Science

The delivery of science contains the following:

• Teachers are responsible for planning and delivering up to 2 hours of science each week, using the Science Bug scheme of learning. This involves creating engaging lessons that utilise high-quality resources provided by Science Bug to enhance pupils' understanding of key scientific concepts.

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• Science is taught in units through a combination of whole class teaching, group and individual work. The units are objective lead and to ensure a balanced science curriculum it is essential that elements of the Attainment Targets are taught each year, with a particular emphasis on Scientific Investigation. Planning is to show clear progression through each unit and through each year group. 

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• Working Scientifically to be embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. Investigations and experiments are recorded in ‘class floor-books’ and work is evidenced using a range of ways including photos, shared writing, stem sentences etc. To ensure cross-curricular links, some sections of Working Scientifically can be taught in other subjects. For example: the constructing and interpreting result could be taught in maths, the recording of the method in English as a recount piece of writing. 

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• The use of precise questioning using scientific vocabulary in class to measure conceptual knowledge and skills and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.

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• Access to outdoor learning and workshops with experts to ensure children develop their understanding of their surroundings.

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• In Foundation Stage, children begin to explore the world around them, with specific Science work covered through the Early Learning Goal ‘Understanding the World’.

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• All children are encouraged and supported to develop their full potential in science. Some children may require extra support in the classroom and opportunities for consolidation and reinforcement. Activities are differentiated to meet the needs of all pupils.

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• At the start of each lesson, we incorporate ‘Learn More, Remember More’ tasks designed to help children recall and retain prior learning. These tasks take the form of questions displayed on the whiteboard, all based on topics covered in previous years. Children can answer these questions individually using their whiteboards or engage in whole-class discussions. This approach reinforces previous learning and helps embed knowledge and skills, ensuring that children retain and build upon their scientific understanding over time.

 

• Formative Assessment is used throughout the Science curriculum to guide the progress of individual children. This involves identifying each child’s understanding in each area of the Science curriculum, determining what they have learned, and planning the next steps in their learning journey. Teachers conduct formative assessments informally during their teaching. At the beginning of each unit, pre-lesson assessments are carried out and recorded in the floor book to determine what children already know about the lesson focus. This is written in red pen, allowing teachers to identify and address any misconceptions before new learning begins. At the end of each lesson, children are asked to reflect on what they have learned, and this is recorded in green pen. This approach helps gauge prior knowledge and identify any gaps in understanding. Formative assessment methods may include:

·       Targeted questioning during small group discussions.

·       Individual discussions encouraging children to reflect on their work and progress.

·       Marking and feedback on children’s work.

 

• Summative Assessment occurs at the end of each unit and at the end of each academic year when a level of the child’s attainment is determined. The summative assessment at the end of each unit is primarily practical, focused on scientific enquiry. Children are given a task or question and must use their learning to complete it. The teacher then uses assessment criteria to determine if children are Working Towards the Standard (WTS), Expected Standard (EXS), or Greater Depth within the Standard (GDS) for that unit. This assessment incorporates various formative assessments, including pre-lesson and end-of-unit evaluations documented in the floor books. These assessments help compile a comprehensive teacher assessment for each child, which is collected by the Science Coordinator at the end of each term and academic year.

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Throughout our Science teaching, we aim to cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about the world, encouraging children to explore, question, and understand the world around them.