Science
Intent
Children learn through practical activities which develop their investigative skills and encourage a desire to find out about the world around them.
The Importance of Science
‘’A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’ future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught the essential aspects of the knowledge, methods and processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.’’ Primary National Curriculum England 2014
Aims
The National Curriculum for Science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
- Are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
As well as these, Grove Vale Primary aims to:
- Teach the skills of Science – predicting, questioning, interpreting, recording, observing, concluding and analysing and correctly using the technical scientific vocabulary to express ideas.
- Make cross-curricular links wherever possible and link Science with Mathematical skills when observing links and patterns with their results.
- Teach children the importance of Health and Safety so that they are aware of the need to keep themselves and others safe
- Support pupils’ using and applying the appropriate and accurate scientific vocabulary
- Develop knowledge and understanding of important scientific ideas, processes and skills and relate these to everyday experiences alongside the famous scientists who discovered and shared new scientific concepts.
Implementing
Here at Grove Vale, we follow the year-by-year Programmes of Study for Science as outlined in the National Curriculum for Key Stage One and Two. The curriculum coverage is mapped out on our Long-Term planning and we ensure that pupils develop a secure understanding of each block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage. We have a working scientifically progression document as well as a progression of scientific vocabulary. The ‘working scientifically’ strand of science is embedded within all the blocks of science and not taught as a discrete area so that pupils learn how to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions.
Children in Reception will develop their scientific skills of enquiry through project-based learning tasks linked to their overarching theme and their understanding will be measured through the Development Matters document within the strand of ‘Understanding the World’.
Impact
At Grove Vale the teaching of science will result in an exciting, engaging, high quality Science education that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world. We hope to inspire our children by giving them the opportunities to pursue their natural curiosity; promoting the experience of exploring and investigating scientific phenomena, in a range of contexts, to ensure a continually evolving knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Alongside this the children will be able to articulate their understanding of scientific concepts through the use of scientifically rich vocabulary, question and reflect upon scientific ideas and draw upon their mathematical skills within their work when organising, recording and interpreting results.
