Science

At Cardinham School, it is our intention to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. We give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires. 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. It will develop the natural curiosity of the child, encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment and provide opportunities for evaluation of evidence. We intend to build a Science curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and build a Science curriculum which, enables children to become enquiry based learners.

Implementation

• A clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum where teaching and learning should show progression across all key stages within the strands of Science.
• Children have access to key language and meanings in order to understand and readily apply to their written, mathematical and verbal communication of their skills.
• Children will 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 will reflect on previous learning and cross curricular links will be made wherever possible
• Children will be able to build on prior knowledge and link ideas together, enabling them to question and become enquiry based learners.
• Attainment will be assessed each half term through related topic assessment tasks and entered into our school tracking system.
• Knowledge organisers are used to aid memory.
• Starting a unit with KWLs to reactivate prior learning
• Enrichment: School trip once a year (Autumn) Annual science day (Spring). Visitors into school (Summer). Links with current learning.
• Every lesson starts with recap of week before to address misconceptions.
• Next, the WALTs are discussed. These are used to assess whether children have worked scientifically. Teacher and self-asses are used within this.
• Practical and discussion based learning.
• Mixed aged groups to support learning.
• Sequencing documents are stuck into books to aid learning.
• All books outline what it is to be a scientist in pupil speak.
• TAPs assessment begin this term (at a distance – three times a year)

Impact

• Most children will achieve age related expectations in Science at the end of their cohort year
• Children will retain knowledge that is pertinent to Science with a real life context.
• 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.

How to help your child at home

Science is a way of understanding the world, a perspective, and a pattern of thinking that begins in the very early years. That is why parental involvement is so important in a child’s science education. Science is all about exploring how things work. It’s often best learned through hands-on experiments and observation. This makes it a fun and easy subject area for children to dive into while at home.

Here are some websites which suggest fun science experiments and activities:

pstt.org.uk/resources/curriculum-materials/Science-Fun-at-Home

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/primary

www.brainpop.com/science

www.stem.org.uk/home-learning

explorify.wellcome.ac.uk