Science
At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, we believe that a high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, children are encouraged to recognise the power of explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about the world around them. They are taught to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse data collected.
Intent: At St Joseph's Primary School, we encourage children to be inquisitive and see science as the world around them, whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them think and reason scientifically. We want them to gain an understanding of scientific processes and a knowledge of how these fit into the world of work as well as having a rich range of scientific vocabulary which they can use progressively as they advance through school.
Implementation: At St Joseph's Primary School, we use the Developing Experts scheme to plan lessons and ensure all children learn and retain knowledge throughout the programmes of study. In each lesson, pupils are given key facts and knowledge through a storytelling approach to learning. Further to this, each lesson offers Rocket Words, these are key words and meanings to learn; vocabulary which is then repeated throughout the lesson, quizzed on at the end and repeated at the beginning of the following lesson.
All our lessons contain a balance of the different ‘Working Scientifically Skills’ and ‘Scientific Enquiry’ types, so that children practise a broad range of skills throughout the curriculum. Each child has an individual science book and knowledge organiser. Wherever possible and suitable the children are taken outside for a first hand experience of their learning.
Impact: the successful approach to the teaching of science at St Joseph's Primary School will result in children developing their confidence, their love of science and their knowledge of careers and opportunities related to science. We have several assessment opportunities to track pupil progress within lessons and units of work. Each child is able to take a quick online key word quiz, a multiple choice comprehension activity and at the end of a unit each child will take a knowledge test or be assessed during practical task.
Science In EYFS: Developing Experts is used in conjunction with Developing Matters for the Early Year’s Foundation Stage. Science at Foundation Stage is covered in the ‘Understanding the World’ area of the EYFS Curriculum. It is introduced indirectly through activities that encourage every child to explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions and talk about the world around them. Understanding the World is taught in variety of ways through adult-led and adult-supported tasks and child-initiated learning in well-resourced provision areas, both indoors and outdoors.
During their first years at school our children will explore creatures, people, plants and objects in their natural environments. They will learn to use their senses, feeling dough or listening to sounds in the environment, such as sirens or farm animals. They will make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes. Children will be encouraged to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. Children will also be asked questions about what they think will happen to help them communicate, plan, investigate, record and evaluate findings.