Science

Intent

The National Curriculum for science aims 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. At Our Lady’s, we encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at the school and beyond. The Science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes. In our Science lessons, we ensure that both our pupils’ substantive and disciplinary knowledge is built upon year on year. We ensure all children are exposed to high-quality science teaching and a range of learning experiences. Science teaching is carefully sequenced to ensure a clear progression of substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge. Each lesson is designed to explore and build on children’s prior knowledge, allowing for misconceptions to be addressed effectively.

The substantive knowledge builds progressively to develop children’s understanding of concepts, models, laws and theories.

It is organised into the following four areas:

Biology

• Living things and their environment
• Reproduction, inheritance and evolution

Chemistry

• States of matter
• Materials (properties and changes)

Physics

• Energy
• Forces

Earth Science

• Earth and space

The disciplinary knowledge builds progressively to enable children to work scientifically and covers the following aspects:

• Methods used to answer questions
• Using apparatus and techniques
• Data analysis
• Using evidence to develop explanations

We design and deliver a broad and balanced science curriculum which stimulates and maintains children’s natural curiosity. Key scientists, significant discoveries and theories are studied, to give the children a real-life understanding of concepts taught. Deeper thinking is encouraged through the use of a wide range of questioning in every lesson. Where possible, real-life examples are used in lessons to give our children a deeper understanding of these concepts.

Throughout the programmes of study, the children will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. We ensure that the Working Scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings.

Implementation

Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all pupils are capable of achieving high standards in science. Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following;

• Science will be taught in planned, cross-curricular, topic blocks using PZAZ, to have a broader learning approach that progresses week on week. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge.
• Through our planning, we involve problem solving opportunities that allow children to apply their knowledge, and find out answers for themselves. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. This curiosity is celebrated within the classroom. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons using PZAZ, often involving high-quality resources to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess pupils regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all pupils keep up.
• We build upon the knowledge and skill development of the previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and 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.
• Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being 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. Vocabulary is consistent and on display in every classroom.
• 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.
• Children are offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits, trips and visitors to complement and broaden the curriculum. These are purposeful and link with the knowledge being taught in class.
• Regular events, such as Science Week and the Science Fair, science competitions and visitors provide a broader provision and the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills. These events often involve families and the wider community.
• Children have the opportunity to learn outdoors by using our outside field, forest school and local area to see Science in the real world.