Science

Science Curriculum Statement

 Aiming High Together

Intent

At Lowton West Primary School, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. As one of the core subjects taught in Primary Schools, we give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires. Science provides the foundation for understanding the world around us. It can not only teach pupils about the world they live in, but also how to study it and make sense of various phenomena. As such, it is a fundamental aspect of all children’s learning. Our scheme of work will not only ensure statutory compliance with the national curriculum, but also that all pupils have a solid grounding in science and a positive attitude towards scientific knowledge and experimental processes.

At Lowton West Primary School, in conjunction with the aims of the National Curriculum, our Science teaching offers opportunities for children to:

• Developing pupils’ interest in, and enjoyment of, Science. By building on children’s curiosity, the Science curriculum will help to instil a positive attitude towards Science in pupils.
• Delivering all the requirements of the National Curriculum in relation to Science and covering major scientific concepts.
• Ensuring Science lessons are purposeful, accurate and imaginative.
• Ensuring pupils have sufficient scientific knowledge to understand both the uses and implications of Science, today and in the future. This will also give pupils an appreciation of the changing nature of scientific knowledge.
• The development of pupils’ ability to pose questions, investigate these using correct techniques, accurately record their findings using appropriate scientific language and analyse their results.
• Helping pupils develop the skills of prediction, hypothesising, experimentation, investigation, observation, measurement, interpretation and communication.
• Making pupils aware of and alert to links between Science and other school subjects, as well as their lives more generally.
• Use a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner, including I.C.T., diagrams, graphs and charts.
• Develop a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own, and other children’s safety.

We endeavour to ensure that the Science curriculum we provide will give children the confidence and motivation to continue to further develop their skills into the next stage of their education and life experiences.

IMPLEMENTATION
Teachers create a positive attitude to Science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science. Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of Science involves the following;

• Science will be taught in planned and arranged topic blocks by the class teacher. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge.
• Through our planning, we involve problem solving opportunities that allow children to find out for themselves. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. This curiosity is celebrated within the classroom. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons, often involving high-quality resources to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.
• We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.
• Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. This is developed through the years, in-keeping with the topics.
• Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and workshops with experts.

IMPACT
The successful approach at Lowton West results in a fun, engaging, high-quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world. Our engagement with the local environment ensures that children learn through varied and first hand experiences of the world around them. So much of Science lends itself to outdoor learning and so we provide children with opportunities to experience this. Through various workshops, trips and interactions with visitors/ experts, children have the understanding that Science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. Children learn the possibilities for careers in Science as a result of our community links and connection with national agencies such as the STEM association. Pupil voice is used to further develop the Science curriculum, through questioning of pupil’s views and attitudes to Science to support the children’s enjoyment of science and to motivate learners.

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