Intent

At St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, all of our children are scientists! It is our intention to provide them with a balanced, broad, high-quality science education which develops their natural curiosity, encourages respect for living organisms and the physical environment and provides opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence.

We intend to encourage excitement, wonder and questioning by providing engaging, practical and challenging scientific experiences. We will encourage children to enquire about the world around them and work scientifically and collaboratively to further their conceptual understanding and scientific knowledge.

We intend to immerse the children in rich scientific experiences and vocabulary and develop their higher order thinking skills in order to analyse and evaluate observations and findings. We will make clear and continual links with other areas of the curriculum including Literacy, Maths, Geography and History and incorporate real-life situations relevant to the children.

 

Implementation

 We plan an effective Science curriculum which will meet the needs of all learners; making adjustments where necessary to ensure that children with Special Educational Needs and Disadvantaged Learners are able to achieve their full potential.

To support provision, teachers will access comprehensive and engaging planning and resources from our subscription with the Plan Bee Science Scheme. Plan Bee's science planning is arranged to take advantage of seasonal study opportunities and to ensure progression in scientific working skills, while covering the National Curriculum for England. Each year is comprised of 6 blocks of 6 sessions dedicated to one of the science areas and culminating in a meaningful outcome. Opportunities are provided to allow children to meet the full range of scientific investigative approaches including pattern seeking, exploring, problem solving, fair testing, and analysing secondary sources. They will present findings using specific scientific language, observations and diagrams. Children also have access to a well-resourced school library, a wide range of scientific equipment and resources, comprehensive whole-class sets of CGP Science study books and Rising Stars topic-based class text books.

Every classroom has a Science Working Wall to display important knowledge and vocabulary which can be regularly referred to, enabling children to readily apply to their written, verbal, and mathematical communication of skills. Knowledge organisers are used throughout the school, providing key learning, vocabulary and information for each topic.

Teaching and learning content and skills are mapped out clearly across all levels to ensure coverage, progression of knowledge and skills, and to provide opportunities for revision of previous learning. Assessment will be ongoing and will determine the direction of the topic and new learning, with misconceptions identified and addressed along the way. There are always opportunities for self and peer assessment in every lesson.

 

Impact

The successful approach to the teaching of Science at St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School will result in a thorough, engaging, high quality science education that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world around them.

The majority of children will achieve age-related expectations in Science at the end of their cohort year. All children will demonstrate progress over time, from their varying starting points. Assessment will be gathered formally (quizzes and tests) and informally (concept maps, discussions, verbal/written outcomes, reflection tasks and presentations.)

Our children will be enthusiastic, skilled scientists who understand the importance of science for our lives and our world. They will be able to pose and question ideas, reflect on knowledge, articulate their understanding of scientific concepts and be able to reason scientifically using rich vocabulary. Children will be comfortable working collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.

The Science Subject Leader will monitor teaching and learning by providing resources and support, observing science lessons, speaking with children and scrutinising workbooks across all levels.

Below you will find a link to our annual Science plans across the school. These are being trialled and will be monitored carefully throughout. Revisions will be made as necessary.