Science at Wybourn Community Primary School

Intent

At Wybourn Community Primary School we believe that a high quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world in which they live through investigation, as well as using and applying process skills. The staff at Wybourn Community Primary School ensure that all children are exposed to high quality teaching and learning experiences, which allow children to explore their outdoor environment and locality, thus developing their scientific enquiry and investigative skills. They are immersed in scientific vocabulary, which aids children’s knowledge and understanding not only of the topic they are studying, but of the world around them. We intend to provide all children regardless of ethnic origin, gender, class, aptitude or disability, with a broad and balanced science curriculum.

Implementation

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school.

As a school, we use the Cornerstones Curriculum to ensure that the teaching of science gives full coverage of, ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science 2014’ and, ‘Understanding of the World’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Science teaching at Wybourn Community Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. Where possible, Science is linked to class topics. Science is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage.

We ensure that all children are provided with rich learning experiences that aim to:

• Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.
• Help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.
• Help develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.
• Build on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
• Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the skills of working scientifically – including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
• Develop the use of scientific language, recording and techniques.
• Develop the use of computing in investigating and recording.
• Make links between science and other subjects.

Impact

The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age-related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives.

All children will have:

• A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills.
• A richer vocabulary which will enable children to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
• High aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life.

Assessment and recording

We assess children’s work formatively in science through observations and marking. These assessments inform the class teacher’s planning for future lessons. At the end of a unit of work, the class teacher makes a judgement about the children’s achievements. Wherever possible, children are the first to assess their learning.

Much of the work done in science lessons is of a practical or oral nature and, as such, recording will take many varied forms.

The Ogden Trust

The Ogden Trust aims to increase the uptake of physics post-16 by supporting physics education and engagement for all young people (4-18), particularly those in under-represented groups. The Trust supports schools, teachers, projects and programmes that are committed to enhancing physics teaching and learning.

Wybourn Community Primary is part of the SSET School Partnership for Ogden Trust and works with other schools within SSET to support the teaching of science and additional enrichment activities to develop the breadth and depth of our Science curriculum.

What we teach in Science in each year group

Useful websites

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239132/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Science.pdf

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=26

Discovery kids - Games, videos, exploration and a very good Facebook feed with current events.

The Science Museum - the best science museum in the world lets you explore and discover parts on line.

Extreme Science - find the biggest, baddest and best in the world of science!

Kids Gardening - the science of getting out in the garden and growing!

Planet Pals - discover more about our planet and how to help to keep it green.

Science for Kids - a great site from New Zealand.

Science made simple - get active with these great science projects that can be done at home.

Strange science - a history of paleontology and biology.