Science

What does this look like in Science?

At English Martyrs, we value Science as one of the core subjects and aim to develop and foster a love of science that will inspire them to become future scientists. Also inspiring the children to be aspirational in their work encouraging them to ambitious in their work, to challenge themselves and to develop their own scientific thinking and ideas. We want our children to understand and develop an appreciation of how it has changed the lives of human beings and how vital it is to the world’s development and future prosperity. 

Developing the children’s curiosity through investigative work, the curriculum endeavours to provide children with opportunities to ask and answer scientific questions about the world around them.  Allowing children to reach informed conclusions and equip them with skills to be tomorrow’s problem solvers. 

We aim to keep the children engaged through a stimulating curriculum, that develops all learners including disadvantaged and SEND pupils into risk taking, independent, confident, and resilient students. 

Curriculum Intent:

The teaching and implementation of the Science curriculum at English Martyrs is based on the National Curriculum objectives. We have adopted the White Rose Science scheme of work. Scientific enquiry and its related skills are at the core of the scheme. It uses a “small steps” approach to science teaching, that fosters enquiry-based learning, collaboration, investigation, and evaluation.

EYFS

In the EYFS curriculum, Science is covered in the Natural World strand of Understanding the World. Science is introduced through activities that encourage every child to explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions, and talk about the world around them.

Children begin developing their scientific thinking and enquiry skills through the exploration and investigation of the world around them. In EYFS, children have a range of different opportunities to learn scientific concepts, both inside the classroom and in the outdoor areas. They are encouraged to ask questions about why things happen and how things work, as well as thinking of ways of answering questions and explaining why some things occur. Children make observations of animals and plants and objects in their natural environments and are introduced to and encouraged to use appropriate scientific vocabulary.

Continuous provision activities are planned to provide independent learning to support and reinforce concepts explored.

Year 1-6

Each unit of work has been designed to embed previous learning that allow children to continually revisit previously taught concepts, thus retaining them in their long-term memory. Key vocabulary is highlighted at the beginning of each session and likely misconceptions are also identified to ensure they are addressed and any gaps in knowledge plugged.

Teachers use adaptive teaching strategies to ensure that all learners including SEN children, EAL children and other disadvantaged groups can make good progress.

Curriculum Implementation:

Within Years 1 - 6, each lesson focusses on a manageable step of new learning based on the National Curriculum.

What a typical lesson looks like:

Flashback: An opportunity for pupils to retrieve and build upon previously acquired skills, to improve retention through four questions.

• Q1 is from the previous lesson;
• Q2 is from previous weeks learning;
• Q3 is from 2 to 3 weeks ago
• Q4 is from last term/year.

Teach it: Introduction to learning with identification of key vocabulary, key questions posed to the children to deepen their scientific understanding. Live modelling and explicit addressing of potential misconceptions support learning and moving on in the classroom. 

Practise it:  Most lessons will have a practical element to give children the opportunity to investigate and answer enquiry questions. Some lessons will involve written work, where they are gaining some substantive knowledge. Most lessons will be a combination of both depending on the nature of the unit of learning.

Prove it: Children will be provided by a range of opportunities to apply their understanding of the concept which they have been taught and practised.  This might be an independent piece of work, an open-ended problem, a group task or discussion to prove their understanding.

Dig Deeper: Children will be given the opportnity to link ideas and concepts and use higher level scientific vocabulary to demonstrate understanding e.g. English Writing - Non-chronological reports.

Assessment: Children are assessed throughout the lesson with questioning, live marking and verbal feedback given in the class (as per the schools marking policy). Both summative (formal tests) and formative (class observations & learning) support the teachers' assessment of a child. A termly data drop of assessment levels ensures that children can be tracked according to National Curriculum outcomes.

Curriculum Impact:

Our school’s nature of Curiosity, Aspiration and Engagement are fully represented in our science curriculum.  We aim to develop these attributes in each child, through a stimulating, practical and inclusive curriculum, which is delivered to all pupils, irrespective of specific learning needs or disabilities. Though we use the White Rose Science scheme to deliver our curriculum, teachers adapt learning where necessary to ensure that all pupils make good progress and achieve their potential. We also endeavour to incorporate and uphold the British Values in our Science learning.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Review

We implement a systematic approach to Monitoring, Evaluation and Review approach at English Martyrs, which comprises of the following:

• Learning walk and informal observations.
• Book looks.
• Pupil voice interviews / surveys.
• Moderation of learning through book looks (in- school, MAC wide)
• Data analysis (individual, class, whole school)
• Pupil progress meetings

Each monitoring period allows the school to further develop and support the provision of mathematics within the school. Including opportunities for:

• Observing good practice / participating in team teach sessions
•  Participation in further CPD
• Developing the whole school curriculum to meet the needs of the children.