SCIENCE
'"The important thing is to never stop questioning'" - Albert Einstein
INTENT
Children live in an age of fast-moving science and this area of learning is fundamental to exploring, understanding and influencing the natural and made worlds in which we live. At Prince Albert School, we aim to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that will not only provide the foundations each child needs to understand science in everyday life, but inspire pupils to confidently explore and discover what is around them so they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. Pupils will receive high quality teaching which will develop the scientific skills and knowledge that children will need in order to be scientists of the future. Pupils will be encouraged to pose questions, use correct scientific vocabulary and carry out scientific investigations. They will have opportunities to research and evaluate their findings. A range of equipment, including technology, will be used to support and enhance their learning.
Our aim is to build on the children’s natural enthusiasm and curiosity to find out about phenomena and events in the world around them and make better sense of their environment. We want pupils to have a passion for science and to understand the various pathways that are available to a young scientist. Pupils will develop an inquisitive nature and understand that science is all about the world around them.
IMPLEMENTATION LONG TERM OVERVIEW
In the Foundation stage, children begin to develop an understanding of science through the broad area ‘Understanding the World’. Children explore and find out about the world around them and begin to ask questions about it. As children progress through school they are given a wide range of scientific experiences as they are introduced to more complex scientific ideas. Children learn to ask scientific questions and begin to appreciate the way science is an integral part of our everyday modern life and will affect the future and present on a personal, national and global level.
Our curriculum, which has been carefully designed and developed, is based on the national curriculum programmes of study and the vision we have for our pupils. This enables us to incorporate both science knowledge and the skills of working scientifically. Units, taken from the scientific disciplines of physics, biology and chemistry, are blocked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth.
Science is taught weekly. Every year group will build on previous learning to develop breadth and understanding. In order to ‘know more and remember more’ lessons begin with retrieval practice which enables frequent opportunities to consolidate and retrieve prior learning. In all lessons, pupils retrieve learning from previous units of work and also have opportunities to reflect on key questions from the next unit in order to prepare for the next stage their learning.
Pupils are encouraged to question, explore, predict, plan and carry out investigations, observe, record and conclude their findings. Key scientific vocabulary is taught within each unit and children have opportunities to present their learning. Cross curricular skills from subjects such as: Oracy, Maths and Computing are interweaved within the learning. Educational visits and visitors are planned to enhance learning in the Science curriculum.
Pupils are given clear success criteria to enable them to achieve the outcome with adaptive teaching to meet specific pupil needs. The curriculum is accessible to all and maximises development from each pupil’s starting point.
Our pupils are introduced to a range of scientists from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. They will learn the key skills a scientist needs and the different occupations within the science community.
Teacher assessments are made throughout the lesson, including retrieval practise. Summative assessments are made termly.
IMPACT
The impact of our curriculum design leads to outstanding progress over time. Our pupils have acquired essential skills and knowledge in science, including those of investigation and enquiry, that they can relate to real life. They have taken part in a range of scientific investigations and experiences. A wider vocabulary enables them to talk about their learning. Our curriculum develops enthusiastic scientists with a passion for science and the world around them. They understand that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future development. We empower our pupils to understand that they have the capability to change the world by teaching them about eminent scientists who can they aspire to. They understand that they have a place in the scientific community as scientists can come from a range of backgrounds and cultures.