Science

Science
at Sacred Heart Primary School

Intent

At Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, we aim to provide our pupils with a science curriculum that inspires them to want to find out more about the world. We want the pupils to be natural investigators, question the world around them and make discoveries of their own. We want to inspire our pupils to see the impact of science in the real world and how they could contribute to the changes and discoveries of scientists who have come before them. As we are from a rich, varied and multi-cultural school, we strive to highlight inspirational people from all backgrounds so that the pupils have the prospect of seeing themselves and making connections with people who are similar to them.

We aim for our pupils to recognise the impact of science in our daily lives and how people, of all ages, have made important discoveries that have made a substantial difference to how we live as a society. Our curriculum is supported by PLAN Science and STEM to enhance our learners’ opportunities in making connections and links across the curriculum. We want our pupils to embed their knowledge through recall and application in further science units and across the curriculum. Our curriculum has been enriched with subject specific vocabulary in order to support our pupils in being able to evaluate and articulate their findings and share their understanding of science whilst progressing in the sciences of biology, chemistry and physics.

We want to inspire our pupils to be the next generation of developers and to make positive change in the world. Our science lessons will lay the foundation for the pupils to gain a secure knowledge in order to question scientific theories and to plan and investigate their own lines of enquiry. Our curriculum is designed to develop the children’s knowledge of substantive and disciplinary knowledge so that they can make links with their learning and make excellent progress in their science subject knowledge. Science enables children to think creatively to understand the world around them. It involves practical investigations, observations and collecting evidence to develop an understanding of fundamental concepts and at Sacred Heart we always encourage our pupils to use their creative, critical thinking to engage in questioning, discussion and research science-based issues which affect their lives now and in the future. We aim to inspire our pupils to be aspirational to make sense of phenomena and current events so that they can make a significant impact in the future.

Units build across the year and over the years to provide children with a deep understanding of science and how areas of science interlink to prevent our children seeing science as isolated facts. Key assessment questions are included for each unit which teachers use to check children’s understanding during and at the end of each unit.

Implementation

Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce the expectation that all pupils are scientists capable of achieving high standards and articulating their understanding using accurate scientific vocabulary.

Science is planned and taught using a progressive approach that enables the achievement of deeper understanding and interconnected knowledge over time. In EYFS, children begin by learning about the natural world and are provided with opportunities to make and share observations, carry out simple tests and learn a wide range of vocabulary which form the beginnings of scientific concepts built on across Key Stage 1 and 2.

Children develop scientific enquiry through opportunities to: observe over time; pattern seek; identify, classify and group; plan and conduct fair and comparative tests and research using secondary sources. Through these strands, children learn to work scientifically by: asking scientific questions, planning enquiries, observing closely, taking measurements, gathering and recording results, presenting results, interpreting results, drawing conclusions, making predictions and evaluating enquiries. Pupils will work collaboratively to carry out experiments and analyse the results in order to share their findings with their partner, small group or the whole class. Pupils who have Special Educational Needs will be supported with specific planning, scaffolding and Quality First Teaching to enable the pupils to make substantial progress.

There are many opportunities to revisit their learning throughout our spiral curriculum and the children have the chance to recall and apply their secure knowledge to future learning. There is a clear progression of skills and knowledge within each year group and they are aligned with the objectives and aims of reaching the attainment targets at the end of EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

New Science units begin with a ‘What I know’ draw and discussion on making links between previous science learning. Lessons begin with retrieval quizzes, designed to ignite prior knowledge on which children can build new knowledge. Medium term plans provide further subject specific knowledge to facilitate the delivery of an excellent science curriculum including suggested visitors and visits that enhance classroom learning. We have a wealth of resources in our school’s vicinity that will support our pupils in gaining real-life, hands on experience, including: the universities, hospitals, the River Mersey, the planetarium at the museum and the use of our interactive room will support our immersive principle in our learning ethos to support pupils in feeling like they are experiencing events personally.

Pupils will develop their practical science skills through investigations and continuous provision activities in EYFS that are either Adult or child led to further embed their understanding of scientific concepts. This is a continuous focus throughout the year, with the skills and questioning progressing in order to develop the children’s knowledge and attainment. In KS1 and KS2, Science is timetabled weekly and there is a different unit to cover every half term. Regular monitoring, pupil and staff voice will be carried out to maintain consistency.

Knowledge Organisers contain the key vocabulary and concepts for each unit as well as the areas of scientific enquiry that will be used to develop learning. They support children to build their vocabulary and knowledge of key concepts and enquiry types and their purposes over time. Knowledge Organisers are stuck in books before each unit, are displayed in the classroom and are shared with families.

Impact

As we are using an enquiry-based method, we will be able to use specific objectives throughout the Science curriculum and therefore teachers can then assess against the National Curriculum. However, assessment will be carried out during teaching and pupils will be supported and scaffolded in their learning so that they can reach the objective.

Our pupils will leave Sacred Heart as inquisitive and critical thinkers, confident, knowledgeable challengers and ready to study science at Key Stage 3. Pupils will be able to explain why we should look after our environment and why it is important to appreciate all aspects of our natural world.

The expected impact will be:

Pupils will achieve the ‘Understanding the World – Natural World’ Early Learning Goal at the end of EYFS and the Science objectives will have been taught and embedded.
To develop children’s scientific knowledge and skills.
To build resilience in seeing failed experiments as an opportunity to learn more and success as an opportunity to build on that knowledge to make further learning links.
Pupils will have met the requirements of the KS1 and KS2 National Curriculum objectives.
Name the three strands of science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and give examples of each.
Understand how scientific experiments need to be controlled and ‘Fair Testing’ needs to be carried out.
Develop an awareness for people who have made a significant scientific impact to the world and be aware of modern scientists, their findings and how they are affecting our daily lives.
Children will become resilient, independent and curious scientists who ask questions and find things out for themselves.
Children will be enthusiastic and motivated scientific learners.
Outdoor learning will be utilised where appropriate for science lessons.
STEM ambassadors and the wider community will support science learning through trips and visits on regular basis.
Children will have an awareness of the full range of scientific careers and pathways available to them and will be keen to pursue STEM subjects at secondary school.
Children develop a love and enjoyment of science.