“Science is the process that takes us from confusion to understanding.”
– Brian Greene
Subject Lead: Miss Ball
Science Progression of Skills
Intent
At St Joseph’s, we have designed a broad and balanced curriculum, which is accessible to everyone. We cater our Science curriculum towards fostering and developing children’s curiosity. We cater our lessons to providing an inspiring learning atmosphere that can provide challenge and allow the children to be fully engaged in their learning. From Early Years Foundation Stage to Upper Key Stage Two, pupils progress their abilities to work scientifically and the children consistently build on prior knowledge. This includes developing their skills of observation, researching and questioning. We have a particular focus on the children’s use of scientific terminology and their ability to use new scientific vocabulary throughout their academic life. This specific terminology is to be taught and progressed as the children progress through the school. We intend to provide all children within our school a vast and structured Science curriculum.
Our Science curriculum aims to ensure that children:
- Access a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils and that is coherently planned and sequenced
- Access a curriculum that is successfully adapted, designed and developed for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities
- Develop and deepen their knowledge and theoretical understanding through a range of branches of Science
- Develop the enquiry skills to deepen their knowledge and understanding
- Use a range of methods to communicate their scientific knowledge including I.C.T.
- Encourage an atmosphere of effective questioning to progress learning
- Grow a respect for the resources they handle safely.
- Continue and progress their enthusiasm and enjoyment of science
Cultural Capital
The Science curriculum at St Joseph’s will offer children the opportunities to draw upon skills, behaviours and knowledge. To be able to do this, all pupils are:
- Learning about famous scientists such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Mary Anning and Joseph Swan and their impact on the world
- Creating career links through the study of topic related careers
- Using a range of scientific equipment and online resources
- Creating questions to ask a scientist
- Visits to scientific museums or through workshops
Implementation
To guarantee our school-wide Science intentions, we apply a curriculum that encourages the children to progress their knowledge and skills as they grow through the classes. The National Curriculum (Understanding of the World in the Early Years Foundation Stage) and our academy trust provides the basis of our school assessment and planning of Science topics. From Year 4 onwards, children begin each topic with a Learn it! Link it! This allows pupil to see the key concepts, vocabulary and progression of skills for each topic. These sheets will allow the children to reflect on their prior learning and be a working document throughout the topic.
Our teachers use these to create engaging and challenging lessons for each curriculum point. Through shared PowerPoints, teachers will effectively model the use of scientific questioning, research and observation to motivate the children and to foster their curiosity and wonder around each topic. These PowerPoints also consistently recap on previous learning and reinforcing the three different strands of Science.
Key scientific language is discussed every lesson to encourage the children’s learning of this vocabulary. The language is also modelled throughout lessons. Teachers are encouraged to use practical demonstrations and experimentation to aid in children’s development of understanding. Key Stage One, Lower Key Stage Two and Upper Key Stage Two use investigation planning formats (that progress with the children’s ability) to fully grasp how to follow an investigation from hypothesis to conclusion.
After each session, children are encouraged to reflect on their learning, as either a group or individual, against their learning objective to decide if they have achieved their intended learning. Attainment is tracked through class trackers against curriculum expectations and Working Scientifically skills. Use of assessment tasks is also prominent through a variety of Science topics.