children have access to high-quality science resources and an extensive environment including a garden and forest area within the school grounds, to further develop their skills of enquiry and investigation. When relevant, children are able to draw connections between science and their learning across the wider curriculum. Our Early Years children explore the world around them through rich play opportunities crafted around their interest and curiosity, where opportunities to develop and enhance their understanding are threaded through continuous provision. Science is celebrated at Middleton Parish; children enjoy taking part in British Science Week, the local and national Great Science Share, and after-school science clubs.
The curriculum leads to children being equipped for life to ask and answer scientific questions. We intend for children to apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments and investigation, building arguments, and explaining concepts confidently, being familiar with scientific terminology and, most importantly, to continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings. Science at Middleton Parish Church School aims to develop a fun, practical and engaging high-quality curriculum that inspires the next generation to succeed and excel in science. Children will work in collaboration with others. They will understand the role of science in society, making links between what they have learned and everyday life. They will question how this will impact their lives in the future.
Science Implementation
At Middleton Parish, we endeavour to stimulate children’s curiosity about each scientific concept they will learn. We do this through ensuring lessons are engaging, thought-provoking and practical. Each unit of work is carefully sequenced and progressive, with teachers planning creative activities to impart the necessary knowledge and skills children need to succeed. This may take the form of enquiry-based investigations, learning outside of the classroom, the use of models to demonstrate scientific concepts, video clips and the variety of concrete resources available to support children with their learning. Children are encouraged to work collaboratively and use scientific enquiry skills.
Each science lesson begins with an opportunity for children to practise previously learned knowledge and skills, through the ‘flashback’ and ‘anchor’ activities. The flashback activity relates to concepts taught in a previously learned unit, allowing children the opportunity to recall and place information into their long-term memory. The anchor unit provides an opportunity to practise knowledge and skills previously taught within the current unit.
As children progress through their science lessons, they will have opportunities to explore and ask questions about new concepts, ask their own questions and use their own scientific skills to solve problems. High quality scientific terminology is embedded throughout each lesson and regularly practised and built upon as children progress through school. Children are encouraged to discover for themselves, both independently and collaboratively, make predictions and test their theories, conduct fair and comparative tests, record their findings in a variety of methods and apply their knowledge. Not only will children learn the substantive knowledge surrounding their topic, they will continuously develop the disciplinary knowledge to work scientifically and systematically.
Although our approach aims to be as inclusive as possible, we know that this needs to be adapted to meet the needs of some of our children. To do this we simplify and adapt learning tasks, impart new learning in smaller chunks to avoid cognitive overload, use visual cues and models, provide additional feedback, and plan opportunities for children to support and learn collaboratively through guided group work.
Science Impact
At Middleton Parish, we use both formative and summative assessment to determine the impact of our science curriculum and approach to teaching science on outcomes. Teachers use formative assessment techniques within lessons to assess children’s progress across each unit. They do this through carefully planned questioning, verbal responses, the use of retrieval activities, and the written or physical outcomes that pupils produce to assess children’s scientific skills and knowledge. This is vital in identifying and addressing common misconceptions, and informing next steps for teaching and learning. Teachers pair their formative assessments with the analysis of summative assessments in order to maintain a record of children’s attainment and abilities. Both formative and summative assessment findings are used to inform the next steps for learning and teaching. Teachers assess children’s progress against the end points outlined within the National Curriculum, along with their working scientifically skills, to ensure all children achieve at least the expected standard by the end of each key stage. Our approach to assessment ensures that we are clear on what the outcomes are for all children, including disadvantaged children and children with SEND, and are able to work proactively to improve science outcomes. Our overall approach to the teaching and learning of science at Middleton Parish provides children with the necessary foundations they need for understanding and exploring the wider world, and enables them to succeed further once they complete their primary education.
Curriculum - Science.
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