Welcome to the Science page! Here you will find lots of information about the exciting Science curriculum. You can also see some of the investigations that take place in school. Look out for the links to some super cool websites too.
Intent
The 2014 National Curriculum for Science aims to ensure that all children:
- 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 skills required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
- We understand that it is important for lessons to have a skills-based focus, built on a foundation of supporting knowledge.
At St Josephs, we encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at school and beyond. The Science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes. Throughout the programmes of study, the children will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. We ensure that the Working Scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings.
Implementation
To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in Science, we implement a curriculum through the scheme Developing Experts, the scheme provides staff with a comprehensive framework and outlines the knowledge and skills that need to be taught in each Key Stage.
Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science. Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following;
- Science will be taught in planned and arranged topic blocks by the class teacher, to have a project-based approach. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge.
- Through our planning, we involve problem solving opportunities that allow children to find out for themselves. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. This curiosity is celebrated within the classroom. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons, often involving high-quality resources to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.
- We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.
- 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. This is developed through the years, in-keeping with the topics.
- Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and virtual workshops with experts.
- Children are offered 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.
Impact
The successful approach at St Josephs results in a fun, engaging, high-quality science education, that provides children with the foundations and knowledge for understanding the world. Frequent, continuous and progressive learning outside the classroom is embedded throughout the science curriculum. Through various virtual workshops, trips and visitors, children have the understanding that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. Children learn the possibilities for careers in science, as a result of our expert films and curriculum links to industry, ensuring that children have access to positive role models within the field of science from a range of science disciplines and Stem related industries. From this exposure to a range of different scientists from various backgrounds, all children feel they are scientists and capable of achieving. At S Josephs, we aim to ensure every child enjoys science which results in motivated learners with sound scientific understanding.
We measure the impact of our Science curriculum through the following methods;
- Formative Assessment based on the 2014 National Curriculum and the outcomes of our Scheme
- Pupil discussions about their learning; which includes discussion of their thoughts, ideas, processing and evaluations of work (pupil voice)
- Moderation staff meetings where pupil’s books are scrutinised and there is the opportunity for a dialogue between teachers to understand their class’s work across each theme
- Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum
- Marking of work in books
- Our SLT are kept up to date with developments in the way science is run in our school with assessment and action plans
Below are some key documents about Science in our school. You can look at these to see what you will be learning about next.
Click here to see some recommended reads to expand your science knowledge and curiosity.
Fun Science Websites
St Joseph's Science News!
Marvellous Materials
This half term the children in Year 2 have been testing lots of materials. In this lesson, the were testing if materials were waterproof or absorbent. Some children got a little wet when testing these out!
Eggciting Adventure
In year 2 there were some spceial arrivals in the summer term! Eggs began hatching and all the children got to see some chicks being born. They learnt all about the lifecycle of a chick and taught the rest of the school how to take care of them.
Year 5 Experiments
Year 5 have been working on their scientific enquiry skills. They designed a fair test and recorded their results. They have been learning about which materials are insulators and conductors of heat.
Pupil Corner
What pupils say about Science...
"We love science because it is fun to learn about the weather." (Y1)
"We enjoy science because we investigate everything around us in science. Me and my table discuss investigations. If one of us gets stuck the other people help us." (Y2)
"We need to learn about science as it might help us get a job one day" (Y4)
"Science is interesting and fun as you get to do experiments." (Y6)