Science | St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Intent

At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School our intent for Science is for our children:

to ask questions about the world by expanding their natural curiosity
to develop their scientific knowledge and find solutions through practical investigations
to ensure they are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to help take their learning further
to have access to the language and vocabulary of science
to enjoy science by ensuring that lessons are engaging and fun

Implementation

Science is taught in weekly lessons and is delivered by class teachers. The school has developed its own bespoke Curriculum, based on the National Curriculum. Each of the units is designed to build on previously taught concepts and each lesson gives the opportunity for key knowledge development, as well as the development of working scientifically skills. Lessons offer the opportunity for children to carry out a range of enquiries in order to answer scientific questions. In KS2 children begin to plan and choose which type of enquiry is required in order to answer a scientific question.

Our science curriculum also focuses on teaching key scientific vocabulary and proactively addressing misconceptions. Each unit begins with a baseline ‘10-quick- questions’ quiz to ascertain children’s current knowledge. Teachers use these quizzes to help tailor learning to the class and individuals’ needs. Each unit ends with an opportunity for children to consolidate and revise their learning through an oracy focussed lesson, followed by a revisit to the initial ‘10-quick-questions’ quiz to check progress.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In Early Years, children participate in scientific activities through their study and acquisition of Understanding the World. Pupils follow the Early Years Curriculum for Understanding the World. Regular observations and assessments of learning are recorded using learning journals and contribute to a summative assessment at the end of EYFS using the Early Years outcomes (Early Learning Goals) for Understanding of the World.

Key Stage 1

The prime focus of science teaching in Key Stage 1 is to allow pupils to experience and observe events, looking carefully at both the natural and manufactured world around them. During years 1 and 2, pupils are taught to work scientifically by using the following practical scientific skills, methods and processes through the teaching of the programme of study:

Asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways
Observing closely, using simple equipment
Performing simple tests
Identifying and classifying
Using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
Gathering and recording data to help in answering questions

These will be taught through the following topics:

Plants
Animals including humans
Everyday materials
Seasonal changes (continuing topic throughout the year)
Living things and their habitats
Uses of everyday materials

Lower Key Stage 2

The prime focus of science teaching in Years 3 & 4 is to allow pupils to broaden the way they work scientifically and their scientific view of the world. They do this through:

Setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests.
Making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers.
Gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions.
Recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables.
Reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.
Using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions.
Identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.
Using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

These will be taught through the following topics:

Plants
Animals including humans
Everyday materials
Rocks
Light
Forces and magnets
Living things and their habitats
Electricity
Sound
States of matter

Upper Key Stage 2

The prime focus of science teaching in upper Key Stage 2 is to allow pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a range of scientific concepts and working scientifically. They do this through:

Planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary.
Taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate.
Recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs.
Using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests.
Reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations.
Identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

These will be taught through the following topics:

Living things and their habitats
Animals including humans
Properties and changes of materials
Earth and Space
Forces
Evolution and inheritance
Light
Electricity

Impact

The children at St Mary's are confident scientists who can talk about the investigations that they have carried out and articulate the scientific knowledge they have gained. We have Science Ambassadors across the KS2 classes and each year we take part in British Science Week. The school invites professionals from different scientific fields to update our children on current scientific projects as well as potentially inspire them into future STEM roles.