Science
Science Curriculum Statement
Intent
Heather Garth Primary Academy understands the need for all s to develop their Scientific understanding and knowledge as an essential component of the curriculum and as a subject in its own right. Through a high-quality Science education, including the use of practical experiences, pupils will develop their understanding and knowledge of the world in which they live, a well as develop their disciplinary skills for taking part in science activities.
We believe that a high-quality science education, beginning in the foundation stage, 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 at Heather Garth Primary Academy will be taught essential aspects of knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. We aim to provide pupils with enough experiences to enhance their curiosity and excitement about their world and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to become successful scientists. They will be encouraged to ask questions about the world around them, share observations, understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Implementation
At Heather garth Primary Academy, science is taught every half term. Teachers plan sequences of lessons across the unit that will build on and develop knowledge and skills. Each unit of learning has a strong foundation in new knowledge – linked to prior knowledge – that will support the pupils to understand increasingly complex scientific phenomena and processes. Scientific vocabulary is mapped and taught rigorously to ensure that pupils can both recognise, understand and use scientific terminology accurately and confidently. The knowledge and skills that pupils will develop throughout each science topic are mapped across each year group and across the school to ensure progression
Staff at Heather Garth Primary Academy ensure that all pupils are exposed to high quality teaching and learning experiences, which allow them to explore ideas, thus developing their scientific enquiry and investigative skills. Science is taught as discrete lessons, but does link to other curriculum subjects in certain areas. The curriculum is well designed and developed to be ambitious for all learners and to ensure pupils know more and can remember more, developing prior knowledge as they go through school.
The EYFS is the first opportunity where children are exposed to scientific working within their curriculum. Children are encouraged to make observations about the world around them, which in turn fosters their curiosity from an early age. They are then encouraged to talk about their experiences and vocabulary is introduced and used.
Within key stages 1 and 2, the curriculum is planned to follow ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science’ in a progressive way, as they develop their substantive knowledge of key concepts and knowledge. Science specific vocabulary is identified and taught, whilst also allowing opportunities to use this within their learning over time. This also supports pupils in retaining key ideas and applying them to real life contexts. Misconceptions are also identified to prevent problems in the later stages of their scientific education.
Alongside this, disciplinary knowledge is taught explicitly, but purposefully to allow our pupils to gain the skills they need to work scientifically, providing them with opportunities to predict, test, observe, reason and evaluate. This teaching is linked to the different types of enquiry, whereby pupils are able to provide answers to questions.
Impact
The impact and measure of this is to ensure pupils 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. They will become increasingly aware of the role science plays in our everyday lives and the world around and the part they play in the preservation of our natural world. Pupils will develop a passion for science and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity in the fields of chemistry, physics, and biology. They will demonstrate high aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life.
Through quality Science teaching all pupils will gain a wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills. They will develop a rich vocabulary which will enable them to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
From this exposure to a range of different science experiences, all pupils should feel like they are capable of achieving and feel confident enough to share their knowledge in a way that suits them.
The Subject Termly Overview can be found on our Website
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