Intent:

At Southcote Primary, it is our intention to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. Our aims are to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for science; providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum; ensuring the progressive development of knowledge, skills and vocabulary and for the children to develop a love of science.

The Scientific area of learning is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. Furthermore, we aim to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the natural and man-made world and a respect for the environment that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

The aims of teaching science in our school are to:

• Equip children to use themselves as starting points for learning about science, and to build on their enthusiasm and natural sense of wonder about the world.
• Develop through practical work the skills of observation, prediction, investigation, interpretation, communication, questioning and hypothesizing, and increased use of precise measurement skills and ICT.
• Gain enjoyment from their scientific work.
• Teach scientific enquiry through contexts taken from the National Curriculum for Science.
• Encourage children to collect relevant evidence, to question outcome, and to build resilience to persevere, as it is likely they will need to repeat results or will encounter unexpected results that do not support their hypothesis.
• Encourage children to treat the living and non-living environment with respect and sensitivity.
• To critically question the world around them.
• To enable children to appreciate that we do not always know the answers when carrying out scientific enquiry as the world around them is continually changing and developing.
• Equip children with the language and the Oracy skills to be able to discuss their learning, to confidently explain their scientific understanding in small groups and to offer their own suggestions.
• Offer an inclusive Science curriculum that allows all children, including SEND children, to experience success in Science. 

Implementation:

As soon as the children start in EYFS, they are encouraged to comment and ask questions about aspects of their familiar world such as the place where they live or the natural world. During free flow, they are given opportunities to talk about the features of their own immediate environment and make observations of animals and plants. They also explain why some things occur and talk about changes through role-play.

As the children progress further up the school, a clear and comprehensive scheme of work ‘Rising Stars Switched on Science’ in line with the National Curriculum is used to ensure that teaching and learning is showing a progression across all key stages within the strands of Science.

Throughout the scheme of work:

• Science is planned and arranged by the class teacher in topic blocks in order to provide an experience-based approach ‘Experiencology’. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge.
• Existing knowledge is checked at the beginning of each topic, as part of the KWL strategy (What I know, What I would like to Know and What I have Learned). This ensures that the children’s starting points inform teaching and that it takes account of pupil voice, incorporating children’s interests.
• Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess pupils regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all pupils keep up.
• Tasks are selected and designed to provide appropriate challenge to all learners, in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion.

• Working scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure that skills are systematically developed throughout the children’s school career.
• Children use a range of resources to develop their knowledge and understanding that is integral to their learning and develop their understanding of working scientifically.
• Children and parents have access to a knowledge organiser for each unit, which outlines the key vocabulary and knowledge they need to master.

• Teaching and learning will plan for practical investigative opportunities and scientific experiments within Science lessons.
• Events such as Science Spectacular Day, allow all pupils to come off-timetable, to provide broader provision and the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills.

• We provide a variety of opportunities for science learning inside and outside the classroom. Learning outside of the classroom, especially in our “Forest School” setting, is an essential part to learning science. It is essential children observe and immerse themselves in their local environment to apply their learning practically to real-life situations.
• Children are able to reflect and build on previous learning and cross-curricular links are made wherever possible especially as we embrace a whole school approach to link Reading with all areas of the curriculum including Science.
• We ensure that teachers have the same expectations during Science lessons that they would have when teaching English or Mathematics.
• Where applicable links to Science are made to develop the children’s long-term memory.
• Attainment is assessed each half term through related topic assessment tasks and quick quizzes. We use ‘Explorify’ for EYFS and ‘Rising stars’ end of unit assessment for KS1 & KS2.
• Our inclusive curriculum will be evidenced in the teaching of Science across the school, including the scaffolds that teachers provide to help pupils achieve. These opportunities will also be reflected in both medium and long-term plans.

Intended impact:

• Most children will achieve age related expectations in Science at the end of their cohort year.
• Children will be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.
• Children will work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.
• Children will be able to explain the process they have taken and be able to reason scientifically.
• Children will have the understanding that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity and learn the possibilities for careers in science.
• Children with SEND will be able to experience success in Science, as well as being able to identify their areas for improvement.