Science

Intent

At St Paul’s Primary School, it is our intention to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. We give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires. Children are born scientists, from the moment they are born they began exploring and investigating the world around them using their senses. Our aim for science at St Paul’s is for our children to continue that enquiry and see themselves as scientists; from The Early Years Foundation Stage, through Key Stage One to the end of Key Stage Two and beyond. Science is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. It will develop the natural curiosity of the child, encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment and provide opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence. We intend to build a Science curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and build a Science curriculum which enables children to become enquiry based learners.

Implementation

• Use PLAN matrices as a guide for key learning and vocabulary taught for each topic within the National Curriculum where teaching and learning should show progression across all key stages within the strands of Science.
• Children have access to key language and meanings in order to understand and readily apply to their written, mathematical and verbal communication of their skills.
• Children will use a range of resources to develop their knowledge and understanding that is integral to their learning and develop their understanding of working scientifically.
• Use PLAN matrices example activities in line with the National Curriculum where teaching and learning should plan for practical investigative opportunities within Science lessons.
• Children will reflect on previous learning and cross curricular links will be made wherever possible.
• Children will be able to build on prior knowledge and link ideas together, enabling them to ask deeper questions and become enquiry based learners.
• Develop the following skills of investigation – observation, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating and interpreting.
• Attainment will be assessed each half term through related topic assessment tasks and short quizzes.

Impact

• Most children will achieve age related expectations in Science at the end of each school year.
• Children will retain knowledge that is pertinent to Science with a real life context.
• Children will be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.
• Children will work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.
• Children will be able to explain the process they have taken and be able to reason scientifically.
• Children will use appropriate scientific vocabulary to explain their understanding.