Science

Intent

Our intent for Science at Sacred Heart, is to provide children with a Science curriculum which enables them to explore and discover the world around them. To achieve this, lessons are exciting, practical and children have hands on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning – to deepen their understanding whilst working scientifically. Children are encouraged to question the world around them and become independent learners in exploring possible answers for their scientific based questions.

Our aim is that these inspiring and challenging experiences help children secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary. At the heart of our progressive science curriculum is scientific investigation. Wherever possible we intend to deliver lessons where children learn through varied systematic investigations, leading to them being equipped for life to ask and answer scientific questions about the world around them. We believe that these opportunities will ensure that our children are confident, life-long learners, who can apply their knowledge and scientific enquiry skills to experiences outside of school.

Implementation

At Sacred Heart, we follow a long-term plan for Science which outlines the five/six topics that need to be taught in each year group. Alongside the long-term plan, we also have medium-planning which breaks down the unit into a clear, sequence of lessons building upon prior knowledge. The acquisition of key scientific knowledge is an integral part of our science lessons. Linked knowledge organisers enable children to learn and retain the important, useful vocabulary and knowledge contained within each unit. The progression of skills for working scientifically are developed through the year groups and scientific enquiry skills are of key importance within lessons. Our drivers encourage our children to become independent, have courage and resilience throughout our science lessons and become confident communicators by using appropriate scientific vocabulary.

Staff access CPD training online from Reach Out CPD for each topic taught for support with subject knowledge and ideas for lessons and working scientifically.

Lessons at Sacred Heart will have:

• -Effective planning with clear learning outcomes, differentiated for all abilities of children including children with SEN and/or other disabilities.
• -At least  a 1-hour session of Science taught every week.
• -Lesson starters with an emphasis on science vocabulary.
• -Practical investigations are completed during each Scientific topic covered.
• -Children are taught a range of investigational skills during each topic, including, observations, measuring, predicting, controlling variables, critical evaluation of evidence, recording and interpreting different forms of evidence and data, posing questions, devising experiments, communication, explanations, describing, comparing and classification.
• -Different enquiry types taught throughout each year group.
• -Carefully structured first-hand experience, linked to the teaching of skills, knowledge, concepts, and attitudes. In this way, the children may be helped to make sense of their experiences and apply their learning to new situations.
• -Studies of famous scientists for each topic.
• -Prior knowledge to be built upon and added to each lesson.

Impact

Overall, our Science curriculum ensures that children have:

-Confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out scientific investigations. 

-The ability to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings. 

-Courage and resilience to take part in all aspects of science lessons.

-Scientific knowledge and understanding which is demonstrated in written and verbal explanations, solving challenging problems and reporting scientific findings.

-Their scientific enquiry skills by taking part in a range of enquiry types.

-The ability to undertake practical work in a variety of contexts.

We measure the impact of our Science curriculum through:

-Evidence via book trawls and learning environments.

-Pupil conferencing across the school.

-Start and end of unit mind maps.

-Range of retention strategies used in lessons.

-Assessment for learning during lessons

-Data analysis using our school tracking system – Target Tracker.

Science Yearly Overview  

The 2014 Science National Curriculum is followed from year 1-6 and the Early Years Foundations Stage Curriculum is followed in Nursery and Reception.    We aim to deliver a Science Curriculum which engages children and broadens their scientific understanding of the world around them. The children will explore different aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics through an enquiry approach. Children will develop working scientifically through a variety of enquiry types- such as; classifying and grouping, comparing, observing over time, comparative and fair test and researching- using hands on experience and secondary resources.

What the children think of Science at Sacred Heart Primary School:

Science lessons at Sacred Heart are fun because we have the chance to do different investigations.

Science lessons at Sacred Heart are amazing when we get chance to take part in experiments. 

Sycamore, Year 5

Science lessons at Sacred Heart are interesting and fun because we get to do experiments. Science helps me with the job I want when I'm older.

Mahira

I like Science lessons in Sacred Heart because I like learning what things can do and I like experiencing new things.

Leearna

Science lessons at Sacred Heart are amazing because we find out interesting facts and do fun experiments.

Owls, Year 1