Science

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

Albert Einstein

Intent

At Puss Bank School and Nursery, our science curriculum aims to fascinate children with how science plays such a key part in their everyday lives. By providing high quality learning opportunities, children gain knowledge through practical, first-hand experiences. Our children gain a secure understanding of scientific concepts whilst also developing a range of scientific skills that are transferrable to the wider curriculum and beyond. Children will develop their natural curiosity about the world around them by asking questions, devising and conducting investigations and enquiries, problem solving and forming conclusions.  By studying the work of scientists past and present, we encourage the children to have an appreciation of how the application of science has changed our lives or the lives of others and the potential it has to do so in the future.

Implementation

The curriculum is lead and over seen by the science lead and follows the National Curriculum programme of study, (Y1-Y6). In EYFS, we foster a sense of curiosity and develop awe and wonder about science in their everyday lives through the Understanding the World strand of learning. Cycles of lessons are carefully planned to ensure that the children’s knowledge and understanding of key concepts is built on progressively in relation to the strands of biology, chemistry and physics. The children are also encouraged to ‘be scientists’ by working scientifically and understanding scientific enquiry. They are provided with numerous opportunities throughout their school journey to ask questions, find patterns, notice similarities and differences, classify, make predictions, undertake fair and comparative tests, present their findings and form conclusions.

Each cycle of lessons is carefully structured so that the children revisit their prior learning, and so that misconceptions can be identified and addressed. Technical and scientific vocabulary is introduced, practised and used, in order to facilitate the children to effectively communicate effectively their ideas in a variety of ways. Where it is purposeful, effective links are made with other curriculum subjects, such as Mathematics and P.E.

Throughout the school year, a wide variety of enrichment activities are provided so that children recognise the contribution that science has made and continues to their everyday lives, e.g. Science Week, STEM ambassadors, field trips and Crest Science Awards.

Impact

The successful approach to the teaching of science at Puss Bank School and Nursery will result in a fun, engaging, high quality science education that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them once they complete their primary education.

Children at Puss Bank School and Nursery School will:

•       demonstrate a love of science work and an interest in further study and work in this field.

•       retain knowledge that is pertinent to Science with a real-life context.

•       children demonstrate knowledge of a diverse range of scientists.

•       be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.

•       be able to articulate their understanding of scientific concepts and be able to reason scientifically using

rich vocabulary linked to science.

•       work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.

There is a range of summative and formative assessments carried out throughout the year to ensure that the majority children achieve age related expectations in science at the end of each year.