Science at Highfield J&I School
Intent:
Science is all around us and has a significant impact on everyday life. Therefore, this area of learning is paramount if our children are to go off into the world able to investigate and understand the fundamental elements of the subject. At Highfield School, our children have opportunities to understand science in the world around them and how this is incorporated in everyday life, through a broad and balanced curriculum. We aim to enable children to gain a deeper understanding into the scientific world, allowing them to research and investigate concepts, whilst accumulating the knowledge of essential science. Our Science curriculum will enable children to develop and refine their scientific skills as they progress through school. The children will be encouraged to carry out purposeful scientific investigations, using the correct scientific vocabulary so that they are able to explain and evaluate their findings.
As children grow and move through school, our aim is to harness their naturally curious approach to develop a passion for science. Through this approach, they will understand how science is an essential part of the world around them, the impact of significant scientists and how Science provides multiple career opportunities.
Implementation:
From the very beginning of life in our school, children are encouraged to think about the world around them from a scientific perspective. In early years, children are encouraged to begin to ask questions and explore a scientific approach using purposeful provocations in the curriculum area, Understanding the World. Through the use of observational and experimental skills, children can explore scientific experiences and concepts to begin their journey as a young scientist.
Based on the programmes of study outlined in the 2014 national curriculum, our teaching offers children the opportunity to develop their scientific knowledge and expand their skill set in the ‘working scientifically’ area of learning. Our topics have been carefully selected in line with the three scientific disciplines: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Through weekly teaching, the children have the opportunity to build on previous learning, retrieving and developing knowledge and skills. Children will be encouraged to plan, predict and undertake numerous investigations, including those that inspire them to think about the awe and wonder of science. Vocabulary is at the heart of learning, with children being exposed to and aided in using key science specific language choices to explore and explain their thinking.
Children are introduced to new concepts enabling them to retrieve previously taught skills and apply these into new concepts. Teachers use formative assessment throughout learning to consolidate and move learning on, with a termly assessment made for each child. Our science curriculum is inclusive, with learning scaffolded appropriately and adapted to suit the needs of every learner. Using success criteria, children understand the steps to take to achieve learning within a lesson and unit of work to expand their own knowledge and skill set.
By the end of their learning journey at Highfield School, children will have experienced a variety of ideas and concepts to allow them to know more and remember more so that they are able to do more.
Impact:
The impact of our curriculum is to ensure clears progress over time for all pupils. They will gain the intuitive skills to investigate and explore scientific concepts that are transferable into other areas of the curriculum. They will have taken part in a variety of experiences, including many scientific investigations, to harness and develop their curious approach which they can relate to real world situations. Children’s vocabulary use in this area will allow for breadth and depth to support them with the articulation of explaining scientific ideas. They will have the exposure to how science relates to the modern-day world and be able to consider their own part in this.
The impact of the curriculum is measured through:
- Pupil progress and achievement data
- Learning walks, book monitoring and pupil voice
- Pupil conferencing
- Readiness for the next stage in their learning