Purpose of study

The Science curriculum in our school enables children to develop their knowledge and understanding of important scientific ideas, processes and skills and relate these to their everyday life. Our aim is to foster curiosity in the children about their observations and experiences by beginning to explore and question the world around them. The children need to develop and practice the skills of forming their own predictions, asking questions, investigating using practical skills, draw their own conclusions and make their own evaluations.

Vision

At The Cathedral School, our aim is for children to:

·         Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.

·         Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods through different types of scientific enquiries that help them to answer questions about the world around them.

·         Equip children with the knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

 

Organisation                      

Science in Key Stage 1 is taught in topic blocks. During the 3/4 week block children will access a range of adult led and independent tasks as part of the continuous provision. These will be recorded in books or using the online learning journey (Tapestry) as appropriate.

Science in Key Stage 2 is taught on a weekly basis with cross-curricular links being made when and where possible. The allocated time for Science may vary by will usually accumulate to one and a half hours in Key Stage 1 and up to two hours in Key Stage 2, in either small groups or whole lessons. At Foundation Level, science is an integral part of topic work and should command approximately 40% of the total time allocation.

The Science Lesson will often contain many of the following elements:

Discussion: what they already know from experience, what they have learnt so far, what they will be finding out about next.

Teaching: teaching of scientific vocabulary, scientific processes balanced between directly to the whole class, through group or individual work.

Practical tasks or investigative work: working in groups or individually, practising scientific skills, finding out answers, being encouraged to think scientifically.

Recording: writing or drawing about what they have found out, drawing charts and tables and diagrams, using the computer and other media to record what they have done or found out about.

Communicating: sharing ideas and knowledge with each other, the teacher, other classes and adults as appropriate.

AFL: mini plenaries throughout the lesson, fluid grouping to meet the needs of the children at various points during the lesson, WWWs and EBIs given for children to action in the lesson or during the next lesson.