Science
The Intent
At Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School our children love Science and are Scientists! We aim to give every child a broad and balanced Science curriculum, which enables them to confidently explore and discover what, is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We want our children to love science. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be astronauts, forensic scientists, toxicologists or microbiologists. We want our children to remember their science lessons in our school, to cherish these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities they are presented with. To achieve this, it involves exciting, practical hands on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. At Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, we have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum, which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the science National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
The Implementation
At Sacred Heart, Science topics are taught within each year group in accordance with the National Curriculum.
- Topics are taught in blocks to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth;
- Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills;
- Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observations as well as conclude their findings;
- Children present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations and diagrams;
- In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons;
- At the start of each topic children will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know about a current topic;
- Children are given a knowledge organiser at the start of each topic which details Key vocabulary, learning and information. This is not used as part of an assessment, but to support children with their acquisition of knowledge and are used as a reference document. This is also shared with parents;
- Effective CPD and standardisation opportunities are available to staff to ensure high levels of confidence and knowledge are maintained;
- Effective use of education visits and visitors are planned to enrich and enhance the pupil’s learning experiences within the Science curriculum;
- Teachers use highly effective assessment for learning in each lesson to ensure misconceptions are highlighted and addressed;
- Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning intention, with misconceptions addressed within it;
- Through using a range of assessment tools, differentiation is facilitated by teachers, to ensure that each pupil can access the Science curriculum;
- Children are given clear success criteria in order to achieve the learning intention with differing elements of independence;
- Pupils are regularly given the opportunity for self or peer assessment, which will then be used to inform planning, preparation, differentiation and address misconceptions within that lesson, or for the next lesson;
- Cross-curricular links are planned for, with other subjects such as Maths and English.
The Impact
The impact of this curriculum design will lead to outstanding progress over time, across key stages, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave Sacred Heart reaching at least age related expectations for Science. Through various workshops, trips and interactions with experts our Science curriculum will lead pupils to be enthusiastic Science learners and understand that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. We want to empower our children so they understand they have the capability to change the world. This is evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice, their work and their overwhelming enjoyment for science.
Click on the link below to see the table of Science Progression through the classes: