Our Science Subject Leader is: Mrs Harrison

Intent

At Disley Primary School we believe that a quality Science curriculum should develop children’s love of exploration and investigation and should provide the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics linked to the National Curriculum Programme of Study 2014.

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 disciplinary and substantive knowledge, pupils should be encouraged to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Implementation

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 is taught linked to the National Curriculum objectives for each Key Stage.
• Year 1 and 2 are taught in Year groups to ensure progression of skills within the units.  LKS2 and UKS2 are taught on a 2 yearly cycle covering all the National Curriculum units in the relevant Key Stage.
• Science is taught weekly across all year groups.
• Each Key Stage has access to an on-line folder containing planning information and lesson structure ideas.  Staff training takes place through subject spotlights and staff meetings.
• Staff are aware of CPD opportunities to enhance subject knowledge
• Planning is aided using ASE documentation and knowledge mats for each unit (which are tailored to contain the vocabulary from the vocabulary lists) which ensure that sticky knowledge and key vocabulary is covered.
• Knowledge mats are posted on the class page at the beginning of each topic and will be added to books at the beginning of each new topic.
• Throughout each unit, enquiry opportunities are planned for, that allow children to investigate. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons 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.
• Learning and skill development is built on each year. Staff are aware of the prior learning and future learning for each topic covered.
• Working Scientifically and enquiry 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.
• A Powerpoint structure has been provided to staff.  This includes: “Flashback 4” to recall prior knowledge, a recall of the 5 areas of scientific enquiry (pattern seeking, research, fair testing, identifying and classifying and observation over time) and a sticky knowledge fact linked to the current topic. 
• A display of children’s work for the current topic is in the Year 5/6 corridor.  Each teacher is responsible for their own “frame” each half term
• Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding. They stress the need to work safely and teach children how to use and look after equipment.
• Through teaching, working scientifically skills are interwoven through lessons through the 5 areas of scientific enquiry (pattern seeking, research, fair testing, identifying and classifying and observation over time).

 

Impact

Within science, we strive to create a supportive and collaborative ethos for learning by providing opportunities for children to question and investigate to discover answers for themselves and take their learning in a direction they are interested in.

Our science curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills the use of key scientific vocabulary.

 

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

 

• Assessing children’s understanding of topic using a written assessment at the end of a unit
• Marking of written work in books
• Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning.
• Images of the children’s practical learning.
• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice)
• Moderation of books where pupil’s books are monitored and feedback given
• Formal reporting of standards at the end of each Key Stage
• Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum to parents

The science subject leaders will continually monitor the impact science teaching is having on the children’s learning through book looks and pupil voice meetings to ensure the progress of knowledge and skills is being taught. They will also ensure the knowledge taught is retained by the children and continually revisited and that the learners are able to apply the skills they have been taught to a variety of different settings, showing independence with their learning.