Science

‘TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW, YOU WILL BE MORE DISAPPOINTED BY THE THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T DO THAN BY THE ONES YOU DID DO. SO THROW OFF THE BOWLINES. SAIL AWAY FROM THE SAFE HARBOR. CATCH THE TRADE WINDS IN YOUR SAILS. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER.’ - MARK TWAIN.

At Pluckley Church of England Primary School we work to ensure that all children thrive in a Christian centred community in which they are encouraged to enjoy, learn and achieve together. We expect our children to be secure in the knowledge that they are safe and cared for – both by us and by God; able to enjoy their time at school; challenge to achieve their best through a high-quality education; happy in the knowledge they are each celebrated for their individuality as well as their achievements.

Our Science curriculum is designed to provide the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world in which they live through investigation, as well as using and applying process skills. 

Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, therefore at Pluckley Church of England Primary School we aim for all our pupils to become:

• Resilient and ambitious children who strive for outstanding outcomes, who use their initiative and are unafraid of making mistakes.
  • Science provides a platform for children to find answers to scientific questions through investigation. It helps them to build resilience in finding the best way to investigate and continually test results to ensure the best and most accurate outcome.  They need to find solutions by taking risks, testing their ideas and having the confidence to identify anomalies in results.
• Successful learners with a thirst for knowledge who are curious and self-motivated to learn and achieve.
  • Our Science curriculum teaches the essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts.  Our children are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They are inspired to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.  Our intention to develop a passion for scientific knowledge and an increased confidence to test their theories.
• Young people with a strong spiritual foundation who thrive by embodying our REFLECT values in all that they think, say and do.
  • Our school Christian values are the foundation in developing a strong spiritual attitude to how we, at Pluckley Church of England Primary School, learn, behaviour and grow - Our Science lessons are built on the children working in teams to share their knowledge, discuss, respect and trust others ideas and cooperate in the designing of experiments.  It requires each team member to take a leading role in preparing, recording or sharing results of an investigation to a wider audience.  Demonstrating friendship by encouraging others to persevere when results are not immediately obvious and enjoyment in seeking solutions to their question by using scientific equipment to complete experiments. 
• Well-rounded individuals who have a range of strategies to support positive mental health; enabling them to live fulfilled and happy lives.
  • In Science we create a safe environment that encourages and supports all children to have a voice. Develop their confidence to share their theories; predictions as to why things happen; ask questions and the freedom to discuss without criticism.   We guide our children to acquire strategies that support them to overcome barriers to support their well-being.
• Confident, responsible individuals who have a strong sense of community and strive to make a positive contribution in their future role in the 21st Century and beyond.
  • Collaborative working is encouraged and celebrated in Science.  It is through working together that we develop and strengthen our own thought processes to develop theories.  Children are given the opportunity to discuss and share their ideas to a variety of audiences, allowing their confidence to grow and flourish.  They are able to challenge themselves, whilst supporting others.

How is Science taught across the school?

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement the Primary Science Scheme of Work, a curriculum that is progressive throughout the school.

Planning for science is a process in which all teachers are involved to ensure that the school gives full coverage of, ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science 2014’ and, ‘Understanding of the World’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Science teaching at Pluckley Church of England Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. Where possible, Science is linked to class topics. It is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage. Due to mixed year groups in our school, Science units are taught on a 2-year rolling programme, this ensures progression between year groups and guarantees topics are covered. Teachers plan to suit their children’s interests, current events, their own teaching style, the use of any support staff and the resources available.

We ensure that all children are provided with rich learning experiences so that they are prepared for a life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.  We help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas and we develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.

The successful approach to the teaching of science at Pluckley Church of England 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.

EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of Science through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World.’ Children find out about objects, materials and living things using all of their senses looking at similarities, differences, patterns and change. Both the environment and skilled practitioners foster curiosity and encourage explorative play, children are motivated to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. Our children are encouraged to use their natural environment around them to explore. Children enjoy spending time outdoors exploring minibeasts and their habitats, observing the changing seasons, plants and animals. Children regularly participate in cookery and baking sessions which allows them to experience changes in state as ingredients are mixed, heated and cooled.

KS1 and KS2

Science is taught consistently, once a week for a minimum of one hour, but is also discretely taught in many different contexts throughout all areas of the curriculum. For example, through English, i.e. designing a leaflet for healthy living/biography of a famous scientist’s life, etc.

How do we know what the children have learnt and understood?

At Pluckley Church of England Primary School we aspire to promote children’s independence and for all children to take responsibility in their own learning by the implementation of peer and self-assessment, KWL and vocabulary task, which are completed both at the beginning (pre-learning task) and end (post-learning task) of a science unit in order to show clear progression and children’s new found knowledge and understanding. These tasks also enable the children to articulate scientific concepts clearly and precisely, assisting them in making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others.

Children’s learning and progression is also demonstrated through the school’s termly learning afternoons and science week, which are both pupil-led.
To ensure knowledge is retained, we implement spaced learning and the beginning of each lesson previous, present and core knowledge is discussed.  Knowledge organisers are also provided for all children in year 1 to 6, this is used as an information guide for the pupils to refer to in lessons. 

Assessment is teacher based and formed using formal strategies (e.g. periodic year group assessment tasks, quizzes) and informal strategies (Use of concept maps, verbal/written outcomes, reflection tasks/presentations).
 
Formative assessment is used as the main tool for assessing the impact of Science as it allows for misconceptions and gaps to be addressed more immediately rather than building on insecure scientific foundations.
  
Impact of learning will be assessed though: Interviews, deep dives, assessing whether or not children can answer questions and make links to prior learning etc.