Science LTP

SCIENCE AT SHELLEY FIRST SCHOOL Intent Science teaching at Shelley First School aims to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them. It provide opportunities for children to acquire specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of science today and for the future. We ensure that children develop a secure knowledge and understanding in biology, chemistry and physics, and develop an understanding of how to work scientifically by using various types of enquiry. Implementation We use the Sonar thematic curriculum to support the planning and resourcing of science and to ensure that lessons are planned sequentially. We teach science in year groups throughout the year where knowledge and skills are built on progressively. Scientific knowledge, skills and vocabulary is recapped throughout through retrieval quizzes, enrichment opportunities and scientific experiments. Our curriculum is supported through high quality texts which provide further cross-curricular reading and writing opportunities linked to the context of the current science topic. At Shelley First School, scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. Topics, such as plants, are taught in Key Stage One and studied again in further detail throughout Key Stage Two. This model allows children to build upon their prior knowledge and increases their enthusiasm for the topics whilst embedding this procedural knowledge into the long-term memory. All children are encouraged to develop and use a range of skills including observations, planning and investigations, as well as being encouraged to question the world around them and become independent learners in exploring possible answers for their scientific based questions. Specialist vocabulary for is taught and built upon and effective questioning to communicate ideas is encouraged. Concepts taught are reinforced by focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. Throughout the year, children enjoy special visits from experts from different aspects of science. In addition, children’s science work is supported and enriched through educational visits to local places and museums. We utilise the school’s amazing outdoor space, which includes allotments, a greenhouse, a pond, large expanses of grass and forest areas to enrich our learning, specifically in biology. In Key stage 1 and EYFS, science underpins forest school sessions where children learn about seasons, habitats and growing plants. In Key Stage 2, the outdoors is used to enrich the subjects of nutrition, living things including their habitats, rocks and soils, and plants. Impact Our Science Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: ▪ Reflect on standards achieved against the National Curriculum. ▪ Celebrate learning through class assemblies and open evenings. ▪ Tracking of knowledge in pre and post learning quizzes. ▪ Pupil discussions about their learning.