We believe that all children should have the opportunity to develop a love of the subject of science, and understand its importance and relevance in everyday life. We encourage children to be inquisitive about the world we live in throughout their time at the school and provide them opportunities to investigate how it works and discover answers to their own questions. 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. 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.
At Old Mill Primary School our vision is to give children a science curriculum which enables them to explore and discover the world around them. We want to teach children to think like scientists. Our science curriculum is designed with the intent that each child will become competent scientific thinkers and investigators who will encounter awe and wonder through first-hand scientific investigative experiences and approaches, which activate learning for all children. With great emphasis on providing children with a high-quality science education that offers the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics, our curriculum design for Science across primary school promotes specific competences including knowledge, enquiry and the working scientifically based skills.
It is key that knowledge content and practical skills are taught hand-in-hand, with children developing and building on their factual knowledge as they journey through the school, making links between topics applying skills and understanding from previous learning to new areas as they are met. As part of this it is also vital that they are exposed to and specifically taught the essential scientific vocabulary related to each topic in order to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding effectively. Creative pathways to learning are planned for so that children can make links to prior learning and develop depth in key skills within science that are rich, stimulating, challenging and real life with the aim of enabling children to master learning with skills, knowledge and experiences that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We should all champion primary science and our intent is to make sure that every child has a positive experience of science throughout their primary school education.
Our intent in science is to ensure that all pupils:
acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and develop an enthusiasm and enjoyment of scientific learning and discovery.
ask questions and be curious about their surroundings and a love of science is nurtured through a whole school ethos and a varied science curriculum.
use a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner.
develop a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own, and other children’s safety.
develop positive attitudes towards science and motivating all pupils into becoming inquisitive, passionate and enthusiastic scientists.
We implement this by:
The key knowledge identified by each year group is informed by the national curriculum and implemented using White Rose Science.
Key skills are mapped for each year group and are progressive throughout the school. These too ensure systematic progression to identified skills end points which are in accordance with the Working Scientifically skills expectations of the national curriculum. 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.
Cross curricular opportunities are also identified, mapped and planned to ensure contextual relevance.
Planning for science through the progression of knowledge and skills document that ensures coverage is met and progression is clear.
Sequencing of lessons allows for children to connect previously taught knowledge from across the curriculum to new learning in order to help make connections and understand new learning.
Planning for creative and innovative activities that ensures consistency in teaching, excitement and challenge for all.
Discussing the meaning of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and exploring how our topic of work relates to these concepts.
Understanding what we already know and want to know to ensure a lessons focus is relevant to the children's interests.
Using White Rose science Flashback 4 at the start of lessons to retrieve and reinforce previously taught knowledge in order to consolidate prior learning and embed this in children’s long-term memory.
Providing a range of opportunities for investigation and inquiry through open ended investigations at least once per unit of work.
Learning about a range of past and present scientists from various background to allow all children to feel they are scientists and capable of achieving.
Creating an open, honest culture where ideas and misconceptions can be discussed in a safe and encouraging environment.
Offering 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 allow all pupils to come off-timetable, to provide broader provision and the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills.
The impact of our science approach is that children:
Enjoy science through a varied and engaging curriculum and are motivated learners with sound scientific understanding.
Talk confidently about science and their learning and be familiar with scientists and their roles in the past and present world
Develop a range of working scientifically skills across all of the areas of the scientific curriculum and demonstrate a progression of learning and understanding, with appropriate vocabulary.
Learn through varied and first-hand experiences of the world around them.
Have a fun, high-quality science education that provides them with the foundations and knowledge for understanding the world.
Pupils who are vulnerable will be supported in their science learning through 'Adaptive Teaching' and effective instruction in the classroom.
Children’s progress is continually monitored throughout their time at Old Mill Primary School and is used to inform future teaching and learning. By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study as set out in the National Curriculum. These are set out as statutory requirements. We also draw on the non-statutory requirements to extend our children and provide an appropriate level of challenge. Children receive effective feedback through teacher assessment, both orally and through written feedback in line with the success criteria.
In line with the KWL strategy, children identify what they know already about each topic. The programme of study takes is responsive to the children’s starting points, as well as their specific interests. It also ensures a focus on the key identified knowledge of each topic, which is mapped within and across year groups to ensure progression. At the end of each blocked science topic, this key knowledge is checked. Outcomes of work also evidence its acquisition. In EYFS, we assess the children’s Understanding of the World according to the Development Matters statements and some aspects of Expressive Arts Design are also science based. Assessment for learning is continuous throughout the planning, teaching and learning cycle.
Teachers will assess children’s science work in a variety of ways to ensure they gain a full understanding of what each child has learnt, and what is needed to progress their understanding. Teachers will observe and question pupils, provide written and oral feedback. Teacher assessments are added to OTrack at the end of each academic year and are recorded as part of KS1 and KS2 SAT’s data which is reported to parents and the Local Authority.
Old Mill Primary School
Station Road
Broughton Astley
Leicestershire
LE9 6PT
Old Mill Primary School
old_mill_primary_school
@OldMillPS