St Paul's C.E Primary School

Overview 

Science is an integral part of life at St. Paul’s, inspiring curiosity, discovery and a deeper understanding of the world around us. From hands-on investigations to collaborative enquiry, science encourages our children to question, explore and think critically. It is a vibrant and valued part of learning at St. Paul’s.

Our progressive curriculum develops children’s scientific knowledge, skills and vocabulary, while nurturing confidence, resilience and independence as learners. Through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics, pupils are encouraged to work scientifically by asking questions, making predictions, carrying out investigations and communicating their findings.

Science at St. Paul’s provides meaningful opportunities for exploration, creativity and collaboration, helping pupils to develop a lifelong love of learning and an understanding of the role science plays in today’s world and the future.

Intent

St Paul’s C E Primary School is an inclusive welcoming family community where we want our children to be confident, creative and independent learners; inquisitive to wonder and explore; form positive relationships and who are resilient within an ever-changing climate of social diversity.

Through the teaching and learning of science at St Paul’s, pupils progress their knowledge, skills and vocabulary; enabling them to develop an understanding of nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries, which helps them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.

We aim to provide structured and memorable experiences, which provoke pupils to:

·       Think scientifically

·       Learn scientifically

·       Be inspired to self-enquire

Our science curriculum has clear progression of knowledge, vocabulary and working scientifically skills, teaching our pupils to solve problems and report scientific findings. Staff at St Paul’s develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through three substantive concepts:

·       Biology

·       Chemistry

·       Physics

Disciplinary knowledge is taught through ‘discovery learning’ at the beginning of topics, to ensure all pupils are able to develop their working scientifically skills. Discovery learning allows pupils to explore and practise using resources, apparatus, techniques and discuss prior knowledge. Working scientifically skills are then used through a range of types of enquiry:

·       Asking and answering questions

·       Making predictions

·       Setting up tests

·       Recording data

·       Interpreting and communicating results

·       Evaluating

·       Fair test

·       Observing and measuring

·       Collecting and handling data

·       Classification

Implementation

At St Paul’s, we follow the National Curriculum, revisiting and building on prior knowledge. This ensures prior knowledge is fully embedded, allowing our pupils to make progress. Science lessons are taught weekly, and begin with ‘flashback’ questions, to retrieve previously taught knowledge and vocabulary. 

We provide a range of high-quality learning opportunities within the statutory requirements and ‘non statutory’ requirements incorporating ‘TASC’ and enquiry.

 

To support and enthuse pupils learning journey, curiosity and love of science, one child from each year group, years 1 – 6, has the opportunity to take home a science investigation bag each week. This bag contains ideas for science experiments that the pupils can conduct at home with their families. Their findings are then shared in their next science lesson. This helps to inspire curious and competent scientists.

We also run a ‘Science Week’ each year, where the whole school conducts investigations. During science week, we book in a science show, in which pupils are able to participate in a range of experiments relating to various topics. Teachers also conduct an open evening, where they set up experiments and invite families to come and join in the fun. 

Impact

At St Paul’s, our aim is for our science curriculum to develop curious thinkers. Our curriculum enables children to develop an understanding of scientific vocabulary and use it accurately. Our pupils develop the scientific skills, knowledge and a life-long passion, required to understand the uses and implications of science today, and for the future.

We measure the impact of our science curriculum through pupil voice, book looks, monitoring and data.

Pupil voice allows pupils to share their feedback with the science lead, to identify strengths and areas for development. Book looks enable us to monitor progression, and ensure pupils are taught to work scientifically, through a range of enquiries. We aim for science skills to be taught through activities, by focusing on ‘what do we want the pupils to learn?’

Knowledge mats are used at the beginning of each topic, which contain prior knowledge, vocabulary and the knowledge the pupils will learn. Knowledge checks are then used at the end of each topic, for pupils to complete, filling in definitions of vocabulary, and key knowledge they have learned. Pupils can also tick to indicate how confident they feel in the topic. This helps teachers to assess, and inform future planning and retrieval knowledge.

All staff work hard, to promote the subject of science across the school, and aim to conduct one investigation each term.

 

Overview

Science is an integral part of life at St. Paul’s, inspiring curiosity, discovery and a deeper understanding of the world around us. From hands-on investigations to collaborative enquiry, science encourages our children to question, explore and think critically. It is a vibrant and valued part of learning at St. Paul’s.

Our progressive curriculum develops children’s scientific knowledge, skills and vocabulary, while nurturing confidence, resilience and independence as learners. Through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics, pupils are encouraged to work scientifically by asking questions, making predictions, carrying out investigations and communicating their findings.

Science at St. Paul’s provides meaningful opportunities for exploration, creativity and collaboration, helping pupils to develop a lifelong love of learning and an understanding of the role science plays in today’s world and the future.

Intent

St Paul’s C E Primary School is an inclusive welcoming family community where we want our children to be confident, creative and independent learners; inquisitive to wonder and explore; form positive relationships and who are resilient within an ever-changing climate of social diversity.

Through the teaching and learning of science at St Paul’s, pupils progress their knowledge, skills and vocabulary; enabling them to develop an understanding of nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries, which helps them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.

We aim to provide structured and memorable experiences, which provoke pupils to:

·       Think scientifically

·       Learn scientifically

·       Be inspired to self-enquire

Our science curriculum has clear progression of knowledge, vocabulary and working scientifically skills, teaching our pupils to solve problems and report scientific findings. Staff at St Paul’s develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through three substantive concepts:

·       Biology

·       Chemistry

·       Physics

Disciplinary knowledge is taught through ‘discovery learning’ at the beginning of topics, to ensure all pupils are able to develop their working scientifically skills. Discovery learning allows pupils to explore and practise using resources, apparatus, techniques and discuss prior knowledge. Working scientifically skills are then used through a range of types of enquiry:

·       Asking and answering questions

·       Making predictions

·       Setting up tests

·       Recording data

·       Interpreting and communicating results

·       Evaluating

·       Fair test

·       Observing and measuring

·       Collecting and handling data

·       Classification

Implementation

At St Paul’s, we follow the National Curriculum, revisiting and building on prior knowledge. This ensures prior knowledge is fully embedded, allowing our pupils to make progress. Science lessons are taught weekly, and begin with ‘flashback’ questions, to retrieve previously taught knowledge and vocabulary. 

We provide a range of high-quality learning opportunities within the statutory requirements and ‘non statutory’ requirements incorporating ‘TASC’ and enquiry.

 

To support and enthuse pupils learning journey, curiosity and love of science, one child from each year group, years 1 – 6, has the opportunity to take home a science investigation bag each week. This bag contains ideas for science experiments that the pupils can conduct at home with their families. Their findings are then shared in their next science lesson. This helps to inspire curious and competent scientists.

We also run a ‘Science Week’ each year, where the whole school conducts investigations. During science week, we book in a science show, in which pupils are able to participate in a range of experiments relating to various topics. Teachers also conduct an open evening, where they set up experiments and invite families to come and join in the fun. 

Impact

At St Paul’s, our aim is for our science curriculum to develop curious thinkers. Our curriculum enables children to develop an understanding of scientific vocabulary and use it accurately. Our pupils develop the scientific skills, knowledge and a life-long passion, required to understand the uses and implications of science today, and for the future.

We measure the impact of our science curriculum through pupil voice, book looks, monitoring and data.

Pupil voice allows pupils to share their feedback with the science lead, to identify strengths and areas for development. Book looks enable us to monitor progression, and ensure pupils are taught to work scientifically, through a range of enquiries. We aim for science skills to be taught through activities, by focusing on ‘what do we want the pupils to learn?’

Knowledge mats are used at the beginning of each topic, which contain prior knowledge, vocabulary and the knowledge the pupils will learn. Knowledge checks are then used at the end of each topic, for pupils to complete, filling in definitions of vocabulary, and key knowledge they have learned. Pupils can also tick to indicate how confident they feel in the topic. This helps teachers to assess, and inform future planning and retrieval knowledge.

All staff work hard, to promote the subject of science across the school, and aim to conduct one investigation each term.