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Intent
Intent
The aim of our science curriculum is that all children will develop the traits necessary to become ‘Scientists’, which are outlined below:
At Dussindale Primary School we believe that Science is a way of thinking as much as a body of knowledge, a method of organising our curiosity. We want to observe and then deeply question our amazing world. Fundamental to the teaching of science at Dussindale is thoughtful questioning and purposeful discussion, supported by teachers with robust subject knowledge to provide a context to learning. Our pupils receive clear explanations, verified and illustrated with concrete modelling and working examples, made aware of the impact and implications science and scientists have had and continue to have in our world.
Throughout the programmes of study, the children will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group. The key knowledge identified by each year group is informed by the national curriculum and builds towards identified phase ‘end points’ in accordance with NC expectations. Key skills are also mapped for each year group and are progressive throughout the school. These too, ensure systematic progression to identified skills, which are in accordance with the Working Scientifically skills expectations of the national curriculum. At Dussindale we aim to provide children with access to ‘hands-on’ resources, inspirational and thought-provoking demonstrations, structured investigations and child-led experiments, to offer opportunities to handle key scientific equipment, to measure, to make predictions and observations, and to draw conclusions from gathered data or results. We want children to be able to use a range of approaches to answer scientific questions, progressively working more scientifically as they develop their skills, scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics with scientific questioning, progressively working ever more scientifically.
Through the science curriculum, pupils will develop an understanding of the following key concepts (our ‘Golden Threads). These concepts are revisited through different units as pupils move through the school. Knowledge is sequenced and mapped so that pupils make meaningful connections and develop the core knowledge and skills required to successfully achieve in science.
The expectation is that, by the end of primary school, children will know and understand these key elements of ‘Working as a Scientist’ to give them a solid foundation to enter the Science Curriculum at KS3.
Implementation
Implementation
Science Implementation: Pupils at Dussindale study science units in every half term, six in total in each year group, in order to develop a secure understanding of each key area of knowledge or concept taught. Our science curriculum is carefully mapped to ensure that our pupils build upon previous learning and so they can extend their understanding and ability to apply specialist scientific vocabulary, with each unit focused on a big question. Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following;
Early Years Foundation Stage
In the Foundation Stage, children are taught Science through the key areas of learning set out within the EYFS Statutory Framework. Through a broad range of teacher-led, child-initiated and continuous learning opportunities, children will be taught to:
*Use their senses to investigate a range of objects and materials
*Find out about, identify and observe the different features of living things, objects and worldly events
*Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change
*Ask questions about why things happen and why things work
*Develop their communication and cooperation skills
*Talk about their findings, sometimes recording them
*Identify and find out about features of the place they live and in the natural world around them
Key Stage 1 and 2
In Key Stage 1 and 2, Science will be taught in units planned by the class teacher and subject leader. ASE planning, resources and supporting materials are used as a guide to support teachers and also to provide useful CPD and age related expectations materials.. Children have weekly science lessons, with teachers following the units but adapting lessons where necessary in response to teaching, with the aim of being able to answer the main question at the end of each unit.
The following topics are covered throughout Key Stage 1:
Animals, including Humans
Everyday Materials
Plants
Seasonal Changes
Living Things & their Habitats
The following topics are covered throughout Key Stage 2:
Plants
Living Things & their Habitats
Animals, including Humans
Rocks
Light
Electricity
Sound
Properties and Changes of Materials
Earth & Space
Evolution & Inheritance
Forces & Magnets
At the beginning of each unit prior learning is assessed and key vocabulary is identified. Knowledge organisers are shared on Google Classroom as a useful learning aid with key vocabulary and concepts which will be taught. At the beginning of each lesson, teachers plan opportunities for pupils to recall prior learning. This enables pupils to consolidate their previous learning, while also preparing them for future learning, in line with the sequence of lessons. This is particularly important for our EAL and SEND children, who may need more opportunities to retain and embed scientific vocabulary and concepts. Formative assessments are planned into each unit in Key Stage 1, with all class teachers identifying key points to assess. Assessments that take place range from mini and multiple choice quizzes, retrieval forms, explanation tasks, written tasks, double page spreads , reflection tasks or responding to a question/image. Teachers encourage children to use a developing scientific vocabulary as they progress through each year group. Time is spent during lessons introducing and reinforcing age appropriate scientific vocabulary. Children are given opportunities to consolidate their use of scientific vocabulary as they move through the year groups. Children are encouraged to use scientific vocabulary, both written and verbal, to explain their ideas and make sense of their observations and findings.
At Dussindale we have developed our own Working Scientifically skills, which have been embedded into each science unit. The subject lead has worked alongside year groups to plan investigations/experiments to ensure that these skills are systematically developed throughout the children’s time at Dussindale. Our children have the opportunity to observe their teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment correctly through structured investigations but also to explore it for themselves to seek answers to questions.
The successful approach to the teaching of science at Dussindale Primary School will result in a fun, engaging, high quality science education that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them once they complete their primary education. Formative assessment is used as the main tool for assessing the impact of Science at Dussindale Primary School as it allows for misconceptions and gaps to be addressed more immediately rather than building on insecure scientific foundations.
We measure impact through:
*Knowledge and understanding (physics, chemistry and biology) assessed and tracked at the end of each unit
• Working scientifically is continually assessed within lessons
• Prior understanding assessed before teaching topics (through a range of quick quizzes/ mind maps, KWL grids etc) then again assessed at end of the unit, which is shared with the subject lead so they can see many pupils are achieving age related expectations
Monitoring of teaching and learning shows:
• Teachers have a good level of subject knowledge
• Confident children develop their independence in their learning, often posing their own questions and hypothesis for investigations
• Children are able to use and explain the meaning of scientific vocabulary identified at the beginning of each unit
• Teachers use a range of questioning to explore children’s understanding in lessons
* Children can talk with confidence about their learning
• Children enjoy taking part in science lessons and sharing their thoughts, ideas and knowledge
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