'The scientist is not the person who gives the right answers, they are the one who asks the right questions.'  Claude Levi-Strauss.

Intent

‘Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. ― Marie Curie

At Outwoods Primary School, our children are SCIENTISTS! Our intent is to give every child a broad and balanced Science curriculum which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We want our children to love science. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be astronauts, forensic scientists, toxicologists or microbiologists. We want our children to remember their science lessons in our school, to cherish these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities they are presented with! To achieve this, it involves exciting, practical hands on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. At Outwoods, we have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the science National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

Implementation

At Outwoods Primary School, all pupils take part in regular science lessons. These often take place over an afternoon to allow children the time to build on prior scientific knowledge and learn new skills. Within the Early Year Foundation Stage, science is taught through ‘Understanding of the World’. Science experiences start at this early stage of our pupils’ learning and our science curriculum exposes children to consistent, high quality science lessons, which advance their scientific understanding throughout their entire primary education.

Science is taught through explicit units that have been planned in line with the National Curriculum.  Cross-curricular links are made where possible to the year group or phase’s half-termly topic. Within each year and with each new unit, plans are developed in response to the interests and questions of the children, to give purposeful learning about what they want to find out, thus giving pupils a voice within their science education. Teachers also take into consideration cultural capital, addressing issues specific to our community allowing children to access a broader curriculum.

The science curriculum includes a range of investigative and practical activities, providing children with the opportunity to work scientifically, acquiring the necessary skills to problem solve, work collaboratively and share their findings.  Investigations allow children to think like scientists, make predictions based on prior knowledge, challenge theories and plan their own activities.  Key vocabulary is shared and consistently modelled by the teachers; new words are displayed within the classroom. A variety of equipment is available for children to use according to their planned investigation, developing a sense of excitement and curiosity to enhance the love of Science. To monitor the progress made within science lessons, all teachers are required to assess at the end of each unit, using our assessment tool, Target Tracker.

The Science Subject Leader is responsible for monitoring of this core subject.  Throughout the year, training is provided to disseminate new information, guidance on changes within science and addressing any CPD needs, resulting in the best science provision delivered by teachers to all pupils in their care. 

Impact

The effective planning and teaching of Science by our staff, which is in line with our skills progression (incorporating all of the strands of the National Curriculum) allows us to ensure that our children have access to an up to date, challenging curriculum.  A curriculum that meets the needs of our students in order for them to make good progress.  Target Tracker allow us to track progress and plan from it as part of our commitment to inspire all children to develop skills and ensure any gaps in learning are addressed.

Our effective teaching of Science will impact on the students in the following ways:

• The Science curriculum provides children with access to an investigative approach, with a mix of research, teacher led/child initiated practical lessons. They are taught scientific knowledge and understanding as well as scientific enquiry skills.
• A varied, progressive and rich scientific vocabulary to enable children to articulate both orally and written their understanding of the concepts taught.
• Science lessons are engaging, fun and designed to encourage all learners to gain a scientific foundation that they will require to have a better understanding of the world around them.
• Children are exposed to a range of careers in which science is used, allowing them to understand the importance of science and the opportunities that science can prove them with.
• Children’s scientific understanding is consistently being built upon year on year, term on term with high aspirations to see them through to further study and success in adult life.