Science

                                                                                                                     

Intent Statement:

The national curriculum states, “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.”

 

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 knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
     

At Chalk Ridge, we want our children to be confident and curious pupils who apply their schemas of knowledge and skills in a scientific way, carrying out inquiries to answer scientific questions about the world around them. We will see their progression throughout their time at Chalk Ridge because they will know more, remember more and are able to do more.

 

Implementation Statement:

In the Foundation Stage, children are taught Science through the key area of learning set out within the EYFS Statutory Framework. Through a broad range of teacher-led, child-initiated and continuous learning opportunities, children will be taught to:
 

  • Use their senses to investigate a range of objects and materials.
  • Find out about, identify and observe the different features of living things, objects and worldly events.
  • Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change.
  • Ask questions about why things happen and why things work.
  • Develop their communication and co-operation skills.
  • Talk about their findings, sometimes recording them.
  • Identify and find out about features of the place they live and in the natural world around them.
     

In KS1 and KS2, children continue to build on their science knowledge with more formal weekly science lessons. Every lesson begins with retrieval practise of prior learning which links to the new disciplinary and substantive knowledge that will be taught in the lesson through a concept relating to biology, chemistry or physics. Regular opportunities for scientific inquires will be planned within a learning journey to allow children to put their new substantive and disciplinary knowledge into practise and context.

The substantive knowledge is divided into the following concepts:

The following disciplinary knowledge progresses and develops through the primary phase and links to the working scientifically statements in the national curriculum:

Impact Statement:

Pupils enjoy, and are successful in, learning across a wide range of concepts the substantive knowledge of Biology, Physics and Chemistry by using their disciplinary knowledge in inquiry situations. The curriculum is well designed and is regularly adapted to meet pupils’ needs.
 

We measure impact through:

Knowledge and understanding (physics, chemistry and biology) are assessed and tracked at the end of each topic.
Working scientifically is continually assessed within lessons and tracked in Year 1 and 2, Year 3 and 4, Year 5 and 6.
Prior understanding is assessed through weekly retrieval tasks.

Observation of teaching and learning will show:

  • Teachers have a good level of subject knowledge.

  • Confident children developing their independence in their learning, often posing their own questions and hypothesis for investigation in upper key stage 2.

  • Marking and feedback encourages ‘deeper’ thinking for greater depth understanding.

  • Formative assessment through questioning during lessons and investigations.

  • Confident and curious children who can eagerly talk about their science lessons and discoveries they have made.

  • Children are able to use and explain the meaning of scientific vocabulary.

  • Teachers use a range of questioning to explore children’s understanding.

  • Children’s misconceptions are addressed through oral and written feedback.

  • Children understand how to undertake scientific inquiries safely.

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